NGO's and money

So things here have been going pretty slow these past few weeks and I really haven't had much work for myself... hence the start of the trash project.
So.....I got to talking to one of my counterparts about money and honduran culture. I didn't realize that they spend $8000 lemps on a single support group meeting... that is about $430 dollars and is absolutly ridiculous to me. For one thing, they pay these peoples transport from their community to santa rosa, give them a snack, give them lunch, give them $ for dinner and then pay for their over night stay if it is necessary and to top it off give them $ for breakfast. Talk about over-kill....all those unneccessary expenses! I couldn't believe it. And now we are going to run out of money come november and there is no funding for the next year. My counterpart is all worried about the group and what will happen, but to me it is just an example of how un-sustainable this group really is.
For me and most of everyone else in development work the goal is sustainable development. To work and function so that if one day your organization was not there or there was a lack of funds that the whole world didn't come crashing down. I am currently working with another volunteer- Leah- from San Juan to write for some PEPFAR funds for the next 6 months of meetings so maybe we can have more meetings..... however i don't know what is going to happen because since the NGO started the habit of paying all this the people are all used to it and when we can no longer pay for it all I fear they aren't going to come to the meeting. The PC certainly isn't going to pay for all of that seeing as it is so unsustainable and I have personal issues with paying all that so I am not including it in the grant.
I think this is also a good thing for the group though... because it will show that those who are truly interested in the group will come to the meetings for their own personal good and not what they are getting out of it. We for people to come to SRC from all over.. san pedro, san marcos.. places really far away. Sure some are coming for the meeting and to get meds... but i also fear that some are just coming because it is a free trip to Santa Rosa and food (hell why not!) But hopefully we can get through this hiccup and be a stronger group because of it.
This custom of paying for everything is completely out of hand! Every meeting you go to has a snack and lunch provided and people only go cuz they are getting fed and they won't show up if you aren't providing food. It drives me crazy at how much $ is wasted on silly little things like that when the $ could be spent in such a better way. I think the people here really just need a lesson on better management of funds... not just the people I am working with but everyone!
I have no idea how to approach this topic with my work partners.... the wasting of $ and the fact that we don't need to be spending so much money on the events we do. Dios mio... hopefully I can talk to some volunteers and get suggestions because if this keeps up we are not going to have $ for anything. I wonder if their funders have any idea how all this $ is being spent... because if they did I am sure they wouldn't fund them nearly as much as they do.

APARTMENT!!!

So I am very excited to post about my new apartment. I am actually staying at my host family's house because they rent apartment and it just so happened that one has opened up in perfect timing. My mom lowered the rent so that I would stay too so that helps. It has it's own little patio and pila, a giant kitchen, big living room and my bedroom. Off the bedroom is the bathroom with the electroduche so I have hot water. It is really safe too there is like 4 doors anyone would have to get through if they wanted to steal me or my stuff ... and my family has a vicious dog that barks really loud so he scares off the people. I swear he is going to eat me by the end of these 2 years. Another perk with this place is that there is CABLE! but that also means i need to buy myself a TV-- right now I am borrowing one from my host family. Maybe I can get one for xmas??



This weekend I think I am going to go buy a fridge and gas burners. I kinda want a big mini fridge... not the ity bitty dorm sized ones. I like to cook and I need some space in my fridge to put stuff. I found one I like for about 5,000 lemps.. and since George Bush gave us all $300 to spend.. I think I might just splurge. It is for 2 yrs, why not!

BASURA

So I am kinda excited... I am going to start working with one of my site mates Shannon on this garbage project "Cero Basura". We just talked about it lastnight over a couple beers... but it should be great. We are going to make the contacts and charla paper this week and hopefully start with the charla´s by the end of the month. There is a play that goes along with this program so we are hoping to work with the group of actors at the Casa Cultura and perform it for the local schools and at the Feria in August. It is going to be alot of work.... but I think it can be done!

