Since I last posted, I spent my last week with my host family. I was there from June 29 until July 6. I have to admit that I did not want to go back to homestay after having visited my future site. My site is very different than my homestay, and after visiting and discovering what Malobi was all about, I really could not get excited to go back to being on someone else's schedule. I am extremely grateful for all that I learned in my first week at homestay, but I just really could not get excited to go back. The week was not so bad, and I made it through and left my host family with hugs, an ornament of the state of Mississippi, and the promise that I would come visit them again in the next two years.
July 1 is Keti Koti, Emancipation Day for the Maroon communities, and because the kids are out of school that day, they celebrated on June 30. Jonathan and I walked to a neighboring town behind a group of kids in traditional dress, singing songs, and beating drums. It made me smile. It was such a neat site.
I got really sick the last few days at homestay. I had awful aches, a fever, and really upsetting stomach issues. I had to use the latrine that I avoided my first week at homestay. I had tears in my eyes as I walked to utilize it the first time. I did not take a picture of the inside of it because I know if folks saw it they may not believe that I actually used it. It was unpleasant at the very least. I have never been sick to that point and not had my Momma to take care of me. There was one night that I wanted to call her, but I knew if I did I would have lost it and probably cried myself to sleep. It was not an easy week. Nevertheless, I overcame illness and a really disgusting latrine.
The week was not all bad. A little girl that was terrified of me when she first saw me, let me hold her. She even smiled at me once. Jonathan and I cooked for our host families on our last day in town. We finished cooking and turned around to almost every kid in the village holding a plate in the air for us to fill. They really seemed to love it and appreciate our efforts. That felt good.
As always I caught myself wishing my family and friends could see me in situations here. I wish they were here to see me hold babies and cook for the village. I wish they were with me when a kid asks me to come look at something in their house, and then they proceed to leave me standing in said Saramaccan house in the middle of Suriname all alone. I wish they were with me as a brushed my teeth staring off into the jungle.
I left homestay and moved to the capital, Paramaribo, on July 6. I was so excited to see the rest of my group and hear about their weeks. July 7 we had Representational Day at the Ambassador to Suriname's house. It was a pretty swanky affair for Peace Corps folks in Suriname. We got dressed up and stood on stage to be recognized by the Ambassador and the President of Suriname. It was definitely one of those moments in which I am reminded that I am doing something pretty big. It was awesome to be recognized in that way.
We had another celebration at the Ambassador's house on July 10. We spent July 10 celebrating July 4. There were lots of military folks and their families there. There were real hamburgers and hotdogs and Doritos. There was a karaoke machine set up and we danced and ate the day away. There were red, white, and blue banners everywhere. It was like any Fourth of July cookout in America, but at the Ambassador to Suriname's house. The only thing that would have made it more American is if we had actually been in America. We all had a great time.
The rest of my week has consisted of eating fast food, meetings at the Peace Corps office, and getting to know a few more of the SUR 16s. A few of them showed us a couple of new places to eat and a karaoke bar. I am so glad my group has been able to get to know a few of them better.
Yesterday was one of the greatest, most wonderful days I have had in Suriname. It was also one of the most emotional. I woke up yesterday ready to take my oath and become a Peace Corps Volunteer. Our ceremony was on the balcony at the PC office. Three of my fellow trainees gave speeches in the three languages our group has been learning, and then our country director spoke before the Ambassador administered the oath. George, our country director, mentioned what a huge accomplishment it was that our group that started as 23 was swearing in as a group of 23. That has not happened in the history of PC Suriname. SUR 17 is fantastically fabulous and wonderful. George also wanted us to extend thanks and gratitude to our families and friends back home for the sacrifice they are making in not only allowing us to be here, but supporting our efforts and dreams. I was a little choked up. My family has been there to see every achievement in my life thus far, and not having them there yesterday to see me take my oath and become a Peace Corps Volunteer was hard.
Last night I went with a few of my now fellow volunteers to an Italian restaurant here in the city. It was delicious, and we spent lots of SRDs on a few courses of amazing food and a glass of wine. After dinner we went to a movie. Sitting in the theatre I forgot where I was. The beginning of the movie was a little overwhelming. I have been out of touch with main stream entertainment for a couple of months. It was strange. Tomorrow I will brave the theatre once more to see Harry Potter 7 Part 2. I cannot wait.
Today I spent the day shopping to furnish my new house in Malobi. The volunteer I am replacing left me a lot, but I still had to buy a lot. A long day and a couple thousand SRDs later, I am almost finished. I will buy food and leftover items tomorrow. I cannot wait to see my bed being transported on a dug out canoe for three hours up the Suriname river.
After dinner, before I hopped into the cab to head to the theatre, I talked to my momma. I cried and she cried. I have been pretty overwhelmed the past couple of days thinking about how my life is about to change. It changed when I came to Suriname, but that was just the beginning. I am so happy to be here and to have been given this opportunity. I have become really tough in the past couple of months, but I am in no way fearless. I am terrified to move to Malobi and be alone in my village. And not because Malobi is a scary place, it's wonderful and the people there were so welcoming to me and are excited that I am coming. I am just so overwhelmed at how drastically my life is about to change. I am fairly close to a couple of other volunteers, but the fact that my group is not going to see each other that often makes me really sad. I still think about my friends and family in the States and I miss them like crazy, but now I find myself feeling homesick for SUR 17. I am so grateful for a group that I love and will miss so much, but it will be hard to not see them.
For the past ten days I have been in a hostel with air conditioning and t.v. This has been the first time in two months I have had either of those luxuries. Saturday I will give up those again along with lots more modern comforts. I know the reasons why I came here and I know that I am going to gain so much in the next two years, but I cannot help the emotions I am feeling at this moment. I thought getting on that plane two months ago would be harder than it was, and I am blown away at how much Saturday is going to change my life. I have had tastes of the Saramaccan way of life, but Saturday it becomes my life. Saturday when I get off the boat in Malobi will be one of the most defining moments of my life. Ready or not I am moving to the jungle. Terrified or not, I am ready.
I will spend the first few months at my site learning the language better, accessing my village, and building trusting relationships with the people of Malobi. I have been told not to even think about project work within those first few months because I simply will not know enough about Malobi to help make anything sustainable. I am taking that advice to heart. I think I will have my hands full developing my language and carrying things on my head.
Keep Malobi and the people of the village in your thoughts and prayers as well. I feel like we are going to learn a lot from each other in the next couple of years, and I cannot wait to see the wonderful things that we accomplish together.
I will come back into the city in mid September. I will not have internet until then, but hopefully will have lots of stories to tell and pictures to show then. I am anxious to see what two months without internet will be like. I will continue to have moments of disbelief in where I am and what I am doing. I will also continue to thank everyone in my life for their continuous love, prayers, support, and encouragement. I received lots more letters this past week. I am giddy every single time I open one. I am also overwhelmed with the wonderful and outstanding folks in my life. Holy cow, I'm a lucky girl. Please keep the love coming. I promise to write you back eventually.
All the love I have from Suriname!
