Chances are good you will find where I’m going to be living for the next two years. I’m going to be in the department of Sololá, very close to Lake Atitlan.
I told myself that I would be excited with whatever placement Peace Corps decided to give me, but I hugged my APCD (Associate Peace Corps Director) when he gave me the news and told him he gave me the best site. He couldn’t say so in front of the others, but I know he thinks so, too. Who wouldn’t?
As if my location weren’t amazing enough, my job is even better. I was a bit nervous about working with vegetable farmers because it would bore me to death or with coffee producers because I hate coffee, but I didn’t imagine I would be working with…ICE CREAM!
That’s right, I’m working with a soy association that produces products like soy milk, cheese, ice cream, tofu, etc. They also work with shampoos and creams and have a number of products that they sell throughout Guatemala.
The site, although plush as can be, isn’t without its challenges. The group receives a lot of support from outside sources, which although great right now, can always change. So, a goal PC has for me is to help them on the path to self-sufficiency. Also, I’ll be living in a city of more than 60,000 people, so it may take a bit longer to gain the “confianza” (trust & confidence) of my community. Finally, my site is nicknamed “Gringotenango,” which means, “place of the Gringo.” I will have to show that I’m not a tourist in order to integrate better into the community.
That said, I could not be more excited about my site. I’m within the 3 hour traveling limit of so many cool places in Guatemala, including: Quetzaltenango (Xela), Guatemala City, Quiche, Antigua, and so many others that I don’t even know of yet!
Next week, I go for 5 days to visit my new site, meet with my association, bring some of my bags to my new house, and learn more about my home for the next two years.
I wonder if they have mint chocolate chip ice cream…
#1 by Mary Lynn Fager on October 16, 2010 - 1:24 AM
You know who would be the first one on a plane to see you? Gram Daly! You got to garden with your Dad and now you can work on ice cream with your Grandma. Awesome!!! Love you Carolyn. Great to hear you so excited and happy