Today (January 25) was a busy yet relaxed ay all wrapped up in one. It was the certificate ceremony for the students that finished the typing course that began last October. I have an amazing community and without everyone pulling together it would have been a different story.
Yesterday, once the power finally returned around 11:30am, I jumped up from the terere circle at Kai Andres and Ña Marina’s house and headed for Ña Asuncion’s to make soy milk. I needed the soy milk for the cupcakes I wanted to make. Even if I wasn’t happy about the power outage it was for the best in the long run because it gave me a chance to ask Kai Fernando to mow my lawn. Abuela Naty made faces of disgust while exclaiming how feo my yard was and telling me who to ask to cut it.
While pasteurizing the soy milk I made lemon bars. Alejandra and Diana arrived just in time to help with the cupcakes. Alejandra squeezed a half a liter of lime juice and also kneaded bread in preparation for tomorrow. My boss, agriculture technical trainer, and volunteer coordinator, Gloria, Homi, and John, respectively, were joining me for lunch and the ceremony at 5:00pm.
At 6:30pm, yesterday, I walked across the street to join Ña Asuncion and some other mothers to marinate the 100 pieces of chicken. It’s amazing what soy sauce, lemon juice, fresh chopped garlic, and lime juice can do to chicken in one night. After I returned I finished baking bread and flat bread.
This morning I finished hoeing my garden and around 9:30am Diana and her sister Lorena came over to finish the cupcakes. While they topped them with Chantilly and colored sugar I finished making lunch—Mango/passion fruit juice, Guacamole, and tubule (a Middle Eastern dish made with cracked wheat, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, and lots of parsley. It’s very refreshing for these hot humid days.) to go with the bean burgers I prepped yesterday.
Gloria, Homi, and John arrived around 12:30pm followed shortly after by Alejandra. We feasted under the shade of the orange tree.
Ña Asuncion, true to her words of not to worry, covered all the details of cooking the chicken and chipaguasu in the tatakuaa (brick oven) while I sipped terere with my company and completed the questionnaire regarding my 1 year of service in site.
Around 4:00pm I joined my other neighbors, Mavel, Lara, and their grandmother to make 8 liters of passion fruit juice.
The ceremony finally began around 6:00pm, but it was worth the wait because Kai Javier (my host Dad who is now the secretary for the mayor of O’Leary), the Mayor, and the Director of the High school and grade school all showed up. I was so happy to have so many guests in attendance. I did not have to do much talking since Mayor Amado took over by talking about the importance of getting the entire community involved in forming committees in order to improve everyone’s life. He talked about improving the roads, water, and electricity. At first I was worried it was turning into anything but a ceremony for the students, but after everyone spoke their piece, Mayor Amado, Prof. Edgar, Prof. and Secretary Javier, and congratulated all twenty students individually while Prof. Javier announced their names to the audience.
The food was devoured in a matter of minutes. I didn’t even get a cupcake or lemon bar, but I didn’t care because I was happy that everyone else was enjoying themselves.
After saying goodbye to all my guests and snapping a few more pictures with my students I retreated to my hammock to reflect on my day and the past year while the dropping sun painted the sky in vivid orange-pink hues.
