Got water pumping to the road! Exciting stuff! Now for the hard work…
Wow. Lots of feelings going through my head right now. I’m in the capital on my way back to my site and lots of ideas about my service, mental health, project plans and hopes for the future are swirling. Our Appropriate Technologies sector just got done with a three day “In Service Training” where we got to talk about our project accomplishments, challenges and effective work practices. It was one of the most productive few days of my service being able to bounce ideas off other trusted volunteers and get ideas on how to combat project problems. Stresses have included problems with the water committee and the community’s inconsistency paying quotas on a regular basis. I was reinforced in my own ideas and as a group we brainstormed a way to work together to train and enable community members to work in Water Committees. Basically, I’m excited to take some of this back to my community, get things better organized and build some confidence into community leaders.
Anyway, that was a mouthful, but this is all running through my head. I’m excited, but I’m going to need help from other volunteers and project partners to get it done. Meanwhile, I have been feeling good about progress and hope with community projects despite a few problems. I have been sticking with my routines and started up a boys group over the last month which piggy-backed off of the Camp Superman last month too. The camp was one of the highlights of my service as a volunteer and it inspired me to sign up for the National Camp Superman which runs the 26-30 of this month. Super stoked to sing my Superman song (adaptation of Pharaoh Pharaoh/Louis Louis with lots of thrusting). The hike I mentioned in the last email was absolutely incredible as well. Turns out I can fulfill the need for nostalgia here in the DR by going into the pine covered cool mountains in the central mountain range. It felt just like home. We hiked 35+ miles, saw some beautiful pine forests, lots of planted vegetables and a beautiful two-tiered 280 ft waterfall. Definitely need to get out and explore the island more on foot with tent in hand.
Besides all of this, the projects are moving along more or less. We might actually get tin sheeting donated from Project Las Americas in addition to the matching money they are already putting forward for latrines! Really exciting, but we’ll see, because the sheeting is really expensive. I’m trying to finish up my project plan for the latrines also, but we got materials up the mountain for 7 latrines, so we should have those done in a few weeks, assuming we can get the contracts and expectations cleared with the community. The ram pump is installed and running again, but there are minor problems (as always). We got water pumping up to the road, but only while I was monitoring the pump and making it work. I need to fiddle around with some of the components to see if I can improve its reliability… we’ll see what I can do. Rotary money should be coming in within a month or so too, so I foresee things getting very busy!!
I think the enthusiasm I gained from this last week with give me a needed and some newly needed skills to push towards the next phases of the projects. I hope beyond all hope that the community is willing to not only ride along with me but push back as we take on more difficult goals and fight against a long legacy of misplaced ideas and illiteracy within the local people. Wish me luck as I try to swim upstream and pray that I do not just take the path of least resistance.
Lastly… I was speaking with a few Dominican friends the other day and somehow we began to talk about which animal best described us. I mentioned the long necked, awkward, lanky characteristics of the giraffe and the two friends laughed and remarked that, yes, I am too tall for this country. Additionally, my friend Francis mentioned that the giraffe has the largest heart of all land animals, to pump its blood up that giant neck to its brain. I hope that, as with giraffes, I can live into that reality too.
My backyard. Well, 30 minute walk down the road.
I feel compelled to write something captivating, exciting, interesting, shocking. But, as I wrote before, I’ve discovered that the “shocking” realities from a year ago are now everyday events, normalcies and stories worth telling your roommate when you get home but not necessarily worth writing home about. In other words, I’ll see if I can do some remembering and piece together some interesting/important words for you to read about my life.
