Training Draws To A Close

Well does it seem like you've been reading blog entries for almost 3 months? Cause it doesn't seem like I've been writing them for that long. But when I think back to my bare face and lack of spanish language skills, 3 months sounds about right. I haven't started dreaming in spanish yet, but I've only had dreams about people who speak english. Once I get out to my site and make some spanish speaking friends, it might happen. I've also started learning Quechua, the language of the ancient Incas, which is spoken in many parts of South America. Everyone at my site speaks spanish, but if I can bust some Quechua out for them, it will go a long way to impress them and let them know I'm for real. Funny sidenote, the word for "head" in Quechua is "uma" just like a Case med student I know...which is how I remember it...thanks Uma!

This will be my last blog entry as a trainee, the next time you hear from me, I will be an official Peace Corps Volunteer. Our official swearing in ceremony is in 2 hours, which should be excellent. I'm looking forward to finally being able to call myself a volunteer instead of a trainee. It's been a pretty good final week all in all...I left my family wednesday morning, but am planning on going back tomorrow for one last lunch together and to give them some photos. They have been trying to convince me to stay and it's going to be tough to leave them but that's what it´s all about...moving on and adjusting. I was packing up my room the other night and my sisters were in there kind of pouting around and it was making me sad too...my room was so empty all my stuff was packed up...so then I was just like "alright girls, this is too sad, let's have some fun with the camera!" They pretend to hate getting their picture taken but they love looking at it once it is taken. Below are the results of the modeling session.
The Girls In My Clothes...Hilarious!

Jesica pretending to be Michael Jackson...

"Benjamín y Las Locas"

It's a little bittersweet...saying goodbye to my host family and new friends is going to be tough, but I am also really excited to finally get some work done. A wise friend once told me (actually in a discussion about the Peace Corps) that I perform best when I have a job to do...whether it be a Stater Project to get done or an Emeter to rework. I was talking with a current volunteer who´s work I will be somewhat taking over and he was giving me the lowdown on a bunch of work around my site that is waiting for me...I see so much potential for work and am really looking forward to being busy with things to do...I'm usually pretty good at throwing myself into the job to be done and I don't expect this to be much different...except now to relax I'll be reading in a hammock or cooling off in the river.

Last Saturday we had our big going away with all of our host families, which was super fun. We did some traditional dancing to entertain our host families...there is a dance here called the Cueca which you dance while swinging a hankerchief in the air and all the gringos had a competition to see who was the best cueca dancer. My partner Susan and I didn't win, but my friends James and Katie were incredible and got the trophy. Check it out.
Susan and I Cutting the Rug

The Cueca Champs James and Katie

We also put together a little song to sing poking fun at all the things about living in Bolivia that were a little different for us...like constantly going to the bathroom or being chased home by dogs every night...here is a shot of us performing.

We´re So Musical

I also got some awesome packages this past week. The Big Aunt Leslie sent me some much needed cookies as well as some treats and toys to give to my sisters, which they totally loved. They even gave me some cool bracelets the next day...it was so nice of them because I know they had to pay for them with their own money...I'm gonna miss those girls. My other package came from my parents and included m&m´s (incredible), fruit roll ups (so good) and some of Pat Hennard's famous Beef Jerky (mind blowing). The m&m's are long gone, but I'm doing my best to conserve the jerky...everyone in the group loves it and I love telling them that it's Ohio Jerky and that's just a small sample of the great things in Ohio. Many thanks to the package senders...you rock!

I think that's really all I have for now...tonight after swearing in and a free dinner on the Peace Corps, our theme for the party tonight is rock stars and I've decided to go as Johnny Cash...I've got all I need except that he never had a beard...but it´s not worth it to shave just for one night. I like my beard too much. If it seems like I've become obsessed with my facial hair, I apologize...it's the little things that amuse me anymore.

Keep the emails coming, I love it. Cuidense queridos.

Ben

**Book update: After getting through Herman Hesse´s spirtual journey "Siddartha" I plowed through Jack London´s "Call of the Wild." My granpa Von Allmen gave me Call of the Wild like 10 years ago and I finally got around to reading it...you were right, Pop, it´s pretty good. A story of survival by evolving and adapting to our new surroundings...quite applicable if I do say so myself. I'm going to read Ishmael again next, then probably move onto Diarios Motocicletas (thanks Steph). I've also started in on my Bible a bit, which is new for me...it's interesting reading it objectively and not based on faith...but that's a whole other conversation for another day.