Friday, August 7, 2009
photo update
I added some more recent pics to the photo album and there are more to come shortly. Enjoy!
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
noticias buenas
I'm trying to wind down a stressful but successful day, and am hoping that writing will help me relax.
Last week, when I was out of commission due to mystery illness, I had to miss my weekly meeting with the group of disabled kids and their parents. I was very concerned that my absence would send a misleading signal to the group, and that this would be the beginning of the end. However, to my delight, the group held a productive meeting under the direction of the nurse at my clinic, and set a date to meet again. I was very encouraged to hear this news- that the group wanted to meet again even without me probing for the next date, place, and time. But simultaneously, I felt dismayed, because I myself am not capable of giving these families what they really need. While we've solicited help from the outside, we're currently in the waiting stage of that process, so it's easy to feel frustrated. I wasn't sure exactly what today's meeting was going to bring and it had me pretty bummed.
Furthermore, there's the problem of el refrigerio (snack). I've mentioned previously that el refrigerio is an essential element of a successful meeting. The reason eludes me, but I am chronically inadequate in the preparation and/or serving of el refrigerio. For one thing, we hold each meeting in a new place, in an attempt to keep travel distance relatively equal for everyone when all is said and done (buses=money). Due to our nomadic tendencies, I never know if the building of the week will be equipped with a kitchen, any type of cooking utensils or instruments, water for washing or drinking, etc. Plus, things get crazy with all the parents and their kids, so there's not a good time for me to disappear and cook or serve. I've had lots of help from other inters and one of my coordinators, but regardless of their generous attempts, I'm still perpetually a failure. I end up scrambling last minute for one thing or another (who am I kidding, for multiple things that I've forgotten or won't serve due to the conditions).
Today I barely escaped major disaster. I had decided to make rice, beans, and a cabbage salad with beets and tomatoes. This morning I had the rice and the ingredients for the salad, plus all the materials I needed for the actual meeting ready to go. The beans were waiting for me at my coordinator's house, where I was headed by bicycle to prepare the rest of the food before catching the 10:45 bus to the meeting. I got to my coordinator's house by 9:45 and started in on the cabbage. The woman who had offered to help me cook the rice, Nica style (oil, chiltoma, carrots, fry the rice first) didn't realize that I had to catch the 10:45 bus. We were cutting it seriously close when the bus announced itself, toiling audibly down the road. Thankfully, someone flagged down the bus while I gathered the beans and salad. Bereft of rice and feeling defeated, I boarded the bus.
At first, it didn't seem like the meeting would be that well attended, and the lack of rice might not be the end of the world. Trade off of sorts, I suppose. But the people started coming and it was clear that the rice would be missed. All of a sudden, my coordinator reenters the preschool where we're congregating, carrying the rice! Her host sister found someone to give her a ride on a motorcycle to the meeting spot (a pretty good distance). Phew, disaster averted. Almost- because I failed to bring drinks. Now this was a premeditated risk- I simply could not carry drinks and cups along with all the other materials, so I opted to win over my group with scrumptious salad and hope that their enjoyment of the food would prevent anyone from noticing the lack of drinks. No dice. My salad wasn't very well received, and I had to shell out major dough when a woman passed by selling juice in bags. Oh well, you can't win them all (or apparently any...)
What's actually important, and what I should be writing about, is that the business part of the meeting was a success. We got everyone on the same page and laid out some next steps. Most exciting, we elected a committee- coordinator, vice-coordinator, and secretary- who I'll be helping get organized so they can take over the management of all the affairs of the group. Each woman on the committee seems committed and capable, so I'm thrilled. I'm meeting with the coordinator on Monday to help her prepare for the theme of the next meeting- disability prevention. I sort of started with this topic, but my Spanish was wanting and the group was just getting off the ground, so I think it will serve us well to revisit it.
As far as any major triumphs go, we're waiting for the national coordinator of Los Pipitos to return to the country so that we can hold a meeting with her and others to discuss an alliance. That should happen next week, if all goes according to plan. If indeed this comes to fruition, I'll be incredibly happy. It will mean that a specialist will be sent once a month to visit these families- evaluate the kids, work on therapy, nutrition, stimulation, etc. In the meantime, we're waiting and trying to recruit more members from other communities.
Tomorrow a bunch of kids are getting together to clean the hot springs in Las Salinas, so I'll be doing that in the afternoon. The hot springs (aguas termales) are awesome! I love that place. I wish I lived closer to it so I could take a dip every night. Being in the water is unbelievably soothing, and getting out and exposing yourself to the night air is spectacularly refreshing.
