The clay oven for my women's group is finished. It took 4 days to complete after we had a table built with blocks. I can now say that I could build one on my own. It was a lot of work though, and we had to make due with the materials that I was able to locate here in Samana. We had originally planned to use all yellow clay for the oven because it is more flexible for building than red clay. Unfortunately, the yellow clay that arrived from the hardware shop was full of rocks and we only had a little after sifting. The oven ended up being built mostly with red clay. Here is a brief description of each day of work.
The table we built was supposed to be 2 meters by 2 meters, but the women were quite sneaky and added in extra block to make it larger because they wanted an even larger oven.. This was the biggest oven that Duncan had ever built, and he didn't really want to go much bigger than 2mx2m. After building the table, we filled it with dirt and left a small amount of space at the top.
Day 1- In a 2x2 meter space, we put a layer of sand and then broken glass on top of it (for handling the heat from oven), with salt over that to fill in the space between the glass. Then, another layer of sand. After we put in a brick floor and built a mold for the oven with block and sand.
Day 2- We covered the sand/block mold with newspaper, and then made our clay mixture. The clay mixer had red clay (which was supposed to be yellow), the yellow clay that we had available, koalin (which is a clay like substance that helps the oven not crack) and water. We formed blocks with the clay and then proceeded to put them around the oven and smooth them together. We built an arched entrance to the oven with bricks and clay. I added sea shells to make it more beautiful. :)
Day 3- Another clay mixture with sawdust, kaolin and clay. We formed balls out of the clay and put them around and around the oven smoothing them and packing them in until it was finished. The sawdust is used to make the oven stronger.
Day 4- A layer of pure clay and water to give the oven a nice finish.
Little by little we have taken the sand mold out of the oven and now are making fires each day that have started with a small fire and will grow into a roaring fire after about a week which will finish the curing process. The oven will reach full baking potential after using it for 3 months. I want to give a shout out to my co-volunteers Duncan and Gabe, who taught me everything I know about clay ovens and assisted me so much throughout this project! :) I couldn't have done it without you guys.
More news on the latrine manual. I finished updates on the manual, but it is STILL a work in progress. It is much, much better than before and is the official copy that will be used with the new Appropriate Technology volunteers. I included a section on how to form a latrine committee and updated the construction segments and various other parts of the manual, along with adding in the new drawings that had been done by a few of our more artistic volunteers.
This next week, I will be training a group of 15 volunteers and their masons on composting latrine construction and the BIBOBSI latrine manual (the one from the last paragraph). My mason that I used in Dajabon will be joining us in a mountain outside of Santiago for the 4 day training to build 1 latrine. The goal of the training is so that these volunteers will learn how to implement a composting latrine project at their sites and have a mason who is trained to construct them.
And..finally, the BIG NEWS. There are still people here in the Dominican Republic without a place to poo...so, on September 15th, I am officially an Appropriate Technology Volunteer and will be moving to the capital. I will be living with 3 other close friends that I have made throughout my service 2 carro publicos from the Peace Corps office. My new Close of Service date is April 15th. My work plan is as follows...
"In my extension as an AT volunteer, I plan to move to the capital on September 15th, 2011 so that I can serve as a “consultant” for the ecological bathroom project. I will begin by immediately reaching out to volunteers that are trying to implement composting latrine projects at their sites so that I can begin to plan for cross-sector training for ecological bathrooms. I will use October to search for funding and the means to hold an ecological bathroom training event for volunteers. In the following months, I will be planning and hosting the training event. Throughout my 5 ½ month extension, I will also be working on developing a more systematic approach to the project which will include learning objectives and lesson plans. I will also be visiting volunteers at their sites to help them with the BIBOBSI method and their projects. Throughout these visits to volunteers, I intend to continue updates on the latrine manual as needed. At the end of my extension in April, I will present during the training sessions for the project to the incoming group of AT volunteers in CBT."
Don't worry friends & Fam--I'll be home for Christmas most likely for a visit! :) I love you all, and thank you for supporting my mission here in the DR!
8.27.2011
7.14.2011
My snoring neighbor..a literal wake up call to life back in the DR
I decided it is well past time for a blog. It’s about 12am here in the campo and you can only begin to imagine what would trigger me to feel like writing a post. I’ve been listening to my neighbor snoring for a good hour now....it woke me up. (nope..that is not a joke, this is a true night in the campo…). As soon as I typed that out her snoring stopped, which means I’ve stopped smiling. Actually, it isn’t the first time I have smiled tonight. I smiled all 5 times the electricity came on tonight too, even if the longest stretch was for 10 minutes! Something strange happened with the electricity here since I left and came back from my vacation to the USA..it comes and goes like crazy. It will come on for a good 5 minutes and then literally leave for an hour and then come again for 10 and then gone again for 2 hours. Can someone please make me understand the electricity crisis here, because after 2 years I still remain clueless as to why it is like this. People tell me it’s because no one pays there bill—but if I never get one then how can I pay it in the first place??
