Is this legit?

So it has been my first two weeks living in my site. We are told not to leave our sites during the first three months of living in our sites. That was really tough. I know, two weeks is nothing compared to three months. And three months is nothing compared to the two years I still have to spend here. Like many of the volunteers told us during training, the first few months are the most hellish. And while they have not been hellish in a way that can warrant me changing sites, I am lonely, feel awkward, and cannot communicate what I want to say as clearly as I would like.

I left my site after being here for a week. My friend from Paquestancia, Jeff, works with Plan International in Guaranda. He actually has the job I wanted the most. It is very organized and structured. His apartment looks like it is in a retirement community in Florida. Jeff invited me and Eva, another good friend of mine from training, to accompany him to a conference on the coast in the province of Manabi. Plan International was sending him to learn about the different methods of teaching HIV/AIDS, sexual health and rights, and alcoholism to children that already exist in Ecuador. A conference on the coast could not possibly be fun alone. So Eva and I met in Quito, rode the bus to Guaranda, and stayed the night with Jeff. Then we took a 4 hour bus to Guayaquil and then another one to Portoviejo. The closest beach to Portoviejo was Manta. Peace Corps Volunteers are banned from going to Manta because there is a US military base there. I suppose they think we are going to go hang around the barracks to pick up military guys. Not my cup of tea. I just wanted to go to swim and lie on the sand. But we learned of another beach close by: Crucita. So for the conference we visited 6 different elementary schools and got to meet the child facilitators. These children we met were elected by their teachers and peers to go to a month long conference in which all the children learned about HIV/AIDS, sexual health and rights, alcoholism, and love as well. Love is something that is never really talked about in Latin American culture. So I thought it was interesting that the fact was noticed and Plan shed some light upon it for the kids. I am thinking of starting such a program in my area. Not only in Mercedes Cadena, but also in the surrounding villages. I already have some contacts that may be able to help me make it happen.

So I got back to Riobamba on Sunday night. Since it was late, I stayed the night with my friend, Maggie. Luckily, I asked her host family where I could get a camioneta (truck) to take stuff bought in Riobamba to my site. The host dad had a camioneta connection and offered to drive me and all the stuff I was planning on buying. So all day Monday I went shopping. I bought a vegetable basket, a desk, a chest of drawers, a refrigerator, and a mattress all for only $250!

And yesterday I taught my first class of English and Health. It was supposed to be for 2 hours. I ended 45 minutes early. I taught the kids about the spreading of diseases through fecal matter, flies, water, and not washing hands. And when I reviewed the material with them, all they could say was that they should wash their hands, clip their nails, and wash their faces. And the English part was just as hard. Some kids just did not want to use their voice boxes. And tomorrow I will be doing the same lesson for the 4th graders. Yesterday I was teaching 5th and 6th graders.If you have any suggestions on how to teach kids effectively, please let me know.

Today I am in Riobamba doing some shopping, since I can now store food in a fridge. Milk! Cheese! Oooooo! Mac and Cheese!

And this Sunday, my mom is coming to visit me here in Ecuador. I am so excited! She actually wanted to come at the end of August, while I was swearing in. Now I can take off from my site for another week. My mom and I are going to hang out in Quito, visit Eva in her site, and see the cloud forest before we celebrate the Mercedes Cadena festival with my community on the 24th. So I won’t be writing again until the beginning of October.

Ciao! Ciao!
Manisha