Taking a Difference Course

It's not easy to admit that you are not always right.  One thing Mexico has taught me is that things often work out, and can work out very well, even if they don’t follow the course that I would have chosen.  Case in point, our new campaign to reduce the use of disposable plastic products.  One day I came into the office to find several large boxes full of paper- and plant-based cups, plates, to-go food containers, forks, spoons and bags.  When I asked what they were for, I heard that there was some interest in reducing waste in the community.  After a few weeks of looking at those boxes, I asked my boss what the plan was.  He gave me permission to design a pilot project to work with different food establishments to a) reduce their use of single-use disposable plastic items and b) try out our “environmentally friendly” products for to-go orders.

"Sustainability kit" for participants in our pilot project. 

View during the commute to give a training to one of our participating restaurants. Moooooooove out of the way! 

It’s been awesome to work on this project for many reasons:

• People have been really interested in talking about this subject and taking steps to reduce their environmental impact.
• I’ve met a lot of great people in different communities.  
• I’m in charge of a specific project and have a stronger sense of independence. 
• I can see there’s a potential for real impacts and changes with this project. Styrofoam is super popular here so anything that helps reduce the amount of "unicel" distributed in our communities is great. 

I’ve been giving presentations in Spanish, designing marketing materials and pre- and post-surveys, soliciting participants for the pilot, and forcing myself to make phone calls in Spanish to talk with those participants.  This project has provided me with work similar to something I might do back in the states, which has helped me feel like I'm adding real value in my community.  You can't underestimate the value of that feeling as a volunteer.    

Local goods for sale at a participating cafe. 

Local art at a participating cafe. 

Views in the town where three of our pilot project participants reside. 

So, how is this project different than the course I might have followed in the US?  The main difference was that we purchased the products first and then developed a plan for how we could use them (vs. purchasing what we needed based on a detailed plan created ahead of time).  I will admit I was surprised - and a little bewildered - at this approach when we started our project.  Strategic planning was such a core part of my professional world back in the US that adjusting to a different system here in Mexico - one that is often less structured and focused on the action of doing something when an opportunity arises vs. planning for things well in advance - has taken time.  A lot of time.  

But here's the thing - even though I didn't develop a goal, target audience, system for monitoring and evaluation, or communications plan for the project until after we already had the materials - it's been working out great!  And even better, I've been able to incorporate some of those strategic planning elements into the project and ensure that we do have pre- and post-pilot evaluations in place.  In other words, there's an exchange of information, culture and work styles taking place so I'm starting to feel like, yessssssssss, I can be a successful volunteer! 

  

This guy made a little noise during my presentation. 

 Site of my training - with my coworker Tello. 

Participating cafe where lots of tourists enjoy fresh coffee and sweets.

 

Traditional home in the mountains. 

It's easy to think that your way is the “right” way and to feel frustrated when you have to take someone else's path, but Mexico has taught me to take a deep breath and chill.  Learning how to roll with things has been one of the best benefits of my Peace Corps service.  I may not have rolled with it quite as calmly as I would have liked when I found a scorpion at my front door one recent morning, but I was definitely more chill about it than I could have been ;)

Thankfully, this was only my second scorpion sighting at my house. 

I've seen this species of spider inside my house too many times to count. 

The Longer I'm Here

 The longer I’m here, the more I feel that I'm a part of an old episode of Sesame Street.  One of these things is definitely different, and it frequently gets asked if it’s from Canada.  The first time that happened, I thought it was hilarious.  Then it started happening on a regular basis, whenever I left my site.  The last time I said no to that question, the stranger asked me “then why are you so white?”  To be honest, I had no idea how to respond to that question.  I use a lot of sunblock?  I’m inside most of the day?  I lived in Seattle for 8 years before I came here and, apparently, I have a long warm-up period for tanning in my old age?

With the rain, comes rainbows!

I definitely appreciate the rain more after living with the dry season for a good 8 months.

