THE NEWS YOU’VE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR (ok, maybe not, but I have) WHO & WHERE! I am headed for a town a little south of the Mexican border called Jacaltenango, in Huehuetenango (Western Highlands) with my compañ ero, Damian. I heard through the grapevine that our site is the furthest one from Peace Corps headquarters (approx 8 hours by bus?) and I am stoked to call it home for the next two years!
The process of getting to this point was a little stressful. We were paired through a questionnaire-type of deal with questions about what time of day we do our best work, what we look for in a colleague, what kind of conflict resolution method we tend to gravitate towards (explosion), who we think we’d work well with etc. and we found out our partners on Tuesday. Kristin and Damian…FBFF (Future Best Friends Forever…I’m thinking about having jackets made…kidding, it’s way too hot in Huehue for that… haha)
As for our site assignment, the reveal was pretty fun- our technical trainer made a map on the ground with tape and with our eyes closed we were led to our relative locations on the map and then told to open our eyes all at once. I opened my eyes and was a little shocked that there was no one behind us- yikes! The more I find out about our new home the more excited I become.
The area is 100% indigenous and while most of them can communicate in Spanish, the Indigenous language is Popti (Damian has informed me that we will be learning to speak it, I am supportive of this goal.) I feel like once we get a handle on the language that we’ll fit in really well up there…except maybe for the fact that I’m a pale, redhead and Damian is a really tall, black dude. So…We may stand out a little haha.
Here's a really awkward photo of us that I stole from Grace....thanks.
Apparently standing any closer together would just be too much too soon haha
That’s all I can really say about our site for right now… We will be visiting Huehue next week and getting our living situations figured out; meeting counterparts; touring schools, and FREAKING OUT (!? Nahhhh….)
I promise to take lots of pictures of my new home…well I’m going to try REAL HARD.
I am lugging a bunch of my stuff up there with me on this trip and as I’ve been packing up my suitcases I can’t help but feel a little sad to leave my host community and my fellow trainees; we’ve had a great time together ; matching friendship bracelets and all (sniffle).
I also can’t fathom how I’ve accumulated so much crap in such a short period of time…a little embarrassing if I’m being entirely honest.
I will really miss my host family and my home here. It’s been so great every time I open my door to come home to big, pleading blue eyed, khaki-wearing, baby (the calendar at the head of my bed, which for reasons unknown has picture of a white baby above an advertisement for fried chicken… not sure what the two have to do with each other…) I’m even going to miss Loba (host-family dog); we became such amigas once she stopped trying to eat my face. Funny how that happens.
seriously...
As for what comes next I’ll be sure to let you know. It’s impossible to relay everything but I can say that I’m feeling really good about the picture coming into focus in front of me...
The ultimate test of my Spanish and Technical skills acquired during training is approaching. WISH ME LUCK!
PEACE & LOVE!
