Finally, we're talking about...sustainability

It feels like my life has taken on somewhat of a comfortable continuity, except that the internet isn’t working so I haven’t been able to check my email in a number of days or update my blog. I would be frustrated by this if I actually felt like I had something to write about, but lately it’s been the same ol’, same ol’. Yet something fantastic happened the other day. During a cancelled meeting, five members of the CAID committee and I met and talked about the future goals of the CAID. Now I didn’t set these goals, but surprise of all surprises…one of the main goals is sustainability. Apparently, they have been listening, and many people had ideas about how to accomplish this. I am so excited. My work is not in vain.

Now it’s never easy to take a step back and let someone else be in charge of everything, but I’m learning to give up me ego in that respect. During my courses last year, we spoke frequently on the importance of an international volunteer learning to be second in the eyes of the people they help. Especially if that volunteer will only be in that country for a short time. This can be difficult for a control freak like me, but I’ll take it over the crazy thought that as a volunteer from another country I should be doing all the work and assuming all the responsibility of a foreign institution.

On a personal note, I haven’t seen my host mom since before Christmas. There’s a lot of gossip around town that her and my host dad have split up. I don’t know that I believe that. I also haven’t seen my host dad in over a week. I leave for Cajamarca to attend a wedding on Thursday. One of the workers at the Health Center is getting married after being in a civil union for over 11 years. I am very excited for her. Also, coming up is the big, huge pre-Lent festival…Carnaval! More details on that soon.