Trying to get things rolling a little

August and September 2011

A PCV’s job for the first three months is to get to know the community they are in, share time (compartir) with the members of their community, and identify possible projects by conducting a series of interviews to identify community needs and resources. This process is called the Community Diagnostic. Afterwards, we prepare a 20-minute presentation to be presented in Spanish with our project partner in front of our group of environmental sector volunteers. We receive feedback from our peers and supervisor, conduct a work-plan for the entire year with our project partners, and return to our sites armed with the tools needed to get to work. Some volunteer’s sites are ready and rearing to go. They jump on their projects immediately as their communities are organized, a project is already set up, a project partner is eager to collaborate. They will be “star volunteers”, not necessarily because they’re hardworking and bright individuals (although the majority of us are), but because their community took action. For others, they will try their best to stay afloat, to motivate, and haul dead weight. A community makes or breaks a volunteer’s service. We all have the potential to be “star volunteers.” Our communities decide whether we will emerge to be one or not. For me, I did my Community Diagnostic 115% because I needed to get to know my community and start enseñar-ing (teaching) them how Peace Corps works. They have a volunteer, but they just don’t know what having a volunteer means.

Repeat:

Each project is a project of the community.

Repeat, repeat:

I am only one person. I am here to support the community, but the work is going to be done by the community.

Repeat, repeat, repeat:

I am not here to bring things. Success requires the community working together. Success requires the community working together with their volunteer. We can achieve anything, together.

Repeat, repeat, repeat, REPEAT!

REMEMBER? (to be decided)

I now know the people like me. They have become friendlier. They like having a volunteer. My great fear is their possible reason why they like having a volunteer. Having a volunteer (in their minds) is like having a personal Santa Clause. A person that hands out “stuff.” My community likes “stuff” and they like it free. They want stoves and in their minds, that puts me like the Sears Delivery person: “I want my stove. Put it here.” In realidad, I am the organizer, initiator, motivator. . .and they are the people that are going to discover their abilities to work together and get things done. I don’t know if that’s what they thought they were going to get when they signed up for a volunteer, but that’s what they’re getting. Sorpresa, sorpresa. Surprise, surprise.

I’ve had a haunch of the existence of this perspective for some time. Meeting by meeting, activity by activity, they community is proving this true. The community is disappointing me. . .but that doesn’t mean that we won’t be successful.

It will be a “lucha,” a battle upon many battles, a constant exertion of effort upon exertion of effort, leaving a volunteer “mas flaca” (more skinny), battle worn, and somewhat spirit-beaten. There are volunteers that can benefit from a given lucha, but honestly, quite honestly (and life, you listen to me now), I’m a bit tired of luchando all of the time. But hey, life’s a lucha, right?. . .more so for some than for others. I’ll keep on fighting till I see that there’s no reason to fight anymore.

But, on to brighter things. . .momentarily.

I moved out of my host family’s house and into (and I am not bragging) probably one of the cutest campo houses a pobre Peace Corps volunteer could hope for. It is true what they say- life does get better when you move out. My moments of sanctuary have been dramatically increased. No longer do I need to seek the 30 minutes before going to bed to hide out in my hot cement ceiling bedroom. I have my house- an entire house with a covered patio. I can move from room to room, play music out loud, spread out, cook what I want, read when I want, walk around naked if I want. . .I can be American, I can be myself, I can be not Dominican for as long as I practically want. There are bolt-locks on my four doors and three windows and I can at any moment lock the Dominican world out.

The colmado’s music, however, knows no boundaries. They’re like you’re corner bodega equipped with all basic necessities including beer, dominoes, and music blaring. Music turns off when your brain tunes out during its transition into deep sleep. When you wake up, sure enough the music is there again like a moment never passed without it.

That said, I don’t have the chance to lock the Dominican world out for that much or for that often. Nor would I want to. I’m here to do a job. I’m here to help a community become cohesive, proactive, and participative with these projects that they sepuestamente (supposedly) wanted. I want them and the projects to be successful. I want them to realize that they will never need a Peace Corps volunteer again, that they can do it themselves. But I suppose above all, the most basic requirement of the community is to PARTICIPATE. I want them to participate. And if they do that, I will feel supported.

All a volunteer wants is to feel somewhat supported. C’mon community mio, give me your support! Your apoyo!

Meanwhile, I am trying to get things rolling. How does a rock get to moving? Well, you got to shake things up. . .start an earthquake, make a tree fall, knock things out of line, and get that rock rolling fast, shedding it’s moss that it has grown over time. My first few projects involve improved cook stoves, worm composting, and Brigada Verde (an environmental club for the youth). I’m trying to get these things started. There’s a reason we’re here for 2 years. You might spend your first year trying to get things started. Things in the Dominican Republic don’t move very fast. What can stop a rock from rolling here, you may ask? A little sprinkling of rain. Or maybe even just the threat of rain.

I’ve been taking note of the few incidences of beauty and enjoyment here. Life is beautiful, but at times it is hard to see. Every evening presents itself a beautiful sunset. The mountains in the distance are green and sleepy. They are nestled contently in their location in the world never knowing hardship. People smile even if life is hard. I like to see smiles. "Palos" in the distance, "Palos" up close- the root of human existence comes out in the local drum and chanting performance. I feel the roots in the "Palos" here. All harsh and shallow exteriors of Dominican existence melt away. The "Palo" reaches back to the roots they refuse to acknowledge. Animals are everywhere. Farm animals are funny. I like seeing them daily. Evening rains allow one to cool down and spend time with friends and family, or by yourself if you need it. Rains are refreshing. Pues, there’s more. . .but for now, this is the beauty that I see.

Momentarily, it is raining.

Things may have seemed rough. Things may still be rough. But because the going gets tough, it doesn’t mean you need to get going (and pardon me for the lack of originality here). That’s what you need to understand friend. Things might not feel right (nor seem right either) but they will be right in the end. That’s when you trust your gut and you trust what life is trying to show you. Neither are going to lead you to a place you’re not supposed to be. I am here. . .and when I am not supposed to be here, I will be elsewhere.

I send my love- to all places where my friends and family reside.