Cumpleaños

I have hit my two-month mark at site. What a better way to celebrate than with my birthday? Actually, I was not thinking it would be a big deal. I had my day planned out with my work; little did I know. Word spreads quickly here in town. After a nice breakfast with my family, I had to run errands and make a quick trip to the municipality to finalize some meetings. They had a huge bottle of Inca Cola and crackers waiting for me. They gave a toast and I ended up staying there for an hour talking with everyone. Before I knew it, it was time for lunch. I came home to my favorite meal, Pollo a la Brasa, Everyone from the professors to the priest were here. The priest ended up bringing a bottle of wine from church and we had another toast. My host mom got so excited about the wine that when I finished my first glass she had already finished her second. They made me my favorite dessert ever—Arroz con Leche. I opened gifts and thanked everyone. I had to go give a presentation at the high school at 3 p.m. right after. So, I showed up and they decided we weren’t going to have it because it was my birthday. I come home and my sister had a picnic set up for me in the “garden” of the house. There was a blanket with flowers in the middle, peaches, mandarins, cheese & crackers, arroz con leche, and popcorn. We ate everything, laughed, and talked. She taught me how to sew, too. We got up when the ants started showing up. In the evening, my host mom made me my favorite dinner--Pollo a la Brasa. After that there was chocolate cake w/Arroz con Leche.

By this time, I don’t think I could breathe from what I had eaten. As soon as I was done with dinner, the artisan group I started working with surprised me at the door, sang me happy birthday and gave me a beautiful hand made purse. They then invited me to dinner to a restaurant where they sell my favorite food. I show up and there it was…Pollo a la Brasa. I was mentally and physically prepared to do this: one more meal to go. I forgot to mention, in the Peruvian culture, even if you politely say you are full or can’t make it somewhere for whatever reason, they take it to offense. So, I couldn’t say no to their sweet invitation. I successfully finished my plate and drank my glass of soda. Plus, it is not a meal I get everyday so I had to take advantage.

The top of the day, I was so blown away by all the amazing emails, facebook messages, calls, and letters I got from ALL OF YOU. It was unbelievable and I was so GRATEFUL for the love and support. It’s really encouraging.

On a different note, things are going really well here! I have seen about 10 parades since I arrived, experienced about 5 holidays and got to see how crazy elections were in my town. I am starting to teach English to a group of high school students, a group of 3rd grade girls and at the Kindergarten level. I was dreading this but it is a really great way to integrate into the community. I’m also working with a group of artisans and hosting meetings every Wednesday. I’m starting off by teaching them basic business classes in order to strengthen their association. Also, I’m preparing them for a great market opportunity the beginning of November--an artisan fair at the U.S. Embassy. The project I have spent most time on is focusing on strengthening the Chamber of Commerce that was formalized a few months ago. To summarize, I started off by doing a business survey to every single business in San Pablo; formal or informal. This was with the help of 8 volunteers from the Institute. We asked basic business question and what they would be interested in learning to strengthen their business. Putting together the results was long and tedious but well worth it. We are going to move forward with a strategic plan to see how the Chamber of Commerce can help develop, strengthen and expand businesses here. There is so much potential in this town. I have so many ideas but I need take things slow and continue to take my time in getting to know my community and integrating.

It completely makes sense to me why the Peace Corps is a 27-month commitment and not a 3-4 month one or even a year. Sustainability is key and in order to accomplish this, it takes time. It is definitely not something that is going to happen from one month to the next. I want to continue learning about the culture here and vise versa. They love learning about mine. I want to help with sustainable projects. Weather it is from teaching English at an early age to figuring out how to start a library, to helping small businesses grow, to teaching entrepreneurship classes to young adults. This is what I love about my job, the endless possibilities with the challenge of you being the only person that can take initiative.

I believe that is it for now. Until next time! :) xoxo

San Pablo

Quite a few things have happened since I last posted a blog. My change in site, saying good-bye to my host family in Lima, our bus ride to the Embassy before swearing in, and an unforgettable last night in Lima with all my friends.

Due to certain circumstances, my site was changed. Feel free to email or call me if you would like more details.

