The community of Olmos was kind enough to greet me with a giant festival in my honor. This festival included music, fireworks, and a special mass and procession.
Okay, not true, but I did arrive in Olmos during the middle of the Festival of the Cross. The fair began around the 17 of August and officially does not end until Saturday, September 6.
The entire main plaza/park was transformed for the festival. Carnival games, bounce houses and tiendas lined the streets and sidewalks. A giant tent was set up in front of the Catholic Church for an outside mass.
On Monday, August 25, the main day of the festival and my first full day in site, my socia called me to ask if I was going to attend the outdoor mass. I dropped what I was doing and ran to the plaza to find her and meet her 8-year-old son. We stood, under the shade of the tent, for an hour and a half listening to the mass that was filled with music from a youth choir and military band.
While we were in the shade, it still was way too hot to be wearing dress pants and a cardigan—and it’s currently winter! I thought I would have been prepared for this, living in Texas the past 15 years. Hopefully I become accustomed to the heat, or else these next two years will be rough.
On Tuesday, the town somewhat returned to normal—in that people actually went to school and work. I met my socia at her school and she introduced me to the staff and some of the students. We then went to a few other schools and the health post, where she introduced me to more people. Wednesday was more of the same.
I was really overwhelmed by the support I received from all of the people I met and I am excited and eager to start working with them. Which begs the question, “So Brittany, what will you be doing for the next two years?”
Well, I’ll tell you in two years. Until then, here’s what you should know about my job description—
The first three months in site are spent integrating into my family and community. This is as subjective as it sounds and includes everything from attending community events to watching telenovelas with my sister. During the first three months, I also have to complete a community diagnostic, identifying the opportunities in the community. I will be presenting this to the community sometime early in 2015.
The diagnostic should also lead to identifying more counterparts to work with and projects to support. Community projects that I should be working on can vary tremendously but should focus on impacting youth (ages 10-24) in the following areas:
- Promoting a healthy lifestyle (including self-esteem, critical thinking, sexual health, physical health)
- Building for the future (including world of work, financial literacy, post-secondary school education)
- Empowering leaders and encouraging volunteerism
Once I have an understanding of what Olmos needs and wants, I can start working to help the community achieve their goals.
Still have questions? Feel free to ask in the comment section, or e-mail me!
Brittany McGee 