Last night in DC....

I'm trying to soak in the luxury before I go and do lots of American things. I've eaten at the same Thai restaurant three nights in a row...my favorite "American" thing to do and generally consistant with what I usually eat in Seattle. I went for a run and swim at the hotel at the end of training today....which was amazing and relaxing and is also a very American thing to do since I wont be able to do that as a woman there probably. I won't have access to internet/communication for like 4-6 days when I arrive in Guatemala so don't expect to hear from me for a bit. No news is good news. I'm so excited to be there and get started on all this after talking/thinking constantly these three days about what we'll be getting into.

Pre-Departure Training

So I'm in DC doing pre-departure training and it's going really well. My group is great so far with so many talented, well traveled, experienced, passionate people. This part of training is just covering the basics of the Peace Corps mission, important policies, safety/security essentials, and a preview of what in-country training will entail.

So far, everything confirms my decision to join the Peace Corps. I really appreciate the three goals of the organization which are: meet other countries' desires for trained people, increase the understanding of Americans abroad, and increase the understanding of other countries in America. There is a big emphasis on the wonderful buzz word of SUSTAINABLE development...meaning that the projects rely on local resources and empower local people and that the projects don't stop when we leave, but can be sustained and continued without outside assistance. Sounds like a pretty good ideal.

Thank you to everyone who pays federal taxes for making this experience possible for me!!!!

Arrived in DC

I've arrived in DC!!! Flights and transportation went smoothly, besides the pain of waking up at 4 am this morning. I'll be here at staging until Wednesday morning when we fly to Guatemala to begin in country training. I'm excited and nervous and this is all a bit surreal...

Assignment Invitation

So I have received my official Peace Corps assignment! I will be in rural Guatemala in the Municipal Development programs as a Municipal Development Adviser. I leave August 27th and will serve until November, 2009. The first three months will be training, and then I will get posted to my site. I will be working in the Municipal Planning Office supporting their development activities and promoting citizen participation. Specifically I will be interacting with the public on behalf of the municipality, preparing work plans and development plans, preparing technical printed materials, training community councils, facilitating relationships among governmental and non-governmental organizations, organizing municipal statistics using GIS mapping software, and writing proposals. So pretty much a little bit of everything. I don't know many details yet beyond that, so I'm keeping an open mind and ready to be flexible. I'm super excited about this position and think it's perfect for me. This experience will be a great blend of my interests in Latin America, speaking Spanish, urban planning, citizen participation, helping people, and learning through international travel. Yippee!!!