Pictures From Field Based Training
Things are a changin’ here in Langue. I was finally able to move out of my host families place and into my own. It has made all the difference in the world for me. I have what I’m calling a fixer upper of a place. Basically it’s a neglected shithole…but it’s my neglected shithole, and with a little work (cough, understatement) it’s gonna be a wonderful place to live. The family I rent from now has become one of the best things I’ve got going for me here in Langue. We are using my rent money every month to slowly make repairs on the house. And come a year or so it should be a pretty awesome place. I’ve already repaired the walls and painted the entire interior of the place, done some plumbing, and tried to clean up the trash dump of an otherwise great back yard complete with mango, coconut, and lime trees; all while working during the week as well. Needless to say it fills up any downtime I care to fill. There are some serious perks to living alone, and where I do in town. First, I live in quite possibly the safest neighborhood in town that has its own water system. Meaning I have water in the morning to late afternoon everyday, at least until dry season. Compared to the rest of Langue who gets water maybe once a week for a few hours to fill up their pilas (open air water tanks) it’s awesome. I’m taking my first showers without a bucket now in Langue. Secondly, I don’t have to operate on a host families schedule anymore. I eat when I want, listen to music when I want, etcetera, etcetera; all of which I took for granted until the first few months here in Langue with the family I was with. I can also entertain visitors like a few good Langue friends or other volunteers whom I can finally show the town I live in as well. I also live just two blocks from the soccer stadium, where I get down 4 or 5 times a week. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I can truly relax for the first time here in Langue.
Aside from living plenty of other things have been going on as well. I have been to a couple Peace Corps sponsored trainings. The first was a men’s health conference I was asked to attend, even though my primary project is water, where I learned a few methods to better reach men in terms of teaching about HIV and AIDS. I gave a charla (educational talk) to a group of firefighters and Red Cross workers and have decided to make giving AIDS charlas to the local high school a side project of mine for the next month or two. Upon asking a few questions to the kids I play soccer with it becomes dauntingly apparent how in need these guys are in terms of AIDS and basic sexual health knowledge.
The next training I went to was for a program called VOS, which is a peer support network here in Honduras for volunteers. I was nominated by a number of volunteers and basically it is a resource for people to call me, anonymously, about any problems they are facing. I’m stoked about it. It’s a great way to offer support to people who may be having thought of terminating their service early, are frustrated with work or the culture, or any other number of things volunteers go through (it’s a lot).
Work is moving along, though much slower for me at times than even I expect. In all honesty I have nothing to do in the office this morning so I am writing this blog post instead. Productivity! I have some small projects lined up here and there with a few water system designs and some water board work, but its tough to tackle the feelings of uselessness when you have the desire to work and can’t do so. Times like these require one to remind oneself that this is going to continue to happen, many times out of my control, and that it will pass. Additional pep talk material occasionally includes me telling myself I’m not getting paid, but I really don’t like that one.
Asi es la vida. Moving right along. These months are truly flying by for me. I mean summer in the States is already on its way to wind down. Making the most of just about every day I can. Taking in whatever experience presents itself and being as present as I possibly can in any given moment. All the bad experiences come with many, many more good ones. My life is beginning to feel more and more here and not in the states. I miss you all so much, but the actual States I don’t as much. This is a good thing I think.
I would love a letter or anything anyone cares to send me for I have an address down here now…here it is
Voluntario Jesse Hunt
Recomendado a Voluntaria Vanessa Garcia
Correo Nacional
Nacome, Valle, Honduras, C.A.
And that’s about it for now.
Take care all,
Jesse
More pictures from my site and more current events to come...
Things are a changin’ here in Langue. I was finally able to move out of my host families place and into my own. It has made all the difference in the world for me. I have what I’m calling a fixer upper of a place. Basically it’s a neglected shithole…but it’s my neglected shithole, and with a little work (cough, understatement) it’s gonna be a wonderful place to live. The family I rent from now has become one of the best things I’ve got going for me here in Langue. We are using my rent money every month to slowly make repairs on the house. And come a year or so it should be a pretty awesome place. I’ve already repaired the walls and painted the entire interior of the place, done some plumbing, and tried to clean up the trash dump of an otherwise great back yard complete with mango, coconut, and lime trees; all while working during the week as well. Needless to say it fills up any downtime I care to fill. There are some serious perks to living alone, and where I do in town. First, I live in quite possibly the safest neighborhood in town that has its own water system. Meaning I have water in the morning to late afternoon everyday, at least until dry season. Compared to the rest of Langue who gets water maybe once a week for a few hours to fill up their pilas (open air water tanks) it’s awesome. I’m taking my first showers without a bucket now in Langue. Secondly, I don’t have to operate on a host families schedule anymore. I eat when I want, listen to music when I want, etcetera, etcetera; all of which I took for granted until the first few months here in Langue with the family I was with. I can also entertain visitors like a few good Langue friends or other volunteers whom I can finally show the town I live in as well. I also live just two blocks from the soccer stadium, where I get down 4 or 5 times a week. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, I can truly relax for the first time here in Langue.
Aside from living plenty of other things have been going on as well. I have been to a couple Peace Corps sponsored trainings. The first was a men’s health conference I was asked to attend, even though my primary project is water, where I learned a few methods to better reach men in terms of teaching about HIV and AIDS. I gave a charla (educational talk) to a group of firefighters and Red Cross workers and have decided to make giving AIDS charlas to the local high school a side project of mine for the next month or two. Upon asking a few questions to the kids I play soccer with it becomes dauntingly apparent how in need these guys are in terms of AIDS and basic sexual health knowledge.
The next training I went to was for a program called VOS, which is a peer support network here in Honduras for volunteers. I was nominated by a number of volunteers and basically it is a resource for people to call me, anonymously, about any problems they are facing. I’m stoked about it. It’s a great way to offer support to people who may be having thought of terminating their service early, are frustrated with work or the culture, or any other number of things volunteers go through (it’s a lot).
Work is moving along, though much slower for me at times than even I expect. In all honesty I have nothing to do in the office this morning so I am writing this blog post instead. Productivity! I have some small projects lined up here and there with a few water system designs and some water board work, but its tough to tackle the feelings of uselessness when you have the desire to work and can’t do so. Times like these require one to remind oneself that this is going to continue to happen, many times out of my control, and that it will pass. Additional pep talk material occasionally includes me telling myself I’m not getting paid, but I really don’t like that one.
Asi es la vida. Moving right along. These months are truly flying by for me. I mean summer in the States is already on its way to wind down. Making the most of just about every day I can. Taking in whatever experience presents itself and being as present as I possibly can in any given moment. All the bad experiences come with many, many more good ones. My life is beginning to feel more and more here and not in the states. I miss you all so much, but the actual States I don’t as much. This is a good thing I think.
I would love a letter or anything anyone cares to send me for I have an address down here now…here it is
Voluntario Jesse Hunt
Recomendado a Voluntaria Vanessa Garcia
Correo Nacional
Nacome, Valle, Honduras, C.A.
And that’s about it for now.
Take care all,
Jesse
More pictures from my site and more current events to come...
