Volunteer Visit

Jeff and I were out of town this week visiting two awesome volunteers in the field.  We were lucky enough to go to the same place, where there are already a health and business volunteer so we can see what they do and what the typical pcv actually does.  We visited Sarah and Julian in Santa Maria de Real just outside of Catacamas, Olancho.  I have to admit I was a bit terrified of this volunteer visit.  It was 104 degrees F in Olancho last week, and I was a bit concerned that I wouldn't find common interest with Julian's work.

Lucky for us it rained like hell the night before we arrived and managed to only be about 98 degrees F during the hottest parts of the day.  I got extremely lucky and Julian ended up doing work on a recycling project which is super awesome.  He has one of the best counterparts in Peace Corps, and we spent several hours working on designing signs to put up at local pulperias for recycling collection.  A pulperia is like a convenience store, except they are everywhere.  There are tiny ones in people's houses, huge ones with their own buildings, everywhere.  And people go to them all the time.  It's not like you go there for an emergency stick of butter of something--people depend on the pulperia.

Anyway, we had a super time, and we got to meet a bunch of volunteers from Olancho, mostly in Catacamas.  We also got some new books and games and, get this, cloth napkins/pot holders from a volunteer who is COS-ing.  (close of service)  Anyway, Sarah and Julian were totally awesome, gave us a bed to sleep in, fed us, and showed us all around.  We loved Olancho and despite the safety situation there we felt safe with integrated volunteers.  I don't think I would mind being placed there (so long as no one expects me to do anything but nap between 11 and 2 when it is too hot to do anything.)


XOXOXOX
Sam