Top 10 reasons why I’m so happy to be out of training

• Setting my own schedule
• Cooking my own food
• No more micromanaging by Teresa
• Putting down roots in the community and building relationships
• Learning Guarani and relearning Spanish on my own terms
• Getting to know the awesome volunteering in my VAC
• Being able to wash my laundry whenever there is good sun, not just on the weekend or during lunch
• I get a cell phone
• Did I mention cooking for myself?
• Finally working on real projects

On August 17th I finally arrived in site! After almost 3 months I have just finally been allowed to start volunteering. Yes…technically I wasn’t a volunteer until this past Friday, I was just a trainee. It was a long three months, and I’m so glad that our entire team of 18 trainees all made it to site without anyone leaving early.

Training had its ups and downs, and after a rocky day-before-I-leave morning with my J.A. Saldivar host mom, Teresa, I was incredibly happy to get to site. No fear, no nervousness, just pure delight. I will definitely miss my three host sisters… but so long J.A. Chaocitos.