Realtime

Hey folks,

It's not very often that I get to write on the blog and post it right away, so even though I already put up four or something posts plus pictures today, I thought it would be nice to add one now, especially since I actually have some interesting things to report.

I'm in the capital again, although not for as long this time (I'm leaving tomorrow morning). The purpose of this visit is Committee Weekend, which is basically every four months there's a weekend devoted to all kinds of committees, so that volunteers can go to the various meetings they need to be at in one trip. Committees are things like the Volunteer Advisory Committee (gives input to PCDR Administration), Website Committee, Gringo Grita (the Onion-esque publication I'll be working on the next cycle, I hope), and various conference committees to plan and put on activities to do with self esteem, diversity, gender empowerment and so on.

So even though the specifics of my in-site, project related work are still unclear (more on that later), I have now signed up to participate in Gringo Grita, probably doing the majority of the layout/design stuff; I am on the fund-raising committee for Camp GLOW, a week-long summer camp that volunteers put on and we each bring a couple girls to participate in activities related to self-esteem and empowerment, health, rights etc.; and I'm also going to participate in a different conference called Celebrando Cibao, a regional diversity conference that lasts 2 or 3 days and we bring in speakers and workshop leaders to talk and lead activities on ethnic, gender, racial, religious and whatever else kind of diversity we can think of. Especially the fund-raising for Camp GLOW will be really good for my resume because it's a pretty big deal as far as price tags go, I think they said the operating budget is something like US$10,000, which in Peace Corps money is quite a lot. Plus, both events sound like a lot of fun.

Yesterday I went to a meeting for Brigada Verde, which is the youth group initiative for the Environmental Education group, and although I'm not sure exactly what form it will take, I think I'm going to use some of their materials in my primary project. What happens is my counterpart organization, Fundelosa, has numerous projects including a youth group. One of the underlying themes of all the projects Fundelosa manages is environmental education and conservation, and they want me to participate pretty actively in the youth group. So I don't know if I will migrate the youth group to be Fundelosa/Brigada Verde per se, but I've gotten pretty good feedback from the PC and Fundelosa folks about at least using some of their charlas and activities and such as something I can contribute.

It's interesting because I am finding at least as many opportunities for interesting projects outside of my official CED project plan and assignment as within in. I found 30+ kids while doing my surveys who don't have their Acta de Nacimiento (birth certificates, very important!) so I think I want to do an initiative to help get their documents sorted out. I also really like the idea of working with the environmental stuff. Some of the health/gender/environment activities and secondary projects seem more applicable and adoptable than some of the CED stuff. My community, even though it's pretty developed, is still a bit of a reach to have relevance for some of the key aspects of the CED stuff.

Anyhow, I finally finished my community surveys (thank goodness) and when I get back to my site tomorrow afternoon I will be spending the next week fairly devoted to compiling my data, writing my community & organizational diagnostic report and building my presentation for my In-Service Training which is Feb. 13-18. I have a few commitments fit in there as well to work with Camino De Luz (the candle business) and a meeting or two, but it will work out. I'm really looking forward to the whole diagnostic process being over. For one, it was kind of a pain in the ass, and for two, it really hasn't resulted in a whole lot of particularly valuable information for me, either on a social level or on a programmatic level. Also, at the IST I'll be able to finally outline my project/work goals for my first year of service so that when I get back to my site I can work on planning and thinking about starting my own projects. I'm very, very much looking forward to having my own life/schedule/work/projects and things so that I feel more in charge of my life. Communication is frustratingly indirect here, so I am forever not knowing about meetings and activities until the very last minute or sometimes even after the fact. It will be nice to have my own activities and work to do.

So here are a few things on my brainstorming list of ideas for my work projects:
- Youth group for Business Plan Competition (12-week business skills course, the writing of a basic business plan, and a 3-day conference)
- Computerize the data for the micro-credit and solar panel projects at Fundelosa
- Brigada Verde (environmental education) stuff with the youth group at Fundelosa
- Income generation projects and workshops (home-made household products) with the women's group at Fundelosa
- Get computers donated to Fundelosa, get the office computerized and the data transfered
- Do computer skills training with office staff
- Do organizational, project and performance evaluations for Fundelosa and staff
- Improve data keeping and administration of Camino de Luz
- Work on marketing/promoting and developing new sales opportunities for Camino de Luz products
- Get Fundelosa online
- Help develop and launch a website for Fundelosa
- Work on Actas de Nacimiento (birth certificates)
- Camp GLOW, Celebrando Cibao

This is getting pretty long, but hopefully this helps give a more concrete idea of the kinds of things I might be doing here in the upcoming months and years. Life is pretty good, no major complaints. Although I am still very much looking forward to moving out on my own, I am adjusting to life in the host family's house, although not completely. I just have to remember that everyone's site and experience is different, everyone's trials and tribulations are different, and do the best I can with what I've got to work with internally and externally at my site. Especially when I come to the capital and actually have a chance to talk to other volunteers. We are all doing well though. Hanging in there. Finding our way. Looking forward to feeling sure, confident and under control. I know I'll get there though.

Anyhow, take care! Thanks for reading!!!! Oh, and if your looking at my Facebook, I'm holding a newborn pig. View all about it at the pictures link. :)