One Month In

Just finished a month in site and it is starting to feel a little bit like home. Conversation is still difficult but improving and I´ve be trying to get involved in what goes on in the community, like the alcalde´s (mayor) campaign visit and playing soccer in the evenings when it doesn´t rain (Should have staid in shape). The rains are on the way out though. For the past few weeks everyone has been telling me that invierno (winter but really more like rainy season) is on the way out and verano (summer but better described as dry season as it is actually getting a little chilly here at night, almost like fall in Pennsylvania, almost) is on the way. They told me that the days of rain would pretty much stop, and they have almost suddenly, with only a few brisas (light showers) until verano, and that the aire (winds) would arrive in force, and they have. So I no longer have to worry about mold but now the polvo (dust) is coming instead. And it gets everywhere. The buildings in my community, including my room, are far from airtight.

My experience with milking cows is progressing slowly, and I´ve helped transfer the vacas to different pastures several times. Now if I can just brush up on horse riding and using a lasso, and find a good sombrero, I could be a real vaquero (cowboy). I saw my first recently born ternero (calf) the other day. Cute but the head didn´t seem to fit the body quite right, a little too small and it was as if the poor thing had run into a wall and it´s snout had never stretched back out. It´s been interesting watching it get the hang of walking and running.

But I would bet that most of you really want to hear about how my work is going. The water project is kind of underway; like I said before the topographic study for the water system was completed but there are some hang ups. I haven´t seen the study but I´ve seen some of the stakes and the proposed site for the represa (dam). However, the property for the dam is being held as collateral for a loan so the owner can´t sell or donate until the loan is paid in full. My counterpart tells me that the funding agency requires the community to own the property before it agrees to the project. Another issue is that some people were left off the tail end of the study because they failed to get permission for the study to cross private property (not theirs). They now want back in but keep dragging their feet when it comes to bringing the volunteer back to extend the study. So I guess the best philosphy is "no hay prisa", there is no rush. But there kind of is as the funding agency is going to dissolve in 2010 and has said they won´t be accepting new projects after January. Vamos a ver (we´ll have to see).

hasta luego