Going back to the States for 3 weeks made me come back here and wonder how I have been doing this for 2 years. Part of that has to do with a herniated disc and muscle spasms that I am currently trying to bed rest my way out of..which the muscle spasms are way intense and started in my lower back 3 months ago..went away..came back stronger and more paralyzing and in the last few days of bed rest have traveled to my right upper butt cheek..hopefully that means they are headed down to my toes and will be all the way gone soon. I’m trying to be positive about the whole situation and I really truly believe that is what is going to happen. Okay so..the other part is because I’ve now realized the problems that exist in this country or in any other developing are MUCH more complicated than a 20 something year old Peace Corps volunteer can resolve. I have come to terms with the fact that I certainly cannot save the world as I originally believed upon my arrival. When I talk about how I don’t know how I’ve done THIS for the last 2 years, I am not talking about not living without 24/7 electricity and not doing my business for the first year y pico in a latrine and bathing outside, but I am talking about living without my family and people who truly understand me, don’t judge me for every little thing I do and care about me. Sure, other volunteers understand, and are like my family but it’s not like I get to see them as much as I would like to. I miss living with people who speak English. I miss living with people in general. Living alone was fun for awhile but I really just want an American roommate. I do prefer living alone though to living with Dominicans. I’d even go back to my college days right now and live in the same room as one for the next 4 years (MEL if you’re reading this—I mean that…I can truly say right now that I would looove to be back in the Pods in our little tiny room together…even on our messiest days. I’d do it all over again…)
So, it’s official. I think I am going insane. I am thinking the 3 week trip back to the States officially made things 100x more difficult for myself. Not because I had hot water, but because I realized how wonderful it is to be surrounded by all of these amazing individuals that I love so dearly and could not get enough of in just 3 weeks. Especially my mom………….yes I’ve gone insane. Just kidding, I have the best mom in the whole world who has been so amazing to me ESPECIALLY since I’ve been here listening to my countless anxieties over the telephone twice a week, and refilling her calling cards for those special nights when I need longer than 45 minutes to vent.) Thank you mom, you have been my biggest supporter.
Back to the herniated disc and muscle spasms. How did this happen? People keep asking me what I did, so here it is. I really have no idea what I did to myself, but if I could pin point one thing it is this. LISTEN CLOSELY NEW/FUTURE VOLUNTEERS. MUY IMPORTANTE PA’ K SEPAN. ESCUCHA BIEN. 2 years ago, I bought my bed at a store that apparently puts old springs inside of a new mattress. I had no idea that people did that—and no one seemed to care to warn me about it..SO IM WARNING YOU. Save your money BEFORE you go to Peace Corps for a bed because you don’t get enough to buy a decent bed…unless you can live without a stove, gas tank and plates..then you might have enough. Thankfully, a volunteer that was leaving gave me a good deal on a tempurpedic bed that he splurged on for his service (why hadn’t I thought of that?) and I am finally resting in peace without a spring jammed into my hip.
Good thing I still have enough work to do and even a little time for procrastination before I leave to keep me here. And a good bed too—that helps. You know what- Actually there is more than that that is keeping me here. My Dominican neighbors are quite amazing. Two of them came over and cleaned my entire place without me asking for help because they knew I was incapable of doing so. The same with my laundry. I even have a few that come over to lay in bed with me to chat during my bed rest times. Women of course…God only knows the gossip in this campo would hit the roof if it were anyone else.
Ok so back to the work in store for me. Right now, I am looking for yellow clay for this oven we will be building (On July 28th and 29th to be exact if anyone wants to stop out we are building it right on the shore line). No one seems to know what that is, but if they want their oven they are going to have to figure it out. They know better than I do where to find it. I’ve asked over 50 people in the community and every construction store in town and everyone just has the same blank stare on their face. My director thinks they should know where to find it. That is my number one goal for the week is to locate this supposed yellow clay that exists somewhere on this island. My other task is to get these women organized in our meeting this week to build our base for the oven and a little shack for it before our Peace Corps handymen come out for building day.
Another task that I am doing is updating this composting latrine manual, which will be wrapped up over the next few weeks. I don’t think I’ve written anything about that on the blog but it’s actually been a process. My friend Marite and I began brainstorming in March on what we were going to do about this out of date manual. We decided it needed to be completely reformatted. WELL finally after many attempts with PHOTOSHOP and even recently attempted to understand the complexities of INDESIGN through countless unhelpful youtube videos, I’ve decided it is beyond me to reformat the manual the way we want it. I think that reformatting would require a graphic designer, which is not me. SO, that actually makes my job a lot easier. I have decided only to update the manual so that it fits with the composting latrine that Peace Corps Dominican Republic is building, instead of Peace Corps Bolivia (the manual is one used before in Bolivia). Phew, when I came to terms with the fact that I am no graphic designer…you have no idea the weight that was lifted off my chest.
SOOO that leaves me with a little less than 3 months after these next few weeks of work. What to do what to do what to do. Well, some of my time will be occupied with helping a few people get latrine projects off the ground..which will require some traveling..possibly back up to the border and to Puerta Plata. Also will be finishing up all of my grant reports…been slacking, haven’t reported on any of my grants, but I have until my close of service date to get those wrapped up….It will get done.
Then that brings me to September. September is our Close of Service conference for a few days in the capital with all of those crazy trainees that accepted the same invitation as I did for August of 2009 and entered this journey with that are making it out alive. The conference is basically just to help us figure out our next step in life and to help us edit our description of service paper (a description of our work here and then a little signature at the bottom that tells whatever employer to be that we are eligible for the noncompetition for government jobs)..and resumes.
Then October. I won’t think that far yet. One day at a time is how I will get through this. Back to the present…the snoring continues.
