A Donkey Ate My Homework!

I am now at CBT(Community Based Training) in a VERY small town in the middle of the mountains called Los Claveles. I am now officially in the campo (country) and suprisingly it is a breath of fresh air. Still often without electricity, no phone service, no internet, bucket showers....but it is somehow so much better than living in the capital.

There is less trash, the people are all very nice, and I live on a mountain with an amazing view. I don´t think it really hit me as to how much I´m in the country until a donkey ate my homework. I had to do a mini community diagnostic with a group of two other volunteers. It was a LOT of work, and in the end I was really proud of our results. We had to use old fashion posterboard paper and markers to do the presentation. So picture this...us on the floor surrounded with markers and paper, a very strong wind blowng everything away and us constantly trying to catch the pieces of paper, a group of about 15 kids from the town hovering over us, talking about us, and ¨helping¨ us. It was at times well, frustrating. So after I finished one of my presentations I put it off to the side, and while I was starting the next one the wind blew it away without me noticing. By the time I did notice, the donkey had already devoured half of it.

That was when it hit me......I am in the country, and that was freaking hilarious.

Other country oddities... the chickens and turkeys run in and out of the house, we are the most talked about thing in the whole area, we have our own fan club of young boys who follow us around and try to confess their love for us, and gossip spreads fast.

I have 4 more weeks here so my internet usage will be very limited and my phone signal is non existant, but I miss you all and I am having a great time!