A year ago today, I swore in as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Now that I've been piddling about in rural Guatemala for exactly one year, I finally feel as though I have the perspective to begin to reflect on this life-altering experience, which I bring to you in the form of a blog.
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Just kidding! Mostly, I've simply retained procrastination habits cultivated in every writing class I've taken. Additionally, condensing and then exhibiting my quotidian reality, in a way both meaningful and reader-friendly, had daunted me into silence. So, apologies to my long-suffering public (all 6 of you!). I hope you are entertained by this account of my (mis)adventures. Without further ado…
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In my inaugural post, I present a carefully organized summary of my doings for the last 15 months.
Program: Healthy Homes (Hogares Saludables)
Job Description: Preventive health "technician"(Técnico en Salud Preventiva)
Community education in preventive health, achieved by way of ∼3 objectives:
- Identification and education of priority families in the community (Health Promotion)
- Using USAID funds to bring basic sanitary infrastructures to aforementioned (Primary Projects)
- Training a group of rural health promoters chosen from within the community, who will continue to work after I leave (the ever-elusive "Sustainable Development Work")
- Whatever else I want! (usually falls under the umbrella of "Secondary Projects")
All work is done with a local counterpart – in my case, a Rural Health Technician (Técnico en Salud Rural or TSR) employed by the Ministry of Health at the community Health Post (Puesto de Salud)
Timeline:
April 27 - July 14, 2011: Training
Spanish classes. Cultural sensitivity classes. Classes in how to give classes to rural Guatemalan women. Fleas. Mosquitos. Tortillas every day. Honestly, this was a painful time of which the memories I have are scarce, seeing as how I have repressed them. Also it was a WHOLE YEAR ago and my memory ain't what it used to be.
July – November 2011: Community Diagnostic
677 house visits, rain or shine, to get population statistics and health indicators for my community. Qualitative and quantitative data – charts to follow! Great baseline analysis that helped me design a work plan as well as get to know my community. Also, a lovely Thanksgiving passed with one of my best friends, who flew down to keep me company.
Dec 2011: Home!
Festive fun with family and friends! Bobby and I flew to visit the families in DC and Boise. I stuffed my face with multicultural cuisines.
January – February 2012: Organization of community groups
I selected 175 families on the basis of need and invited them to participate in a health education series. Priority families were identified through the community diagnostic. Selection criteria: the family lacked 2 out of 3 basic sanitary infrastructures (cement floors, latrine, improved wood-burning stove). The idea is that the families will participate in several months of health talks or “charlas” and, at the end, receive an infrastructure project of their choosing (more on projects, foreign aid, and “sustainable” development to come).
I also recruited a team of individuals interested in becoming rural health promoters. They will receive more intense training, including but not limited to first aid, how to inject, and the basic diagnosis and treatment of common illnesses. Plus, I torture them with homework and tests! These promoters will ideally serve as a link between the community and the Health Post, politics and bureaucracy notwithstanding. More on THAT later, as well.
March 2012 – Present: Execution of Program Objectives
This merits its own post. Suffice it to say that the last couple of months have been the busiest but also the most fun in my service. Highlights: learning how to mix cement and concrete; building a stove from scratch, brick-by-brick; seeing my health promoters grow; learning the local Mayan language from the ladies in my family groups; starting English classes in a local primary school; visits from my sister and to Bobby. Low points: getting bit by a dog; getting chased by two dogs down a hill and twisting my ankle pretty severely
Challenges
- Fleas! The profusion of stray dogs, my tasty, tasty blood, and the severe allergy I have to flea bites contrive to make me miserable. These nasty little bloodsuckers hop onto me and bite my legs, my arms, my midsection. All of these bites turn into big red swollen spots that itch for weeks. Out of necessity I have learned several precautionary measures which have significantly reduced the number of bites I get. However, every once in a while, one of those little buggers finds its way through the haze of bug spray and flea powder which now comprise my daily regimen
- Stray dogs or “chuchos”. Animal control? No such thing. I challenge all dog lovers to come and live out here for 1 year and still leave with kindly sentiment toward what can only be described as SATAN’S SPAWN
- Rainy season. Comes with indomitable mold, an upswing in the flea population as well as their migration indoors, and a feeling that you will never be dry again. May through November! Respect to you fools living in Seattle
- I miss Chinese food
All in all, life is good. I work hard but still have plenty of time for leisure. I read lots of books, watch TV/movies that I’d always been meaning to watch, went through phase where I was really into crosswords. Big shout out to a certain Mr. Piñero, who’s been with me and so supportive all this time. Long distance is tough but we’re doing real good.
Love to all, and to all a good night.
