Officially Peace Corps volunteer 5.16

Hi All,

I have some exciting news... I am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer!!! I swore in at the U.S. Embassy on Friday May the 13th!!! I’m not going to lie it was a bittersweet day because although I’m glad training is over and excited to start my assignment, I’m certainly not happy to leave my new friends, host family, and the comfortable schedule. I feel as if we were babied for the past few months and now the training wheels have been taken off to be let out to the “real world”.

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I am currently sitting in my counterpart’s kitchen typing away while drenched in sweat!

WELCOME to my new home, NACAOME, Valle!

(Valle is one of the departments of Honduras) It’s about 90 degrees F year around at this place, OMG am I going to have to get used to this. I woke up this morning with damp sheets from my own sweat (sorry for the details just trying to keep it real).

So what will I be doing for the next two years you ask?

My primary counterpart is Jesy Baralaga, the manager of ADED- Valle (Economic Development Agency of Valle). ADED focuses on creating and strengthening women’s micro business and income generation endeavors. My role as a PCV in the Nacaome community is to primarily assist Jesy in designing and presenting trainings to the leaders of these groups in business topics. I’ve had some time this weekend to get to know Jesy and she is definitely another strong woman making it work for herself. When talking to her I feel her passion for bettering her community and empowering women. I am really excited to start working with this organization and hope I can contribute in their efforts.
-OMG is it hot!!!! I’m slowly melting away!

Oook it’s way too hot to type or even think right now! I’ll finish this later….