ProHabitat it is!

So, I tried out my first option for work, Fundacion ProHabitat, last Friday and after a two hour conversation with the director and weighing my options complete with a scored pro con list, I´ve decided to stay here in Cochabamba rather than head out to the mountains. After all, ProHabitat offers me the best chance to learn Spanish, practice community organizing, live with my host family full-time, and take advantage of the numerous cultural opportunities available here in the city. I´m relieved to have made my decision finally.

I´ll be working as a part of the education team, especially with the teenagers in the Southern Zone of the city. My independent project will involve evaluating the impact of our programs and needed improvements resulting in a report that can lead to internal changes and can be shared with the public and funding sources. I also hope to be involved in some way with the family vegetable gardens sprouting up in some of the communities. I don´t know much more than this yet, but I´m excited for the challenges that lay ahead and all that I have to learn and give. Today, on my first full day, we had an informational fair in the main plaza because it´s the International Right to a Home Day. I had the chance to hand out some flyers for our program and talk to many folks who are in need of loans from us in order to build a home on their lot. And tonight, I´ll be with the education team meeting with one of our youth groups for a discussion on sexuality. Should be a good topic to break the ice and see what the teens are like!

Please let me know what´s new with you- would love to hear from you!