Took a while for routine to take over again after returning from the United States. Picking up where you left off is tough when your projects depend on an ever changing community that plugs along while you are gone. I returned to my site, after being gone for several weeks, with a new volunteer from this year’s group. Yep, I’m no longer a Freshman, a newbie, a… etc. I’ve actually officially passed the halfway mark in my time here. Exciting/nerveracking knowing what work needs to be done still. Regardless, Tal (the guy that visited) was really cool. Pretty quirky, but he’s a Civil Engineer so what do you expect. He was so excited about everything and everything was so new to him. It was weird. It made me feel like it was so long ago when I was in his shoes. And it showed me how steep the learning curve is to really feel comfortable here. You feel lost for 2-3 months, get thrown into a community where you feel more lost for ~3 months, and if you make it to that point you are pretty much good to go. It was interesting looking into the past at myself a year ago though. I was probably that curious and nervous and scared about Peace Corps rules at the time too. Well, maybe a little less. With all that in mind, I do feel like I’ve got a groove going on. I know the system fairly well, feel pretty comfortable, have a somewhat set routine. Yeah.
SO, work. Of course I returned to Las Barreras with the information that the spring feeding our water system had dried up. Like a bone in the desert. Bones aren’t really that dry – at least not when they are in the body… well, I wouldn’t think so. All (most) problems have solutions, so I figured out what to do quickly. But while the figuring-out happens quickly, the carrying-out does not. So, a month later, we are still working on it. If only materials could appear instantly from helicopters or miscommunication didn’t exist. As of yesterday half of the materials I need are in site.
Other excitement has included the recent involvement of two development organizations in Las Barreras. “Hope Without Borders” and the UN’s “Program of Small Subsidies” (PPS) have been quasi working together to do a reforestation project and a hydroelectric project in the area. The reality is a bit more complicated, but this is the gist. Both organizations are focusing on the idea that these small scale farmers cannot pull themselves out of poverty by farming the crap out of tired soils year in and year out. Beans and guandules just don’t cut it. They are high-risk, low-reward crops. Coffee is better but it’s not widespread enough. SO, the goal is to diversify their sources of income by looking to agroforestry. (a) Plant trees, (b) wait, (c) sell wood or fruit. Simple. There is actually a direct tie between wealth and forested land in this country, according to several studies done by people working for PPS. It’s been cool seeing different people come from local towns and the capital to teach community members about this idea, trying to change the way they earn money from their land. It’s exciting too, thinking about the hope this gives my people for the future. The other side of the coin is that if we don’t reforest the land about the water source, we could be without water and therefore without electricity within 15 years. Might not look too good for the water system either… AKA, let’s hope they buy into the plan.
Lots of stuff going on.Water project, electricity, reforestation and latrines. Yet at the same time not so much. The whole community is busy clearing land, burning debris, spreading herbicide and planting beans until May-ish. The exciting news, though, is that thanks to some of you beautiful people and my parents, we have enough money to build everyone in Las Barreras a latrine! Yay! Still waiting on confirmation of all the money and transfer, etc, but I hope to get this project moving at full swing within the next month. The community keeps asking when we’re going to start, and about 10 people have already dug their hole in preparation. So yeah, they’re a bit overzealous but VERY excited! Hopefully within the next 2-3 weeks we will also have water pumping up 170 vertical ft to the road.
So there’s my update on WHAT I have been up to. This week I am also going to a boys camp called Camp Superman with two 15 yr old boys from my community. We’ll be camping out in tents, swimming in the river, singing songs and doing lots of fun games/activities. Should be a blast. And I’ll be doing a hike through the central mountain range afterward for a few days.
As for everything else, all is well. God has blessed me with discipline in my site to stick to a routine of reading the Bible and devotionals daily – I have a new goal to finish reading through the rest of the Bible by the end of my service – which has been a blessing and even something to look forward to. I find this helps to cope with the isolation and loneliness that try to creep in on me. I’ve been learning some Bachatas on guitar which is also fun, and spending time with the kids, which can be difficult when all they want to do is play Candyland (bleh). If I ever have kids I’m teaching them cribbage at age 3. None of this Candyland crap.
That’s me. Love to all back home and/or abroad.
The kids thought I looked like a goon. So they took a picture.
Hello! This will be a quickie, because I don’t have much time. I just got back from visiting the states and wanted to share a few quick details, thoughts and emotions in reflection.
I was able to visit Seattle, attend two weddings, see the whole family, most of my friends and my girlfriend in a quick trip. Afterward, I traveled to the Bay Area to visit my girlfriend Jessica at her job in Berkeley, CA. She works as a university ministry intern for First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley. She loves it.
