Pondering in Paraguay

Pondering in Paraguay
Questions, Comments, and Connections on my crazy new life abroad

Friday, May 7, 2010

I'm a what???

I'm an official Peace Corps volunteer. I swore in on the 13th of April 2010. I have gone from a three month trainee to a legit volunteer. To say the least, things are going to be a little different. I am no longer living in a community with ten other volunteers, who speak English and understand my culture. I am now the one and only "Norte", a.k.a Gringo within miles. Luckily, I have a fellow volunteer on the other side of Caazapá which I will be able to meet up with. I also have a Peace Corps issued cell phone now, so at least I'll be able to keep in touch with my Peace Corps friends. I'm in this weird limbo between trainee and volunteer. It's the first time in my life that I don't have a schedule telling me where to be when. Between class and work schedules, doctor and dentist appointments, tee times and lunch outings I pretty much had my day planned out back at home. But now here I am somewhere between nowhere and nowhere without anybody telling me what to do. I don’t know what to do with this new found freedom. On the one hand, it's what us Americans are always in hope of, it's that.... extended vacation, three day weekend, sick day, or mental health day that is taken just for the sake of relaxing. But, how many days of just hanging out can I do before I've had too much? These next couple months of training were designed to be a time for getting to know the community, become familiar with existing commissions, form relationships with neighbors, and visit important infrastructures within the pueblito. I was on my way to accomplish this, when the rain got in my way of perusing such tasks. When it rains you are supposed to sit and wait it out until it's nice enough to continue on with the "get to know the neighborhood berg aid." It rained today, and it's supposed to rain tomorrow, so I'll have a lot of time to sit and reflect....or sleep, eat, and use internet. With that said, I have three months completed and only twenty-four left to go.

2 comments:

  1. Hi Sam,
    Hope you're having a good time. Keep safe and don't get hurt.
    Love your cousin
    Nicholas

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  2. Sammy enjoy the time it will pass so quickly and you will once again be wishing for free time. love ya nicole

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