Ecuador staging and day 1 of training

Just a couple days have passed and I have so much to write about!

On Wednesday, staging day, I slept in to the glorious hour of 9:30 a.m. in a heavenly, cozy hotel bed. Got one final meal of avocado/carrot/cucumber sushi for breakfast from the Whole Foods right down the way. Registration started at 12 and then, with the turning in of a pile of paperwork, we became official Peace Corps trainees.

Staging lasted from 1 to 7 and started off with one of those icebreakers where you have a list of skills, experiences, random facts, and you have to find someone in the room to match one. I may have scoffed a little at it, but I'll admit - it helped me learn names. Most of the day was spent discussing commitment (Are we really ready for this?), a broad safety overview, a reminder of Peace Corps' Core Expectations, all reinforced by small group skits and by drawing pictoral interpretations of our anxieties and aspirations.

Almost all 42 of us made it. Well... it seemed like a lot of us were there. Maybe in the 30s? Our last meal was waaaaay way far from the hotel at J Paul's where I had a pretty miserable veggie burger. I'll try and forget it and just remember the fries and salad for my last American meal.

I didn't bother going to sleep. I got some more Denali work done (submitting a pile of brand-new EarthCaches tonight!!), got the video above finished, got re-packed to see if I could get things a little more organized for arrival, and tried so hard to catch one final episode of It's Always Sunny. I don't even like TV, but I do enjoy seeing that once a week. But I totally ran out of time. Suddenly it was 3 a.m., and time to congregate downstairs in the hotel lobby.

And then sleepiness REALLY hit me. I was zombified. We piled into a coach bus to head for the airport and I don't even really remember the ride. Our mass of PC people and luggage blocked the entrance and caused some kind of security problem, so we continued on to checking and inudated them. But luckily our flight was hours away...

Yet the weather continued to plague us. Apparently the turbulence was so bad on the same earlier flight to Miami that a couple flight attendants were injured enough to be hospitalized - so instead of flying over the ocean, our flight went overland. Fun!

In the Miami airport, we all sought out our very last meal in the United States but it seemed a lot of us were disappointed. After walking for ages with Lindsay, another trainee, we gave up finding food and returned near our gate for a cheese pizza from Pizza Hut. Got my very last soy latte, and I'm happy to say it was pretty good!

On the flight to Quito, I came in and out of drowsy conciousness. I tried reviewing some Spanish but I literally couldn't focus my eyes. Those 3 hours and something minutes seemed like days. And then came our descent! Our very rapid descent. The very first thing I spotted was Guagua Pichincha, an active volcano located right on the edge of Quito. And the airport is right next to it.

Entering the country was a piece of cake and a lot faster than other entries I've had. There was no whooping or cheering when we arrived like I've seen in some other PC videos, but a group of support staff was there to help us check in and gather back our Peace Corps passports. Pink ribbon tied to all our bags to help us grab each others' luggage (a Peace Corps tradition, I guess). And onto a coach bus for a long ride through the city to our temporary home at San Patricio.

I didn't feel shock being here. The streets look familiar, the language barrier doesn't put me off because it's not that huge for me. I have this huge sense of familiarity already, and I feel like this is right, like being here is what I was supposed to do and it just took so long to do it.

San Patricio is a spacious building like a community center where our two-bed and one bath dorms are located upstairs. Up many flights of stairs. We remembered our altitude (like 9000 feet I guess?) immediately climbing them for the first time. I now have to throw toliet paper in the garbage instead of flushing it because of the plumbing and treatment system, and when I turned the shower on, a great fountain of water gushed from the top of the head and showered the entire bathroom.

During dinner, a lot of the Ecuadorean staff stopped by to introduce themselves. We ate a tomato soup, popcorn (apparently quite popular?) and rice (there was meat and veggies too but I skipped this). One massive game of bananagrams followed, probably 14 or more people joined in. At least three of us brought a set.