I feel rejuvenated and refreshed from my time at home, and am very thankful to God for my family, friends and girlfriend that are such a blessing to my life. I was encouraged by them and reminded of the importance of their presence in my life; especially Jessica’s.
I got to see Jess for the first time in nearly 9 months and while we seem to be doing pretty well at the long-distance stuff, I was reminded that it is not a walk in the park, and that it’s impossible for there not to be a degree of pain and hurt between us as long as we are apart. It was a true blessing meeting the new key people in her life and she is very lucky to be surrounded by people that know how to take care of her and push her to grow as a person and minister to Christ. It was hard to say goodbye but it was a bit easier knowing that we will probably see each other again by the time July comes around.
I’m back and excited to get into the swing of projects and business here in the DR once again. I’ll keep you posted on project stuff and I thank you all for the thoughts and prayers, as always!
Josh
PS Here are photos from my visit to the Bay Area. Photos are from San Fran, Berkeley, Santa Cruz and Capitola. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101030259558488.2947711.10716701&type=1&l=e26a9b3240
After Christmas. After New Years. After (nearly) officially 11 months. After the newness rubs off. After the freshman experience. After we tell ourselves we know what is going on; or at least that we might. After the joy and freshness of development work turns to bitterness and resentment. After the dog being beaten and slandered becomes routine. After the children being told they are worthless begins to form into normality.
It’s amazing how we adapt; how our minds take our environment and morph the way we look at the world into something that makes sense for the here and now. This means taking the ridiculous, absurd, detestable experiences from my first few months and converting them into just another part of life. A person can set the bar as high or as low as they like, but eventually the bar begins to either lighten or become heavier, and with this the bar starts to lower or rise without a conscious realization. Simply by trying to do the work we do, by trying to look into and examine the greater landscape of Dominican social-economic problems we are probably prone to forfeit a bit of the utopian dream we once shared. Previously considered grave problems begin to pale in comparison and even seem laughable when one discovers greater individual need. Just today I found myself discussing the problems of Haiti and Somalia and thinking: “what am I doing to assist in lift-or-death situations?” I guess sometimes the real need seems far away and your own work gets overshadowed by some greater world need. I’m not exactly sure what all of this means for me, but perhaps it’s a lesson in humility or core beliefs. For example, if a person believes strongly in equal opportunity for education and inherent individual worth, these core beliefs would (I hope) not fade away so quickly with the surrounding culture. It is definitely a balance of cultural integration and sticking to your roots, and I hope and pray that I have the humility to learn from my surroundings while not allowing my roots to be torn away. I hope these jumbled thoughts make at least some sense.
Maybe I was spurred on to these thoughts by some recent interactions i had with volunteers at a kids conference called “Montañas al Mar”. During the camp we taught the kids about the environmental connection that the Mountains and the Ocean have with one another. We took kids from our mountain communities and showed them how everything done in the mountain directly affects the habitats of the ocean. Anyway, there were a handful of volunteers and during one conversation we began to speak/wonder about whether the Peace Corps has actually had a real impact here in the DR. I suppose one can take the fact that the Peace Corps has been here for 50 years as either positive or negative – obviously the fact that we are still here means that this country still has a long way to go… but has the Peace Corps’ attempts to build and train people had a significant impact? Honestly, who knows? What we do here is generally very small scale, so the impact is on a very personal level, meaning an impact country-wide would be impossible to measure. But contrary to some of my more pessimistic Peace Corps volunteers, I’d like to think that we have made an impact here. The DR has come a long way since 1952, and although we cannot exactly know what role the Peace Corps played in this, I’d like to think it at least played a secondary one. I have found that it is very easy to get bogged down by the small scale of my project, but I don’t think it necessarily makes it less important. I mean, look at the grassroots movement that Jesus during his ministry. He constantly focused on individuals and small groups. Maybe this is where I need to be humbled.
