PCT- A note on Peace Corps Training

In the nights I have been reading a Peace Corps chronicle “Living Poor” by Moritz Thompson who served in Ecuador.  “Peace Corps training is like no other training in the world, having something in common with college life, officer’s training, Marine basic training, and a ninety-day jail sentence” plus being in a completely different culture!  But it used to be more extreme in that there were more training rounds in different countries where people would get kicked out before reaching their site country.  One of the training people today also told me they used to have stern looking people in white lab coats not talking to you, but watching and writing down everything on a clipboard. Whew, it’s not like that anymore!

It is kind of reminiscent of being back in school.  It is very packed schedule with lessons, papers, textbooks, presentations, vaccinations (so far I’ve gotten my second hep a, typhoid, and 2 rabies pre exposure shots, and going to get 2 more rabies shots fo free! Super duper), Spanish lessons for six hours on the off days.  But I think the people that work at Peace Corps make it fun.  My Spanish teacher will have us walk out into town for 15 minutes and make friends with someone and ask questions about their job, then come back and share.  Now that’s a Spanish class I can do.  In the states I always felt awkward speaking Spanish, but here I am really good at lots of different salutations, chatting about families/weather, getting directions.  Because that is how I learned all of my Spanish.

I have an awesome view of Volcan Fuego (left) and Volcan Alcanatengo (right).  I will try to put a weekly photo of it up.

A couple minute walk from my house I also get an awesome view of Volcan Agua from the street.

Jerry, the 76 year old, is one of the three others in my town. I freaking crack up whenever he uses the expression “Back in ‘Nam!” b/c he is being serious, unlike another certain lady I know. He said all the fireworks that go off here constantly sound exactly like the mortars from back in nam. I don’t really understand them yet. I’ve never seen one with any sparks or color, just for the big bang sound I guess.

But two of some of my favorite people have already dropped L Southern accent David went back to propose to his girlfriend in the South.  His last girlfriend he bought a horse for and built a barn.  Then she sold the horse and broke up with him.  Someone told him it sounded like it was straight out of a country song and he said his friend did write a song about it.  I couldn’t stop laughing at his accent after that.  An odd character for Peace Corps I thought, and it does turn out that trying to get a hold of his gf everyday was too stressful for him.  The other was a really awesome volleyball girl named Alicia.  She had such a chill and awesome personality that everyone loved.  Before we left for DC she talked about how she wanted to live with the indigenous people and learn to use a loom.  But I don’t think she realized that stuff always sounds more romantic and easy than it actually is.

Another guy in my town is having a hard time, because even though he’s had Spanish class he can’t understand when people are talking to him and can’t vocalize very well.  He was wandering around town alone and depressed and another gringo saw him and said, “you’re a volunteer aren’t you?” he replied “why?”, “because you look depressed”.  Hahahah. I’ve just been telling him he is getting better even if he doesn’t notice it (poco a poco) and to cheer up and make the best of it.  I guess everyone keeps saying the beginning of training and when you first arrive at your site are the hardest times.  Even though the dropout rate is 25% on paper, I heard from another person it is actually about 50% ...

1-11-11or in Guatemala -> 11-1-11

On the crazy chicken American school bus rides there are always three people to a seat, the third hanging off into the aisle and leaning on either the other person doing the same thing or against someone squished in between.  It is soooo crowded and the roads are so twisty and bumpy.  Then the ‘ayudante’ or bus helper has to try and walk through the seemingly impenetrable aisle for money collection.  People climb the seats and bars like monkeys to get out of the way. People that can’t fit inside hang off the ladder on the back or out the side doors and squish in when trucks go zooming by.  I NEVER THOUGHT THE BUS COULD BE SO MUCH FUN!

My mama showed me how to make corn tortillas from scratch and we made so many we couldn’t remember why we started making them. Hers were quick, circular, and never had holes. Mine had rips and for the most part were shaped like elephants.  It was my first time to ‘tortear’, yes there is a verb specifically for making tortillas.  I seriously eat five with every meal, making my daily tortilla intake about 15.  Almost equivalent to my daily banano intake.  But those are pretty much the bulk of my meals.  Ok, as you can see I’m going crazy and rambling about tortillas.

The coolest Guatemala Spanish specific word I’ve learned is pronounced (boo-yah!). I don’t know how to spell it. My dad explained that it means a lot of noise.  But it is only a word you would use in the streets with your friends, and in the house you would be respectful and say ruido. Guatemalans also have a very suavecito accent.  It is so comforting and soft sounding.  And they always say uh huuuh, quietly and high pitched at the end, like someone would do in the states talking with a child.

P.S. I dislike diarrhea. I dislike talking about diarrhea. I dislike hearing about everyone else’s diarrhea. Today we had the most disgusting lecture about diarrhea, amoebas, ringworms, tapeworms, hookworms IN DETAIL for about 4 hrs. And she made us sing the diarrhea song. And told us they already stool sampled someone in our group and found ringworms.  Then of course we had lunch right after. But seriously, you gotta be careful, diarrhea kills!  Here’s photos of the most recent diarrhea deposits:

Just kidding!

My favorite new thing to do when my mom is cooking, throw a banana on the coals for 5, then commence eating.  Now whenever she has the fire cooking, “Keem-bear-lee! Quieres un banano asada?” Si madre. Si. Yo quiero. Yo quiero mucho.