Productive day! Met up with Jay and Austin, the Peace Corps program coordinators to figure out what our next step is. AND....I am officially moving to Orange Walk. Its pretty exciting and I am looking forward to a new set of challenges, new people and new happenings in my life. In a way it is sad too. I know I am only going to be a few miles from Carmelita, but I am starting to get that feeling that comes about when a period of life is coming to an end.
I have this deeply grained instinct/desire for change. Its not so much a "grass is greener" mentality, but rather, I look for whats next. By sticking relatively close to my old site and maintaining alot of contacts I feel like I will be able to both tend to that instinct and still continue to progress and grow as a Peace Corps Volunteer.
I am incredibly excited about one of my new projects. I will be working at the Sandy Hunter Public Library. I will be teaching computer classes, leading a reading program for children, starting to work on an environmental group as well as initiating any programs I want. I feel like one of the best aspects of this is that there is already an established library building and community. I wont be starting from scratch. Ms. Elena, my new counterpart, has hosted many Volunteers. She and I are old friends already. I enjoy her passion and the vibrancy she brings to the library. I finally feel like I will be working WITH someone instead of against!!
Tomorrow I will be heading to meet Trainees as they get off the airplane and then the 2nd year volunteers will all head out to Caye Caulker for a bit of a reunion. Sometimes it blows my mind that I have been here for a year already. At times I have felt like it has dragged, but a year?!?! Wow.
Last post I mentioned that I am heading to Vegas in a week. The other day I had the first inkling of how much that is going to mess with my mind. My friend Rob, who lives in Belize City, and I went to the Princess Casino to see a movie. This was my first theater movie in a year. We saw GI JOE. Now the movie rocked. The 10yo boy who lives inside me was jumping up and down with glee the entire time. (Sub Arctic hideout?! YESSS!!) Ninjas, suits that make you run really fast?! Awesome chase scene through Paris?!...that girl can ride a motorcycle!!) Yeah, it was sweet. The only problem was I was nearly dizzy. I felt like a country boy who just moved to the big city. Like a blind man who opens his eyes and is confused by everything he sees! Lotta lights for this country bumpkin!!! Nevada should be interesting! Im doing desensitization exercises; flashing lights in my eyes, popping bags behind my ears, stepping on broken glass. You know, training for the big event. :D
3 comments:
hey Jacob,
its natalie from caye cauker (from the volunteer group from new orleans, you made fun of my cornrows haha) i really enjoyed reading your posts thanks for telling me to come here! what you've done in Belize so far is amazing I look forward to reading about your future adventures and wish you luck in all you do. it was great meeting you thanks for sharing with us about your interesting life and have fun in Vegas! =)
sorry if this is creepy, it wasnt meant to be haha
-Natalie
Hi Jake! This is great news! I didn't realize the librarian had worked with vols before= that is probably exactly what you need. It can be so hard to start from scratch and you made such a valiant effort- I am SO proud of you. But what's great is that you won't be far from Carmelita, so if there is anyone you saw some promise/motivation in, maybe you can invite them to join in something you org in OW? Just a thought. And you can come back and visit friends. I am so glad.
Yes, Vegas will be really crazy for you. My trips to the devpd world were mindblowing and none of them involved the lights of Vegas! I like your training program.
Love you, miss you, proud of you all the time. Bridget
VEEEEEEEGAAASSSSS!
you're going to flip out. Good thing you've got a preliminary Americanish night in Cancun to prep you for the madness!
Be safe. Have so much fun. and I want to hear all about your new digs when you get moved in! We'll be packing boxes around the same time, I think. :)
Love you and miss you.
Susannah
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