Posts
Once again, a lot of time has passed between blog posts, an indication I’ve found the rhythm in my life here in Mexico. I’m amazed I have
only eight months of service left. At one point I considered extending to
complete some of the work I started, but I really, really want to be home with
my family and resume a normal life, whatever shape that might take. I do know
I want to continue to teach English as a second language when I return to
the U.S.
My counterpart has asked for another volunteer to replace me,
hopefully before I leave. The center director has approved more of our
recommendations and there is much to
do. Mexican colleagues are enthusiastic about the opportunities in front
of them, and I am giving them some project management skills to help them carry out the recommendations.
I am halfway through the poster project for the botanical
garden and expect to finish by the end of the year. I am also starting to create a series of
business skill seminars with another volunteer, which will consume much of our time
for the next few months. The Peace Corps Mexico office has approved a $5,000 grant
proposal and we are finalizing the paperwork. I’m working with another
volunteer on a fundraiser for a girls’ camp she’s coordinating and am recruiting
artists and crew to create hand-painted furniture for a silent auction.
I learned how to make one of Puebla’s most loved dishes at my
counterpart’s home this weekend. Cliles en Nogada is available in restaurants
from July to October. It was invented at a convent in Puebla in the early 1800s to honor the Mexican Emperor Agustín de Iturbide and is red, white and green to
resemble the Mexican flag. In a
nutshell (or more accurately, in a
chile), it is a large, deep-fried poblana pepper stuffed with a meat/fruit/nut
mixture and covered with a white walnut sauce, pomegranate seeds and parsley. It involves 20+ ingredients and takes some
effort but is a nice combination of flavors, textures and
colors.
The country has elected a new president, Enrique Peña
Nieto, who takes office in January. He’s the charismatic one who is married to
a soap opera star. There were many claims of corruption during the election
but everyone now seems resigned to the next six years under a different leadership,
and the country is hopeful the drug-related violence will end. Meanwhile, I’m excited about the upcoming presidential election in the
U.S. and received my absentee ballot by email. The volunteers at my center no
longer discuss politics. Our two-party system is alive and well in the Peace Corps.
In reflecting on the successes I
have had so far, if I were to end my Peace Corps service today I would know my
efforts were worthwhile and I made a difference. My greatest satisfaction has come from the little things -- editing a paper in English for a
student, then having it accepted by a scholarly journal; helping a student
study for the English proficiency exam and pass with flying colors; having a man admit he was surprised to learn Americans are also close to their children; and hearing more than one person say we have given them a new
appreciation for Americans and have helped them see the world differently. The Peace Corps is making a difference and I'm glad I'm part of it.