I love the trees and the mountains here.

The longer I’m here, the more familiar things become.  I don’t think twice anymore about seeing people standing up in the back of trucks while roaring down the highway.  I have no fear when it comes to eating meat sold from a stand on the sidewalk.  And although I still don’t want to ride any horses, I have no fear seeing them pass me at the intersection in front of my house.  However, one thing that still jumps out at me is job advertisements.  Many jobs posted in storefronts request the following type of employee: females only, between the ages of X and X, single, no students, etc.  The first time I saw one of these ads I was surprised and thought “You can’t say you only want young, attractive women to work here, can you?”  Maybe not, but I did actually see that qualification once.  

The longer I’m here, the better I can tell you exactly how long a bottle of shampoo, a bottle of lotion, a tube of toothpaste and a bar of soap lasts.  When you only have one of each, you are much more aware of their life span.  FYI - a bar of soap lasts a really long time and I'm on my third tube of toothpaste.    

I really, really love homemade salsa.

I don't eat meat that often, but when I do, I like it barbecued.

The longer I’m here, the more I can identify what I want in my life moving forward.  Here’s what I've identified thus far for my future wish list: to be close to family, my cat back, a really comfortable bed, to drink water from the tap, a bathroom with strong plumbing, seats on ALL toilets, to travel more, the ability to occasionally buy prepared food (not just in restaurants), to see the ocean and go hiking in the mountains on a regular basis, and to eat a donut once a month, preferably with white icing and sprinkles.  Sprinkled donuts definitely deserve a promotion in my life. 

The longer I’m here, the more I can see how much of my identity is wrapped up in my role as an employee and how much I value being an effective, productive worker.  It took a full year before I started to feel some semblance of my former professional self coming to life and providing value here.  Everything takes longer and things are just plain ol' harder operating in a second language and a different culture.  Patience be thy middle name.  Actually, we're in Mexico, where four names are common, so Patience and Humility by thy middle names. 

 Lovely tree in my friend's yard. 

 I love those mountains.

The longer I'm here, the more I watch Youtube videos and get hooked on Netflix series.  One Saturday night I binged watched The Good Wife until 4:00 AM because I miraculously had internet access in my bedroom for hours on end.  I must face the fact that I am just like all those people back in the US - fully addicted to my electronic devices.

The longer I'm here, the more I realize that although I can be ready to go do something at a moment's notice, I would rather know about plans the day before.  One of my coworkers is always rushing into the office and asking me "don't you want to come with me to this community two hours away?  Right now? For the next 5-10 hours?"  I felt frustrated every time this conversation took place, and I realized it's because I like to mentally (and sometimes physically) prepare for a trip into el campo.  I feel a little guilty for saying I want advance notice of plans whenever possible, but ni modo - that's just a part of who I am.  I'm a planner.  I've relaxed my planner tendencies A LOT here but I can't quite let it all go. 

The longer I'm here, the more I appreciate not-quite-right translations.  No toilet soap for me, thanks.

The longer I'm here, the more I see the value in taking a mid-career sabbatical.  If you hire an employee who took a sabbatical, I can guarantee you that they've really thought about what it is that they want from their future job, office, team of coworkers, location, etc.  If they're willing to give up the awesomeness that comes with traveling and living in another country, they really know that they want you and are ready to commit. 

The longer I’m here, the more comfortable I am around dogs.  I’m not saying I want a dog, cause I definitely don’t, but I’m not terrified of them anymore.  So, I will reluctantly say thanks Mexico for making me spend a lot of time with random dogs in every possible setting. 

The longer I'm here, the more sunsets I get to see.

One of my favorite sunsets.

