Site assignment jitters

Site assignment: Oidor, San Jacinto, Tumbes, Peru

It was 8am...bright and early, and we arrive to the training center. My eyes are barely opening, and news that will change my life and world as I know it is about to be thrown at me. It's hard to be excited at that hour, especially being up already for a couple hours doing the Peruvian morning routine...which is 1) wake up at 6am, 2) figure out a way to look presentable even though I'm tired as hell, greet my host family, 3) stuff my face with whatever's at the table, 4) take swigs of coffee as if the productivity of my day depended on it, and 5) meet up with the other volunteers in Yanacoto and rush downhill awkwardly to catch the combi. We ride the combi and if we survive, we should make it to the training center by 8am.

The brown, heavy, ancient door to the training center opens and we crouch to walk in. The training center was hustling and bustling as always - just like a high school, people at their lockers before school starts, and our APCD's (Associate Peace Corps Director) were there too, which means it's a big day. The health program all settled into their seats and the health APCD's, Emelia and Alonso, walk in. We sing happy birthday to one of the volunteers and then, just like that, the folder with our site assignment starts getting handed out and the room's energy spirals out of control with laughter, clapping and anxiety all at the same time.

I think God has placed me perfectly. My family in Tumbes has three kids - a baby, Jeremy, that's "5 days old", Andy, 7 years old and Ericson, 10 years old. My host mom is 29 years old and my host dad is 33 years old. I like that my parents are young, although the dynamic may be different than the one I have now with a 50-55 year old mom and dad. I also have such a soft spot for kids and I know they'll get me out my room to experience everything Peruvian in my community! I can see us having the best time together. :-)

I'm living 15 minutes from another volunteer, Steven, who is like a brother to me already. He's across the river. I'm about an hour from Jill, a girl who I feel I can learn a lot from. She's lived in Mali for the Peace Corps but had to evacuate the country, so she's been through this process before. All three of us are very similar in our go-with-the-flow dispositions and I think this will make all the difference.

It's weird, and this is so type-B of me, but I am calm about everything. I am open arms to it all. I think everything will work out and I have no worries about the future. I'm really not afraid of figuring it out as I go. I've been waiting for a moment of extreme fear, or a freak-out-of-a-lifetime, ya know? Because we're going through a lot every single day, but I don't think I'm going to have one of those. This could be naive but I know myself and I never freak out big time in new places. Whenever I've been lost literally and figuratively-speaking, I always have a way of figuring things out. There is a very specific reason why God put me in Oidor and I can't wait to find out! We'll just have to wait and see!

Here goes nothin'!