Saturday, September 30, 2006
September 28.
I have been in Queretaro a month, a week, and a day. I feel somewhat frustrated, tied to the center of the city because I teach weekday mornings from 7 to 9am, take a course for teacher certification weekday evenings from 7 to 9pm, and teach a second course on Saturday mornings. So I haven`t been a tourist and don´t know the other cities and regions of Mexico. Pity. My Mexico is beautiful, clean, historic, safe, tourist. I do not know Mexico’s poor areas, native areas, either coast, or even its capital. I am living comfortably with Gemma and her family where I receive bed and board, then spend most of the time walking around the Historic District. I would be welcome to spend time there in their home, I think, but I am reluctant to do so. Perhaps from my exaggerated US respect for personal privacy.
And I am alone. The couples Myrna and I met in our last trip here are good friends, but I feel a bit estranged as a single with these couples. I haven´t really formed friendships with the other teachers here at Kennedy, and my Spanish is still too poor to expect close native friendships. During the day I play chess occasionally in a little shop, read Spanish in a park, occasionally try to engage someone in a conversation in Spanish. That ususally ends fairly quickly, unfortunately.
Myrna is still in Guatemala. That is an issue for both of us. She called me again just last night, and complained that I haven´t brought her to Queretaro for even a visit, and questioning whether I have at least done the necessary paperwork for her to obtain a visa to come here. I haven´t. She is still working hard to sell the house, pack up her things, handle the paperwork on the damned truck. There is an issue of money, of course - it is beyond understanding why it should cost so much money to fly the rather short distance from Guatemala City to Mexico City. But also, I just haven´t wanted to get involved in the visa paperwork until it was clear that we could be together for more than a visit – Mexico will want certified proof of marriage, proof of financial resources, a dated return ticket. But it has been a long time apart, and that is not good.
And there is a new issue and opportunity that has just come up. The Crisis Corps is a unit of the Peace Corps in which returned PC volunteers can serve in short term, specifically defined projects. I responded to an opportunity to work in El Salvador for 3 - 6 months, to assist a community that was devastaed by Hurricane Stan and a nearly simultaneous volcanic eruption move to a safer site. It involves planning, coordination and funding, and could lead to additional non-Peace Corps opportunities. This certainly sounds more challenging and interesting to me than teaching English, and is right in line with what I´d hoped to do when I first left the Peace Corps last November. Moreover, Myrna and I could re-unite in El Salvador easily, as there are very few border restrictions on traveling between Guatemala and El S.
So now I am in the waiting game. The recruiter in Washington is telling me that I am ideal for the position, but he is waiting to hear about the details I requested before he makes an official offer to me. I wanted more information on things like what would my SPECIFIC project objectives would be, and who would I be interacting with on a daily basis. He had expected to have the answers for me yesterday, but I am still waiting.
I have been in Queretaro a month, a week, and a day. I feel somewhat frustrated, tied to the center of the city because I teach weekday mornings from 7 to 9am, take a course for teacher certification weekday evenings from 7 to 9pm, and teach a second course on Saturday mornings. So I haven`t been a tourist and don´t know the other cities and regions of Mexico. Pity. My Mexico is beautiful, clean, historic, safe, tourist. I do not know Mexico’s poor areas, native areas, either coast, or even its capital. I am living comfortably with Gemma and her family where I receive bed and board, then spend most of the time walking around the Historic District. I would be welcome to spend time there in their home, I think, but I am reluctant to do so. Perhaps from my exaggerated US respect for personal privacy.
And I am alone. The couples Myrna and I met in our last trip here are good friends, but I feel a bit estranged as a single with these couples. I haven´t really formed friendships with the other teachers here at Kennedy, and my Spanish is still too poor to expect close native friendships. During the day I play chess occasionally in a little shop, read Spanish in a park, occasionally try to engage someone in a conversation in Spanish. That ususally ends fairly quickly, unfortunately.
Myrna is still in Guatemala. That is an issue for both of us. She called me again just last night, and complained that I haven´t brought her to Queretaro for even a visit, and questioning whether I have at least done the necessary paperwork for her to obtain a visa to come here. I haven´t. She is still working hard to sell the house, pack up her things, handle the paperwork on the damned truck. There is an issue of money, of course - it is beyond understanding why it should cost so much money to fly the rather short distance from Guatemala City to Mexico City. But also, I just haven´t wanted to get involved in the visa paperwork until it was clear that we could be together for more than a visit – Mexico will want certified proof of marriage, proof of financial resources, a dated return ticket. But it has been a long time apart, and that is not good.
And there is a new issue and opportunity that has just come up. The Crisis Corps is a unit of the Peace Corps in which returned PC volunteers can serve in short term, specifically defined projects. I responded to an opportunity to work in El Salvador for 3 - 6 months, to assist a community that was devastaed by Hurricane Stan and a nearly simultaneous volcanic eruption move to a safer site. It involves planning, coordination and funding, and could lead to additional non-Peace Corps opportunities. This certainly sounds more challenging and interesting to me than teaching English, and is right in line with what I´d hoped to do when I first left the Peace Corps last November. Moreover, Myrna and I could re-unite in El Salvador easily, as there are very few border restrictions on traveling between Guatemala and El S.
So now I am in the waiting game. The recruiter in Washington is telling me that I am ideal for the position, but he is waiting to hear about the details I requested before he makes an official offer to me. I wanted more information on things like what would my SPECIFIC project objectives would be, and who would I be interacting with on a daily basis. He had expected to have the answers for me yesterday, but I am still waiting.
