All Volunteer Conference. What a trip.
All Volunteer Conferences (AVC) are no longer the norm amongst countries with Peace Corps programs. However, I find I agree with our country director's opening remarks – AVC in Costa Rica is an amazing opportunity to connect with other volunteers and know about their projects, expand our network of support and also make some new friends. Being in community is like playing Who Wants to be a Millionaire – I'm constantly in the hot seat, trying to answer questions and solve problems. AVC was like being given an unlimited number of phone-a-friend lifelines.
Even if I hadn't gotten a ton of technical information from the sessions, even if the administrative sessions hadn't been helpful...the social aspect was well worth it. Not just the de-stressing moments of hitting a bar with several people ''just like me'', but also hearing about their frustrations, successes and rashes (what a huge relief to find out I'm not alone in having a constant rash on my bottom) outside of the official schedule. The Crowne Plaza's lobby, Paseo Colón, Mac's Bar and the Steinvorth turned into alternative meetings of sorts. I mean, I guess it's like any sort of business conference or business trip – even outside of the meetings you're with a bunch of like minded people who are dealing with the same stuff and so naturally it's a good environment to talk about it, even after hours. Whatever, I just never realized how cathartic that could actually be.
Stories from AVC! This is where it gets interesting. Story the first: I had two girlfriends come visit my site before we went to AVC. This was AWESOME. I think it's so important to me that when I talk about my site there are people who can put what I'm saying into a certain context and that it be the right context. So that's two more people who can do that – and thanks for coming up to Guanacaste, muchachas! We went dancing in a neighboring town to the conjunto ''Son del Barrio''. This band plays merengue, salsa, bachata and cumbia, of course. They're a big deal in my region and the dance turned out to be crowded and a lot of fun.
Story the second: There was a talent show the second night of AVC. I had forgotten to bring my harmonica, but never fear...my harmonica accountability partner (we're supposed to make each other practice, but really we just justify each others' laziness every time we see each other) brought hers and let me borrow it for the show. So I signed up to play and about half an hour later was like, ''WHAT WAS I THINKING?!? TAKE IT BAAAAAAACK...'' But also, other volunteers had been asking me when I was going to do stand up. So I ended up introducing myself in a way that made people laugh and then played two songs on the harmonica. Jack of all trades, master of none, haha. I played Simple Gifts and then two verses of In the Curve. I was decent enough that I got picked as a finalist (I didn't know it was a contest until the end). All around a self-esteem boosting experience.
Story the third: The self-esteem deflating experience. The last night of AVC found all the volunteers at a bar that had been rented for our use (erm, actually...not sure it was rented, people kept saying that but there were also a looooot of Costa Ricans there, too so...anyway, it was the designated destination that night). There we were, having a good time and a lot of people in costume because it was a decade themed dance to celebrate Peace Corps' 50th birthday this year. It was getting late and I'd had a substantial amount to drink, though not enough to be messed up. People had been going up on the small stage to do Karaoke all night including such classics as Say It Ain't So and It's What I Got...songs that all the volunteers went crazy for at a decades dance. Woohoo the 1990s. But it was during the Twist and Shout that I got the most wild. And the Twist and Shout was my downfall that night. While twisting and shouting I turned towards a friend and smashed my head into the lip of his beer bottle. Pretty soon I was pushing my way through the crowd to the bathroom, holding onto my left eyebrow and bleeding quite freely. Volunteers and Ticos were very helpful in getting me ice from the bar and a bandaid.
'Tis but a flesh wound. But it'll scar. And in the meantime, I get a lot of looks from people in my community. Everyone wants to know what happened and there's no translation for, ''You should see the other guy.'' I tell the kids I fell and I tell the adults the truth. Hopefully starting tomorrow I'll stop putting the butterfly bandages on it and that'll take away a lot of the, ''Oh my God what happened?!''
No pictures, sorry! The only good thing to come of having my camera stolen – there are no pictures of me like this.
So now I'm back in site...I miss the novio because he started work in San José this past week. It's weird to be in my community without him here to talk to, but by the same token now I have a bunch of free time. On tap for this week is beginning to plan a community health and culture fair. Also, project design and management workshop for my development association and the sports committee. And now I'm beginning to wrap up my English class for adult beginners. Continuing to practice with the folkloric dance group. That'll keep me busy until vacation at the end of November. When I return, I want to enjoy the Christmas season throughout December. Then in January I want to start English with the kids in the school and that's probably when the health and culture fair will be.
Looking beyond January makes me kind of panicky, so I won't do it, haha.
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