The NEXT day, today, we had a breakfast of rolls, eggs (I passed), and Nescafe (Firefly Cafe, if you're reading this, please rescue me after I graduate from training!!!). We loaded up the same coach bus and headed our bumpy way to Peace Corps' new training center in Tumbaco. It's a really nice property with an open area in the center and bunches of classrooms inside. We had a seminar on safety and met the Country Director. It was a day filled with paperwork - they set us free to complete six tasks.

1. Forms! A form to tell them our host family preferences (please be receptive to me being a vegetarian, please!), a skills inventory to see if we have any other skills not in our application, a short bio with yet another aspiration statement (I think it's my third and each time it's getting more and more robotic), a form for personal data, and the third time I saw the authorization of use of material (our bios and photos can be released to anyone).

2. Allowances! An envelope of cash to pay our host families for the first two weeks to reimburse them for lodging and food.

3. Photos! I didn't know about this and I definitely don't want to see my photo.

4. Immunizations! I'm almost getting used to being poked by needles. I got a typhoid, yellow fever, and heptatits A shot in two arms. Ouch. The typhoid began to ache in a lot of our right arms.

5. Language Test! An 80+ question Spanish exam to gauge our abilities. I think I did decently well on it. The oral exam is on Tuesday...

6. Open a bank account! I had to sign five times for my bank account. They had to be totally identical to my passport signature.

A federal officer from the U.S. Embassy came by to give us a presentation on safety. While it was helpful, he had a lot of stories about crimes committed in Ecuador (not necessarily against PCVs though). It's not meant for us to be paranoid, but just totally aware of what's going on and to avoid putting ourselves in the same position as those victims.

We had these amazing humitas for an after-lunch snack. They're basically sweet cornbread baked in banana leaves with a few giant raisins inside. I'm looking forward to more of those!!

For our last activity, we split into our two program groups - Natural Resource Conservation and Agriculture. I'm in NRC doing Environmental Education. We introduced each other, and I'm happy to say I took a small leap and did mine in Spanish. The worst part of the day: when the program leader said we're not allowed to go to Banos, which is the major town at the base of Tungurahua volcano that is currently erupting. Because I'm in communication with the Geophysical Institute and it would be with them that I go anywhere near the location, and I have experience around erupting volcanoes, I'm hoping to work out a dialogue between the two organizations. It would be a huge shame to not be able to volunteer my free time at the observatory.

Anyway, tomorrow at 11 a.m. we leave with our host families. I'm nervous! Excited, but so nervous. I hope they like me...

Surprise flight out of Chicago

You've probably heard of that massive snowstorm stretching across the U.S. Chances are, if you're in the U.S., you're in it. Chicago was supposed to be one of the hardest places hit, and so it was no surprise when airlines began preemptively canceling their flights for Wednesday. Naturally my flight was canceled Monday night. I didn't worry about it. I really assumed I'd be flying out Thursday now instead of Wednesday, so I went to bed happy and content and woke up at the beautiful hour of 10 a.m.

I called SATO travel.

They only gave me the choice of hopping on a 4:05 p.m. plane THAT DAY. And there I was, sitting in my PJs, unshowered, ready to throw in a pile of laundry and get my packing done at the pace and time I wanted. I called the staging coordinator who said it was ok if I missed that flight, but I had to book another out. I called SATO back. Again, they didn't give me the option of leaving after the storm was over. "Oh, and the 4:05 p.m. just canceled so now you're on the 3:05 p.m."

I'll admit it, I began getting teary-eyed wondering how the hell I could do it all. I thought of those few hours at home with my family that would be taken from me. We're not the kind of family that draws out goodbyes, so the last few hours are usually crucial for us to bond. And we didn't get that. It was me running around the house trying to gather things, shouting out for help from my dad and Laurie (who were champs, thank you).

I mostly finished just in time at 12:30 p.m., just and hour and a half after my flight was rescheduled. The snow began flying.

