Estoy Voluntaria

What a Crazy week it has been! I will try and blog about everything but there are many details that I will probably forget. First and foremost I swore in last Thursday and am officially a Peace Corps Volunteer! Its crazy! The ceremony was so nice, my host family was there and my mentor surprised me! We raised our right hand and took this oath- 

“ I Roniann LaRoque do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.” 

Taking my Oath! 

Intense, right? Yes, I cried... it was so powerful and such a beautiful moment. I have never experienced something that real before. I am a Peace Corps volunteer, this is my job and this is real life! I’ve been dreaming about that moment for a long time and it finally arrived!It got me so excited and also excited to be an American!!! USA! 

My awesome Mentor who surprised me!  She is one of the happiest people I know! 

All the new volunteers! My G- mates!

My training community, Guasu Cora! 

After swear in, I had some blood work done and found out that I have Dengue Fever, a tropical virus contracted by mosquitoes. I am fine now, but had a pretty intense rash and fever. I rested a lot, drank a lot of water and survived! I wish for no one to ever experience what I did, it was painful!!! But now I am all better and moved into my house!! Yes I am here, I doing it. I’ve enjoyed that last 2 days. Going on lots of walks, playing with the little kids in my community picking flowers, picking fruit and integrating. I have lots of work to do around the house and will post pictures as I make some progress, its a very strange transition. 

The last 2 days have been an emotional roller coaster ( as expected)! I am happy to be here and I need to focus on that. I mostly feel like a stranger to my body because everything is so new but I know I just need time. Right now I will enjoy the awkward conversations and interactions I am having, knowing that I do indeed have a purpose for being here! 

Before I left my host family they threw a going away party and it was so sweet of them, I love them so much. The city I am living in now is really close to them and I plan on returning as much as I can!! Here is a picture with my family from the party!!