Going back to the States for 3 weeks made me come back here and wonder how I have been doing this for 2 years. Part of that has to do with a herniated disc and muscle spasms that I am currently trying to bed rest my way out of..which the muscle spasms are way intense and started in my lower back 3 months ago..went away..came back stronger and more paralyzing and in the last few days of bed rest have traveled to my right upper butt cheek..hopefully that means they are headed down to my toes and will be all the way gone soon. I’m trying to be positive about the whole situation and I really truly believe that is what is going to happen. Okay so..the other part is because I’ve now realized the problems that exist in this country or in any other developing are MUCH more complicated than a 20 something year old Peace Corps volunteer can resolve. I have come to terms with the fact that I certainly cannot save the world as I originally believed upon my arrival. When I talk about how I don’t know how I’ve done THIS for the last 2 years, I am not talking about not living without 24/7 electricity and not doing my business for the first year y pico in a latrine and bathing outside, but I am talking about living without my family and people who truly understand me, don’t judge me for every little thing I do and care about me. Sure, other volunteers understand, and are like my family but it’s not like I get to see them as much as I would like to. I miss living with people who speak English. I miss living with people in general. Living alone was fun for awhile but I really just want an American roommate. I do prefer living alone though to living with Dominicans. I’d even go back to my college days right now and live in the same room as one for the next 4 years (MEL if you’re reading this—I mean that…I can truly say right now that I would looove to be back in the Pods in our little tiny room together…even on our messiest days. I’d do it all over again…)
So, it’s official. I think I am going insane. I am thinking the 3 week trip back to the States officially made things 100x more difficult for myself. Not because I had hot water, but because I realized how wonderful it is to be surrounded by all of these amazing individuals that I love so dearly and could not get enough of in just 3 weeks. Especially my mom………….yes I’ve gone insane. Just kidding, I have the best mom in the whole world who has been so amazing to me ESPECIALLY since I’ve been here listening to my countless anxieties over the telephone twice a week, and refilling her calling cards for those special nights when I need longer than 45 minutes to vent.) Thank you mom, you have been my biggest supporter.
Back to the herniated disc and muscle spasms. How did this happen? People keep asking me what I did, so here it is. I really have no idea what I did to myself, but if I could pin point one thing it is this. LISTEN CLOSELY NEW/FUTURE VOLUNTEERS. MUY IMPORTANTE PA’ K SEPAN. ESCUCHA BIEN. 2 years ago, I bought my bed at a store that apparently puts old springs inside of a new mattress. I had no idea that people did that—and no one seemed to care to warn me about it..SO IM WARNING YOU. Save your money BEFORE you go to Peace Corps for a bed because you don’t get enough to buy a decent bed…unless you can live without a stove, gas tank and plates..then you might have enough. Thankfully, a volunteer that was leaving gave me a good deal on a tempurpedic bed that he splurged on for his service (why hadn’t I thought of that?) and I am finally resting in peace without a spring jammed into my hip.
Good thing I still have enough work to do and even a little time for procrastination before I leave to keep me here. And a good bed too—that helps. You know what- Actually there is more than that that is keeping me here. My Dominican neighbors are quite amazing. Two of them came over and cleaned my entire place without me asking for help because they knew I was incapable of doing so. The same with my laundry. I even have a few that come over to lay in bed with me to chat during my bed rest times. Women of course…God only knows the gossip in this campo would hit the roof if it were anyone else.
Ok so back to the work in store for me. Right now, I am looking for yellow clay for this oven we will be building (On July 28th and 29th to be exact if anyone wants to stop out we are building it right on the shore line). No one seems to know what that is, but if they want their oven they are going to have to figure it out. They know better than I do where to find it. I’ve asked over 50 people in the community and every construction store in town and everyone just has the same blank stare on their face. My director thinks they should know where to find it. That is my number one goal for the week is to locate this supposed yellow clay that exists somewhere on this island. My other task is to get these women organized in our meeting this week to build our base for the oven and a little shack for it before our Peace Corps handymen come out for building day.
Another task that I am doing is updating this composting latrine manual, which will be wrapped up over the next few weeks. I don’t think I’ve written anything about that on the blog but it’s actually been a process. My friend Marite and I began brainstorming in March on what we were going to do about this out of date manual. We decided it needed to be completely reformatted. WELL finally after many attempts with PHOTOSHOP and even recently attempted to understand the complexities of INDESIGN through countless unhelpful youtube videos, I’ve decided it is beyond me to reformat the manual the way we want it. I think that reformatting would require a graphic designer, which is not me. SO, that actually makes my job a lot easier. I have decided only to update the manual so that it fits with the composting latrine that Peace Corps Dominican Republic is building, instead of Peace Corps Bolivia (the manual is one used before in Bolivia). Phew, when I came to terms with the fact that I am no graphic designer…you have no idea the weight that was lifted off my chest.
SOOO that leaves me with a little less than 3 months after these next few weeks of work. What to do what to do what to do. Well, some of my time will be occupied with helping a few people get latrine projects off the ground..which will require some traveling..possibly back up to the border and to Puerta Plata. Also will be finishing up all of my grant reports…been slacking, haven’t reported on any of my grants, but I have until my close of service date to get those wrapped up….It will get done.