I am now in the department of Cajamarca, in a town called San Pablo. This town is in a valley in the northern sierra of the Andes Mountains and is about 10,000 in population. I am an hour and a half from the capital city of Cajamarca. It is so beautiful. The weather is perfect; there is a cold breeze in the mornings and evenings. During the day the sun is intense but it is not humid. My room is no longer dirt floor but wooden. I am on the second floor of my new (adobe) home and through my window you can oversee the town and big green mountains. You can also see white smoke up in the air from all the cooking. I painted my room with my host brother and sister, got a new mattress and finally feeling settled in. The market is one of my favorite things about this town. On Thursdays and Sundays people from the fields come in and bring their fresh fruit and vegetables. They offer everything you could possibly need; kind of like the swap meet back in the states. I could not have been more blessed with this host family. They are so wonderful. There’s my host mom, dad, sister and her three kids (who I also consider my siblings). They have been the key element to my integration. I adore them all, already.

My first job as a volunteer is to fully integrate into the community. Let everyone know who I am and what my purpose is. I also need to learn all about San Pablo; rainy seasons, holidays, flu season, SWAT analysis, education system, crop season, tourism, economy, etc. So, imagine this: starting from absolute scratch. I know absolutely no one here, the food is so different and heavy on my stomach, I have stomach problems, bed bugs are eating me alive, I miss my friends and family terribly and to top it off, I will be living here for the next two years. The honeymoon stage is over. Where do I begin? What do I do everyday? Will it be weird walking up to people and saying, “Umm, hello, I am the new volunteer.” So many things went through my mind the first few days. Thank goodness for training that prepared us for all of this. Peace Corps is absolutely correct when they say, “It is the toughest job you will ever love.” If I can do this, I can do anything.

So, fast-forward to today. I disinfected my room completely; no more bugs, my host mom is accommodating to my eating habits, my stomach is doing way better, friends and family have sent me letters and call me all the time, my host family now feels like a real one; I even argue with my siblings. I have two counter-parts that introduced me to community leaders, school principals, etc. I personally walked around town trying to meet people. It was a challenge, however, I would not trade this experience for anything in the world. I have confirmed that there is nothing a human being cannot adapt to. I have the necessities to survive, the rest I have no choice but to get used to. So, next time you complain about having to do laundry, be grateful you don’t have to do it by hand. Next time you are too lazy to shower, be grateful you have hot water. Next time you complain about the heat or cold weather, be grateful that a/c and heater are an option. Next time you complain…just think it can always be worse; it makes life that much simpler.

I started working on two primary projects and am going to be really busy these next few weeks. I am going to post on a separate blog what my work will be consisting of. Also, pictures will be posted soon! Thank you for reading this; it means everything to me.

Chongoyape

I finally found out where I will be living and working for the next two years. The name of my site is called Chongoyape and is in the department of Lambayeque in the Northern coast of Peru. My tiny site of 289 people (290 with me now) is an hour from the capital city, Chiclayo, and hour and a half from the beach. I was thrown off a little because I actually had stated a strong preference during my two interviews here to be put in the sierra with really cold weather and a large community. I’m also 45 minutes away from a national reserve called Chaparri. They have different types of endangered birds and spectacular bears living there.

My site visit was a rollercoaster of emotions. After getting dropped off on the side of the road, I had to walk into the tiny village, with my counterpart, for about 10 minutes to get to what would be my new home. I passed nothing but fields of corn, rice, tobacco, etc. Come to find out my family hast two: one of corn and the other of rice. As I walked up to the little adobe house, I saw my new mom and dad waiting outside. She’s about 4 feet tall and was super excited. Nancy, my mom, was telling me how excited they were about the new light bulb they had installed in my room so I could have better lighting. She walked me into their really really humble home and straight to my room to leave my bag; my jaw just about dropped. It was dirt floor, no door or closed windows, and a “paja” (hay) mattress that was as hard as rock. The bathroom was a latrine outside and the shower was, well let’s just say there was no shower. I did not want to offend her by any means so I stayed quiet. She looked worried and kept telling me in Spanish, “I really pray that you can get used to our poor lives and living situation because I have been waiting for you to come live with us for so long and we are so excited to have you…I want you to be happy here.” I had a knot in my throat. I was emotionally culture shocked. That evening we had lentils, rice and a fried banana. I was exhausted and decided to go to bed. I lifted the blanket that was on top of my pillow and it was covered with tiny ants! Yes, ants. I didn’t want to be dramatic so I just called my parents over and they just dusted the bed off saying they didn’t bite. They also put some type of powder to kill the ant hole that was coming from my dirt floor.

After the ants were gone, I put a tiny blanket and pillowcase I had brought with me over the bed, lied down and started to cry. I was emotionally drained and asked myself “Why am I doing this?” My dad called that second. He talked to me and was so supportive. Out of all the great advice he gave me there was one thing that will stick with me for the next two years. He reminded me that I was there for a purpose that will change my life in the two years, after that I would go back to the states. Those people will not…it is their life there. So my job now is to help improve their quality of life by being there. He also told me that the material things could also be improved and fixed. From that second on I knew things were going to be OK.

