It's been just about 6 months since I moved to Masha and it's finally feeling like home to me. Two weeks ago all the PCVs went to Yirg Alem for a week long training. Without boring you with details I'll just say that it was a great time with friends, old and new, complete with card games, Scrabble, a bonfire, a "beach" trip, volleyball and beer. The training part was alright, too. Two days were summer camp training from Hole in the Wall camps (PC is hosting regional summer camps in the next few months). It was a good example of a small world- the original Hole in the Wall camp is near where I'm from. The person giving the training knows my cousin who is affiliated with the camp, and is currently living in New Haven. I always get a kick out of talking about CT with strangers in Ethiopia. But anyway! Once the week was over I was very bummed to be going back to site...going from social overload to solitude is never easy. The warm welcome from Masha made it a bit easier. Coming home and seeing children and friends excited to see me was very touching. I'm not sure I'd get that in a bigger town, so even though I haven't had electricity since coming back, I am happy with where I live.
Upon returning to site I learned that no progress was made on the youth center... people were hesitant to work/make decisions without me. I learned that I need to take on a stronger role in the planning process and guide my chairpersons through it, which is fine. I've had meetings the past two days and made some real progress. The first meeting we decided what types of activities will be included in the center and then prioritized them (we won't have the funds to do everything...for example I don't think we'll be installing a swimming pool). The top three priorities are 1. media room (computers, internet, library, HIV/AIDS resources) 2. lounge (cafe, DSTV) and 3. meeting room (to hold regular HIV/AIDS prevention programs, VCT campaigns, dramas, social programming). Today I met with civil engineers who will make a blue print and tell me approximately how much this will cost. I'm sure we're over budget by a lot, but we needed to start somewhere. I'm always in a good mood after my youth center meetings. I was starting to think this project idea was over-ambitious (which it probably is), but when I meet with these people are they are so willing to do the work and are so optimistic I'm reminded that it's going to be worth the headache. There have been nothing but good signs, it has to work out, right?
On a completely unrelated note, but something I'm really excited about...I'M COMING HOME!! A while back I wrote a policy piece with my grad school mentor on medical care access to detained immigrants. My professor had submitted the absract to the American Public Health Assoc. annual conference a few months ago. Much to my surprise, I got an email the other day inviting us to give an oral presentation on our work! Peace Corps is letting me count the conference as work related (so I don't need to use all my vacation days going to Colorado) so I will be coming to America in early November. After the conference I'll be home for two weeks, however I wont have a phone, car or money, so if you would like to see me it's pretty much up to you. I have a lot going on until then so it may even come quickly!
Upon returning to site I learned that no progress was made on the youth center... people were hesitant to work/make decisions without me. I learned that I need to take on a stronger role in the planning process and guide my chairpersons through it, which is fine. I've had meetings the past two days and made some real progress. The first meeting we decided what types of activities will be included in the center and then prioritized them (we won't have the funds to do everything...for example I don't think we'll be installing a swimming pool). The top three priorities are 1. media room (computers, internet, library, HIV/AIDS resources) 2. lounge (cafe, DSTV) and 3. meeting room (to hold regular HIV/AIDS prevention programs, VCT campaigns, dramas, social programming). Today I met with civil engineers who will make a blue print and tell me approximately how much this will cost. I'm sure we're over budget by a lot, but we needed to start somewhere. I'm always in a good mood after my youth center meetings. I was starting to think this project idea was over-ambitious (which it probably is), but when I meet with these people are they are so willing to do the work and are so optimistic I'm reminded that it's going to be worth the headache. There have been nothing but good signs, it has to work out, right?
On a completely unrelated note, but something I'm really excited about...I'M COMING HOME!! A while back I wrote a policy piece with my grad school mentor on medical care access to detained immigrants. My professor had submitted the absract to the American Public Health Assoc. annual conference a few months ago. Much to my surprise, I got an email the other day inviting us to give an oral presentation on our work! Peace Corps is letting me count the conference as work related (so I don't need to use all my vacation days going to Colorado) so I will be coming to America in early November. After the conference I'll be home for two weeks, however I wont have a phone, car or money, so if you would like to see me it's pretty much up to you. I have a lot going on until then so it may even come quickly!
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