Happy 18th Zack!

So Im pretty sure my brother has never read my blog in his life, never the less he gets the top billing today. Not only is it he the big 1-8, but today was also his very first day of college. A big day indeed. Strangely enough, my 18th birthday also fell on my first day of college. It was a bit lonely not knowing anybody and asking people I hardly knew to go out to dinner with me to celebrate and I got really lost on my way to my first class and strolled in 20 minuets late and thought I was never going to survive college. Well Zack, if I can do it, I have no doubt you will not only make it, but love the 4 fabulous years of learning and growing. Good luck, and Happy Birthday! I miss you lots and I wish I could be there for this awesome part of your life.

Back to my awesome life.... Yesterday I went to the training center to welcome in Peru 10 and give a talk about living with host families. I consider myself an expert now that I am currently living in my 4th home stay. It was so cool going back to the training center and meeting the new group. It wasnt weird at all, it felt more normal than anything Ive been doing lately. The group had just arrived at the center for the first time coming strait from their retreat. They hadnt even met their hots families yet, so it was a little awkward. All of there questions were more about site and Peru in general then they were about host families and training. I bet today, after their first night with their families, they wish they would have asked a few more questions.

It was really neat to watch them and listen to their concerns. It was long ago at all that I felt the same nervous/excited anxiety of anticipation and unknowing. The Peace Corps is really good at that. It was only then that I realized for the first time in a year and a half I actually knew and understood what lays ahead of me in my Peace Corps service. Peru 10 however, has a way to go until theyll get it. I was happy to share what could with them. One thing I found totally crazy was when they would ask me a question and I would answer with what I had done in that situation and as I was telling the story, somebody else would finish it for me. I was taken aback each time, I looked at them confused and asked if I had already told them that. They said no, they said they had read it on my blog. I remember pouring over all the blogs of Peru PCVs before I came to Peru. It was cool realizing that the tides have changed and now 39 volunteers will actually look for me because I have experience. I dont feel like I have any answers at all, but I guess thats how the other PCVs felt as I was picking their brain of all the details of PC life.

I got to see all the old host families from taining as they came to pick up their new volunteers. I got to know a decent amount of families during training. So much so that I felt like I was seeing old friends. Ive been invited to so many of their houses to visit, it was very heart warming. Upon my return back to site, I noticed that every little thing my current host family was doing was irritating me more than normal. I guess its cause going back to training and seeing the new group and all their excitement, made me really miss my own group, all my friends. Even though it made me a bit nostalgic, Im glad I went. In a way it gave me a bit of a second wind. I hope I will be invited back to the training center over the next 3 months, Peru 10 seems like really great group and I hope they love their time in training, I know I did.