Blaaaaahhhhhh

These blog entries are getting harder and harder because everything is seemingly so routine and normal to me now; I’m not sure what to talk about...

I’m moving (again). Tomorrow.  Hopefully for the last time.  As you all know from last post, the house I’m in now needs mucho…basically everything needs to be done or redone except for the walls.  Not only is this expensive, but it’s nearly impossible to get done as a single (the boyfriend left me…apparently his uncle-my old host dad-talked him out of dating me because I’m a “filthy pig.”  I find winners) woman in a machismo culture...not to mention the whole language thing.  So there’s this house in front of the dispensa in the community up for rent and the owner finally offered me a decent rent price so I decided to take it!  I don’t need to do any reparations, I’m finally going to shave my legs (hooray for hot (running) water showers), and I will no longer be next door to a family that hates me and wants to kill my dog! WIN, WIN, WIN!

As far as work goes, I’m kind of starting things…slowly.  My dental health charla in the school went really well!  Thank goodness for Luis and Marcelina!  I stuttered through my broken Spanish, and then they explained everything more eloquently in Spanish and Guarani.  I’m currently doing a community census.  I have to go to 50 houses.  I’ve only done like 10 so far…and its PAINFUL asking semi-intelligent questions to ignorant people.  Me: “What are the most common health problems in the community?” Person: “We’re poor.”  Me: “Well yes, I understand that, but that is not a health problem.”  Person: “Well, how are we supposed to do anything if we’re poor and the U.S. isn’t sending us money?” FML.  After I’m done I’m planning on having a meeting to go over what I’ve found and hopefully we can form a commission for fogones or latrinas. 

I love spending time with the doctor and nurse that come from the neighboring community on Thursdays.  This Thursday I’ve agreed to make us all tacos for lunch and afterwords we’re having a meeting with the community to formally introduce the doctor and nurse and hopefully get the health commission up and running again.

I’ve become an excellent chef.  Well, perhaps I’m tooting my own horn a bit, but I’ve made some pretty rico comida (in my opinion).   So far I’ve mastered vegetarian chili, meatballs, pizza (with homemade crust and everything), banana bread, tortillas, quesadillas, tacos…and I eat tuna salad and omelets A LOT.

We’re currently on winter break right now so I haven’t had my daily dose of kiddos which I’m missing.  Next week, I’m heading back to my host family’s house from training which I’m super excited about.  We have a week of training…more language and HIV/AIDS information.  

Welp, that’s the gist of what’s going on down South.  Hope all is well with everyone back home.  Love and miss you all more than I miss fitting into my pants. Ffff.