Site Assignment, Site Visit

There have happened a few interesting things over the past week or so that I haven't shared much about, mainly because I have been super busy with things like planning community trash clean-ups and helping out other aspirantes with painting the world map on the side of a school, amongst other things. Last Tuesday I was given my site assignment; the place where I will be for the next two years. Weeks leading up to my assignment were full of anxiety and practical madness (on my part) because of the yearning desire to know where I will be making my home and my projects. Every one of us (trainees) were on pins and needles that day. The training center felt like making the revealing even more suspenseful by keeping it at the end of the day. So we carried on the day sweating and running around and punching each other, some of us, to fight back the anticipation. I am in know way joking either. We have been training for almost two months and this point, the site assignment, is like having a baby (I can only imagine of course). At the end of Tuesday our program leaders sat us all down in front of a giant map of El Sal, then we played a game which grouped us into which departments we are moving to. Then, in an atmosphere similar to the Price Is Right, we were each called up to the front, were read our sites, and placed a big 'ole star on the map to where we are going.

My site assignment is as follows: The department (state) of Morazan, canton (municipality) El Volcan. I will be in a community scattered across a mountain, at around 5,000 feet. The perks of my site include an hour and a half hike from the bus stop, no electricity, and no running water (other than that running down the mountain). I will be working with the community development group, as well as local NGO's on who-knows-what yet projects. I say who-knows-what because I won't know until I get there and sit down with them and plan. I am an agroforestry volunteer, but the way things go is that I help the community accomplish what they believe they need to accomplish. Though a water project would make me super happy. I am seriously thinking about buying a horse too. There are volunteers who have done just that and in my case, the hour and a half hike up and down a mountain, to me calls for a horse. Hear that relatives of mine who love horses?? Havah? Aunt Marsha? Nicky, Sarah?? I will definitely be needing some advice and rules-to-follow e-mails from you guys.

I visit my site tomorrow morning and I will be there on my own for four days, finding a house to live in for the next two years and more importantly meeting the community and the immediate stakeholders who went through the process of requesting a Peace Corps volunteer. It is so good to know that I am wanted. They asked for someone like me. Another interesting fact is that I will be the first volunteer ever in this site. At first glance, this sounds like everything I had ever imagined about the Peace Corps: limited resources working with a community that has had little to no contact with foreigners. The challenge will be huge, but that's why I joined in the first place. So next week or maybe later I will have more to tell you all, to put you in the loop about my future home. I meet my counterpart tomorrow. He told me to bring heavy clothes and prepare myself for a hike. I really can't wait.

I have been weak on sending out e-mails lately but don't worry, I will get back on track. Planning for this trip has taken all of my mental focus, and when I get back I will be super excited to share with you how it went. Thank you for all the great messages and keeping me in your thoughts, because it really feels great hearing from you, from home.

Salu Pues...