A Little Advice for Future PCVs

This is a little advice for future generations of PCVs in order to avoid screwing over the people who will either be working after you or with your counterparts:

1. Don't sleep with a work-partner/counterpart
2. Don't party with a work-partner/counterpart 
3. Don't take your job lightly
4. Do your FUCKING job

Now these four suggestions come after a pretty horrific work meeting Abra and I had a few days ago with a few gentlemen who will remain nameless.

From the first minute we were in the room with Señor Big Creeper and Licenciado Bad Mouth (Clue: These are made up names) there was enough sexual harassment going on that a boss in the U.S. would immediately file a harassment suit for us. And before anyone starts blaming, I was still depressed over my dog (heck, my eyes were still red) and Abra was still being supportive... so there is no possible way to be sending mixed signals to these men who we would have to work with over the next two years.

After more body-on-body-touching attempts and a slew of weird sexual compliments, then came the comparisons:

"Pcv Hoo-Hah was really nice and went out on a date with us (there was even a few mentions of PCV Hoo-Hahs chest in this conversation)"

" Pcv Boing-Boing takes longer in the schools and accepts everything we give, even alcohol"

Etcetera... 

I completely understand if you just want to be seen as one of them, want to build rapport in an easy manner, want some local booty or even want to accept free things, but honestly, you are screwing it up for the rest of us who are truly here to do a job. We are professionals and want to be treated as such-- not like women who drop their panties for a shot of tequila. No I don't want to drink at 7 am and no I don't want to sleep with you because you would be something I would want to experience.

And for the record, I can understand spanish and did understand your backhanded comments when we refused you... along with those lewd comments you shot at us from the front seat of the car. And we still don't want to sleep with you. But see you in a month for the next workshop, okay! Oh and please remember to keep your penis in your pants, kthnxbye!

The Four Hour Passport Crusade & The 'Goodbye' Tour Begins

Another item is marked off of my pre-departure to-do list: the no-fee passport.

Rather than the breeze I thought it was going to be though, I spent a little over four hours in a line or rejoining the same line after the person at the window decided I needed more: maybe extra forms of identification and then possibly two copies of each. The kicker though is that she would reveal these new 'necessary steps' slowly and shortly after the new wait in line.

So for all of you who are still waiting to hit this step in your 'invite packet' here are three easy tips I wish I would have known:

• Bring as many forms as identification as you have (it doesn't matter if your birth certificate proves you are U.S. citizen and if your CA driver's license shows you are the same person but with the addition of red highlights).
• Make multiple copies of everything (especially your forms of I.D.)
• Be prepared to explain why you get to keep your passport forms and why it is called a 'no fee passport'.

It really sounds worse that it really was. I was able to people watch (one of my all time favorite hobbies) and teach some USPS folks about the whole Peace Corps passport process.

After this mini saga, I begin my tiny little 'Goodbye Tour 2009' where I head back up to my undergrad alma mater and say goodbye to my good friends who are still around the area. Since I will be traveling outside of the United States before my staging date, I want to get together with all my lovelies who I won't see for two years. A bitter-sweet touch to the beginning of my adventures in Guatemala!

A Bundle of Joy or Just a TON of Paperwork?

The illustrious invite packet is now sprawled across the table in my living room as I attempt to finish every piece of paperwork as fast as I can.

Here's my to-do list so far:
-Update Resume
-Aspiration Statement
-No-Fee Passport Signed & Mailed Off

The last item left will be completed today (or at least I'm hoping to do so).

Apart from this, the next step would be to tackle that ridiculous packing list. As a person who carries a backpack with two shirts and a pair of jeans on what friends consider 'long trips', this will be difficult. I can just see myself asking, Do I really need this?
Oh boy.

It's Official, I'm Off

Well first off, hello to the inter-web. I'm Linda! I'm from a tiny city called Los Angeles and an 09' grad from the University of the Pacific (Go Tigers).

It looks like after 6 months of arduous waiting, I am heading to Guatemala in early January! Woot woot! I received my invitation two days ago and confirmed early this morning.

Though the details are a bit fuzzy as far as where exactly I will be going--I do know that I will be living in a rural area of Guatemala with limited phone/internet/mail access. My official title is Municipal School Health Facilitator so I will be working with up to thirty schools in a program called Healthy Schools!

As you can probably tell, I'm excited beyond belief and cannot wait to jump and in begin helping out!