Then that brings me to September. September is our Close of Service conference for a few days in the capital with all of those crazy trainees that accepted the same invitation as I did for August of 2009 and entered this journey with that are making it out alive. The conference is basically just to help us figure out our next step in life and to help us edit our description of service paper (a description of our work here and then a little signature at the bottom that tells whatever employer to be that we are eligible for the noncompetition for government jobs)..and resumes.
Then October. I won’t think that far yet. One day at a time is how I will get through this. Back to the present…the snoring continues.
5.17.2011
Summing up the last 5 months..
22 months in country..could it be?
I have spent a lot of these past months hosting American visitors at my site and in between doing work/traveling to do work in other parts of the country, which has been great but I think has left my community wondering what I am doing here. It also is making me wonder what I am doing here. Every time I come back to my community, I feel suffocated, sad, isolated and miss my old Peace Corps experience (even though I was much more isolated and further away from other volunteers?) which doesn't make any sense. I should be happy-being on the beach and all, right?
Here is what happened. The fact that I was a volunteer elsewhere for so long made me take for granted the amount of "confianza", or trust, that I had already built. How did I build that trust in Dajabon.. 1, I never left my site for the first 3 months because it was the "rule" given to us by Peace Corps. 2, I was actually completing a project that was visible to people and was something that they needed. Now, where I am at now, I have had to leave my site for different reasons--all of which are "work related" but somehow can not get my community to understand that I am not just a tourist. Now I understand the rule of not leaving your site (AT ALL) during those first months.
At the end of February I finally submitted my community diagnostic of Villa Clara. It definitely was not as detailed as my first diagnostic, mainly because there is not the same kind of ''need'' as there was on the border. As much as I do not enjoy teaching English (mainly because I am not certified to be an English teacher, and really don't know the correct methods for teaching), I started an English class here in Villa Clara that is just about complete. I also have taught some business classes to my women's group, and we have plans to build a new oven in July when I return from the US. I am waiting to receive the funding for the grant that I applied to do this, and am trying to line things up with another PCV that is working on a design for this oven. The other project that I wanted to try to tackle over the next several months was latrines.
When my director came to visit with my community and I over what projects that we had decided on, she told us there was no way I would have time for latrines if I was planning to COS in October. I think I could do it if I receive this ADEMI grant by July, but grants take forever so I am not going to count on receiving the funding. An option is to do an extension at my site, or even move to the town of Samana..I am still considering. I have a few options, one would be to extend for a few months to finish up projects in Villa Clara which means staying in the community. The other is to extend in the town, but it would have to be a year extension. The year extension would be to do a latrine project in Villa Clara and to work with other volunteers by assisting them in their latrine projects. Still thinking on that..
Between hosting visitors in March and April, I spent some time out in Jarabacoa (mountains!!) at my friend Marite's site to give training sessions to the new Appropriate Technology volunteers on ecological latrines. My masons from my project in Dajabon were also out there to teach the new volunteers how to build the latrine that we were building out there. It was awesome to be able to share with other volunteers what worked/didn't work with the project. Also, I am excited to share that one of the AT volunteers is currently beginning his service in my old community, and will be working on more bathrooms! I was overjoyed when my director told me that he was sending someone out.
Last week I returned to Dajabon to spend a week translating for doctors (wavesofhealth.org) and then go out to check out the finished latrine project. Yes--finished project. People really stepped up to the plate after I left and completed 51 latrines in total. Overall, I was impressed with what they had done. There were a few disappointments--such as people not using their lids for their toilet seats, which completely defeats the sanitation efforts of this project. There were still a few latrines without the "caseta" (upper zinc house of the latrine), one of which was actually finished before I had even left the community but the couple had divorced and the wife took half the zinc with her..I guess that's a good excuse? Not.
Although I realize at this point that there are different levels in development, I do know that if I were continue working in development after Peace Corps I would want it to be in an area that is much less developed than where I am at now. I find it much more satisfying, although more difficult, to be working with a group of people that have huge basic necessity needs than a community where people have nicer tv's or houses than most people I know in the USA. Or use my housing deposit to buy a huge flat screen instead of fixing the leaky tubes at my house. Maybe that is an exaggeration--but is is how I am feeling.
Heres to the next 5 months of attempting work in my community..wish me suerte.
That sums it up for now..lo siento for not writing sooner. I'll try to be better.
Those that don't know..I'll be home June 7-28 <3
I have spent a lot of these past months hosting American visitors at my site and in between doing work/traveling to do work in other parts of the country, which has been great but I think has left my community wondering what I am doing here. It also is making me wonder what I am doing here. Every time I come back to my community, I feel suffocated, sad, isolated and miss my old Peace Corps experience (even though I was much more isolated and further away from other volunteers?) which doesn't make any sense. I should be happy-being on the beach and all, right?
Here is what happened. The fact that I was a volunteer elsewhere for so long made me take for granted the amount of "confianza", or trust, that I had already built. How did I build that trust in Dajabon.. 1, I never left my site for the first 3 months because it was the "rule" given to us by Peace Corps. 2, I was actually completing a project that was visible to people and was something that they needed. Now, where I am at now, I have had to leave my site for different reasons--all of which are "work related" but somehow can not get my community to understand that I am not just a tourist. Now I understand the rule of not leaving your site (AT ALL) during those first months.
