Annnnnd I'm back! I have a lot to update you on! Hope you're ready for a ramble because I don't have a lot of time to write but I want to include as much detail as I can remember:
Today I got back from Immersion Days which is a four day long trip where PCTs visit PCVs currently in site. The goal of Immersion Days is to overwhelm you, make you feel isolated and lonely, and in all likelihood make you poop your pants. I'm sure PC Washington wouldn't agree with that description, but I'm here to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth and they want you to poop your pants.
Let me explain. This past month (one month down, 26 to go, YEAH!) has been more or less comfortable. Yes, the latrines and bucket baths have been a downer for me, but many other PCTs haven't had to live the campo life like me. Our host families are very careful when they cook our food, and really try to not get us sick. Didn't work too well for me, but the intestinal infection wasn't thaaat bad. I was expecting it to be a lot worse. Trainee life is structured with classes and community contact visits (interviewing influential people in your community). Plus, our SanAn group does the workout classes during the week so we never have down time (whether we like it or not).
Immersion Days is supposed to toughen you up and test your willingness to serve under conditions of hardship, but what I did this past weekend felt like vacation. Me and Amanda (another PCT) were sent to visit Ariel, a youth development volunteer in Las Palmas. Right now there are only youth development PCVs in El Salvador. My cohort is the first COED PCTs they've had since the security downsize! Anyways, we arrived in Las Palmas and enjoyed milkshakes and burritos with a few other PCVs and their PCTs (lots of acronyms, sorry). It was heavenly.
Relaxing!
Me and Amanda stayed with Dr. Oscar, this incredibly kind man, and his equally incredible family. We had showers (freezing, but with water pressure!) and, GET THIS, a flush toilet. I slept on a bed that I could roll over on and not fall off! I didn't even need my mosquito net!
Dr. Oscar and me with Whinnie, his dog.
Me and Amanda with Dr. Oscar and family.
Beans on beans on beans.
Friday morning we took a bus up the mountain (literally, above-the-clouds mountain) to meet other PCVs who were doing a charla at the school on volunteerism. There were lots of kids and they were all screaming and loud. Being in that school reinforced my opinions on children. But it was fun to play Simon Says with them as one of the dinamicas (games that break up the boringness of lectures).
Amanda y yo leading Simon Dice.
View in the mountains.
Amanda, Ariel, me.
I helped teach an English class, went to an Internet cafe, haggled for a new bag, and ate more pupusas. It was a fun weekend! Nice try Peace Corps, but you don't scare me!!!
An added bonus- PCVs have the uncanny ability to attract gringos, and that's how we met Joe, a British guy biking from Cancun to Chile. He was awesome!
New friends!
I just hope he had a relaxing time during his stay in Las Palmas and had a safe ride to the next stop in his journey. Joe if you're reading this- please be careful and let us know how you're doing!
Sunday morning we woke up at the buttcrack of dawn to eat quesadillas with Ariel's host mom. Quesadillas here are cheesey bread, and they are delicious. We got to watch them get made in a wood burning oven.
Shout out to my dad! I really have to get the recipe!
All in all, Immersion Days was a success. I can't wait to get my own PCT in July!
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