I found out the answer to my question as to why I was doing this the next day. I went around town with my site mate meeting the community. They are all so wonderful and amazing! Everyone is so friendly. The organization I will mainly be working with is called ACOTOURCH. It stands for: It has an awesome youth group, group of artisans, and is funded by NGO’s. There is an unbelievable potential in this town I cannot even explain. I have an amazing, caring family and community. That is rare to find and I don’t think I can give that up because of my living situation.
My room will be fixed (more like reconstructed) and I can help them build a bathroom. I will cover any holes or cracks in my room, put a cement floor, install a window, paint it purple, and make it cozy.

Reality finally kicked in. Luckily I have cell phone service and am an hour away from the capital city. There’s also another town about 15 minutes away that has a population of about 17,000 people. Oh, there is also an airport, Starbucks and Pizza Hut in Chiclayo! o-m-g…I know.

This is our last week of training. I have two presentations left to give, Thursday is our going away brunch with our host families and Friday we are swearing in at the U.S. Embassy. We spend the night in a hotel and everyone goes off to his or her sites Saturday afternoon. I’m excited, nervous and scared.

My real Peace Corps adventure is just beginning…

Cajamarca

There is a boxer next door that does not stop barking. He barks…and barks…and barks and I literally do not understand how his throat does not get scratchy or tired. He sounds like a broken record and he is on top of his roof to top it off. It is quite amusing after a while.

Field Base Training was amazing. We left Saturday, July 17 at 6:30 p.m. and arrived Sunday at 10 a.m. to Cajamarca City. It did not seem like so many hours because the buses were so comfortable. The large seats turned into beds, they served a delicious dinner, dessert, wine, breakfast, coffee, and showed movies. It was the best 17-hour trip ever. Once we arrived we had a full agenda the whole week. Some current volunteers who are at the end of their service met up with us. We went to a hotel to the top of the city and had a bonfire there. It was so beautiful. Just talked, drank and hung out all night.

The next day we traveled to Matacares where another awesome volunteer was waiting for us. He had visit to a school planned for us. I remember him mentioning that the girls wanted to play volleyball with us so to wear comfortable clothes (little did I know what was to come). As we walked up to the school, we saw two big flags crossing each other at the door. It was the U.S. and Peru Flag and below that it said, “Bienvenidos Cuerpo de Paz.” At the entrance was the administration waiting to shake our hands and after that was the school band playing the drums as if the president had arrived. The whole school was sitting in the cement bleachers and the girl’s volleyball team was wearing their uniforms, ready to play us. We were so grateful for the warm welcome but definitely not expecting it! The volleyball game ended up being hilarious. The whole school laughed every time we messed up. When we were up to serve they would ROLL THE DRUMS. I can’t explain how funny this experience was. Our technical coordinator said it was the start of many embarrassments we were about to experience these next two years. After they creamed us, the guys played their soccer match and did a lot better than us.

We then went to a professor’s house where he had a surprise for us. It was a zip line! You had to climb a tree that was about 40 feet tall and the line ended about 20 meters on the other side of the “campo.” I was really excited and thought I was going to be able to do it. I climbed the tree, grabbed onto the rope (no safety, you just had to grab on and hope for the best), but was so scared to push myself because if I let go, there was nothing holding me if I were to let go. When I finally got the courage to push myself off I was so terrified that as I was pushing off with my legs, I wrapped my legs around the tree branch and twisted myself back up. I couldn’t do it so I decided to just ride a donkey the rest of the time there.

After that, we headed to San Marcos, which is where our Field Base Training would be taking place. Another volunteer was waiting for us there and had a full week planned out for us during free time. On Monday night a family closed down their nightclub to host us there. It was really pretty, open doors. They cooked delicious dinner (roasted chicken, french fries and salad) and afterwards we had a bonfire there. The next morning we had to prepare our materials for our classes in the afternoon. We found out that the students we would be teaching were either studying accounting or agriculture in that institute. Teaching entrepreneurship, marketing, accounting, etc. was so much fun! They called me, “Profesora Ana.” One of the students decided to bring her eight-month-old baby to class and to top it off she breast fed him while we taught. We couldn’t help but secretly laugh because everyone saw it as normal; huge culture difference. I discretely took a picture so you guys can see. When things like this happen, we just say to each other, “Welcome to Peru!” Once our students chose a business they wanted to do, we struggled a lot with teaching them what the point of equilibrium was. They wanted to get ahead on their business plans and were very stubborn about their price setting and variable & fixed costs. They wrote their business plan, took out a loan, ran their businesses either Thursday night or Friday and by Friday at 5:30 p.m. they all paid back their loans with 2% interest. They loved it and learned so much. One group hosted a soccer tournament, another did a raffle and the prize was a lamb, a group tried doing a movie night but ended up falling through, and a lot of the businesses involved food.