At the end of February I finally submitted my community diagnostic of Villa Clara. It definitely was not as detailed as my first diagnostic, mainly because there is not the same kind of ''need'' as there was on the border. As much as I do not enjoy teaching English (mainly because I am not certified to be an English teacher, and really don't know the correct methods for teaching), I started an English class here in Villa Clara that is just about complete. I also have taught some business classes to my women's group, and we have plans to build a new oven in July when I return from the US. I am waiting to receive the funding for the grant that I applied to do this, and am trying to line things up with another PCV that is working on a design for this oven. The other project that I wanted to try to tackle over the next several months was latrines.
When my director came to visit with my community and I over what projects that we had decided on, she told us there was no way I would have time for latrines if I was planning to COS in October. I think I could do it if I receive this ADEMI grant by July, but grants take forever so I am not going to count on receiving the funding. An option is to do an extension at my site, or even move to the town of Samana..I am still considering. I have a few options, one would be to extend for a few months to finish up projects in Villa Clara which means staying in the community. The other is to extend in the town, but it would have to be a year extension. The year extension would be to do a latrine project in Villa Clara and to work with other volunteers by assisting them in their latrine projects. Still thinking on that..
Between hosting visitors in March and April, I spent some time out in Jarabacoa (mountains!!) at my friend Marite's site to give training sessions to the new Appropriate Technology volunteers on ecological latrines. My masons from my project in Dajabon were also out there to teach the new volunteers how to build the latrine that we were building out there. It was awesome to be able to share with other volunteers what worked/didn't work with the project. Also, I am excited to share that one of the AT volunteers is currently beginning his service in my old community, and will be working on more bathrooms! I was overjoyed when my director told me that he was sending someone out.
Last week I returned to Dajabon to spend a week translating for doctors (wavesofhealth.org) and then go out to check out the finished latrine project. Yes--finished project. People really stepped up to the plate after I left and completed 51 latrines in total. Overall, I was impressed with what they had done. There were a few disappointments--such as people not using their lids for their toilet seats, which completely defeats the sanitation efforts of this project. There were still a few latrines without the "caseta" (upper zinc house of the latrine), one of which was actually finished before I had even left the community but the couple had divorced and the wife took half the zinc with her..I guess that's a good excuse? Not.
Although I realize at this point that there are different levels in development, I do know that if I were continue working in development after Peace Corps I would want it to be in an area that is much less developed than where I am at now. I find it much more satisfying, although more difficult, to be working with a group of people that have huge basic necessity needs than a community where people have nicer tv's or houses than most people I know in the USA. Or use my housing deposit to buy a huge flat screen instead of fixing the leaky tubes at my house. Maybe that is an exaggeration--but is is how I am feeling.
Heres to the next 5 months of attempting work in my community..wish me suerte.
That sums it up for now..lo siento for not writing sooner. I'll try to be better.
Those that don't know..I'll be home June 7-28 <3
12.14.2010
Am I in heaven or the Peace Corps?
I've been at my new site a little less than a week and wonder if I am even in the Peace Corps anymore. Other volunteers have called it Peace Corps retirement. I wouldn't consider myself retired just yet though. Yes, I am right on the beach and it would be wonderful to be retired here in the exact same spot someday. It's cheaper than living in the states. Get this, my beach front apartment that I am going to move into is only $2,500 pesos a month (so about $75 US a month). No I won't have electricity or running water all of the time but I didn't have that at my last site either. What I will have is an indoor bathroom and a kitchen sink. Two things that I had been living the last year y pico without. That's right! Maybe I have retired...
I am more than excited for the work ahead of me. My woman's group will be meeting tomorrow for the first time since I moved out here but I have had the opportunity to speak with several of the women and even watch them make their bread. And eat a lot of their bread. A LOT. It's delicious. It reminds me of the homemade bread that my great grandmother used to make. They use a huge cement stove to make the bread, and form the dough into long french style loaves. They produce about 80 loaves a week on Mondays and sell only door to door within the community. I really think that they can expand their market and take their bread to other parts of the peninsula. I don't really understand why they have not done that yet.
Also, an environmental volunteer that was at my site a year ago started a Brigada Verde group (the environmental group for youth) and they are still having weekly meetings even after the volunteer left. Hopefully I will be able to do some projects with them during my year here.
I have a month and a half to do my community/organizational diagnostic and turn it in to Peace Corps. It's weird looking back to a year ago when I was beginning my diagnostic in Dajabon. I was so stressed out about it and confused at was I was supposed to be doing. Now, I feel really laid back, confident that I know exactly what I am doing and how to analyze my community and look for potential projects.
Also..exciting news about my old community. They are going to continue the latrine project and I will be allocating funds to an account for them to work weekly and sending out another volunteer closeby at the end of work weeks to check that the work was done correctly. If they do end up finishing the project, I am going to feel good that I did something for that community that was somewhat sustainable. If they can do the project by themselves, that means that I was able to capacitate them (with the help of Peace Corps of course, I couldn't have done it alone) to do this project and run in by themselves.
I guess that everything is working out in a weird way, even though I am still somewhat sad about leaving the people I spent the last year of my life with. In another year I would have had to do the same, so it was bound to happen eventually.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of my family and friends back home and the rest of you who are following my blog. :) God bless. Please visit me here at my new site..there is no excuse now for anyone that is planning a beach vacation.
I am more than excited for the work ahead of me. My woman's group will be meeting tomorrow for the first time since I moved out here but I have had the opportunity to speak with several of the women and even watch them make their bread. And eat a lot of their bread. A LOT. It's delicious. It reminds me of the homemade bread that my great grandmother used to make. They use a huge cement stove to make the bread, and form the dough into long french style loaves. They produce about 80 loaves a week on Mondays and sell only door to door within the community. I really think that they can expand their market and take their bread to other parts of the peninsula. I don't really understand why they have not done that yet.
