One more month of training!

Hard to believe so much time has passed already. This weekend was Patronales here in Constanza, celebrating the Día de las Mercedes. There were bachata singers and Paso Fino (dressage) horses in the park. But I missed most of the festivities due to this gripe I’m trying to overcome. I got sick on Thursday with a sore throat then stuffy nose by Saturday. Saturday we had a team building activity planned to go to the Reserva Científica. We had to take a bus up the mountain and between the winding roads and perhaps too much rum the night before there were a few people who got sick. We were dropped off pretty far up a mountain then had to climb a while before we could start our decent through the rain forest to the river. It ended up being a 10k hike. The river was beautiful. We stopped at a larger opening with a small waterfall to go swimming; it was freezing (definitely contributing to my cold). I was kicked out when everyone told me I was turning purple. We got back to Constanza around 3pm and I spent the rest of the day sleeping and trying to get warm. I even had Dona Tata blow dry my hair after my semi-warm bucket shower. I slept in most of Sunday as well but eventually pulled myself out of bed to go watch some of the Motorcross racing on the loma.

Later, I found myself in a very engaging conversation about the meaning and value of life, and the definition of existence; it was very thought provoking. Peace Corps has a reputation of being full of liberals, atheists, promiscuous people, hippies, and druggies, and although there are plenty of each of those (it is important to note that they are not synonymous), in this YFCD training group there are people from all ends of the spectrum. However, something we all seem to have in common, or at least have developed since we arrived, is a candidness I have never encountered before. No one is afraid to share their opinions even on controversial topics. I have never had to think about my own morals and principles so profoundly. Hearing other people’s viewpoints really makes me question the foundations of what I define as my own morality. For example, I have always held a strong position against teenagers having sex or getting married, but when you look at these questions through a different lens, like a culture where the average lifespan is only 40, maybe I shouldn’t be so quick to judge a 13 year old getting married and having children. How do I approach educating people on protecting themselves from STIs and HIV in a culture where they can not even publicly acknowledge that someone has died of AIDS? What we “westerners” see as scientifically proven facts about health and personal hygiene will be merely considered as me giving my opinion to some people in the campo. There are so many things to consider as I come close to swearing in and moving to my community that I would have never thought about as being challenges before training.

Ok enough of being deep and philosophical. Unfortunately, I’m still very sick and covered in mosquito bites… really hoping they aren’t related because I don’t think I could deal with Dengue right now. This Friday we find out our site placements! Everyone is very anxious to know where they will be living for the next two years and who we will be placed close to. We could be placed in a batey, campo, pueblo or city. I haven’t decided which I would prefer so I guess that’s a good thing. I see the benefits and drawbacks of each. I just hope I am placed near some of the volunteers/trainees I have grown close with, and it would be a plus to not have to share a latrine with ten other people…