Luckily, the Doña is back in the house, but can’t do anything for herself and there is a constant stream of people here all day long. When I leave for the Centro de Salud in the morning, about 3 people are here. When I’m back in the afternoon around 4, that number triples, at least.
I’ve been in this country for about 4 months and I’m used to being stared at; however, what really hurts is that the people visiting aren’t just giving me curious looks, they’re giving me rude, mean glares like I did something wrong. All I do when I’m at the house is go to my room to workout, work and just be by myself and leave my room to make dinner or take a shower.
I’m only comfortable in my room, which to me, is depressing. Sure, I walk in the community and get to know different nooks, but I can only do that certain hours of the day. I don’t feel comfortable reading on the porch or in the living room because I know I’ll feel blame for something I didn’t do. So I end up in my room, reading or watching reruns of shows I have downloaded on my computer.
I offered to move out last week at the height of everything but the eldest grandson (15 years old) and the girl who acts like a “daughter/older sister” to the family both said that I’m fine and I shouldn’t have to worry about being a burden or in the way. What I didn’t mention to them is that the youngest grandson (5 years…woops, I mean 10 years old) is driving me up the wall. I love kids, don’t get me wrong, I have been a babysitter for years, but the thing is, I’m not here to be a babysitter. This kid is disrespectful, messy and loud. He prefers to yell across the house for something rather than walking 20 feet to ask in a normal voice…all hours of the night. The Doña is up all hours of the night, too, moaning, calling for people to help her, and unless I have my fan on to drown out the noise, I can't sleep...even with the fan on it's hard.
I’ve talked it over with my colega and she has noticed that I have been stressed and not myself. I’ve also talked to my APCD (my Peace Corps supervisor) and we’re fixing the situation ASAP. I told the Doña’s sister earlier this week that I am moving out and she says I don’t need to worry about being a problem. (A lesson that PCVs told me in training was, “When all else fails, blame the Peace Corps”) I told them that the PC wants me to live closer to the Centro de Salud because there have been reported acts of crime recently, and I’d be living with a respected high school/university professor and the director of MINSA (Ministry of Health).
When my APCD was here during her initial site visit, we checked out the house, but the professor was at the school teaching. From the outside she approves of everything, and I've seen the inside and reassured her that everything is safe and up to Peace Corps standards. However, it needs to get checked over by a PC official. So, today, a fellow Volunteer from a neighboring site, Dipilto, is coming to check it out and since he has to be here for a wedding this afternoon, it all worked out. After he checks the house and calls my APCD to say everything is a go, I'm out of this house and starting over in the new one.
The profe lives alone; her daughter attends university to become a Veterinarian in Estelí and comes home to visit on the weekend. Profe also has a puppy and a kitten and when my host family from Dolores gives me one of their German Shepherd puppies (by the end of the year, fingers crossed!) she’ll be totally ok with that.
I’ll also be sharing my side of the house (the profe has her side of the house and the other side is where I’ll be living…kind of like a townhouse) with the new director of MINSA (the ministry of health…where I work). She’s super chill, really nice and travels a lot, so I’ll essentially have my own little casita.
Best part: NO SCREAMING, DISRESPECTFUL, CHAOTIC, CHAVALOS.
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