So Much to Say...

Well I'm in my site! I have to admit I don't quite feel like writing a blog, so this one might be a little boring, but I felt like I had to check in.

A couple of weeks ago we found out our sites, and I am now in Corqui, Copan. Copan is a department of Honduras on the border of Guatemala. I'm about 3 hours away from Copan Ruinas, which are the Mayan ruins here in Honduras. My engineer is one of my very good friends Kathryn, and she lives in Santa Rosa de Copan, which is about 1 hour away.

Let's see. I work with a local non-governmental organization (NGO), which is great because I think it will be good experience for work after Peace Corps. ODECO is committed to the development of Corquin, but has now also expanded to include municipalities surrounding Corquin. My main work here will actually be repairing water systems in the area. Last year, tropical storm 16 went through and destroyed a lot of the communities here, including their water systems. Now, they have a Wat/San Volunteer here to not only design new systems, but also help educate the communities on trash and health so that they start as successful, sustainable communities.

My counter-part is a great little old man named Carlos. He already treats me like his daughter and has offered me anything if I should ever need it. Carlos, although he is my parents age (he looks older), reminds me of both my grandfathers. He knows everyone in town, always starts random conversations with random people, and if full of random knowledge. It comforts me a little bit trying to pick the similarities out between Carlos, Pap-Pap and Grandpa. Actually, he's very religious and is pioneering a new farming method here! The similarities are abundant.

So I feel very at home with Carlos, and am working on inserting myself into the office life. There doesn't seem to be too much going on right now, because they're in between funding. I've basically been on the internet all day, but that's ok with me. Hopefully, in the next couple of days, people will start opening up more and maybe even throw work my way.

Oh, I have a sitemate also. She's pretty cool and seems very busy. She's from business. She's trying to pass a couple of English classes off to me, so I might have a weekly job in a couple of days as well. I like having a sitemate, because it makes the loneliness of being in site a little less acute.

I'm living with a family in town for 2 months. My host mom owns a small restaurant and also produces her own brand of coffee. We have great coffee here in Corquin. She's really busy, but the house is comfortable and as always the family is very hospitable. There's always a lot going on, with people working and moving about. I have two host siblings, but they go to school away from Corquin for the week, so I'm glad to have other people around.

It's hard living in site. When we had to say good-bye, me and all the girls were crying. In Peace Corps you make such close friends, and then you are ripped away when you go to site. Carlos was crying too (Carlos the guy who trained us), which made me cry harder and even sadder to leave. It's hard not having that immediate support system from your friends.

Needless to say, I have my ups and downs each day. It's hard speaking Spanish all the time, and by 4 pm I pretty much have verbal diarrhea consistently. Nobody can understand me, and I just feel awkward. Anyways, as a whole I really like my site and am trying to get out and explore. I think Carlos will help me integrate, and I'm looking forward to getting a little bit more going on.

I put up pictures and I think they will express a lot more than I can write now with my lack of motivation. http://picasaweb.google.com/hannah.b.ferguson

Signing off for now. Love you all!