Time to go home- I'm hungry, tired, and in dire need of a shower!
Hasta pronto.
Last week, when I was out of commission due to mystery illness, I had to miss my weekly meeting with the group of disabled kids and their parents. I was very concerned that my absence would send a misleading signal to the group, and that this would be the beginning of the end. However, to my delight, the group held a productive meeting under the direction of the nurse at my clinic, and set a date to meet again. I was very encouraged to hear this news- that the group wanted to meet again even without me probing for the next date, place, and time. But simultaneously, I felt dismayed, because I myself am not capable of giving these families what they really need. While we've solicited help from the outside, we're currently in the waiting stage of that process, so it's easy to feel frustrated. I wasn't sure exactly what today's meeting was going to bring and it had me pretty bummed.
Furthermore, there's the problem of el refrigerio (snack). I've mentioned previously that el refrigerio is an essential element of a successful meeting. The reason eludes me, but I am chronically inadequate in the preparation and/or serving of el refrigerio. For one thing, we hold each meeting in a new place, in an attempt to keep travel distance relatively equal for everyone when all is said and done (buses=money). Due to our nomadic tendencies, I never know if the building of the week will be equipped with a kitchen, any type of cooking utensils or instruments, water for washing or drinking, etc. Plus, things get crazy with all the parents and their kids, so there's not a good time for me to disappear and cook or serve. I've had lots of help from other inters and one of my coordinators, but regardless of their generous attempts, I'm still perpetually a failure. I end up scrambling last minute for one thing or another (who am I kidding, for multiple things that I've forgotten or won't serve due to the conditions).
Today I barely escaped major disaster. I had decided to make rice, beans, and a cabbage salad with beets and tomatoes. This morning I had the rice and the ingredients for the salad, plus all the materials I needed for the actual meeting ready to go. The beans were waiting for me at my coordinator's house, where I was headed by bicycle to prepare the rest of the food before catching the 10:45 bus to the meeting. I got to my coordinator's house by 9:45 and started in on the cabbage. The woman who had offered to help me cook the rice, Nica style (oil, chiltoma, carrots, fry the rice first) didn't realize that I had to catch the 10:45 bus. We were cutting it seriously close when the bus announced itself, toiling audibly down the road. Thankfully, someone flagged down the bus while I gathered the beans and salad. Bereft of rice and feeling defeated, I boarded the bus.
At first, it didn't seem like the meeting would be that well attended, and the lack of rice might not be the end of the world. Trade off of sorts, I suppose. But the people started coming and it was clear that the rice would be missed. All of a sudden, my coordinator reenters the preschool where we're congregating, carrying the rice! Her host sister found someone to give her a ride on a motorcycle to the meeting spot (a pretty good distance). Phew, disaster averted. Almost- because I failed to bring drinks. Now this was a premeditated risk- I simply could not carry drinks and cups along with all the other materials, so I opted to win over my group with scrumptious salad and hope that their enjoyment of the food would prevent anyone from noticing the lack of drinks. No dice. My salad wasn't very well received, and I had to shell out major dough when a woman passed by selling juice in bags. Oh well, you can't win them all (or apparently any...)
What's actually important, and what I should be writing about, is that the business part of the meeting was a success. We got everyone on the same page and laid out some next steps. Most exciting, we elected a committee- coordinator, vice-coordinator, and secretary- who I'll be helping get organized so they can take over the management of all the affairs of the group. Each woman on the committee seems committed and capable, so I'm thrilled. I'm meeting with the coordinator on Monday to help her prepare for the theme of the next meeting- disability prevention. I sort of started with this topic, but my Spanish was wanting and the group was just getting off the ground, so I think it will serve us well to revisit it.
As far as any major triumphs go, we're waiting for the national coordinator of Los Pipitos to return to the country so that we can hold a meeting with her and others to discuss an alliance. That should happen next week, if all goes according to plan. If indeed this comes to fruition, I'll be incredibly happy. It will mean that a specialist will be sent once a month to visit these families- evaluate the kids, work on therapy, nutrition, stimulation, etc. In the meantime, we're waiting and trying to recruit more members from other communities.
Tomorrow a bunch of kids are getting together to clean the hot springs in Las Salinas, so I'll be doing that in the afternoon. The hot springs (aguas termales) are awesome! I love that place. I wish I lived closer to it so I could take a dip every night. Being in the water is unbelievably soothing, and getting out and exposing yourself to the night air is spectacularly refreshing.
Time to go home- I'm hungry, tired, and in dire need of a shower!
Hasta pronto.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