On our free time we ended up hiking to towns outside of San Marcos. The scenery was unbelievable. I may have mentioned this but Peru is famous for eating guiney pigs. Here they are called cuy. Our group decided to go to a cuy farm, got to choose their own cuy, kill it, and cook it. I couldn’t do this for the life of me. While they were doing that, I was helping Doña Lola (sweet lady hosting us in her town) make the salad and sauce. They had a bag of clams to make ceviche, too. With my luck, a clam crawled out of the bag, made itself to a small hole of water where you turn on/off the water and as I did this to wash my hands, it bit me! I just remember taking my hand out and seeing it hang from my thumb. It wasn’t anything serious though; just some minor bleeding and stinging.

The ride back home was just as comfortable on the bus. I got home exhausted Sunday at 11 a.m. and my family was waiting for me so I can go to my nephews school event (Bingo/Fair). It was awesome but I was exhausted. Also, being with the whole family made me start missing my family so much. I get so emotional sometimes. My brother, mom, dad, close mentor and a best friend have written me letters. I get knots in my throat as I read them. They mean the world to me and it makes my day. I can honestly say that the hardest part about being here is not being able to see my friends and family. Aside from that, I feel lucky and am living with absolutely no luxuries.

P.S. the boxer is still barking…

Integrándome

I don’t need an alarm clock. I wake up to a real sound of a rooster every morning. I still don’t know where he is but it is coming from one of the neighbors. The best part about waking up is walking through my hallway and looking outside; there is a really heavy fog that comes over the mountain I live in every single morning. It is so gloomy and chilly. Most of my friends don’t like it but I personally love it. The winter here is not that bad. Most days it is about 70 degrees. After getting dressed in the mornings I head downstairs for breakfast. They consist of bread with either oatmeal or papaya juice. If I’m lucky I’ll have an egg, too. I am always starving by 10 a.m. and eat some of my lunch! I have tried making it a point to eat a lot of fruit since it’s so delicious and cheap here.

I have been pretty busy these past two weeks. Training has only gotten more overwhelming. For our language classes we have visited several sites including the Museum of Anthropology, Catacumbas (over 20,000 human bones found here), and Parque de la Muralla. We have learned about the Independence of Peru, the time of terrorism here and a lot of history to become more culturally integrated.

Prior to being sworn in, we have to complete what is called Field Base Training. I found out I’m going to Cajamarca (northern Peru). Depending on the trainee their tasks are different. Mine will consist of traveling to this town and with a team of three trainees create a week agenda for a group of 25 students, ranging from 18-24 yeas old. We will split them up into groups and go through an intense but exciting week! The base of it all is small business development. Day one we will teach them all about entrepreneurship, community analysis and a SWAT Analysis. Day two will consist of them choosing a business idea, and learning about marketing and finance to apply to their business idea. Day three we will present the basics on accounting and apply it to their business idea. Also, we are going to have them fill out real forms to take out a Peace Corps Loan of up to S/120 with a 2% interest rate and requiring each group to leave a valuable item for security that they will pay it back. They will be submitting this application at the town bank. This is all a summary of it. So, in other words, we will be teaching these students the basic concepts of how to start their own business. We leave this Saturday and get back next Saturday. I’m excited to share this experience when I get back!

I have felt so integrated into the community these past few days. Some friends and I went to Universitat vs. Alianza game (biggest rival soccer game in Peru). We were warned that it would be really dangerous. It was quite the experience! There was police with armor and shields, and horses! It felt like there was a civil rights movement going on. They had swat cars; you had to go through four security sections to get into the game. Once we were in there it was so much fun! The atmosphere, the energy, the spirit…I had never seen anything like it.

Another thing I did this weekend was the circus. It was really different and small. I went with my host sister, niece and sister-in-law. The circus consisted of two comedians who were not really funny, unfortunately. A dog wearing a dress that could walk on two legs for about 10 seconds and a clown that made fun of everyone. Quite interesting I must say.

