The Big Day of Site Assignment July 13th 2011

Tom and I Sporting our sites

The day that we had all been waiting for finally came, site assignment day. A day filled with many emotions, although many were obviously rattled about the selection process I tried to keep my mind open to all the possibilities. Although in the back of my mind, I really wanted to be somewhere on the coast near the ocean. That was my ideal, an area that had some nice waves to surf, since I was spoiled in March while I was here on travel in Canoa. However, I wasn’t nervous or rattled about any of the possibilities, except one. That one possibility was to be living in an area like Santo Domingo. A location in the transition zone. I just felt that life in an area like Santo Domingo would be pretty rough, since it was extremely humid, city with a lot of pollution, cloudy (meaning the sun never came out), and flat. In a country of amazing landscapes and coast line. It was a little less than remarkable.

Then the moment came. We found the facilitators outside all lined up with a gigantic Ecuador map made of flowers on the field that we used for soccer. One by one we headed out to our locations. Then my moment came, “ Sean Maloney Ventanas” I found myself standing after norma one of my favorite language facilitators brought me to the map. Standing there I looked over and checked out where my site was located, it was directly in line with Santo Domingo in the transition zone. As a volunteer, you are asked to service where they believe you will be most effective. After seeing fellow volunteers along the coast line, or near high sierra areas. I was a bit disappointed in the selection that I had received. I truly felt like the one area that I couldn’t be happy in I was selected to volunteer in. The day proceed in a strange manner as we received our site profiles to read and understand who would be our counterpart and what would be our job descriptions. As luck would have it, the forms I received were completely illegible. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed. There I sat, looking around as everyone else was enjoying the excitement of receiving their site information. I was sitting there with no information about whether or not my site was like Santo Domingo. I had no information I what my site would be like. I tried pretty hard not to show my disappointment, and maintain my cool. I treated it to be just another test of patience in the long lists of tests of patience we as Peace Corps volunteers must face.

To be honest, It was hard to try and maintain an optimistic view. But I let this be a lesson to never let your emotions get the best of you without reason. There really was no reason to be upset, well there was, but you never know what your gonna get. Life really is like that box of chocolates as Gump said. That night I packed my things and made the long trip to what I believed would be my mini Santo Domingo, because that’s basically how everyone described it to me.
Next post will reveal the results.

Fourth of AMERICA DAY

Four of July….Yes we are celebrating America DAY

So Fourth of july, was a pretty epic day for us volunteers. We had large quantities of our favorite American dishes and a day chalk full of good ol American sports. We even had a broken arm, luckily its wasn’t mine, but it was a bit of a letdown. But my buddy Will, who I spend much time saying silly bro quotes to, took it like a champ. Besides that our Health section took the 1^st place in a bunch of stuff and second place in the final of the football match against the older peace corps volunteers. Things were very disorganized, but I feel that’s just more of the Peace Corps training, through you into situations that you have to think upon your feet and make work because many times there is little to no structure. We had more practice giving charlas, and it has definitely been a great feeling. It’s incredible the lack of knowledge that people have about certain subjects. Every charla I give I begin to understand and value more and more the education that I have received in my life. More and more I want to pass that onto other people.

Side note: Humitas are soooo delicious. My family made them this week and I can’t believe I’ve been missing out on them my whole life. It was nice to see my family working in the kitchen, but in the same token reminded me of home. It was a interesting mix of sad and happy emotions. Everyday I see the positive aspects of a large family here in Ecuador and the comparison to the United States where as with my extended family it is definitely important.

Recently, Bought Pina and Papaya, in a ridiculous quantity for 3 bucks…..so awesome, but even greater was heading into the market and having the older lady who makes this awesome roast pork call me over and give me a free dish since I remarked how much I liked it.