The airport was eerily quiet. While we waited in line, we heard over and over again that United flights were canceled... but mine was miraculously still going to make it. I practically walked right through security, and laughed when I saw only about 15 people waiting at our gate. Shortly after, the snow really began flying and the wind picked up. No plane yet, and we were supposed to be boarding. And then there it was. With each step of the way, though, I was denying it would actually happen. I WANTED to stay. I wanted to be stuck in a blizzard... it's historical. I thought it would be fun spending an extra day at home on the couch while the snow piled on and on Even when we began boarding I had my doubts, until they sprayed the plane with green defrosting goo.


Despite insane winds, the takeoff was beautiful. So here we are in D.C., perhaps four or more of us early birds. Nothing exciting weather-wise is happening here - it tried to rain, but failed at that too. But staging registration begins at 12 noon tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to resting in the morning and getting more last minute work done.

Finally, a blizzard!

...right on time for Ecuador staging.

I love snow but the predictions are ridiculous. I've heard people say it'll be anywhere between 8 and 26 inches, and it sounds like most reports are leaning towards the high end. There's always the chance it won't be as bad as the news says, but if it's anything close, our flights out of Chicago are going to be canceled. We got an email from our staging coordinator assuring us that even though we might miss all or part of staging, we'll get to Ecuador eventually. I'm just sad I might miss part of the 'Peace Corps experience' - what staging is really like.

Plows began salting the roads before the snow even started falling about two hours ago. The roads just started getting pretty slippery right when I got home from what was probably my last ride in my Jeep for another couple years.

Well... going to try to enjoy this!

EDIT: United 600 is canceled. Calling SATO travel first thing in the morning!

Staging Invite! and interviewed by the local paper

Staging invitation

Yesterday, the members of Omnibus 105 (the 105th group to Ecuador) were inundated with emails from Peace Corps about staging information. Just when you think Restless Applicant Syndrome is over, you're still checking your email first thing in the morning to see if Peace Corps emailed you about staging.

The first email was the staging invite that had attachments about baggage limits (initially 80 pounds total for warm weather), registration, reporting instructions, and safety and security. I called right away to arrange travel to Washington D.C., our staging city (the same day, Paraguay invitees go to Miami). Registration is at noon on 2 February, so the agent wanted to get me there as early as possible. He somehow talked me into a 6:05 a.m. flight out of O'Hare. That means I need to leave my home at about 3:30 a.m. - guess I won't be sleeping that night! I arrive at 8:44 a.m. and plan on staying in the airport to meet the rest of known trainees.

The third email was a list of things to do with attachments about the program in Ecuador, which included a better description of how training will go. We'll be training in Tumbaco, a town about an hour's ride east of Quito. Granted all goes well, we'll be sworn in as official volunteers on 20 April 2011 at the Ambassador's Residence and also celebrate the 50th year of Peace Corps!

Finally, the fourth email (see, rapid fire!) corrected the baggage limitations. Instead of the warm weather restriction of 80 pounds max, they erred on the side of caution by upping the weight limit to the cold weather restriction of 100 pounds because some volunteers work in the sierras (and Tumbaco is a valley in the mountains).

So I'm still swamping through all this information. I didn't even realize our group number was Omnibus 105 until my fellow trainees began posting that in our Facebook group.


Interviewed by the Northwest Herald!

I offered the Northwest Herald (also here at the Cary Blog) a story on my Peace Corps experience and was almost immediately contacted by a reporter. My main motivation with this was to 1) fulfill the third mission of the Peace Corps, which is "To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of all Americans,' and 2) to gain local followers who might be interested in donating to any of my projects in the future that I may help develop. Even though the Peace Corps pays for a lot, they can't cover supply costs and other expenses that might come up . This is certainly down the road, but I think it's good to look ahead. All donations will be handled through Peace Corps when/if that time comes, so I can't accept anything.

