This blog is going to be all praise and good words. Things are going really well on the Peace Corps Front. Last weekend, I went to visit another volunteer at their site. Peace Corps does this as “demystifing” to show you how volunteers actually live, and it allows you to find your way across the country using public transportation by yourself. Some other volunteers came back with stories of being dropped off on the side of a highway at 3 am, awkward bailes, two hour hikes uphill in the blazing sun, and sleeping in barns while eggs hatched. My weekend was not like that at all. It was a great experience and full of idyllic peace corps moments. I visited a volunteer named Cassandra, who seriously lives about 15 feet from the beach in the province of Veraguas. We took long walks on the beach, went horseback riding, helped build a hatchery for sea turtle eggs, went around “pasear”ing (or wandering through neighborhoods chatting with people), picking fruit from trees in an abandoned lot, and sat in on a community meeting to help raise money in an environmentally friendly way. Whether I was strolling the beach, riding a horse on the top of hills with great views, talking with the people, or looking up at the sky at night (seeing the most stars I’ve ever seen in my life), I thought everything was idyllic. All the other volunteers pretty much hate me now whenever I talk about the weekend. To top it all off, when I got back to my host family, they had bought a puppy. 
In other good news, Tuesday was my birthday. I wasn’t sure how it would go, being far from home and friends and all that, but I got lots of pleasant surprises. My host family had been looking forward to the day since I’d told them when it was. They had a big dinner and a cake ready for me. Plus, once the word got out about the cake, lots of the nieces that live nearby also showed up at the house. Later that night, my host mother called me to the front door, where about seven or so of my fellow volunteers, and my instructor were waiting with guitars and a harmonica to serenade me with happy birthday. The surprises didn’t end there. Thursday, we ended Spanish class early and walked down to the cultural center, where there turned out to be another party for me, with a cake and a piñata and other volunteers. Sorry there are no photos of these, but they were surprises. It was all very nice and I feel very loved on my birthday week.
In other good news, Tuesday was my birthday. I wasn’t sure how it would go, being far from home and friends and all that, but I got lots of pleasant surprises. My host family had been looking forward to the day since I’d told them when it was. They had a big dinner and a cake ready for me. Plus, once the word got out about the cake, lots of the nieces that live nearby also showed up at the house. Later that night, my host mother called me to the front door, where about seven or so of my fellow volunteers, and my instructor were waiting with guitars and a harmonica to serenade me with happy birthday. The surprises didn’t end there. Thursday, we ended Spanish class early and walked down to the cultural center, where there turned out to be another party for me, with a cake and a piñata and other volunteers. Sorry there are no photos of these, but they were surprises. It was all very nice and I feel very loved on my birthday week.
Now, I wait for May 14th, when I’ll find out my assignment.
Here are some photos of my cake, including my host family 
This is my host sister studying with the puppy nearby
3 comments:
Yea!! So good to hear all the good news and to get pictures of your host family and the puppy. What did they name it? Sorry that your fellow PCVs hate you for your lovely weekend...let's hope that you don't end up with an assignment where you are dropped off at 3 a.m. on the side of the road. Love you so much Mom <><
the puppy is so cute!
i was with erin when you called the other night - she was so happy to hear from you :)
glad things are going well!
Yeah! I'm so glad that you had fun for your birthday. It seems that you have very good luck with foreign people! They always seem to want to party with you, i.e. my family, too :)
Any news of the future husband? I'm telling you, i'm ready to go down there for a weeding! (your mom is going to be very angry at this commend)
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