Long Field Practice Here We Come 7.12.08

Aveiro, 7.12.08 - So tomorrow I will spend most of the day preparing for my week-long visit to a volunteer about 6 or 7 hours away in a town called Tavapy 2. This is known as Long Field Practice, in which we really get to see the ins and outs of volunteer life, and will even be conducting workshops with the community. I will be going with two other folks from my group, one of whom I pray that I don't strangle while I'm there. I'm sure everything will be fine though. The volunteer we're visiting is also an interesting guy to say the least - he has the record for longest days without bathing and the most pique (PEE-kay). I suggest that you all google pique to find out what it is, but just to give you an idea, it's a parasite that is contracted usually in the feet as result of contact with cow or pig poop or otherwise contaminated soil. It looks like a little splinter when you initially get it, but it then matures and lays eggs which can cause major nerve damage and, in extreme cases, death. EXTREME CASES. I thought I had one the other day and had the doctor look at it but apparently I didn't. So anyway, this particular volunteer had 6 IN ONE TOE at one point, as a result of his penchant for walking around barefoot, especially in the dirt. He's a really nice guy, but we also think he is semi-insane; he kinda reminds me of Pigpen from Charlie Brown. All of that notwithstanding, I have every intention of staying as clean as possible. As was the case in Valenzuela, we will be staying with families. I have already been told that, while the family I'm staying with has a latrine, not a modern toilet, they do have a hot shower! So yeah, needless to say I will likely have some stories at the end of my week. Stay tuned and pray for me! :-)