So, I’ve found Eden. I’ve also found the End of the World. Guess what? They are in the same place: El Guayabo (my home for the next 2 years)!

Eden: I basically live in a forest of green, rolling mountains. I literally have never seen a more lush place. The ground is covered with spongey moss that looks like carpet. In my backyard we have orange trees, avocado trees, banana trees and mango trees that are constantly producing fruit. Literally, we just pick food from the trees and eat it. No lack of fruits and veggies here (think fresh squeezed orange juice and avocado with every meal). It rains at least once a day for 20 minutes, which means the environment is constantly cool (I sleep with a blanket, I do not sweat during the day! Sweatshirt at night time). We have a flower garden and grow yucca and peanuts. We have chickens and pigs that roam the hills. I have already seen one woman harvest, grind and boil her own coffee beans (which made delicious coffee) and another woman gave me fresh honey still in the comb to eat with breakfast!! As my host mother said, “we are a poor community but no one here goes hungry”. What a place!

Conveniently, Eden has also provided my host family with all the amenities (albeit the host family’s house is at the end of the world):
• Constant running water (flush toilet, shower that has water come out of the showerhead, kitchen sink)
• Constant electricity. In a country where the electricity can be out any moment (in Santo Domingo, most of the day), we have electricity 24/7 here (clearly the corrupt government doesn’t know our community exists). Thus, I started writing this blog last night and my computer is still on at 6:15 in the morning. A true miracle.
• Washing machine. Yup.
• A TV with 13 channels… somehow we get reception on a TV that appears to be from the late 70s.
• Host family house: gorgeous large, white block (not wood with a tin roof!) with my own room with 2 beds in it!
• CHEESE. Not orange processed cheese, but real cow cheese that I eat on crackers (think: gouda).

End of the World: To put it lightly, I am in a rural, isolated location. I figure, probably one of the 20 most isolated locations out of Peace Corps 150 locations. I basically live on top of a large hill with no neighbors nearby. The community of 38 houses is spread over miles of other hills. I have to walk about 30 minutes down the hill to reach a main path, and 45 minutes to reach a “town” with several houses, 1 colmado and a primary school. Walking to the other communities (I’m also assigned to the “nearby” communities of La Jagua and Los Ramones) will take over an hour each way, and there is no reliable transportation anywhere in the area. Most people either walk or take motorcycles that neighbors own. The nearest place with internet/supermarket is Santiago Rodriguez which is probably about 1.5 hours on transportation (walking, car/pickup truck). Transportation is also costly. Suffice it to say, I will be leaving my community infrequently. Very infrequently. I’ve already consulted my host family about using their burro to transport myself to my neighboring villages where I am assigned to work…they think it’s a good idea (and this is no joke).

There is obviously no cell phone service here. I will have to switch my current provider. Last night, I stood in the middle of the peanut fields to get 1 bar of service with which to call my family. Don’t expect frequent communication!

Also, after 3 months of living with the host family, volunteers are given the option to move into an empty house in the community. I have been counting on this (I want to cook and clean and have my own schedule!). However, because my community is so isolated and small, there are almost no vacant houses and security would be an issue. Luckily, my host family has an empty house (their old house) right behind their house. I’m going to try to move in there eventually so I can have my own space, but still have the security (and access to amenities!).

Moral of the story: Come visit me! You will never want to leave (nor will you physically be able to!).

Other Positive First Impressions:
The people in my community are amazing. I’m obsessed. I’ve known them already for 2 days but feel so welcome and comfortable here. There are basically 2 families in the village, so everyone is related (which makes things easy). Everyone here is really motivated and excited for me to begin my work, especially the youth and agricultores (I’ve had to remind them that the 3 month community diagnostic comes first. They are already talking about latrines, gardens and youth groups). Incredibly, I’ve already been introduced at several community meetings and informal get togethers and everyone has told me “I am at your service”. The community likes to grow and eat their own organic food and they are semi-conscious about nutrition (unlike Las Tablas). The community is very united and they are involved in various community groups (womens group, agricultores). I have a lot of community leaders and entrepreneurs! I think I will be collaborating with nearby youth/economic development volunteers because the community women want to start a micro-pastry business and another university student wants to build recreation grounds for the youth.

The closest town with a colmado is El Jobo, which is a 40 minute walk down the mountain. I have already met with the doctor there (who is also brand new to town and is 27 years old) who runs the local rural clinic and I think we will be collaborating on a lot! What a great resource! He seems very intelligent and progressive in his ideas. Also, I attended a PTO meeting at the local school in El Jobo, and they started talking about the need for increased sexual education. PERFECT! The teachers appear to be first-rate (and more educated than I’ve seen other places). Finally, my dream project would be to integrate green leaves into the school meals that they have recently instituted…

Also, El Jobo had a Peace Corps member from ’97-99 so they already have a rough idea of who I am. A great jumping-off point!

All in all, I am very content with my final placement.