So, I must confess, I already had Pizza Hut in Lima. I could not control myself. I never thought I would say this but OMG I miss American Food so much; hamburgers, fries, hot wings, pizza, nuggets, and the list goes on. It’s OK, though--I have my rice and potatoes that I eat every single day with every single meal. That is one great thing about this experience: integrating into a new culture. It has been really challenging to find a balance between my eating habits and Peruvians’ eating habits. First of all, they hardly drink water. I have never seen my family drink a glass of water since I arrived. I drink the whole pitcher in the fridge by myself. Also, the portions of rice in every meal are extreme. I do not know how to say, “please do not serve me so much rice” in a polite way. I am afraid I will offend my host mom, so what I started doing is leaving half the rice on the plate and saying I am full (which I never am—one of my friends already called me hungry hippo because of the amount of food I eat).

These are just a few of the things that have gone on these past few days. I’m happy and healthy--what more could I ask for?

Entrenamiento

This week flew by. Some of you may know this already but I am still a Peace Corps “Trainee” and will officially become a Peace Corps Volunteer after training. On August 19 we are being sworn in at the U.S. Embassy in Lima. Currently we are in the process of learning how to create formal letters of request to local government agencies, translating our resumes into Spanish, learning business terminology and concepts in Spanish, etc. I just finished up a lesson plan for some high school students we will be working with tomorrow. The goal is to help them write their own resume and instill in them why it is so important to have one.

Another project we are required to do prior to swearing in is a “community-based project.” After brainstorming and talking to several locals, I decided I wanted to do my project at an orphanage. I asked around and found one really close to our training site, San Francisco de Asi. I decided to take a visit on Tuesday. A nurse opened the door and come to know that this place was for disabled kids. I sat on the couch as I waited for the director to come and kids started coming down the stairs for lunch, all in crutches. I heard babies crying upstairs. As I introduced myself to the director and the staff there, I had a knot in my throat the whole time. I explained to them the purpose of my visit. They decided to give me a tour of the place and told me all about the kids that were abandoned, beaten, badly burnt, etc. These next few days I will start brainstorming on ways I can help. Weather it be grant writing, organizing an awareness campaign or recruiting volunteers. We will see once I get more assimilated with the way they do things.

I also started running and took my first dance lesson this week. I found a great track near our training site and went there twice this week. Also, one of our language trainers is offering Peruvian dance lessons at our training site and I attended the first class. It was sooo much fun! They are dances from the “Costa, Selva and Sierra.”

Friday after lunch, we left to San Pedro de Castas. After the terribly unsafe roads, passing by numerous cliffs and breathing in about two bags of dust we arrived to the nice little town at around 5 p.m. All the houses were made of adobe. We still had to ride the horses up another two hours to reach our camping site. The horse ride up was the most unbelievable experience! It was right at sun set when we started going up the mountain and by the time we reached the top, it was night time. The thing is, we could see perfectly fine with the light coming from the full moon. We were so high up in elevation it looked so close to us. It was absolutely breath taking. We started a fire as soon as we got there because it was freezing! A Peruvian lady started heating up our dinner: chicken soup. It was quite delicious and salty. Afterwards, we roasted marshmallows and all sat around the campfire. The sleeping was pretty rough but I managed to get through the night with three thick jackets, two sweat pants, two socks, gloves, and a thick sleeping bag. The next morning we woke up at 6 a.m., had oatmeal for breakfast, and then hiked for about two hours. I can’t explain how amazing the scenery was. I am posting up the pictures on my Facebook so you can see! The ride back home was just as awesome but exhausting. I loved every moment of the trip.

Today, I played volleyball, basketball and futbol with my 10 and 5 year old neice/nephew. I also went to Plaza Vea, which is like Wal-Mart in the states. It is insane in there. I felt like I was playing bumper carts with my shopping cart. You could not walk around without stopping every five seconds because it was so packed. Overall, this week was great but exhausting. I am usually in bed by nine and fast asleep by ten.

This weekend, we will be exploring Lima! Don’t forget to look at my pictures!

That is it for now! XOXO

Primera Semana en Perú

It has been exactly a week since I arrived to Peru but it feels like I have been here for a month. I think of my family and friends so much. It aches to think about it but it is a good thing I have been so busy. We arrived Saturday the 12^th at 2:30 a.m. to Lima and stayed in Chaclacayo (one hour outside of Lima) for the week-end. Our first days have consisted of: a lot of sessions and presentations, mini projects within the community, interviews, etc. I moved in with my family last Sunday. I will be living with them during my training for the next ten weeks. They are so wonderful! I live with the mom, dad, sister, brother, his wife and daughter, and an uncle. They have all been so amazing to me. I got really lucky and was placed in a community called Yuanacoto, along with 12 other volunteers. Everyone here knows who we are and are so friendly. My room has a great view of the whole town and I have my own bathroom!

