Work

So this post is about work.

Have I talked about what my primary assignment is? Here’s a review: I’m an English language education facilitator for the K-9 grades at a public school in the Darien province of Panama. Outside of primary projects, Peace Corps Volunteers also are expected to take on secondary projects in their community based on the needs/wants of the community.

With respect to work these past two weeks, I feel like I have been being pulled in different directions. Every day I have needed to be in at least two different places at once. Ahhh. Needless to say I slept well this weekend once I got a little time off.

That being said, let’s all remember that I’m in development work. What does that mean, class? That’s right. It’s going to be a minute before I see any actual results from the time I put in. I’m only finishing month two of being in site, which means a lot of what I do is still getting to know the community and building relationships. The good news is, I do feel like I’ve been setting myself up for some productivity down the road. This past week I visited some local agencies and have begun forming projects with them (I’ll be more specific and explain projects in my blog as things come to fruition).

With respect to my primary assignment, I feel so behind! I’m still observing teachers and doing feedback forms. I have eight co-teachers, so it’s going to be at least another month before I finish up observations. I’m anxious to begin co-teaching and co-planning with them, but I need to get through observations with all of my teachers first! I feel good about working in my school, though. My teachers are all good people, and I get along with all of them really well (even the one that I never see, because all us English teachers know that finding him is like finding Sasquatch, seriously). Any other Teaching English Volunteer knows that having co-teachers like mine is a huge help. As busy as I may get, it’s good to know that getting along with my co-workers is one less thing to worry about.

Other things in life right now:

In the future, if I ever need to introduce myself to a middle school class, I should just start out with “Hi, my name is Aja. My hair is real.” There’s an eighth grade class at my school that has known me for two months now, and I think that until today some of them thought I wore a wig or something. I’m not sure I’ll ever stop having people ask if my hair is real or stop having random children touch it and giggle when I’m riding a chiva.

I’m LOVING J. Cole’s new album right now. It’s clearly Grammy material, I’m not kidding. Go listen to “Let Nas Down.” But actually, tho, listen to the whole album.

Also listening to a lot of Allen Stone. If you don’t know who he is, please go listen to his live recording of “Figure It Out.” When you fall in love with that, you can listen to his entire second album.

Today the bananas came in at the produce stand. I been waitin on those bad boys. The lady at the produce stand knew I was coming for my guineos (bananas) and had my plastic bag ready when I came in the door. Her produce stand is right next to the house that I’m renting when I move out of my host family’s house, so I forsee a beautiful friendship forming in our future.

Random things:

I find myself speaking to the pets in Spanish.

I count things in Spanish.

When I talk to myself (i.e. when I’m looking for something I lost or when I’m planning my schedule) it’s in Spanish.

My English and my Spanish are both getting worse. I’m beginning to speak English like a Panamanian. I’m also beginning to speak Spanish like a Panamanian. Neither one of those is good for professional situations. 

I’ll be destined to work in the campo after this.

I will be getting some quality gringo time in on July 4^th. Some of the volunteers in my province are meeting in another volunteer’s site to roast a pig. . .because that’s the kind of the that you do when you’re a Peace Corps Panama Volunteer who lives East of the Canal. . .or, you know, if you're in North Carolina. It’s a thing.