Busy Again

June, what a month. I have really been through it all this month - from heart ache to stomach ache and back again. I feel like I have been through 6 months worth of emotions in the past 20 days. Time is funny like that, I guess. One emotion can stretch a minute out for an hour, and another can make an hour pass in a second. One of my most valued relationships in the States is undergoing a transformation now, and I am amazed at how easily life in the US affects me here; a single phone call from home and my life turns upside down. I spend a lot of time dwelling on the changes in my relationship, wrestling with my doubts, but I also have doubled my efforts at work. I am immersed in my job to distract myself from the problems in my emotional life (how American of me).

Even though it may be an escape, the work feels good. I have started new projects and feel optimistic about the next year. In addition to my English program with 1st to 6th grade, I began working with the High School students once a week. I started the second class in my community English series. I am finally having those important conversations with my informal youth group, discussing relationships and drug and alcohol abuse. I have the school principal's permission to start a mural on the school wall. I also want to help the cultural center create a tech classroom to help teach youth computation skills. Beyond my community, I am excited to work on the Peace Corps gender committee, GAD. I was recently elected to serve as President of the group and I look forward to a year of strengthening Peace Corps volunteer's awareness of gender issues in El Salvador.

Although June has brought me a lot of pain, it also brings a lot of opportunities. I finally feel like I can see a place for myself in this community. I see the work I can do, and I look forward to the challenges it will pose. I am almost one year into my service and I finally have an idea of what I can offer to my community.