I have also experienced the first culture shock: cold showers. They are actually not that bad but I can’t lie, I do dread it every time. Tomorrow I will be experiencing the second biggest one: washing laundry by hand. The food I have had so far has been really good. My dad was not lying when he told me Peruvians eat a lot of rice and potatoes. I have eaten rice every day for lunch and dinner with my meals.

The currency here is in Soles. The conversion is S/2.83= $1.00. We each get 8 Soles a day for “walk-around” money. That is about $2.80 I am living on a day. Our meals and housing are already set. The interesting thing is that those $2.80 last me great! For example, we bargain to take the “combi” (bus) for 25 cents. So, that is 50 cents round trip. If I want a water bottle, I can get that for 50 cents. That leaves me with $1.80. A good beer that is 32 ounces is $1.70. So, after training yesterday we all went to have one. However, the culture here is to share one. You pour it in a small glass, too. It is looked badly upon to just drink from the bottle. So if I share one that means two small glasses of beer will cost me about 88 cents. That leaves me with a good $1 for some cookies to snack on before dinner or perhaps some fruit! Isn’t that hilarious?

Also, I was sure to bring every possible toiletry, clothing, and packing supply possible so that I would not have to spend on that for a good while. It ended up costing me the same for overweight. Did I mention that out of the 54 volunteers going to Peru, I was the only one lugging around two huge suitcases of 68 pounds each…and, a carry-on that weighs 35 pounds? One volunteer saw me and just said, “Wow, you just really went for it.”

I am so happy right now. I feel so blessed to be here. I am well aware of the challenges that come along with it but I have learned to embrace them. This past week, I have met fellow volunteers that I am already such great friends with and know they will be my best friends for a life-time to come. They are so wonderful. We have had great laughs like you could not imagine! Before leaving some people would still ask me why I would want to do something like this and be willing to leave my life behind. THIS is my life, though. I didn’t come here to “feed the hungry.” A wise mentor told me before leaving, “Don’t try to manage every project you embark on while in Peru, just try to teach one local Peruvian how to do it, so that when you leave, they can pass it on.” One of my wishes has always been to inspire and better just one life. As a volunteer, I will have accomplished my work here doing just that. I also know that they will without a doubt change and inspire mine.

So, I have 9 weeks of training to go! This coming week-end our Small Business Development group will be traveling to a town outside of Lima called San Pedro de Castas. It is 4,000 meters up in elevation and 20 degrees Fahrenheit; it is higher than Machu-Pichu! It is a small tourism town and to get there we need to drive three hours and go up in horses another three hours. We will be camping once we reach the top. I am so excited! The whole point of us is to start getting a grasp of how small businesses work here.

I wish I can tell you all in person of what I am living right now. It is so hard to summarize it all in a blog. This is better than nothing at all though.

I will be sure to let you know how that trip went! I miss and love you all dearly.

The Beginning

My parents, the inspiration in my life, once told me, “Do something you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I knew I loved a lot of things but was not exactly sure, at the time, what was meant by this. Now I understand.

I graduated from Arizona State University in May 2009 with a degree in Business Communications and a Certificate in International Business and wondered, “now what?” My parents’ advice came back to mind: do something you love…

I applied to the Peace Corps in May 2009, interviewed with them in June and was nominated for a program that starts in June 2010 in the South or Central America Region: Business Advising. Volunteers in this area work in a variety of settings, assisting both private and public businesses, local and regional governments, nonprofit organizations, women’s and youth groups, and educational institutions. I remember thinking, “Why June 2010? It is still so far away!”

In order to receive an official invitation from the Peace Corps, you need to be medically cleared. They sent me the packet in July 2009 and that is where it all began. After seven dentist visits (four wisdom teeth taken out & fillings done), an eye exam, two visits to the lab to get blood drawn, and seven visits to my physician—I was ready to send everything in, in January! Then I understood why June.

It is now February 2010 and I am anxious to hear from them. They e-mailed me and said to expect an update in four to six weeks. I am grateful for this process because I gained an amazing gift that has been improving little by little: Patience. What a virtue it is to have!

I will keep you updated as soon as I hear from them :) !