I celebrated my one-year anniversary today by lying naked on the cool floor and making sweat angels on the tile. It is exactly as hot as I remember it being when I first arrived in Santa Maria del Real, a year ago today. Perhaps more so. Hard to tell.
I keep saying to myself I am going to do a nostalgic post and make lists of meaningful accomplishments or favorite memories and whatnot. Somehow milestones such as this seem to necessitate such a reflection. But honestly I am not in the mood and I’ve been a little depressed lately. Partly because of the oppressive humidity and heat makes it hard to think, and also because some guy got shot and killed in a drive by here in town the other day. Therefore I don’t feel like getting all warm and fuzzy about Peace Corps blah blah blah. Maybe I’ll feel more in the mood for the warm and fuzzies another year from now when I have a one-way ticket back to Cincy in my hand…
Enough complaining outta me.
Right now, I’d rather take this time to give a shout-out to the three new volunteers that arrived here in Olancho yesterday and will be living here for the next two years. Jeff, Sam and Brett: welcome. We are glad to have you among us. I’m not going to tell you your time here will be easy, but if you have the right attitude you can have a pretty awesome adventure and learn a lot. I will now dispense some of what I find to be valuable advice and stuff I wish someone had told me when I first got here:
-First things first. Make friends with the following people: your nearest pulparia owner, the colegio director, and the mayor’s wife – if he has one. There’s a chance that the mayor himself will be a corrupt d-bag but his wife is more likely to remember you and give you the time of day*. All of the aforementioned people will most likely prove to be of some advantage to you for one reason or another.
-The best grocery stores in Olancho are in Juticalpa. You can find the best carne asada at a stand in the parque central in Juticalpa as well but the best pizza place is in Catacamas (best I’ve had so far in this country). Campemento is the choice place to catch a bus to the northern towns in Olancho. My town, Real has the highest concentration of balanarios for swimming and fried fish which I highly recommend. And for hiking/caving/outdoor adventures I would send you to Telgua, just east of Catacamas.
-Us Olancho volunteers have a thing for themed parties. Don’t ask why, just pick out a wig and roll with it.
-Since you guys live on the western side of the department, avoid the Discovery bus if you can. Unless of course you are going straight from Teguz to Catacamas in which case it is your only option.
-Too many mangos in one sitting will give you the runs.
-If you hear something like gunshots at night, they are probably just fireworks. Well, we tell ourselves that anyway.
- Don’t ever go anywhere by yourself at night. Many of us have learned the hard way. Gang-related violence has gotten worse over the past year – ask any local and they will echo that sentiment. I have never been to La Union but I can vouch for most places east of Juticalpa and it is just too risky to walk by yourself at night because you will make yourself a target. Just. Don´t. Do. It.
-Finally, and most importantly: Once you get to your site, you will be super excited for the first week out from under the oppression of training. Meeting new people, learning your way around, etc. But then that will wear off and you will be left feeling like, damn, this is where I will be for the next two years. Now what do I do? It can be overwhelming and also a little boring or perhaps stressful while you get your bearings and figure out your next move. Don’t let it get you down. Take your time deciding what organizations and projects you will throw yourself on. There is absolutely nothing wrong with taking several weeks to just hang out, meet families, visit different businesses etc. Oh, and don’t feel like you have to say yes to everything that people propose to you. Your new little pueblo will feel like home before you know it.
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That’s all I got for now.
Or you can read my thoughts from a year ago today.
Buena suerte ustedes. Vaya con Dios, y un machete.
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-Sarita
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*This is not to say that the mayor of my town is a corrupt d-bag. Quite the opposite actually. He and his wife are very kind and intelligent people who have been nothing but supportive since my sitemate and I arrived here. But that is almost certainly a fluke or some kind of gap in the space-time continuum or something.
