Me & the Ambassador, Peace Corps Swearing-In, July 16

The last week has been a whirlwind of good-byes and celebrations.  Our last week of training kept us busy in the Peace Corps center with a visit from a State Dept. representative and an emotional “commitment to service” sharing/discussion.  In our training town Wednesday night Doña Rosa threw an early birthday party for Grace; the following day Doña Dora held a good-bye lunch for the volunteers and families; then Doña Eva had a refaccion/dinner that night; and Doña Olivia coffee and breakfast Friday morning before Swearing-In.  Lots of eating and gifts.

San Bartolo Volunteers & Host Families

Although our Juramentación was not held at the Embassy in Guatemala City like other training classes (we were a little bitter), the ceremony was really nice (short and sweet) and we had an unseasonably hot and beautiful day in Santa Lucia at the Peace Corps center.

Friday marked our first day of freedom as official Peace Corps Volunteers and thus the first day we were allowed to spend the night away from home.  We began our celebrations early on the rooftop of our hostel in Antigua and then moved on to multitude of places, too many to recount. Quite a long and divertida noche.

The Celebrations Begin

Sunday I returned home to San Bartolo to despedir my host family.  My San Bartolo girls and I were particularly sad to go our separate ways.  Madelyn asked me to go to the store with her just before I left and then convinced me to prolong my departure and take a little stroll around town.  She was probably the saddest to see me go.

I hopped on the bus yesterday afternoon and for the first time was really on my own.  Very exciting, but many  mixed emotions.  I arrived and spent some time with my new roommates/family.  I went through some of the piles and baskets of things Lynn left me and unpacked two of my backpacks (there’s still quite a bit to go).  Funny how there has been so much build up and waiting for Peace Corps; applying, interviewing, the endless waiting, the seemingly tedious and endless training (which in all honesty I was a little sad to leave when it finally came down to it), and only today was finally Day 1.

Day 1 I should say went not terribly, but could have been better.  After a glorious 9 hours of much needed sleep in my new and amazingly comfortable bed, I began the day with a Latin Rhythms core workout DVD I found in all the goodies Lynn left me.  I felt a little silly, and I’m not sure I will be doing it again.  My counterpart called me around 8:!5 during my workout and asked if Christina and I could come by to meet with him.  We went to meet him at 11 AM and on the way I fell through a grate.  How does this happen you may ask?  It’s a bit difficult to explain.  Try explaining it in Spanish.  I was simply walking over a grate – even afterwards I looked at it in amazement that the slots between bars are large enough for my leg – but my leg was just the perfect fit.  I fell straight down, until my knee broke my fall.  I struggled to get out (my leg was a bit stuck) and took stock – my right leg (the one that went down) was bruised below the knee (obviously), the left knee that fell when I fell is pretty well bruised in the same spot, and my left arm is pretty busted up.  Nothing is broken, I have full movement, but my arm is not happy with me.  A couple weeks ago I fell off a bus in the rain.  I nearly broke both my arms (but I didn’t).  This morning as I was exercising I was just noting that my left arm finally seems to have made a nearly full recovery.  Not so anymore.  I am very grateful to have not broken a limb.  Things could be much worse.

To end things on a more positive note, though, the day did end better than it began – after a visit to one of my schools, I roamed around the big, cramped, damp market and purchased an enormous bag full of groceries, then cooked up some pretty delicious vegetable and rice stuffed peppers for Rosmeri and the nannies and myself.  It was the first dinner I’ve made myself in 3 months.

I also opened a P.O. Box today.  Mail can now be sent to:

Elizabeth Trenga

Apartado Postal No. 25

Totonicapán, Guatemala, C.A.