Also, an environmental volunteer that was at my site a year ago started a Brigada Verde group (the environmental group for youth) and they are still having weekly meetings even after the volunteer left. Hopefully I will be able to do some projects with them during my year here.
I have a month and a half to do my community/organizational diagnostic and turn it in to Peace Corps. It's weird looking back to a year ago when I was beginning my diagnostic in Dajabon. I was so stressed out about it and confused at was I was supposed to be doing. Now, I feel really laid back, confident that I know exactly what I am doing and how to analyze my community and look for potential projects.
Also..exciting news about my old community. They are going to continue the latrine project and I will be allocating funds to an account for them to work weekly and sending out another volunteer closeby at the end of work weeks to check that the work was done correctly. If they do end up finishing the project, I am going to feel good that I did something for that community that was somewhat sustainable. If they can do the project by themselves, that means that I was able to capacitate them (with the help of Peace Corps of course, I couldn't have done it alone) to do this project and run in by themselves.
I guess that everything is working out in a weird way, even though I am still somewhat sad about leaving the people I spent the last year of my life with. In another year I would have had to do the same, so it was bound to happen eventually.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of my family and friends back home and the rest of you who are following my blog. :) God bless. Please visit me here at my new site..there is no excuse now for anyone that is planning a beach vacation.
12.02.2010
Saying goodbye and hello a year early.
I don't even know where to begin. Two weeks ago I left my site in a hurry, being told my safety and security to pack a bag and be escorted to the bus station by my at the time Dominican novio (that I was ending things with because of a crazy ex-wife). I'll spare the details, mainly because I don't want my personal life all over the internet but also because it is far too complicated to even begin to discuss. I will say however that it looks as though 2 months has gone by since my last blog which is actually around the time that the story begins..
I could begin by saying I am sorry to my community for having to cut our time shorter than it had to be. I am not sure where to place the blame. I could blame myself for being ignorant and getting myself into a situation that could have been avoided from day one. I could put the blame on the Dominican novio for maybe being the person most aware of the loca and should have never have included another person in the drama (and kept it well-hidden). Or I could blame the many people in my community for giving me the okay to even enter this situation in the first place. Or even put the blame on the loca that threatened me and put me in the situation I am in now. I think I will put the blame on fate.
Ironically, I am sitting in the same air-conditioned, hot showered bathroom hotel that I was sitting in on July 6th after cutting my big toe open on a glass after a fun-filled 4th of July weekend in paradise, the Samana Peninsula. Why is this so ironic? Towards the end of the healing of my big toe is when I started spending 2-3 days a week in line at the hardware shop for my latrine project, meeting the guy that would lead to a crazy situation to lead me out of Dajabon forever. Starting this project would lead me back to Samana to spend (hopefully) the rest of my career as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
The last 2 weeks spent in the capital have given me a lot of time to think and prepare for what is going to take place tomorrow. Tomorrow I will be headed back to Dajabon with a Peace Corps driver to pack up my entire life from the past year. I will also be holding a meeting with some community members to discuss the possibility of them continuing the latrine project with occasional supervision from a close volunteer and having myself allocate funds to the bank account for them to buy materials and pay wages for the project. I am a little nervous about how this will all work out, given the past lack of support and organization of the latrine project. I am not saying it was just me, I couldn't have whipped out the 19 latrines on my own..obviously. In fact, I only stepped in with construction when completely necessary. I did however organize by handling all of the purchases, accounting, logistics, family organizing and mainly just bossing people around to make sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to be doing when they were supposed to be doing it. Now, I'd really love to be there to see someone step into that role. Actually, someone should have been there doing that the whole time and that is what we call a PROJECT PARTNER. Yes, thats right, the ones that come to look for us in the capital when we first go out to our sites. Yeah, I never had one and no one ever stepped up to the plate as much as I desperately searched for that kind of support. I think that this is the best thing that could have happened to my community, because I KNOW they can do this on their own! They need to see that for themselves and I think it couldn't have worked out better. My director Tim tells me that this will be a real test to determine the "sustainability" of the project.
Stay tuned for more on my journey to Samana...
I could begin by saying I am sorry to my community for having to cut our time shorter than it had to be. I am not sure where to place the blame. I could blame myself for being ignorant and getting myself into a situation that could have been avoided from day one. I could put the blame on the Dominican novio for maybe being the person most aware of the loca and should have never have included another person in the drama (and kept it well-hidden). Or I could blame the many people in my community for giving me the okay to even enter this situation in the first place. Or even put the blame on the loca that threatened me and put me in the situation I am in now. I think I will put the blame on fate.
