News and gift ideas

The other day a PC Director came by Lake Yojoa and invited all the lake area volunteers to lunch. As a result, I was able to see a friend in my training group, as well as meet a few folks from earlier groups, including a few who were nearly finished with service and were leaving in July. I won’t really go into specifics about things discussed, but general impression of the older volunteers: disillusioned with a capital D. Totally ready to leave. Am I going to be that jaded with my experience by the time my service ends? Time will tell, but good lord I really hope not…

On another note, I’ve finally put together a little list, in case you feel like sending a little love my way in the form of material goods from the States:

Contact lens solution
chocolate….chocolate….and perhaps more chocolate
Tampons
Altoids
Hand sanitizer
AA batteries
Vitamins
Magazines
Pictures
Latest music from the States!!!!
Splenda
Crystal Light
Small or medium shirts, since most of my clothes are getting ruined by scrubbing them to death in the pila.

Right now I’m still using the same Peace Corps office address, but I hope to set up a P.O. box in a town closer to me, so as to keep from going into nasty Tegucigalpa every time I want to check my mail. I’ll let you know. Thanks to everyone who has sent letters and packages so far. I was so happy to get them—really, the letters and packages may be the highlight of my Peace Corps experience thus far.

By the way the clean-up day went relatively well, the kids filled up dozens of bags of trash, just that now three days after the event the streets look just about as dirty and trash-filled as they did before. Oh and the trash they picked up was moved to a big ditch near the center of town, where it will remain for at least a month until they find a crematorium to send it to. It´s better than nothing..... I guess.