We unpacked Lula and Greg, met their host family (amazing people) and briefly went to their school. Their kids barely have class still because the school went to a full day for all students and they don't have the classrooms or teachers to accommodate it...
Then we left the couple and headed to my site. Thankfully, there's a windy, wooded road off the main road that leads to my site. The community is a circle around a play (baseball field). They've had volunteers before (though not for education) which is good and nerve racking. They have expectations (nerves) but also know what Americans are like a little better than most (good). There's less of the direct and long stares and comments about American women lol. I have my own place though it's different than the original. I'm not on the second floor because apparently it was brought to Ann's attention that the lady I was going to live above is a little...crazy. So instead, I'm in a house that is grouped together with three other houses which all belong to the same family. One house is solely a kitchen area and the others are occupied by a Doña and some grandchildren and one of her sons. The Doña lived where I am now but moved just for me (!!). She still has stuff in the one room so I have my bedroom and the main room. Which sadly isn't enough for all my shit lol! But it's perfect. She's already said that if I decide to stay here after this first month, she'll gladly clear out that room so I'll have the whole house.
Before Ann left me, we went to the school and met the teachers. The Director wasn't there though but will be tomorrow. The school is much bigger than my old one and they have a cancha! It was brief so we came back, Ann left and I started unpacking in between talking with the kids that came in and out and taking a break to eat a banana (which apparently are plentiful here and sooooo good).
The Doña's daughter will be the one cooking for me and she brought me dinner which I got to eat alone in my house. I was happy with that though I didn't eat much so I stored it in the non-functioning fridge (damn! Though there is talk of getting it fixed!).
The Luz came at 5 and we had it all night. Apparently there's some sort of consistency but Nena lost me in the process of explaining it. I guess it's almost every other night we will have it. And the nights we don't, we have it in the afternoon. Sounds doable to me!
Water only comes once, maybe twice a week. But! My Doña heated up my water for me!! It was quite chilly tonight so it felt soooo good! Only one problem. She also followed me out to the shower area (cuz she didn't want me back there alone in the dark) and shined her flashlight through the see-through curtain despite me trying to tell her that I had one and didn't need her to do that for me. And despite my best efforts to weasel my way behind the wall or cover the curtain with my towel, all failed and I showered naked in front of my Doña on the first day. Win!
I have a latrine but it's super nice! No gaps because the walls are the zinc slats that our roofs are made of. And it's clean! Just have to bring my own toilet paper and hand sanitizer cuz I don't even know where they store water to wash my hands. Haha
Aw well. All is a learning process! It was a good day but all the strange faces and times when I found myself silent again reminded me of the beginnings in KM59. But I did it then and plan on doing it better now so I'm fighting the feelings of unhappiness. Exhaustion probably wasn't helping so I went to bed :) Buenas noches.
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