Ironically, I am sitting in the same air-conditioned, hot showered bathroom hotel that I was sitting in on July 6th after cutting my big toe open on a glass after a fun-filled 4th of July weekend in paradise, the Samana Peninsula. Why is this so ironic? Towards the end of the healing of my big toe is when I started spending 2-3 days a week in line at the hardware shop for my latrine project, meeting the guy that would lead to a crazy situation to lead me out of Dajabon forever. Starting this project would lead me back to Samana to spend (hopefully) the rest of my career as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
The last 2 weeks spent in the capital have given me a lot of time to think and prepare for what is going to take place tomorrow. Tomorrow I will be headed back to Dajabon with a Peace Corps driver to pack up my entire life from the past year. I will also be holding a meeting with some community members to discuss the possibility of them continuing the latrine project with occasional supervision from a close volunteer and having myself allocate funds to the bank account for them to buy materials and pay wages for the project. I am a little nervous about how this will all work out, given the past lack of support and organization of the latrine project. I am not saying it was just me, I couldn't have whipped out the 19 latrines on my own..obviously. In fact, I only stepped in with construction when completely necessary. I did however organize by handling all of the purchases, accounting, logistics, family organizing and mainly just bossing people around to make sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to be doing when they were supposed to be doing it. Now, I'd really love to be there to see someone step into that role. Actually, someone should have been there doing that the whole time and that is what we call a PROJECT PARTNER. Yes, thats right, the ones that come to look for us in the capital when we first go out to our sites. Yeah, I never had one and no one ever stepped up to the plate as much as I desperately searched for that kind of support. I think that this is the best thing that could have happened to my community, because I KNOW they can do this on their own! They need to see that for themselves and I think it couldn't have worked out better. My director Tim tells me that this will be a real test to determine the "sustainability" of the project.
Stay tuned for more on my journey to Samana...
10.04.2010
This past weekend 2 kids from my Brigada Verde group and I headed to a conference about an hour outside of Santiago in Los Montones and spent the weekend listening to presentations on the environment and sustainability. We also visited a coffee distributer on the very top of a mountain called Karoma Cafe to learn about sustainable coffee growers. We learned about different qualities of coffee and about organic fertilizers. The weekend was great, my youth really enjoyed the conference. So much in fact that one of them was in tears when we were getting on the bus to head back to Dajabon. I was surprised because I was a little worried to whether or not they felt that they were learning new things and having a good time. I realized when I saw my muchacha crying that I had helped to have a positive impact on at least one life since I have been here. It is amazing how much for granted I took things like cheer camp, church camp, and the many other opportunities that I had as a kid. She told me how she had never been to a conference and enjoyed it so much that she didn't want to go home. Kids need other kids, they need to go places where they meet new people and have new experiences outside of their comfort zone.
I'm sure everyone is dying to hear about my latrine project. My masons and I learned how to build a new form of the composting latrine that is similar to the water tanks that water volunteers build. We are have now build 6 more latrines and are building 4 more this week. The plan is to build 4 every week! At first I was using my house as the warehouse but realized that I can not continue living like this because work is constantly in my face. Too stressful. I will now be using the health promoters houses at warehouses. :)
I'm sure everyone is dying to hear about my latrine project. My masons and I learned how to build a new form of the composting latrine that is similar to the water tanks that water volunteers build. We are have now build 6 more latrines and are building 4 more this week. The plan is to build 4 every week! At first I was using my house as the warehouse but realized that I can not continue living like this because work is constantly in my face. Too stressful. I will now be using the health promoters houses at warehouses. :)
9.05.2010
Where to begin. Life is just passing me by here in the DR and it is difficult to create a summary of all of the successes and problems that have unfolded since my last entry. First and foremost, I took a trip home at the beginning of August which to my own surprise went very smoothly and was very revitalizing. Much different than my study abroad experiences where returning home was very difficult and frustrating to readapt to my life before. Of course, I was on vacation..it wasn't as though I was going back for good. I spent two weeks spending time catching up with family and friends, eating great food and enjoying some good quality American cerveza. :)
Lets rewind to before I took off for the states. Before I had left, the director of the Water and Sanitation volunteers, Tim, and a few other volunteers with more construction experience than myself had been helping me to plan and prepare for my latrine project. They had all come out right before my trip to the states to start putting together our first latrine (you can find pictures are on facebook). We put down a slab of cement and gravel for the bottom and built a wooden mold for the latrine walls, taking measurements of where the "pipiducto" (pee tubing) would fit in and ventalation tubing would go. We also built "la loza" which is the top part of the latrine where the toliet bowl will later sit on top. (remember, there are two sides to the latrine, but only one toliet bowl...the actual toliet bowl will be moved when one side of the latrine is filled and it is time to use the other side..). After my trip to the States, we stood the walls up to fold together like a match-box. Well, sounds easy right? Not quite... cement was cracking...piecing were breaking... it was super heavy and no one was happy with the ammount of work it took to produce 1 latrine. SO, now we will be trying something completely different on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of this month. Water volunteers construct circular water tanks using the same method of ferrocement with chickenwire and steel to strenghthen the walls of the latrine. Instead of constructing in a rectangular way building the walls first of the ground and afterwards doing heavy lifty that requires far too much manpower, we will be building in this same circular form as the water tanks, which allows for us to already have the wall standing and just throw and smooth cement onto it. I will better understand the new model and be able to explain furthur when we are training later this month.
My construction workers (Maestros) STILL have not completely finished this first latrine. I am getting quite frustrated after the 7 days that they have spent doing a little here and a little there instead of just getting it done right away. I created a contract describing their responsibilities for the project and detailing how and when they will be paid for the work that they have completed. They are being paid by latrine completion, not by time spent on one latrine. Of course they need to produce quality work, but what could have been done in 2 days has been stretched into 7+ (+ because it still isn't finished). I could rant and rave all day about the problems I have faced with this latrine project. I plan to hold a meeting sometime this next week to discuss with them OTRA VEZ (again) their responsibilities and explain to them that if they can not commit to this project that I will not hesitate find other people within or outside of our community who can handle the job (yep...Jefe (boss) Andrea.)
