The Basics

So, I know that a lot of people will have a lot of questions. Here is the four W's;

Who: Me. Your friend, family member, and all around good person to know.

What: Joining the Peace Corps and living in Honduras for two years.

When: I leave for staging in DC on Feb. 24, 2009. On Feb. 25, my training group and I will travel to Honduras. I will be returning somewhere around May 15, 2011.

Why: Pick your reason. I want to use my education to do global good, not driving for two years will lower my car insurance (thanks Tracy for this one), I only have one life to live, and want to do the most I can with mine.

Now, for a little more detail.

Work: I will be working as an environmental and water engineer in Honduras with the water and sanitation program. From my handy-dandy volunteer assignment, things I may be doing include:

1. The rehabilitation, construction or expansion of rural water and sanitation systems.
2. The training of rural community water associations.
3. Delivery of environmental and sanitation education to community groups.

Living:
For the first few months, I will be in training. More to come to follows on what is expected during that time. After 11 weeks, the three different programs that the training class represent break into smaller groups and move to separate towns to really focus on technical training. Volunteers come from a wide background of experience, so training is intense. Also, we need to know the spanish for our work, not just for getting around town.

During training, and for three months afterwards, I will be living with a host family, three actually. This makes sure we are fully immersed in the language and culture of Honduras. Another important factor here is that with a family, we are also a part of the community, and that helps with safety. I wont find out until right before I swear in as a volunteer (the end of training) where my site and home will be for the following two years.

Training:
Training goes for 11 weeks. The first few weeks are in Santa Lucia, and the whole training class (historically about 50 people) are training together. Here we get basic language and culture, and begin technical training. From here we divide into the smaller groups in different towns. During training the teachers (who have been doing this since the 60's) give us assignments to really dive into the spanish language. We also go to visit a currently serving volunteer. This gives us insight into what we can expect to be doing, as well as experience with the bus systems in Honduras.

Contact:
So, I have obviously started this blog. I should have sporadic access to slow internet through internet cafes. You can check out other PC Honduras blogs at http://www.peacecorpsjournals.com/. This can give you a view into what I am going to be doing. Thats what I did anyway.
I ask that at first I not get overwhelmed with emails. Internet is slow and expensive. Just write small notes in the comments section to this. Also, letters (thats right people, snail mail) would be very much appreciated.

Jillian Churchill, PCT
Voluntario del Cuerpo De Paz
Apartado Postal 3158
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
America Central

Note: I get charged everytime I get a package. So, until I get more info, just send letters. Also, I am far more likely to write back if I get a letter from you. I will not have the chance to reply to every email and comment I get.

The address above will be good through training, I will post more info when I get my site.

Also, I am rereading my welcome book, and you CANNOT send electronical devices. Its the law.

Visiting:
I encourage people to come visit me. I can't have visitors the first or last three months of my service. This means not until August, and before feb 2011. I suggest not planning anything until I find out where I am going and what the conditions are like around me. Running water, indoor bathrooms, and electricity are not a given. I may have all or none of them.

Safety:
The safety of volunteers is the PC's number one priority. More information on this or anything else about the peace corps, visit the website http://www.peacecorps.gov/

This blog:
I will try my hardest to keep a timely update on this blog. During training I will be fighting the other trainees (we are not volunteers until we are sworn in) for internet time. And who knows what access will be like in my future hometown. If loading pictures on here is easy, I will continue to load them here, or start a flickr page or something.

Thats all for now. I am tired of typing.

Jill