So this morning, I began cleaning practically the second I woke up. I spent most of the morning in my pajamas, doing a massive load of dishes by hand, sweeping and hand-mopping floors, vacuuming, dusting, EVERYTHING. And even though it was a ton of work to do by myself, it feels so great sitting here in a clean living room with no clutter, anywhere. I finished just in time to whip a pan of chana masala to feed LJ, mom, and myself.

The reporter, Katie, arrived right on time and we jumped right into the story. I really enjoyed talking with her and loved the questions she asked, so I'm looking forward to seeing the story! Hopefully I'll get some Northwest Chicago-area followers soon, so welcome to anyone checking my blog out.


I was lucky enough to snoop in on my parents' interview. I wasn't paying 100% attention, but did notice my dad was talking more to me than to the reporter. They said some pretty embarrassing things about when I was a kid, so maybe you'll all get lucky and read about that soon. Why, why must they show pictures of me? Why?


Boring stuff

I think I got my finances mostly straightened out. Who knew it would take so much effort to just up and leave your life in the United States? I talked with a financial officer to ask how I can use my future readjustment fund to make payments on my private student loan while I'm away. She told me to forward the information to her, but she said to use the generic Peace Corps email address. I was really reluctant, and would have rather sent her a direct email. I still haven't heard anything back. I want to go to staging and sign that 'no commitments' paper! I want to be sure this is totally taken care of. What a pain...

The second time I ever called 911

Hello from the hospital.

We keep saying this happens to pretty much every family.

Yesterday my mom and I went to my grandmother Nani's house to visit with her and her sister, but when we got there we found our aunt sitting in her car in the driveway. She explained Nani was busy or something and wouldn't let her in... it didn't make sense. We walked up to the door, mom dropped her bags and started trying to break down the door. Then I heard my Nani screaming inside - I heard "fell" from someone, and automatically called 911. Mom bounded around the house to the backdoor which was open, and made her way in with me on the phone dragging the neurotic dog. Just as I hung up with the dispatcher, I heard a fire truck siren around the corner. Nani and my aunt expressed doubts ("Who called the ambulance? ughh") and I wondered if this was overreaction... but after being an EMT an elderly person falling is enough to warrant medical attention.

They packaged her up and brought her to the hospital while we followed after a bit. Things were of course not so good in the hospital, and I'd never seen my grandmother so torn up. Never saw her cry until now. I held her hand and felt terrible. Really, what's going to happen? After xrays the orthopedist came in to announce she broke her hip and needed surgery the next day. It was an incredible feeling I can't even recall right now, but it was essentially equal to 'doom.'

Moved upstairs, doped up, and stayed until 8. She was probably going into surgery at the end of the day as an 'add on' patient.

This morning, we got a text from my uncle that was was going into surgery at 11. No way we could make it in time, so mom and I made our way to the hospital leisurely. Nani was just released from post op when we arrived, and was shaking in a cocoon of blankets. Things went just fine!

She's lucid now talking about her favorite movies. Feeling some pain around her hip. Looking much better though and beating up herself less for her fall. Here's hoping for a fine recovery. My grandmother's so brave.

SO for Peace Corps news...

I still haven't found anyone going to Ecuador. Where are you all? It wasn't a fluke being invited there, right? PC didn't mean Paraguay?

Two days after I got my invite kit, I sent in my personal passport, "official" passport application, and a couple passport photos. And after investigating more, it seems like Peace Corps will reimburse me for the cost of those photos. I wasn't really happy about giving up my personal passport, but then I also read PC will return that during staging.

And I put off one of the more difficult challenges - my aspiration statement. I browsed a bunch of statements online for inspiration and, just on the last requested day to have it done, I wrote it up and sent it in. I don't know why it was so hard... it was hard to be confident and vague at the same time, I guess, but it's possible.

So next step is sending in the media paperwork and waiting for updates on staging.