Frustrations and projects

Peace Corps will challenge you, push you, break you down and will not let up.  Day in and day out there is no escaping the unfamiliarity, the difficulties and barriers of language and culture, the tough times soon become normal and expected and part of daily life.  There are other times where a simple smile can make your day or just small chat with someone can make you feel part of the community.  Most of the time the small things matter more because they keep you sane and make you feel human. Yet with the long stretches of feeling unproductive leaves you questioning why you are here, what you are doing wrong and how you can if possible fix it.

With the parents and students of the community

Lately I have been questioning the reasons for my host organization to have a volunteer.  I try to work with people, to help where needed and be part of a team.  I am looking to gather resources where previously none were thought to exist.  Everything I do, is met with somewhat of a resistance and more importantly a lack of support.  This bothers me.  I will not be successful here is there is a lack of support and coordination of efforts.  I have no problem doing things by myself and getting things done on a personal agenda, but this is not anywhere close to the goals of Peace Corps or ideas of sustainability, plus I am not here for what I want to do in communities, I am here to help them achieve their goals and the goals of my host agency.  How can I give assistance to people who claim they want assistance but then when it is time to work say that they cannot?

In the current school talking about the potential for a new bottle school

With this bottle school project thus far people seem to be on board, and have been supportive when I introduced the idea of a bottle school. The municipality wants to build a school but cannot as they are limited by resources and funding.  As I have introduced this way to gather resources with community buy in and by collaborating with other communities, people seem to be jumping ship.  Why I ask myself.  I have heard lately from my mayor, my counterpart and other staff in the office that it is 1.)Election season and we are focusing on that.  2.)Bottles can’t be put in walls and be safe (hence the trip to see an actual completed project) 3.)We don’t have the time right now 4.)We can do that tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow etc.  5.) There is no transportation. 6.) You do it you are the expert. And the worst, that it seems to be too much work.  

Visiting a completed bottle project in Todos Santos.

I know I cannot do this by myself, and I am going to have to talk to people and ask them for their input and support, but along comes the Guatemalan culture of saying yes to everything and then cancelling at the last minute.  So who knows what will be reality.  I will go in and ask if this is a project that they really want to do and if so, that I will need the support and effort of a team to accomplish this.  Will that be the case?  Only time will tell.