One Year

The clock has just struck midnight on September 13th. That means that I have been in this country for exactly one year. Wow.

The thing I have to always say about being one year into this is that it is really only a personal thing because as far as my work is concerned, I won’t really be a year in until the end of November which marks a year from being sworn in/going to my site. And even then, I didn’t start my real work here until February once I’d finished my community diagnostic…

But even so, I suppose it’s a milestone. Plus, look how long my hair has gotten!

So, it’s been a year without stepping foot on US soil. I’ve gotten a taste for some of the little things from back home while being here… hot showers at a resort I stayed at with the fam a few weeks ago, CNN just about any time I go to Santiago or to the capital, McDonalds about that often (if I want it), Coca Cola (I could have it on a daily basis if I really wanted)… But still, there are some things I haven’t had in a year. I’m not going to say for each of these if I truly miss them or if it’s just interesting for me (and possibly for you too) to consider going a year without them…
-Lou Malnati’s
-Potbellies
-Chipotle
-Hackney’s
-Starbucks
-the Dairy Bar
-MSNBC
-The Washington Post
-Benny, my puppy
-the metro
-pantyhose
-flowers
-stuffed animals
-Monopoly
-a decent produce department
-my mom’s California roll
-tennis
-floating in an inner tube
-fall
-winter
-spring
-too many birthdays
-high heels
-radio in English
-commuting
-Halloween candy, Thanksgiving leftovers, Christmas shopping, Valentine’s silliness, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter eggs, July 4th fireworks
-standardized tests
-coats during the day
-blankets at bedtime
-bratwurst
-Target
-Old Navy
-warm laundry
-Border’s
-coupons and discount cards
-throw pillows on couches
-fireplaces
-mini golf
-celebrity sightings (except the American Ambassador and the former DR VP)
-AIM
-Frango Mints

And now, an interesting quote from a song I happened to be listening to while I wrote this blog:
“I miss the playgrounds and the animals and digging up worms. I miss the comfort of my mother and the weight of the world. I miss my sister, miss my father, miss my dog, and my home.”
(I also miss my brothers, and friends.)

And now that day has ended. It was a great day. Let me tell you all about it.

Well, I slept in until 10 because I couldn’t get to sleep last night… I typed my blog and listened to music and rolled around in bed a bit because of the Coca Cola I had much too close to bed time. I cleaned my cabinets which were a mess (termites, rat poop, bits of plastic from food containers that had been chewed open while I was away on storm time), then took Lina for a walk of the community. We stopped at the house where I leave her when I’m away, one of her favorite hangouts. Well, it became one of mine too. I hadn’t known it before today but the woman who lives there is a fabulous conversationalist and we spent a few hours just chatting, which was lovely. She informed me that the cell phone tower that they are building a town over from me is scheduled to be completed in 2 days! I couldn’t believe it and am trying hard not to get my hopes up. It’s hard though… you all know how badly I wish I had signal.

After that I cooked lunch for myself (teriyaki rice with corn, very yummy-thanks Stephanie for showing me how) and watched DVDs for a bit. Before long I was summoned by some little girls (ages 5-9) who invited me to the evangelical church where they were going to put on skits about drugs and HIV. They were adorable, getting all dramatic with their “drug use” and then seeing the light as soon as someone suggested they follow Jesus and stop using drugs. They danced around singing about how happy they were to be “born again.” The one about HIV was interesting… apparently the girl with HIV didn’t have enough money for the “operation” so the other girls went to prostitute themselves for the money. Well all their effort was for nothing because she died of shock after learning what they had done. A bit more of a downer, but it still worked.

Bucket bath (though if I’d gotten in there around 4!! it could have been with the tap, [yeah storms bringing tons of water to the aqueduct!] which I found out was built by Trujillo as a thank you for using the beach town near me as a base L) and then some visitors. Four of the kids from my youth group came over to talk about the new group we’re going to form in the town nearby. They are thrilled and totally prepared to give the sessions, even the one on body parts! They are so mature and grown up. I told them it was my one year anniversary of getting here and after cheering for me they asked me if they ever did anything that bothered me. It was unnecessary to ask (I would never single anyone out, obviously) but it was nice to know that they are aware that being here and doing this isn’t always the easiest job. It was nice to just sit around and shoot the shit with them… I wish it was the only thing I ever had to do here.

Then a little girl came over to play and ended up being adorable and looking at books with me. She is so curious and really wants to learn about everything (she seriously spent the entire time she was here asking me questions, which amazingly didn’t get annoying.) While she was getting ready to leave just after the lights went out for the first time in about 3 days(!!!!), some other kids came over to buy condoms, one more reminder that I serve a purpose here, and I’m thrilled.

All in all, it was a fantastic one year anniversary.