3.15.08 Family Initiation

Last night I think I become a member of my family. J

I got home from a long [but good] first week of FBT around 5:30 feeling exhausted. We spent the last 2 afternoons talking about support groups for PLWHA [People Living With HIV/AIDS or PVVS in espanol.] Both of the sessions were led by current PCV’s who were both really knowledgeable and fun. A large majority of the activities were interactive so it made the time go by faster and I think it helped us bound as a group. I was surprised that I am only 1 of 2 people who have facilitated support groups in the past. It actual made me realize that I completely left out my experience with the Women’s Center in Santa Cruz from my resume I gave Jorge and Helmuth [the health project managers] I’m such a blonde sometimes…anyway. [sidenote: the rooster that lives literally outside my window just crowed for about a minute straight. Yay country living. Haha] We talked a lot about confidentiality which I was really happy about because its –so- important when it comes to a support group and dealing with PLWHA. Everyone here calls me la chismosa, which means the gossiper which I think its funny because when it comes to this kind of topic, I’m really serious about confidentiality. I know that I am pretty different in groups than I am one on one so sometimes I feel like a lot of my peers just see the goofy, outgoing side of me because a lot of them only know me in a group setting. That’s fine I guess…I just sometimes think that I’ve made this ‘image’ of myself and that is the personality that people will always have for me. Oh well…I guess if people aren’t willing to get to know me better, I can’t really let that get me down.

Okay, that was a complete tangent. I guess its something that has been bothering me lately. Glad I got it out. Another PCV who lives in La Paz came to visit us for a little bit and mentioned that for those of us who have a health background, the training might seem a bit repetitive and simple but to just stick it out because everyone is at different levels. I’m glad she said that because I have been feeling a bit like that. I know that is what happens when you bring together a group of individuals with such diverse backgrounds. I was really worried when I came here that I have a lot of field experience but not any formal health education but I’m realizing that its not an issue at all.

So I arrived home with the intention of eating dinner and then heading over to another PCT’s house for a ‘gringo get together.’ But my niece Karen invited me to go to the cancha de basketball and play with her, her brother and cousin and their uncle. I got excited at the idea of hanging out with them so of course I tagged along. We played for awhile which totally wore me out, but it was so fun. I’m super tall compared to all the kids so I had a definite advantage. My nephew told me that I play well which made me smile. Then Karen asked me if I had been to Comayagua, this city that is about 20 minutes away [also where the military base is.] I told her no and she asked her uncle if we could go after the game and he said yes. So I ran by my friend’s house to tell them I wasn’t going to come hang out after all. I felt bad, but I knew I had to capitalize on being to spend time with my family, especially because we hadn’t really done anything like that yet. So all 6 of us piled into my brother’s car [including my mom] and drove to this restaurant off the highway that sells Atol, which is this typical Honduran drink made of blended corn, water and sugar [I think…] and is served hot. It definitely has a distinct taste, it was tasty though. J I also had agua de mora [berry juice basically] which I love.

We all came home and played a little futbol and then Karen, Josuye and I had a dance party with my iPod, which they think is the coolest thing ever. Then I got to talk to Paul for a long time and tell him all about my good day. Every day when I wake up and I have to pinch myself and think ‘Wow…I’m living in Honduras…I’m doing something that people write books about’ which is a pretty amazing feeling.