The Video: Family Support Matters! (March 29, 2011)

 I was sitting under my mosquito net just now, listening to my host-mom’s pig squealing in the backyard and worrying about my 2-year old host-cousin Elias who had to go to the hospital today, when I suddenly remembered that today my DVD player got fixed. Until today, I didn’t have the right software downloaded onto my new Acer netbook in order to read the DVD files from my external drive. Now, I could finally, after 8 weeks of suspense, watch the “Advice” video that my family made for me before I left. Each of my family members and friends at my going away party was videotaped by my brother Bryan, giving me their parting words and/or words of advice. As soon as I remembered, I ran to get out my netbook, hooked it all up, and settled in for a little listening session. I was going to ration them out and only listen to one per day, but it was too tempting so I listened to the whole thing.

Luckily, I closed the door to my bedroom first, because this video made me laugh and cry all in the same 20 minutes. If my host family had heard these small outbursts of emotion, especially the crying, they would have been very curious and concerned. I was really grateful for all the advice that my family & friends offered to me… but even more important was the general moral support and words of encouragement that they all offered. Knowing that they are proud of me, that they miss me, and that they are happy I’m here make my emotional load much easier to deal with. As somebody who greatly values family, I sometimes find myself plagued with guilt at missing out on family events and losing touch with the individuals who are most important to me. Feeling as though they support my decision to be here has been important to my coping process.

Staying Healthy Is Hard To Do

It is important to come to the Peace Corps expecting to have health problems and anticipating how you might deal with them. Of course, the Corps provides you with all the medical assistance that you might need during your service. Dealing with the physical and emotional stressors of training and service renders all of us immuno-compromised. Here is a list of SOME of the problems that we have faced in Guasu Cora alone during the first 8 weeks of training:

ME PERSONALLY:

·         Foot fungus

·         Heat exhaustion

·         Giardia

·         Common cold & Flu

·         Yeast infection

·         Back strain

·         Strep throat

OTHERS:

• ·         Everything I’ve had
• ·         Headaches
• ·         Roundworm (sevo’i pyta)
• ·         Contact dermatitis
• ·         Other assorted skin rashes
• ·         Vision deterioration 
•             Hearing deterioration
• ·         Sinus infections
• ·         Constant diarrhea due to yet unidentified causes
• ·         Depression

I’m lucky that I came here expecting and prepared to get sick. Others who were less prepared were overwhelmed by their illnesses and some questioned their decision to join the Peace Corps.  I personally have not been distraught over my ailments, but simply took them in stride because I was mentally prepared to deal with it. Despite all my illnesses, I have not found health to be an issue that has greatly detracted from my first 2 months in-country.