Sickness

So I have been sick since Thursday!! sooooo not fun! I thought getting sick at home was bad... it is nothing compared to here. I awoke in the night with horrible stomach pain thursday morning and from there on it was no good news. Went to the doctor thursday afternoon... he was kinda an ass and wouldn´t speak to me. I think he didn´t think that I spoke spanish. So after some time he decides that I have gastritis and I need 2 shots... not just any shots.. 2 shots to the VEIN! so here I am terrified of needles getting a line put in and 2 injections that make me feel all weird. Didn´t work because I still was sick that night. I think I had a virus cuz it cleared up in about 3 days. I had to go back to the clinic to give the magical sample... however there is no privacy here. They gave me a dixie cup told me to go to the potty and then carry it across the waiting room to the lab as if i was announcing to the world " Hey everyone the gringa is sick" poop in hand.... to say the least I got some stage fright and couldn´t perform, but at least I feel better today and I can finally start eating again! the up side of getting sick is... it is a great crash diet.. no food for about 3 days makes you lose a few pounds i am sure!

Was able to get up this morning and go walking with Audrey (my honduran friend) and eat a bowl of cereal. feeling good---just a little sore from the body trama i have been in.

have my first real charla friday with my support group. It is on nutrition and i just found out that both my counterparts are going to be gone in tegus... so i am on my own with the helper Ruth--i am excited because I was afraid that they would interrupt me... i think they have doubts in me but I just need to show them that they can confide in me and that I am serious about my job! Also, there is a PC meeting wednesday in SRC so I get to see everyne here in the hotel and eat some goot food on the PC.
-Kristina

Change of Address

Hey everyone.. change of address.... If you would ever feel the urge to send dear little Kristina something (peanut butter-JIF x crunchy, foot pumice scrubber, hair clips- the silver kind flipping kind, febreeze or even just a letter with a picture of you in it!) I have a new address:

Kristina Cesa-PCV

Voluntaria de Cuerpo de Paz

Apartado Postal 1800

Santa Rosa de Copan

Honduras

America Central

I am having an excellent day-- minus the headache. I have taking up running/walking around the track at 7 am with my friends and by take up I mean I have gone once- this morning! But I am excited because there is this group of women who always go and I am going to try to start talking to them and then see if they want to be part of a womens group I can start here.. a women's exercise group/nutricion group. I think it sounds fun and an excuse to cook and chisme!

No one is in the office because the counterparts are off at a taller that they didn't tell me about so I have it all to myself! I was able to plug the computer into the internet and use my own laptop! I went and had some pizza and chocolate cake with some other volunteers AND tomorrow I am taking a mini- day trip to Copan Ruinas to see my loves Fernando and Linda... life is good!

Pics-- Me on swearing in day and then the whole health group.

Mothers Day

So Mother's Day here is like a national holiday... everything shuts down, kids get off of school on monday, every where you look people are selling big giant signs that say "Felicidades Madres" I had no idea it was this big of a deal here. I bought my host mom 2 roses from the guy on the corner and wished her a good day-- i feel that is sufficient. All the hoopla made me miss my mom at home though. I was nice to talk to her and hear that she was having a good day.

Finally a Volunteer

WOOOHOOO!! you are now reading the blog of an official volunteer. Friday we had our ceremonia at the embassy. IT was nice and it was really fun getting all dressed up--forgot what it was like to blow-dry my hair! oh the little things we miss.
I don´t think I ever blogged about my site. I am in Santa Rosa de Copan. It is really big and pretty. The climate if perfect... think spring all year long. GOogle it because it is a tourist place, so i am sure there is a ton of info on it.

i am here in my site now. it was rough to leave everyone. Right when I started feeling really close to everyone we are all seperated. I cried of course.. i am sure that doesn´t surprise anyone. When i got here i had a mini-panic attack because it is just so real now... this is it! no more training wheels...baby bird has been pushed out of the nest and now it is sink or swim time!! God it is kinda scary, but i know it will all be ok.

have had a headache today and yesterday*---i think the fumes in my room are doing it. the fam recently painted and it is a small room so it hasn´t had a chance to air out. need to go to my monthly job meeting now--ttyl