And lastly, the longer I'm here, the more connected I feel.  Yesterday on my 10-minute walk home I ran into 12 people I know and either exchanged a big smile and wave with them or had a conversation and a hug.  There are lots of things that I miss about the US - toilet seats, water fountains, carpeting, magazines, quiet spaces and anonymity.  Some days I really miss that anonymity, but I have to admit that there are a lot of positives associated with losing it.  I am so grateful for this experience and for being pushed to grow and see things in new ways, and for the friendships I've made here. 

People have started asking me what I'm going to do when my service ends and if I'm going back to Seattle or if I'm going to stay in Mexico.  I honestly don't have a clue at this point.  I'll start getting serious about next steps after the Christmas break, but for now, I just want to live in the moment, search for sunsets and enjoy all the beauty that Mexico has to offer.  

Celebrating the 4th of July Abroad

In the US, the 4th of July is the official start to summer, and a great day for watching parades and fireworks, hosting a BBQ, going swimming and/or camping, and enjoying a day filled with the community spirit.  Here in Mexico, the 4th of July was any other Tuesday except for the fact that I had two community presentations on the calendar - my first Spanish presentations in my community.  On the walk to the office, a bird flew directly in front of my face to eat a bug on the wall, and I was called "señorita" for the first time in Mexico (not by the bird).  I had to get to the office by 9:00 AM - in other words, super early - for a team breakfast meeting, where we gorged ourselves on five different varieties of tacos while talking shop.   

 I did have a proper 4th of July meal with burgers, potato salad and chips (just a little delayed). 

This container was full of tacos when the day started. Maybe not a "proper" 4th of July breakfast but super tasty. 

No fireworks in Mexico, but the sky put on quite a show the evening of the 4th. 

I spent the day traveling from one place to another trying to find participants for my presentations, while dodging giant water puddles and minor mudslides from the morning rains.  That evening my brother asked if I wanted to FaceTime to watch some fireworks with his family.  I love a professional fireworks show, and this year I got to experience my nieces jumping up and down and yelling in excitement with each burst of color, which was awesome!  It's hard to explain how special something like a FaceTime fireworks date is when you're a volunteer, but my heart was full of gratitude. 

One of your goals as a Peace Corps volunteer is to share information about the US culture with your host country, so I thought, hey, let's celebrate the 4th of July!  It was too busy in the office to celebrate on the day itself, so I invited my coworkers and English class students to a barbecue on the 7th of July instead.  The only caveat was that I needed someone else to provide a grill and charcoal, and to probably cook the meat, because - well, I'm not skilled in the art of BBQ.  However, I knew what a typical menu should include, and I figured it was ok to celebrate a few days late so long as we had cheeseburgers with veggies, potato salad, chips and a bucket of beverages.  I shared information about what a typical 4th of July celebration entails in the US and we spent a few hours closing out the week with conversation and laughter. 

 Alma teaching me her hamburger recipe. 

There's always one extra step here in Mexico - disinfecting the fruits and vegetables. 

Making hamburgers in the office. 

Israel getting the fire started.  

Using the office fan to try and light those coals. 

We had fancy cheeseburgers with Havarti cheese that Alma purchased in the city! 

Fresh tomatoes, lettuce and the works. 

Patio party. 

Tello and Sonia. 

Enjoying hamburgers with Rosy, an English class student. 

I also developed a special lesson plan on the 4th of July in the US for my English class students.  It was fun discussing the similarities and differences between Independence Day celebrations in the US and Mexico, and we identified way more similarities than differences.  There was also a lot of interest in this mysterious dish called "potato salad" so we read through the recipe and I gave them a copy to take home. 

I must say that this was a 4th of July that I will always remember for one simple reason: I finally learned how to make hamburgers!  My coworker Alma's recipe included a mix of ground pork and beef, shredded carrots and zucchini, eggs, salt and pepper, and breadcrumbs.  Prior to this 4th of July, I had never made potato salad or hamburgers myself, and I could not get over the irony of learning the hamburger trade from a woman in Mexico while celebrating a US holiday.  I'm pretty sure that qualifies as a top notch cultural exchange!