Encargados del Futuro

Last week was the annual Peace Corps IT sector, "Encargado del Futuro," conference. Which translates basically to "Bosses of the future." Each one of us IT Peace Corps Volunteers were allowed to take two youth from our communities to a three-day conference outside of Santiago.

I took Cristina, 18 and German (pronounced Herman), 19. German is really involved with the radio station at my center, is taking my computer class and is at the center almost everyday just hanging out. Cristina is in my English class and I had no idea she was even interested in computers, but my team at the center picked her because her father is running for mayor (against my Dona's brother), and the people who work at my center are apart of Cristina's dad's political party. There seems to always be another form of motivation to these kinds of things.

Despite this, they are both great kids and I am really glad I took both of them. The conference was held in two places. We stayed and ate a church/missionary place. It was a large, beautiful place with good food and HOT showers. Everyday, we would drive about five minutes to a nearby university campus. I think it was some sort of teacher training university, where people can come and get a degree in teaching.

The days were filled with different computer "charlas," or presentations/talks. Almost all of us volunteers gave a charla alone or with another volunteer on everything from computer programs such as photoshop and publisher, to computer maintenance, to creating a blog, to improving and running your computer lab in you community with more efficiency.

I gave a charla, not on anything with computers, but "What is a Leader?" I showed the kids a picture of Barack, Trujillo (the Dominican dictator who killed countless Dominicans for thirty years before being assassinated by a plot supported by the CIA in the 1960's), Leonel Fernandez (the current Dominican President) and the one-and- only Fidel Castro. We then discussed the differences between good and bad leaders and how men who are good can do bad things and men who are bad can do good things (Trujillo built most of the infrastructure in this country, including schools and roads through the country). We then discussed the differences between visions and goals, and what their visions and goals are for their life, their computer labs an their communities. I had each youth write themselves a letter to be opened five years from now (November 2014). Did you ever do this in school? You write a letter to yourself about all the things you want to do in that amount of time and then you open it 5 years, 10 years later- whatever and see if you actually did it, or what other paths you have taken since then.

I ended the conversation by asking each youth "Who is the leader of their life?" And how no matter what is going on, or who is leading the world or different countries, YOU are the leader of your life. So yes, even in Spanish, I can be the cheesiest person alive. Surprised?

The conference, for the most part, was a huge success. We had a "Casino Night," on the second night. Arya, another volunteer browed a bunch of hand-made carnival type games from a former PC volunteer who lives close to him. We had two bean bag tosses, a balloon-dart throwing game, turtle races and a mini-golf thing. We had tables set up for black-jack and dominoes and Amanda and Katie, had a bracelet making station, which was a huge hit. We bought ice cream and gave away candy and soda the whole night, so everyone was just cracked out on sugar- so of course the kids loved it.

A couple of the boys brought in alcohol and got caught. They were punished and were not allowed to attend the Casino Night festivities. It brought up some interesting points about alcohol and kids. In the US- it would have been such a bigger deal. Parents would have been called, kids would have gone home early. But here, in the DR- where there really is no drinking age (my town tells me kids start drinking when they start asking for it), there are different standards of what is and isn't acceptable. And although youth may start drinking here anywhere between 12 - 15 (what am I talking about, the last event in my town, I saw an 8-year-old with a beer in his hand), these boys knew bringing alcohol to this conference was not the smartest decision.

On the last day of the conference, we gave out certificates to each youth and a 2 Gig USB filled with pictures we took over the three days of the conference. You would have thought we gave each of them a new car, they were that excited. Both my youth came up to me and told me how excited they were about the USB's, because they both have always wanted one but could never afford it. That was a really great feeling, to see how grateful they were.

After the conference, my two youth gave me notes saying thank you (I gave them each one too, saying thanks for coming and I was proud of them, etc). German's note was a bit more alarming and surprising, because he told me he was in love with me and that "he hopes to love me for the rest of his life." I mean, come on! At least it's romantic right?! AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

To be honest, I was a little nervous about German and this happening, but he's such a good, nice kid and I really wanted to take him to the conference because he deserved it more than anyone else. Part of me kind of thinks he wrote me that note, because he feels like he had to. This whole Dominican man thing of confessing your love to a girl, because they did something nice for you. Or confessing your love to the American because she's American. I don't know. It was a very lovely note, but right now I'm choosing to ignore it (and him for a week or so) and hopefully he'll get the picture. If he doesn't, then I'll have to tell him more directly that there is no chance of a future with me and that loving me for the rest of his life, well would never be worth it.

Other than that, a great few days. I'm already excited for next year's conference.

This weekend, my Dona and I are hosting a "Pre-Thanksgiving Party" for some of my Peace Corps friends. We're having chicken, but we're attempting to make mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, salad... Jean, another volunteer is bringing a homemade pie. It should be a good time. And then for actual Thanksgiving, the Peace Corps hosts a dinner for all the volunteers in the country. And apparently, the food is very much so a traditional American Thanksgiving dinner. I couldn't be more excited.

So yes, more updates to come... Happy Pre-Thanksgiving! Make a dinner entirely on your stove top and think of me.