Lack of Updates

Hey Everyone,

I want to a better job of updating, but these last couple of weeks have been extremely difficult. I am still trying to deal with a downright awful living situation. My community should be starting to build my house this week. On a more positive note, I have found a better Qeqchi teacher, and I am starting to notice some progress with my speaking ability and listening comprehension.

In the future I will attempt to avoid writing depressing, gloomy posts. I have an interesting post in the works about an experience I had farming with the men in my community, and you can expect that to be posted on my blog within a week.

For my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers, Peace Corps Trainees and applicants, if Peace Corps places you in a living situation that does not meet minimum requirements, stand up for yourselves! Peace Corps needs to know that we are individuals, not numbers that are sent to Washington. Yes, I understand that we have committed ourselves, as first stated John F. Kennedy so many years ago, to serve for 2 years in foreign countries, without salaries and frequently in conditions of hardship. But one`s health, both mental and physical, MUST be a priority. Having a better living situation will enable me to begin to focus on my work and become more effective. With time, I will learn to speak Qeqchi. The most challenging experiences are the most valuable, and nothing worth doing is easy. I hope that holds true for my Peace Corps experience.