My health promotors are continuing there presentations to each family on the health and sanitation of latrine usage and how to maintain this type of latrine. The education factor is the most important of all in this project.
Besides latrines...
I just got a Kids to Kids grant for US$500. My Brigada Verde group (a group of youth learning about the environment) plans to decorate trash cans to put around the community, do trash clean-ups and paint wall murals with this money. Also, I plan to start a group of young female readers to read in the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. I read the book in English and I think that it will be a great way to discuss feminism and get them thinking of how they can become leaders in the community although they are women. The book is about 3 sisters (Las Hermanas Miribales) that rebelled against the dictator, Rafael Trujillo who ruled the DR from 1938-1961 (ish). It really puts you in the shoes of these women in a point of history that has had a huge impact on the economic and social development of the country. Also, this book is a great choice for young readers being here on the Dominican-Haitian border where Trujillo massacred thousands of Haitians during this time period because of the increasing population of Haitians in the DR.
Last but certainly not least..my women's group and I have started making jelly. We haven't sold any yet BUT we have made some with pectin that I brought from the states. Unfortunately, pectin is very expensive here and there is not really a market for jelly. We had an experiment the other night on making pectin from oranges and it was very successful. We made passion fruit jelly with pectin from oranges. All you do is cut up the oranges and boil them until there is a white foam at the top and then strain it through a colander with a piece of cloth of the top and it gives you pectin. We have a ways to come before we get a little business going...but it is a start. We are thinking of making wine as well...stay tuned.
:)
Lets rewind to before I took off for the states. Before I had left, the director of the Water and Sanitation volunteers, Tim, and a few other volunteers with more construction experience than myself had been helping me to plan and prepare for my latrine project. They had all come out right before my trip to the states to start putting together our first latrine (you can find pictures are on facebook). We put down a slab of cement and gravel for the bottom and built a wooden mold for the latrine walls, taking measurements of where the "pipiducto" (pee tubing) would fit in and ventalation tubing would go. We also built "la loza" which is the top part of the latrine where the toliet bowl will later sit on top. (remember, there are two sides to the latrine, but only one toliet bowl...the actual toliet bowl will be moved when one side of the latrine is filled and it is time to use the other side..). After my trip to the States, we stood the walls up to fold together like a match-box. Well, sounds easy right? Not quite... cement was cracking...piecing were breaking... it was super heavy and no one was happy with the ammount of work it took to produce 1 latrine. SO, now we will be trying something completely different on the 21st, 22nd and 23rd of this month. Water volunteers construct circular water tanks using the same method of ferrocement with chickenwire and steel to strenghthen the walls of the latrine. Instead of constructing in a rectangular way building the walls first of the ground and afterwards doing heavy lifty that requires far too much manpower, we will be building in this same circular form as the water tanks, which allows for us to already have the wall standing and just throw and smooth cement onto it. I will better understand the new model and be able to explain furthur when we are training later this month.
My construction workers (Maestros) STILL have not completely finished this first latrine. I am getting quite frustrated after the 7 days that they have spent doing a little here and a little there instead of just getting it done right away. I created a contract describing their responsibilities for the project and detailing how and when they will be paid for the work that they have completed. They are being paid by latrine completion, not by time spent on one latrine. Of course they need to produce quality work, but what could have been done in 2 days has been stretched into 7+ (+ because it still isn't finished). I could rant and rave all day about the problems I have faced with this latrine project. I plan to hold a meeting sometime this next week to discuss with them OTRA VEZ (again) their responsibilities and explain to them that if they can not commit to this project that I will not hesitate find other people within or outside of our community who can handle the job (yep...Jefe (boss) Andrea.)
My health promotors are continuing there presentations to each family on the health and sanitation of latrine usage and how to maintain this type of latrine. The education factor is the most important of all in this project.
Besides latrines...
I just got a Kids to Kids grant for US$500. My Brigada Verde group (a group of youth learning about the environment) plans to decorate trash cans to put around the community, do trash clean-ups and paint wall murals with this money. Also, I plan to start a group of young female readers to read in the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. I read the book in English and I think that it will be a great way to discuss feminism and get them thinking of how they can become leaders in the community although they are women. The book is about 3 sisters (Las Hermanas Miribales) that rebelled against the dictator, Rafael Trujillo who ruled the DR from 1938-1961 (ish). It really puts you in the shoes of these women in a point of history that has had a huge impact on the economic and social development of the country. Also, this book is a great choice for young readers being here on the Dominican-Haitian border where Trujillo massacred thousands of Haitians during this time period because of the increasing population of Haitians in the DR.
Last but certainly not least..my women's group and I have started making jelly. We haven't sold any yet BUT we have made some with pectin that I brought from the states. Unfortunately, pectin is very expensive here and there is not really a market for jelly. We had an experiment the other night on making pectin from oranges and it was very successful. We made passion fruit jelly with pectin from oranges. All you do is cut up the oranges and boil them until there is a white foam at the top and then strain it through a colander with a piece of cloth of the top and it gives you pectin. We have a ways to come before we get a little business going...but it is a start. We are thinking of making wine as well...stay tuned.
:)
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