October 2, 2009

Welllll, here I am in Caacupe again killing time until a bus can take me back home. So whats the news..

Ive been cleared by Peace Corps Washington for a third year of service, and will start to cycle that up in a very short while. Im still trying to define exactly what im going to be accomplishing, as making headway within the gobernacions office of environment has been a challenge. The secretary of environment in this department doesnt seem to bee super interested in helping me realize something that i can hold in my hand, but is perfectly content chatting me up about various enviro topics. This is nice, but ive had two years of circular conversations now (to generalize) and im interested in things more or less moving in some kinda of direction. Teaching people about how to use and value their natural resources has to happen better here, and it can. Its just going to be a question of finding the right people to work through. I also met the director of SEAM (secretaria del medio ambiente) at the country level, and he talked so fast in so may directions that before I could get something out to add to the discussion hed jumped to another topic. Least i got his card.

Working with some of the students at the Universidad Nacional should start to be fruitful relativly soon as im begining to help a group of them with some design work. Ive got nothing to loose really, in fact i have a whole lot more to gain by making good connections with these people. I met the uncle of one of the students yesterday while we were at his house talking about a redesign of the grounds and he offered me a free house to stay in for my next year in Caacupe if i wanted it. Just like that, perfect.

Design work on the colegio is goin kinda slow, or actually its presently not going. Mostly for lack of time on my part, and the lack of desire to push my days into the evening with material preparation on top of what ive already got floating around on my desk.

Socially things are going really well, as ive been having a great time seeing one of the teachers outside of school for lunches and trips and such. Shes great - its made things seem even brighter than they already do.

As i type this i cant help but feel physically really really tired. Two days of waking up at 430 to ride in a bus for two hours on a cobblestone road has been draining, and im gonna be doing it again tomorrow and the next day too. I almost just want to move to caacupe already and start to develop my work here. I love the campo dont get me wrong, but its just time for a change. Im sick of being so isolated, sick of the students and teachers sticking themselves in my buisness, and pretty much over getting shorted by profesionals because as of yet my spanish isnt perfect. Of course once i move i dont expect it to be perfect, but the context will be completly different the poeple different and hopefully more rich. After all, i can still visit the campo for fiestas, i just wont have to deal with the daily anoyances of living within that world.

I dont want to make this a bitch fest, because i feel happier now that I have for my whole time here. I just need a nap. now off to that busssss