Weeks 64 & 65: Monday, November 11, 2024 – Wednesday, November 27, 2024
Hello everyone,
Apologies for not sending out a newsletter for a couple of weeks. Things have been crazy busy, and I've been here, there, and everywhere.
The exciting news is that I finished my cistern project! Last week, both cisterns were completed inside and out, their tops were put on, they were connected to the roof, and now they are ready to start harvesting rainwater (hopefully soon!).
It feels amazing to have that part of my project completed. But now it's time for me to figure out how to use the $12,000 pesos that I have left over. It isn't quite enough to build another cistern but it's still enough money that I want to put it to good use. I'm thinking about investing in some good hoses to connect to the cisterns, potentially some native tree species for a reforestation project, and potentially a compost bin so the school can start up their composting efforts again. It's also a possibility that we will paint the cisterns or paint some murals around the school. Nonetheless, I will still be busy over the next few weeks trying to close out my project and finding meaningful ways for the school to benefit from the rest of the money that rightfully belongs to them.
After finishing construction on Tuesday, I left Neblinas early Wednesday morning to take a trip to Querétaro for a doctor's appointment. I arrived in Querétaro in the early afternoon after a long travel day and proceeded to spend the afternoon in the Peace Corps office, talking to staff and getting some questions answered about my project and other topics. I left the office and headed to my favorite vegan café for an amazing salad and green smoothie (I was craving greens as it would appear). That evening, I saw my friend Sarah, a third-year volunteer who served her first two years at a university outside of the city of Querétaro and is now transitioning to working full time in the office as one of two Peace Corps volunteer leaders. Sarah is also on the PSN with me, so I've gotten to know her pretty well over the last couple of months. But as she said, it was nice to get together "without an agenda" — just 2 friends catching up about life.
Later in the afternoon, I headed back to the Peace Corps office to get the results of my lab, which came back positive again for amoebas. So I went to the pharmacy to pick up my meds and I went back to the hotel to eat and quickly change and get ready to go see the Wicked movie, which I loved, and would highly recommend to anyone — theatre fans or not. Going to the movies was such a nice little treat for me, and I'm so glad I got to see Wicked when I did. I'm sure I'll be seeing it again when I'm home in just a few weeks!
Friday morning, it was time to head back to the Sierra Gorda again. So I got on the 9am bus and I endured the 4-hour bus ride from Querétaro to Jalpan with all its twists and turns (which, unfortunately, never seem to get easier to deal with). I caught the next bus from Jalpan to El Lobo minutes after my bus from Querétaro arrived. And then I took a ride from El Lobo to Neblinas practically the minute after I got off the bus in El Lobo. It was 7 straight hours of traveling, but I've learned with time that it's almost always better to do it all in one day instead of breaking it up.
So I arrived in Neblinas on Friday afternoon and I thought that would be it for me as far as traveling goes for the next few weeks. But, as it turns out, CONANP (our counterparts) had invited Rayanne and me to Arroyo Seco for the Feria de Maíz (the annual corn festival), and almost all of the other volunteers in the Sierra Gorda were going to be there, so we just couldn't miss out.
Well, less than 24 hours after arriving in Neblinas, I was back on the road again. This time only going to Jalpan, but still, spending another 3 hours in transit on Saturday and then taking the trip at 7:30 in the morning on Sunday to Arroyo Seco with our CONANP counterparts and my friend and new volunteer Emma who also lives in the Sierra Gorda.
But spending time with the other volunteers made the trip worth it. It was lovely to spend time with the three new volunteers who were at the event as well as with my friend Cole who is the other of the two Peace Corps volunteer leaders. It made me realize how far I have come in my service — now a veteran volunteer as one might say — and it was nice to be able to assure the new, slightly nervous volunteers that they are going to be okay and that things will work out the way they are meant to work out.
Henry Miller, who was also in attendance at the festival, gave Rayanne, Cole, and I a ride back to Jalpan, where we stayed the night before heading back to our respective homes: Rayanne and I back to Neblinas; Cole back to Querétaro. Rayanne and I took the bus home Monday morning and arrived back in Neblinas around 1pm with enough time to relax for a couple of hours and also wish Flora a belated happy birthday and bring her gifts.
I'll be happy to be in Neblinas for the next 2 weeks or so just focusing on finishing up my project once and for all and getting ready for my exciting winter vacation plans. I'll be leaving Neblinas on the 13th of December to go visit my friend Ellie in the city of San Luis Potosí (the capital of the state of San Luis Potosí), and then making my way down to Guanajuato City and some other towns that are supposed to be beautiful in the state of Guanajuato, all before flying home to San Diego on December 20th and spending 2 lovely weeks at home seeing all of you!
It's crazy to think this year has almost come to an end. Just 1 more month and then we're in 2025 — my final year of Peace Corps, and not even an entire year at that.
I know I've said it before, but I am so grateful for all of you and I give thanks that you are all here following along with me on this incredible journey.
Happy Thanksgiving week! Wishing you all a wonderful holiday filled with good food and good company. I'll see you soon!
Love,
Ilana
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