A Journey to the Other Side

(this is the last post in this series. if you are still reading, i am impressed!)

I have spent the last 2 weeks out of site for In Service Training and then the all Volunteer Thanksgiving. It was the first time I had been west of Panama City since Swear In, and in many ways felt like I was visiting another country!

 

IST- The Darienitas traveled out of the jungle together the Friday before IST so we could use electricity and internet to write our community analyses, scrub off a few layers of jungle funk with hot water, and catch some football before we headed out to the training compound for the week. The down side to the compound: they werent prepared for our arrival and we had to go without sheets for our mattresses or towels for our showers for a bit. The up side to the compound: we had mattresses and running water! The best part of the compound: there was a beach and a restaurant a 45 min walk down the road so we could hang out in the evening after our long days of sitting in chairs. The gates to the compound closed at 10, but there are plenty of skilled climbers in my group who could hop over and wake up the sleeping security guard to let us in.

We spent the week talking about a variety of topics that apply to PCV life like: feedback about preservice training and how it helped or didnt help in site, how to apply for and manage grants, what youth development programs we have available, coping mechanisms for vsrious PCV struggles, how to deal with gender inequality and sexual harrassment, reviewing the emergency action plan, project management, building capacity for committees, using computer programs to design aqueducts, sanitation projects, behavior change, and we had a forum to brainstorm what kinds of project manuals would help us do our jobs and what said manuals would include.

 

COMARCA NGABE-BUGLE- Our field training part of IST was originally supposed to take place in the time between IST and Thanksgiving, but they were postponed a few months so we had a gap to fill between the two events. It was not enough time to return to the Darien and since Thanksgiving was held in the mountains near the Costa Rican border, I decided to visit some of my fellow PCVs living on the western half of the country. I chose Chet's site because it was rumored to be the one the highest and farthest into the comarca NB, and because it has a chiva. In 'Nobe land' a 1-2 hour hike up the mountains to get into site is standard, and I had a lot of stuff. Turns out the road was too muddy for the chiva to get all the way in, so we got to hike for an hour and half anyway, but the views at sunset were very pretty! It was myself and 4 other guys hanging out there for a few days, and we had plans to do some hiking, but because of the rain we spent most of our time hanging out reading, playing cards, talking, and for those of us from the Darien, being COLD! It was a relaxing break, and I loved meeting Chet’s host family.

 

THANKSGIVING- On Wednesday, I woke up in a cabana on a beach en route to Thanksgiving and hopped on a bus. With a sunburned back, backpacking was less than fun. We stopped in David to visit a fellow PCV. During IST she got stung by a sting ray on the beach that then got infected with flesh eating bacteria. I know, crazy right! She was in the hospital in David for several days fighting the infection. We brought her sweets and Diet Coke and hung out with her there until noon then caught a chiva up to the mountains on the Costa Rican border. My first reaction: IT IS SO COLD. It was in the 50s and 60s the whole time, raining on and off with cloudy skies and a brisk breeze. I loved being able to snuggle under blankets! Our lodge had a fireplace, a Jacuzzi tub, and a kitchen with the works- microwave, coffee pot, George Foreman grill, etc. Wednesday night I took a hot bath in the Jacuzzi (ran out of hot water about halfway full, haha) then I made pasta with veggies and we curled up by the fire listening to music and talking. Thanksgiving Day we had sketchy internet (might be due to the 160 people trying to skype their families at the same time) so I didn’t get to skype my family, but got to cal them for a bit after dinner. I went on a beautiful hike that afternoon and took lots of pictures. Dinner was absolutely amazing, and then there was an epic dance party late into the night afterwards. If one needs to be 3,000 miles away from their family on Thanksgiving, this is the way to do it! We got up fairly early the next morning to make the first stage of the 3 days it will take me to get back to site. It was a much needed vacation and I am incredibly thankful for it!

 

At this moment, I am off to go put on makeup (I know, crazy!!) because we are going to go get Thai food for my birthday. It is not until next weekend but I will be in site so we are going out a week early since we are all together.

 

This will probably be the last blog update until I come out for Christmas, so enjoy the holiday season, don’t stress out about the hustle and bustle, and take time to appreciate your holiday traditions with your friends and family. I miss those so much, but I know I will get to make a lot of unique traditions with my Peace Corps family here. Love and miss you all!!!