In November of 2008, I arrived here in my site. As I approach November 2009, a lot has changed. When I first arrived work was short, my Spanish was noticeably slower and less advanced, and I had very few acquaintances outside of the members of my association. I can’t believe that a year has passed already and now as I look at my calendar full of work, visitors and trips I know that the coming year will pass even faster. Evaluating where I am today compared to last year, it is an entirely set of different circumstances. My work is abundant, my Spanish is much better and I have numerous friends in my town and others nearby.
As I look back on the first year of service I can see what I have achieved here and still have a lot that I want to accomplish. There have been projects that have been very successful and others that have not been. I am working towards finding ways to ensure that those projects which have been successful continue to be once I leave. The phrase to describe this idea is one of the buzzwords here and in Peace Corps worldwide: sustainable development. How can a volunteer work to make certain that the progress achieved does not fall off once he or she leaves? It is a difficult question and one that I am certain all of us struggle with daily. We are here as facilitators, helping others to achieve rather than doing for them or giving things away. This is easier said than done, but it is something that can be done if both the volunteer and the person being helped approach the problem correctly.
Living and working in another culture has been a great experience thus far. Although there have been frustrations, setbacks and barriers; there have also been numerous occasions where I have learned, taught or had the chance to experience something completely new. The good times definitely outweigh the difficult ones. Work here is unlike anything I have ever done, at times very slow and at other times only kind of slow. Actually, my days here are now pretty well filled, there are days when I leave my house at 7:30 am and don’t get back until 6:00 pm. While that may not be an extremely long day, when you add in the fact that you are speaking in another language the entire time and walking miles and miles; it can be both mentally and physically exhausting. In a good way though.
Certainly, I can look at my time here thus far and know that I made the right choice in coming here. There have been times when I have felt differently, but it has been a great experience and I look forward to the challenges that my second year will bring.
