Packages, etc

So..apparently Fed Ex can´t deliver to my lovely North Coast home, so if any of you want to send packages, may as well do it via US Post Office. This method is cheaper, anyway...just don´t spend anything expensive in case it doesn´t make it through customs. (This message does not go for you mom...you can Fed Ex my bday package to the PC office in Tegucigalpa and I´ll find a way to get it...maybe you can even give me the bus money to go down and pick it up as an extra bday gift. It´s a whole $16!)

Last week I had a chance to help with a capacitation for people living with HIV/AIDS in my community. It was a great opportunity because eventually I hope to help start a support group for PLWHA (People living with HIV/AID) in my community, so it was nice to meet people and sort of build a foundation. It also gave me some confidence in my knowledge on the subject. A group of facilitators from Tegucigalpa from the NGO Vision Mundial (World Vision) led the capacitation, but it was something I could have easily done on my own, which suprised me. During the capacitation, the group shared ways to stay on schedule with their meds, how to alleviate and deal with side effects, as well as how to take on social stigmas, etc. I added my input as much when I could, and hope to develop similar capacitations for my own support group in the future. So far my main objectives in the next few months are to begin a project called Encargada de mi Vida (In Charge of My Life), an HIV/AIDS prevention program for 5th and 6th graders in the school in town, begin laying the foundation for a support group in town, possibly start something similar to Encargada de Mi Vida with some of the kids from the orphanage (focused more on leadership and nutrition rather than HIV prevention, because some of them were born with it), and begin applying for a Peace Corps grant to get a home/school built for the kids. The way Peace Corps grants work is that the community has to be willing to donate a certain percentage of the money, whether it be in labor, materials, etc. The Peace Corps helps with the rest through a variety of grants, but it is a difficult process, so I´m not sure how it will turn out.

Last Saturday, 2 of my PC friends came to Tela (the city nearby), where we spent the night in an amazing hotel. They gave us a discount for being poor volunteers, which was great. It was up on a hill, with amazing views of the city of Tela as well as the Caribbean. I´ll post pictures tomorrow or later this week.

The rest of this week and next, I´ve been asked by a church group from Canada to help them give charlas on Nutrition and Hygiene in the communities around my area. Mostly I´ll be translating, but it will be good to get some information from them and travel more about my area.

That´s all for now.

Happy (late) Anniversary Mom and Dad!! and
Happy (late) Birthday Laura!