The conference went great, btw. We took the kids to the beach, to a beautiful swimming hole at the river, and we gave several lessons including Erosion, interconnectivity, AIDS and trash. The youth participated in a lot of the lessons which was awesome to see, and it was hilarious watching them teach and demonstrate the use of condoms. Besides one of my children throwing up on the bus ride and wetting the bed the first night, I’m pretty sure my kids enjoyed themselves. They were very shy and a bit freaked out by the newness of being outside of our tiny campo, but I really think it was unforgettable for them.
Lastly, I’d like to catch some of you up on the happenings in my life for the last month. Hopefully you got to take a look at the pictures I posted. Christmas was very different but still enjoyable, especially being able to make people laugh with my Santa costume. Sarah and Masa and several other volunteers made Christmas day very special as we shared an INCREDIBLE Christmas dinner of ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, etc. After a fairly calm New Years dancing with a few of my community members I headed up to Jarabacoa/Monabao to see my old host family. It was really nice being to see them and catch up on the happenings in their lives. We ate some good food and chilled (literally) inside with what I imagine to be about 50 degree temperatures. Besides this adventure, I have been sticking around site trying to get information together for a few new project opportunities that have arisen. I was preselected for a $50,000 grant to build a hydroelectric system which would give real electricity to my community for the first time. Also, some leaders in the area have informed me that they want to build a bridge crossing the river at the entrance of my community. There is some waiting that must be done to determine if these projects work out, but I am hopeful! If all goes well I will be a busy man come springtime.
Love and hugs to all, pray for my perseverance, patience and humility!
Here are some links to photos!! Pics from my site, from being Santa and from my the beard saga.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100813808957228.2916067.10716701&type=1&l=024563f41c
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100813776991288.2916057.10716701&type=1&l=fe7bf89f69
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100829296285498.2918841.10716701&type=1&l=614506c2a1
‘Twas the night before the week before 3 days before Christmas, when all through the house, not a body was stirring, not even a tarantula or a rat, except for Sarah and Josh and Rudie. The lights were a fading due to horrible electrical service, the water was not running, and all were a sweating with the incredible December Dominican heat. As fried chicken was eaten, dust was swept, and bucket baths were taken, all chimed in musical rhythm: “I can feel Christmas in the air”. Nine months have gone by and stories abound, it’s passed so quickly I feel like I’ve just broken ground. The people are lovely, lively, joyful and humble; learning how to be myself has sometimes made me stumble. The projects and plans may never go as they ought, but I shall never say that all is for naught. The daily gifts of abounding love, of devotion and of care have more than answered my wishes and my prayer. And now Christmas has come, a time to be thankful and humble, so let my words to you all be not a mumble but a rumble: I love you all, am thankful all you do; I am here and happy, growing and thriving thanks to you; a very merry Christmas to all, and to all I say adieu.
I know I am no poet, but it truly is incredible reflecting on the last 9 months. It passed by so quickly in its entirety, even though I remember times that seemed to drag on for ages. Some of the most amazing times have come through being able to share my experience with loved ones, so thanks to Stephanie, Jessica and John for making the trek. Also, thank you to my new Peace Corps family: Sarah, Masa, Rudie, Jeremy, Matt, Keeton, Eric, and all the Southies. You all rock, and I never expected to be able to create such a bond and close relationship with so many here. I guess it’s hard to be truly isolated in this small country. Thanks to my family and buds back home who continue to stay in touch and keep me grounded. Being here has made me appreciate our relationships and love even more. I miss you all like I miss funfetti cake. And a big thanks to my wonderful girlfriend, who sacrifices a countless amount of time, effort and energy just to encourage me and show me how loved I really am. You keep my head straight and help me to keep my focus on God. And to all who read my blog, thanks for listening to my attempt at honesty. It can be tough to portray sometimes, but I appreciate knowing that there are people reading, caring and praying about my experience. Thank you thank you thank you!!
