Friday, February 11, 2011

Dont lose sight

“Vera no te desanimes, si estás aquí es por alguna razón. Si puedes cambiar la vida de una persona, estás ayudando a la familia de esa persona y la comunidad en donde trabajas, lo que te quiero decir es que a veces hacemos poco, pero vale mucho si se hace con amor y deseos de ayudar a los demás. Tú harás un excelente trabajo, si te enfocas en eso.” –Irene

Words from my first Spanish teacher in country. Just read her e-mail and its nice to hear that support.

This job is hard guys. It’s the loneliness that gets to me the most. I have never been so alone. Some days are easier than others. Some days I spend out of my house all day and others I find it hard to get out. Idk if it’s that I get depressed or what. But sometimes the more im alone the more I want to be alone and then it’s hard for me to get out of my funk.

But now that ive realized this im trying not to let myself get into that. I’m getting out daily.

One day at a time… it’s just..

Living in another country completely alone is tough. And the days where the community doesn’t feel like working you wonder what the F am I doing here!@?

At the same time I feel like ive made a life here. I don’t have a home but I have a house. And I have people who are looking to me to help them.

My project partner and I went to IST and it seems that my community is one of the most neediest. Or at least the community that has had the least amount of outside help. You would be surprised at how much outside funding is in this country. How many euro’s and dollars are helping people build latrines, aqueducts, schools, and bringing in empresas to work in.

Where is the government? Why aren’t they helping there people? Why aren’t they making sure there people have water, a road, a school (with teachers), jobs?

I have no idea. From what ive seen the politicians work for show. Everything they do has a sign right next to it to let you know who it was that brought this to you!

They promise during their elections- give out a whole bunch of stuff and then turn their faces one elected.

Do you know that out of the 70 homes in my community 22 do not have latrines?

There is a 63% unemployment rate.

And 30% of the community has never gone to school.

Only 25% have made it to about 6th grade- what can I say? They get tired of the walk and money talks a lot faster than education. Except when they leave school to find employment there is none.

There is definitely a need. Not a fancy project like other volunteers may have but a real grassroots kind.

The one which develops latrines. Tries to get teacher for the school. Legalizes the women’s group. Tries to bring in an income generation project. And maybe with God’s grace builds real bathrooms and installs running water in the school.

Vamos a ver what I can do.

Vamos a ver how long im here for.

Today was a successful day. Actually a successful week.

The water directive I started met Monday and has started collecting 25 pesos monthly from each house hold to have funds for if the bomba breaks again.

Tuesday- Met with the directive from my womens group and began writing there estatutos.

And…

Made 52 gallons of Mistolin.

This needs to sell quickly so we can sell again. Profits go to our legalization fund.

Thursday- had a vision and mission charla. I feel like I really got through to the women. Got them thinking about why they are getting together and what they are trying to accomplish.

This is the vision they came up with-

Mujeres unidas trabajando para desarrollar nuestra independencia, logrando varios proyectos que ayudan nuestra asociación y comunidad.

I think the goal we got today was to one day become a Mistolin empresa.

I hope… I pray… that the women sell the remaining gallons by next week. That we get all the fiao money back in 2 weeks and that we sell another batch of Mistolin in March.

Sounds easy? Ha -

Legalization here we come! Hey after 32 years of luchando they deserve it.

Tomorrow- going to start a chicas brillantes group. A group to help jovenes with their self esteem.

So I know that this blog is everywhere. You may not understand and that’s okay.

Half the time I don’t understand.

But time is flying. And im hoping I can do real work out here. I hope I can find the strength I need.

Some days im stronger than others.

Today im feeling good.

Tomorrow im feeling will be a good day.

Its all an outlook right?

Ha-

Don’t lose sight of yourselves.

All my love!


P.s... Got a street puppy. Hes cute. Named him Vito.