long time, no see?

So I realize I’ve been slacking hard on updating my blog, but it’s because nothing that exciting happens to/around me down here so I have nothing to write about… but here are a few updates for those of you still reading:

I am still the only resident in my house (thank god!). The family that was going to move in downstairs was told by my ADESCO to find a different house because I was already living there. They have since moved to the next community over and I haven’t heard a word about it since. SO unnecessary.

My sex ed/HIV/AIDS/family planning classes are still going twice a week at the school, surprisingly enough. I still have bastante trouble with estella (the nurse) mainly because she is BEYOND uninformed about the topics, and continues to tell the kids wrong information about things even though we meet before every class and discuss the main points of the charla (I always make sure to go over things I think she’s misinformed about). Here are some of the highlights:

1. She told the kids that if they start masturbating at a young age they will develop mental problems and eventually go blind… really? This came up in a “true or false” activity, and the paper she was reading from explicitly stated that this statement was false and explained why. She apparently decided she was smarter than my reference book and went on a rant about how masturbation will make you blind!

2. She KEEPS telling my kids that everyone in our class is a heterosexual. And I don’t know how many times she’s said that, trying to explain the difference between a heterosexual and a homosexual. And whenever I ask the kids to define those words (after we’ve talked about the definitions several times), I continue to get the “heterosexuality is right. Homosexuality is wrong” response from them. I keep telling them that the question of right and wrong is not part of the discussion we’re having, and that I just want to make sure they understand the difference between the two words (and also to expel the myth that HIV is a disease limited to homosexuals) but they apparently aren’t listening.

3. She told my kids that there was a cure for herpes and that men are more susceptible to STDs because they can have sex with animals. (I WISH I WERE KIDDING OR EXAGGERATING!). She said that because men have penises it’s easier for them to fornicate with animals, and are thus at a greater risk for contracting an STD.

It is unbelievably frustrating to have to interrupt and correct her in front of all the kids. And I’m sure the kids are just more and more confused because they’re getting contrasting information constantly!

Besides my sex ed classes at the school, I’m also planning a series of four charlas for the pregnant women in my community, and we’re calling it “pregnancy club.” We’ve got 23 women in my community, and the smaller communities that surround mine, who are pregnant, and five of them are high risk (aka too young to be having children). So we’re starting with “childbirth and caring for newborns” next week. I’ve got a few meetings scheduled with my nurse so that we can meticulously go over everything to avoid misinforming these women/girls. I’m dreading low attendance, but hoping that at least some of them come so I can continue this next year, after the holidays.

My new puppy Jefe is doing well! He’s getting all his vaccinations this month, and he’s growing so fast! He’s so adorable I can hardly stand it. He sleeps for most of the afternoon because of the heat, and LOVES to go outside and play in the grass (although, we’re having a problem with ticks so I’m keeping him out of the grass as much as possible). He’s finally big enough to chew on his bone, so that and the stuffed animal Katie sent for him are his favorite toys. He loves chewing on those while lying on the dried grass broom on my patio. The stuffed animal squeaks, and he just bit it hard enough to trigger the noise and now he’s scared of it. He can’t figure out where the noise is coming from. Too precious. He travels with me on the bus in a plastic basket/bag and he’s finally walking on the leash (although not too far). He loves my friend Kristina’s cat, and they play whenever the two of us visit. I’m SO happy I have him. He’s been good company. Although, all I can think about when I’m playing with him is how badly I just want to get on a plane and take him home.

Getting on a plane and going home is still constantly on my mind. I had a good week and a half where I was content here with my puppy and my sex ed classes, but I guess the novelty of both have worn off and I want to pack up and leave again. The ups and downs of my day to day here are incredible. My community is great, and I have work to do, but I still want to get the hell out of here. Not sure what my problem is, but I’m trying to figure it out because I don’t want to up and quit. Stress. For instance, today I went to the clinic, and visited a neighbor to help her with a scholarship for university. Nothing provoked a bad mood or my early termination mentality this morning. I even went on an early morning run! But when I came home to make lunch, I sobbed the entire time I was cooking. For no apparent reason. UGHHHHH! I’m not sure I can deal with the emotional ups and downs much longer. (I just read that 1/3 of PCVs early terminate, but I don’t want to quit!)

So that’s what’s been going on with me. I’m heading to the capital this weekend to celebrate my friend Alex’s bday/Halloween so I’ve got that to look forward to. And only two months until I’m home for a visit (let the countdown begin!!!)

I miss/love you guys! Have a marg or something for me!