De Vez En Cuando…Yo Trabajo

Sometimes I wish they’d given a catchy title to our training manual. If we were to have a title here in PCDR (and I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes the same for Peace Corps Worldwide) is: “Expect the Unexpected,” subtitle: “And do your damndest to make it look like you’re ready for anything even though you’re not prepared and have no idea what’s going on.” A catchy title right?

After about a 5 week vacation from meetings with my Escojo Mi Vida youth group, instigated by La Navidad and some reformation of the curriculum, I have begun to advertise a new course that I’ll be giving to the youth. My plan is to review the themes they’ve already covered, and then to train them in how to giver a proper charla and how to manage a group dynamic. With this knowledge they will be equipped and ready to help me start more youth groups in other communities, will be able to lead their own groups, and will be able to teach their peers (hopefully a more sustainable form of education than me being the one teaching Escojo themes like safe sex and healthy decision making).

I have made it very clear that we’d begin meeting on February 9^th, which is the week after my In Service Training, the point in time when all new volunteers are really expected to dive into their new work. That would give me a couple more weeks to prepare charlas, as well as to finish up my community diagnostic and presentation (which is currently 12 pages and 0 powerpoint slides long).

Today, I was sitting at my living room table working on my community diagnostic (but mostly listening to iTunes and making playlists). Two jovenes, Juan Pedro and Manuela, came in and sat down. We chatted for a few minutes before Juan Pedro asked me if I was going to the meeting. I was confused, and asked him what reunion he was talking about. “Oh you know, the one in 10 minutes for Escojo Mi Vida. Yanelys told everyone that you wanted to have a meeting.”

News to me.

I grabbed my messenger bag, ran to the colmado to buy two bottles of refresco to serve to the group as a brindi, and headed to the community center. I arrived at three o’clock, which is apparently when I wanted everyone else to be there as well. After waiting the appropriate “Dominican Time” everyone arrived by 4 o’clock and we began our meeting.

Since I had apparently called this meeting, everyone waited for me to lead a Dinamica, set the agenda, lead discussion and who knows what else. I managed to pull a dinamica out of thin-air that I luckily remembered from training. I decided to just give the run-down on requirements and rules for my upcoming course that would, as I clearly stated one more time, begin on February 9^th. Then we planned a group dinner that everyone wanted to prepare, where the biggest piece of discussion was what variation of rice, meat and beans we would prepare.

That’s the story of the time that I led a youth group meeting with 10 minutes notice. Honestly, 10 minutes is more warning than I’ve gotten before (eg: that time I led a daylong conference on HIV/AIDS with 30 seconds warning).

In other work-related news, I’ve been continuing my work with the muchachos group. I don’t know if I ever mentioned that we spent a good 45 minutes debating what name to give our group for youth between the ages of 8 and 13. They argued and argued, but eventually came to a decision on their own. I’d like it to be known that I had no input on the name other than to count the votes. The decision? “El Grupo Infantil de Jovenes de La Culata” (The Infant Youth Group of La Culata). Honestly, a group of 13 youngsters couldn’t think of something more enjoyable or entertaining?

Regardless, Tuesday’s activity was a cooking class in my new house. We made Trigo con Dulce (Sweet Wheat as I like to call it). Luckily, and coincidentally, we made it on the same day that my Peace Corps Volunteer Leader was arriving at my site to check-in/check my new house to make sure it was up to “Peace Corps Standards”. As she arrived at my house with about 15 youngsters cooking, cleaning and eating a healthy dessert I couldn’t help but be pretty happy.

The dessert came out well, and we made a TON, which meant I got to share it with the community. My neighbors all liked it (proving to them that a man living alone actually can cook), and the kids didn’t stop raving about it. Cooking with James was a hit!

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