Yesterday was our first full day of training and I must say that I fully enjoyed it. By the end of the day I was pretty tired, but the actual training was very interactive and interesting. We learned about the core vs technical competencies, the five components of training, and the best part was the overview of the schedule for the next three months. It still blows my mind to compare this experience to abroad and think that my entire time in Thailand or India was only about 4 months. That is basically how long the training period is for PC. Study abroad shaped my life in just a few months. I am excited to see what kind of impact the PC will have!
Yesterday we were asked about our motivations for committing to the Peace Corps and how we will persevere when times get tough. It’s funny how hard it is to pinpoint my motivation for joining the PC. I honestly don’t think there is one simple answer to that. It truly feels like my whole life has been gradually building up to it. Perhaps one of the guiding factors is my early exposure to community service. Even participating in 4-H and Girl Scouts gave me an appreciation for service learning. I also had the opportunity to travel at a young age (17) and I think I caught the infamous ‘travel bug’. Whatever the reason, I am so happy that my life story will include an adventure like the PC.
Today we are going to a coastal town for ‘culture day’. I am excited to have real local food and see the dancing and drum making demonstrations. Last night we had Chinese food for dinner because almost all the restaurants around the PC office and our hotel are Chinese! I can’t complain though because I LOVE Chinese food. It’s just not what you expect when you go to Belize. Tomorrow we will have some down time and I look forward to exploring Belmopan. There is a road that is a 2.5 mile loop that I can’t wait to run.
We also got cell phones yesterday. It cost US $190 for two cell phones, two SIM cards, and a bunch of minutes and texts. I learned that most people text in Belize because it is less expensive that calling. It is a little reassuring to have a cell phone before we go to our Community Based Training (CBT) site. All of the sites are fairly close to the PC office, but it is nice to know they can contact us easily anytime on our cell in case anything happens. I also like to be able to call Danny if we ever get separated.
Alright, I’m going to read now. I’m reading the White Man’s Burden-Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good. So far, the book is excellent. I got it from the PC library. They have a whole lending library of books that other Peace Corps Volunteers have left over the years. Also, I accidently set me alarm an hour early and woke up at 5am instead of 6am. OOPS!
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