Hope

I know my last post was kind of depressing but such is life in Peace Corps. However since then I have had tons of work and spirits have been high.

Last Saturday the San Pedro VAC (I don't remember what VAC stands for, but basically a group of volunteers in a similar geographic area) finally had our HIV/AIDS workshop, which was cancelled in December due to rain. None of my high school teachers were really interested in going and I don't have a health post or any nurses in my community but I went anyway to help out. Other volunteers brought teachers, health workers, nursing students, etc and we had a good turnout. We gave charlas on decision-making, values, behavior change, good communication, self-esteem, as well as the basics on HIV/AIDS and how to teach about it. It was really awesome to see a group of people who were open to new ideas, ready and willing to learn and who wanted to teach and inspire other people as well. That's something you don't see very often here.

Monday I went to the Centro de Salud with my pedido for parasite pills. I was so much easier to get the pills than I expected. I just went to the office of the director, handed her the pedido, she called the pharmacist and asked about the supply and sent me to the pharmacy. I walked out half and hour later with 130 bottles of medication. Monday afternoon I brought them to the school along with a bunch of cucumbers from my garden that the teachers have been questioning me about incessantly. Side note: if you ever want to feel good about yourself in this country, bring people gifts. They gushed on and on about how guapa I am and how they are going to ask my bosses if they can keep me here forever.

Tuesday-Thursday has been spent at the school. The medication I got is a liquid that has to be given twice a day for 3 days. Since there are different students morning and afternoon I've been going twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon to give them the meds. It's exhausting but after the first day the kids started getting so excited when I walked in (it tastes like vanilla). And today they were sad that it was the last day but when I reminded them that they don't have any more sevo'i (worms) they all got really happy.

Next week I am hosting a meeting with the Comision de Padres (Parents Commission, basically the PTA) to talk a little about parasites, to remind them that I will not be here next year and that if they don't want their kids to get parasites again there are ways to avoid it, like wearing shoes and covering their food so flies to land on it. Also, I am going to show them step-by-step how to get more pills from the Centro de Salud so hopefully they will do it again next year.

I was reminded this week that change does happen but not all at once. The school will continue to frustrate me until the day I leave. But there are some people who are willing to go that extra mile, to work a little harder to make their lives better.