I had to take 2 busses for an hour to get to a computer to write this blog; enjoy ;)

"Change starts with the man in the mirror" Lil Wayne

I have left the comforts of home for the unknowns of Peace Corps. Peace Corps is in 78 countries out of those countries I was given the assignment of Ecuador. Once I arrived in Ecuador I was told that I would be going to Los Caras, Manabi. A very poor and dry town. Why was I put here of all places? I am not sure but its what I am trying to figure out. My reasons for joining Peace Corps were simple. The first was to experience the world before I got held down by a mortgage, a baby mama and crying children. The second was to do some good in the world. I have looked at my community and see that there is a lot of need there. There are no jobs, there is no water and on some days it is an inferno of heat. I looked around talked to the people and figured out that there are 3 areas I can work on to improve my community.

The first is water. A life with out water is very difficult. In the states I took it for granted just open the tap and clean potable water came out. Here water comes every 2 weeks and the quality is not fit for human consumption. I have not started but I would like to implement more storage tanks in my community. I would also like to promote the use of drip irigation in my community for small scale gardens. I am currently in the process of building such a garden in my own backyard to serve as an example. A small vegetable garden with this system can provide food for a family of four.

 An example of the type of drip irigation system that I am planning to start in my community

My second goal is to provide jobs in my community. In order to do so I started a soymilk and soymeat business. I currently have 7 women on board the project, a factory (in my basement), soy processing machinery and a market in Bahia de Caraquez a turisty beach town. I am also in the process of finding a couple of sales people to market the product. This is what I have been the most involved with at my site. Sometimes it is frustrating because the women have never started a business before. They are very good at the manual labor part of it but lack in the other aspects of running a business. They dont have much self initiative and expect me to do most of the work. It is a constant battle but I think we are doing very good for the short time that we have been producing.

Besides the soymilk project I am in the works of starting another project. The drip irigation systems that I mentioned earlier. I would like to start a business marketing these systems. Create a local economy of selling these systems to others in the community. I would first make my own system see how it goes and then train a couple of local men on how to install and market the system. This would create a couple of jobs, promote familly garden which would improve nutrition and be an effective way to use water. I think these systems would be very popular in my area. I want to start an industry out of it because if people see that this would be a viable business then they would promote it themselves and would become a sustainable project long after I am gone.

My third goal would be to teach the local children about environmental conservation. In order to do so I have been teaching at the local school once a week. I talk to them about the ecosystem and have been taking them to a tree nursery to make things such as compost, fertilizers and making gardens. I also have a couple of field trips planned out so they can see some natural parks and learn about the environment. In the rainy season I would like to reforest with the kids. I am not an expert in this area but would like to learn more so I can pass on some knowledge. There are very few positive role models in my community and I would like to be one of them. Once a week I do math and english tutoring.

Other future plans include starting a community bank and making a school cafeteria.

I will admit that I am not always happy at my site. The poverty can be overwhelming, alcoholism is high, water is scarce, the heat is intense, the mountains around me are deforested instead they have been replaced with rows of corn. The corn is brown and for the most part has failed because of a poor rainy season. The people are extremely critical of each other and there is much to be desired in terms of community unity. It will not rain untill December and the roads are very dusty. Flys are sometimes a major problem. Sometimes you have to swoosh flys with one hand and eat with the other. I have had desires to run away sometimes go back to the comforts of home. Or try to move to one of the nicer places in Ecuador where the pastures are much greener literally. I have been to other sites of Peace Corps volunteers and they are paradise compared to my site. I constantly have an internal struggle with this. However I believe that it was my destiny to come to this community and I have to serve my term here. If I quit on my community I believe that it will haunt me for a very long time. My community can use somebody like me. I feel like I am needed here. I would probably be much happier somewhere else but I need to be true to myself and face challenges head on.

Not every thing is bad at my site there are a lot of good things and there are some very good people there. I love the fact that I get to set my own pace, have no boss and get to work on whatever project interest me.  I do get to explore other parts of Ecuador pretty often. I have made some great friends and have a beautifull novia that keeps me sane. I miss my family dearly and am extremely excited that my mom and little brother will be visiting me in September.

One love

Luis Olguin (cuerpo de paz)
Casilla 13-02-19
Bahia de Caraquez,
Manabi Ecuador





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