A New Beginning

Hola a Todos!

It has been a long time since I have posted a blog, but so much has happened that I haven't had much time. Things are still very rushed, so I am not able to write much now, but I just wanted to check in and give a quick update!

Early this week, Peace Corps decided that I was to leave my community and begin working in another community in Ecuador. Everything happened very quickly, so I had less than 24 hours to pack up all of my things in Zhoray, say a few quick goodbyes, and get on the road to Riobamba. There was a big rush because a march/protest began in Ecuador on Thursday, so beginning Wednesday we have been in standfast mode, which means no volunteer is allowed to leave their site. In my case, it meant that I had to get to Riobamba by Tuesday night to "standfast" here.

I made it into Riobamba late Tuesday and have been staying with a Peace Corps friend, relaxing, talking with people at home and with my bosses in Peace Corps, and just taking a little break. I was lucky that my Program Manager happened to be in Riobamba at the time, so I was able to have lunch with her on Wednesday and figure things out in person. She presented me my new site information, but was not able to give me any details about when I would be moving because of the standfast.

Everything has gone smoothly with the protests so far, and there have not been any violent clashes as Peace Corps feared. Since things have gone well, I got a call today saying that I would be going to collect my things tomorrow from Brittney's house and leaving on Sunday for my new site. A Peace Corps car will come get me in the morning, bring me to Azogues to pick up my things, and bring up to Ambato on Sunday.

I got a call today from my new counterpart who is very, very excited to meet me on Sunday and bring me from Ambato to my new site, which I have heard is about 45 minutes outside of Ambato. Ambato is the 4th largest city in the country, so I will be near a big city. It is also close to Riobamba and close to a lot of Peace Corps volunteers! There are a lot of projects already started and waiting for me in the new town, so I'm excited to get there and get working.

I have been told a little about the new site. It sounds like it is even higher and colder - somewhere between 9,000-12,500 feet at any given point. It is a small, Indigenous community of about 2,500 and I will be working primarily with a foundation that does after school programs for the kids. I will be working a lot on hygiene and nutrition charlas, sex ed programs in the high school, nutrition and gardens with the mothers, and recycling crafts with the "green brigades" and little kids who are in recycling teams :). It will be a challenge to start again, but I'm looking forward to all the potential work and what sounds to be an incredible community.

That's all for now - I'm still exhausted and overwhelmed with all that's happening, so I'm just taking it day by day. I will try to write again in about a week to let you know how everything is going in the new site :)

Happy Spring Break to all the girls at CC, and I hope everyone is doing well in the States. I miss you all, but am excited to continue sharing my adventures here!

All my love,

Kerry