Merry Christmas and may God bless you,
Josh
PS The red-bearded tall skinny Dominican Santa is coming to town. You better watch out…
I am hoping to someday be able to step back from this whole experience and realize how much I’ve changed, how much I’ve learned, how much I fought to get water and development to happen in my community, how the low points in my service had taught me some valuable life lessons, how the Lord taught me humility through the complexity of people. These aren’t yet realizations, but rather my attempt at hope since a lot of the things I am experiencing seem unnecessarily difficult. You go into a long and seemingly challenging commitment without realizing the small, daily steps that will actually carry you to the final destination. Not to say that my life is really all that difficult, but I feel like I have always gone into things with some supreme optimism – perhaps that no matter where I end up, I still control my own fate, control the work around me, and control the way that I react to my circumstances. While all of this still remains potentially true, at least in the physical sense, the expectation and reaction from the boss and the community members can eventually reach a tipping point.
This sounds quite dramatic, as if my projects and life as I know it have somehow come tumbling down around me, but that is only partially true, and my life is not (yet) in shambles. Hah. Who knows, maybe in a few more months?
I suppose all of this is to say that a person can only do so much, and that is OK. It is a difficult thing to say, since we can always look back and see a pile of things that we could have done to have been more successful and more motivating and better organized. But no matter what had been done, there is always some higher potential. Our expectation, maybe as Americans, is very high both for ourselves and the people around us. But we have to somehow take into perspective the fact that our coworkers (the community) have families, animals, crops, leisure and livelihoods to take care of on top of the projects that some fulano (stranger) has come to impose on top of their normal daily schedule. Plus we are fighting against 50+ years of tradition and routine. Complexity sucks.
I realize I am piggybacking on my last blog post, but these are still ever present ideas in my mind. I have also been thinking a lot about my personal wellbeing/healthiness amongst all of this. On the bus back from the capital just the other day, I found myself dealing mentally with the difficulty of living and working essentially for myself. I don’t know if I have really prepared myself well enough over the last 9+ months for this type of environment. Maybe some lack of boundaries or expectations or something of the sort. Am I, as an American, so confined by the world of rules and routine that I just don’t know how to survive living like I am? I have realized that I sometimes struggle separating leisure and work in my project site, since as Peace Corps Volunteers we are “technically” on the clock all the time. Sitting, resting, not doing anything, letting my mind be at ease; I think these are difficult for me. The boys I spend time with are essentially my only access to rest and relaxation in my village – something I am very thankful for. I think I crave time outside of my site at times for this reason – an opportunity to relax. Instead, maybe I ought to do more of that while I am at home there. Something to consider. Sorry I am being a bit scatterbrained, but in writing these things down I am coming to some realizations.
Thoughts aside, work (still) continues in my village. We have placed half of the pipes with the rest to be placed within the next few days. After that a small feeding tank will be built near the spring and then I will again be waiting for money. I am hoping to take the numerous lessons I have learned from this first construction to better organize and motivate the community for the future construction projects. We will see how these ideas in my mind convert into actual community effort.
Also, I had a splendid Thanksgiving hanging out with nearly all the volunteers, playing sports, eating amazing American food and performing at the talent show. I played Jackson by Johnny Cash with Sarah Chaplain and then played Arms Wide Open by Creed. Both went well, and I think some volunteers are still convinced that Scott Staff was actually present at the event. The sharing of thankfulness around our table reminded me of what I truly am thankful for: all of you. Thank you to my friends, family, girlfriend, and to God for giving me the strength to continue my adventure here in the DR. You are all my inspiration and strength.
Finally, here are some photos from the adventure I was able to share with my friend John just recently. We met in Haiti last summer and he came to visit for 9 days. Lots of traveling, spending time with volunteers, beautiful beaches and ridiculousness. Thanks chief.
Please pray for my health, both physically and otherwise, and that I am able to enjoy the Christmas season away from home. It’s difficult to imagine being away, but it should be new and exciting at the same time. Finally, pray that I continue to lean and depend on God, replacing myself with his power and wisdom.
Love and hugs!!
Josh
Peace Corps Partnership Fund. For anyone and everyone that would care to help out as they can with my project. Love you all. Post soon.
https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=donate.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=517-475
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Josh vs the Real World 