Anyways, I would like to share a portion of my report:
Community Integration
Much has changed since my last VRF. My language has continued to improve to where I am confident to speak to anyone about anything. While certain areas of my vocabulary are stronger than others, I can usually get my point across. The community is encouraging me to learn the local dialect, Ngabere but I am focused on getting my Spanish to a level that I am comfortable first. While my language has improved, it continues to be one of the most challenging aspects of my service. While small talk and casual conversation has gotten much easier, heated debates and technical discussions can become difficult, especially when under pressure.
I continue to learn about cross-cultural integration and continue to feel more and more comfortable living with another culture. Because of my sensitivity to their values, beliefs and actions, I have set a sturdy foundation for my integration to continue to improve. I now am beginning to understand the more complex issues that are not immediately obvious, such as community and cultural divisions.
Success Story
In March, I brought four members from my community to a volunteer run agribusiness seminar. The 5-part seminar was composed of volunteers in the region from the CED and SAS programs along with members of their communities. The purpose of the seminar was to help rural farmers with better organizing, marketing and selling their crops. Through various exercises, interactive skits and activities, we covered topics from defining objects to managing a budget.
The seminar was a huge success, a lot of fun and the counterparts from my community attended every single session, in spite of the early morning paddle across the lagoon, the cab ride to the bus stop, and a 3 hour ride to the office at the regional capital. Twice a day. That is dedication.
One day a few weeks after the seminar Humberto, one of the people who attended, came up to tell me that he had something to show me. “It’s my agrinegocio!” he told me. He converted an unused structure into a store, selling various products from his farm. The seminar had helped him realize that the community itself was a market to sell his products. He also mentioned that after paying for help and other costs he was continuing to profit. The seminar had introduced new vocabulary and ideas to Humberto and he took them home and put them into action. I am extremely proud of him and all the work he has put into his new business.
Challenges
Understanding my role in the cooperative has been challenging. I am younger than every single member and a new comer to the community and yet they look to me for the answers because I am the “licenciado” there to help. I often do not have the answers or the language to articulate the more complex issues of group interactions. Other times, the relationships between the members are complicated and go back longer than I have been alive. When attempting to understand certain organizational problems, these complex social relationships are often in the middle.
Other challenges include trying to organize…anything. The president lives across the bay and is in the community once every few weeks. The secretary lives a two hour hike in the next community. The Vice President left the community. The treasurer can not read or write. The Vocal is shy and does not show up to meetings. Because of this, I have been pushing for an election, as almost every member of the directiva’s term has expired. So, trying to teach an illiterate Treasurer whose term has expired can be… challenging.
"For Official Use Only"
Working with agencies can be frustrating. Especially transportation.
Lessons Learned
One morning, I was walking around the community and found that almost every member of the cooperative was not home. I found this a little suspicious and wondered what was going on because in the past few days no one had informed me of a meeting. I got limited responses and no information when asking where everyone was. Finally, someone’s son told me that they were at an IPACOOP (the agency that I work the most with) meeting in town.
I was furious. Why were they going behind my back to a meeting that I obviously would have interest in? During the afternoon I could barely concentrate due to the frustration of not being invited. I was thinking of who to yell at and what to say.
At the peak of my frustration I called some friends first to see what they would do. One said to let them know you were disappointed and to ask for an explanation. Another replied “They actually go to those meetings? That’s awesome!” Through their humor, experience and advice I calmed down and tried to understand. They all told me not to get mad, that would just make things worse, but to simply ask.
Later that evening, I asked closest and most trusted friend what happened. He said first of all, no one from the agency even showed up. There was no meeting. Second, when I said I was disappointed no one had invited me, he seemed confused. “Why would you want to go?” As it turns out, what seemed so obvious to me had never occurred to them. I had never explained that a big part of my job was working along with the agencies and them.
I learned that even with the people I had become such good friends with there was still so much that I did not understand. When surprises such as this happen, I have learned not to get angry and lose my temper but to stop and think about why it happened. While I have grown very close with my community there is still a very, very large cultural divide and also in the way we think. That day I learned one of the most important lessons in my life.
Planned Activities
I have moved my energy and focus to the cooperative. They are the only group in the community and there are many opportunities for improvement. Many of these opportunities happen to fall under Project Management & Leadership, Strategic and Operations Planning, as well as fairly straight forward technical skills such as managing the accounting books.
Goal Two
I am constantly promoting a better understanding of the American people on the part of the people of my community. At least once a day I get questions about if Americans really do this or that. The major media outlet in my community is the radio. People will often hear things and come to me for a clarification.
However, the most important thing that I have done to promote a better understanding of America is building relationships. The friends that I have made are the most significant part of my service and have also provided the most rewarding experiences.
Goal Three
An important part of my monthly routine is to update my blog, which is followed by friends and family. I take time and energy to create an interesting and informative account of my activities, projects and experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
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