Before I came to Honduras many people asked if I was going with a friend or if I knew anybody already in the program and were surprised to find out that I was going all by myself. They were also surprised to find out that I would probably be living in a site all by myself. I expected to be the only English speaking gringa for miles around. Well, that didn’t turn out to be the case. Currently there are five PCVs living in Santa Barbara.
In addition to the five that live here there are about ten more PCVs in the surrounding areas that often come into Santa Barbara to go grocery shopping or visit. Furthermore, not only is Santa Barbara popular for Peace Corps volunteers it is also popular for other types of organizations. There are currently two Canadian volunteers living here and working with a water sanitation organization. There is also a Japanese volunteer living here and missionaries come and go. Also, PCVs often assist with medical brigades come down numerous times per year. Although I don’t really appreciate all the foreigners now I’m sure when I get lonely somewhere down the line I will appreciate having somebody around who speaks English. At the same time I am going to have to be very intentional about integrating into my Honduran community and making Honduran friends and practicing my Spanish so I don’t just spend all my time with other Americans and speak English all the time.
In addition to the five that live here there are about ten more PCVs in the surrounding areas that often come into Santa Barbara to go grocery shopping or visit. Furthermore, not only is Santa Barbara popular for Peace Corps volunteers it is also popular for other types of organizations. There are currently two Canadian volunteers living here and working with a water sanitation organization. There is also a Japanese volunteer living here and missionaries come and go. Also, PCVs often assist with medical brigades come down numerous times per year. Although I don’t really appreciate all the foreigners now I’m sure when I get lonely somewhere down the line I will appreciate having somebody around who speaks English. At the same time I am going to have to be very intentional about integrating into my Honduran community and making Honduran friends and practicing my Spanish so I don’t just spend all my time with other Americans and speak English all the time.
Robert Watson is a Water & Sanitation volunteer and has been here for four years! He got married half way through to his landlord’s daughter (green shirt) and they are both going back to the states in three weeks.
Katie Strass is an engineer and came in at the same time I did. She is in the Water & Sanitation project and will be working with an NGO called Plan.
Andrea & Bernardo Aguilar are a married couple working as business volunteers. They will be leaving in about two months.
Chris (2nd from left) and Dave (far right) are both Canadian volunteers working with one of my counterpart organizations, Pure Water for the World.
2 comments:
Got married while working as a Peace Corps vontunteer. That's cool! God works in many ways.
It happens a lot! Between volunteers and other volunteers and between volunteers and Hondurans.
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