America, Adjusting, and Texts with Villagers

Hopefully all of you out there can answer this question now.

Three Months in the Motherland:

Reflections...

Testing capacity of Greg's hammock

PCV Greg Casaletto

Our little buddy Seaford Everton Co (Steve)

The two crazies...Margarita and Greg

Letters:

I sneaked a few peaks at letters on the bus ride out of Belize, but gluttonously read the rest on the plane as I promised. They were long and detailed and had funny little stories and sad pleadings to return soon. Careful drawings were enclosed and precious stickers added. It took almost a month to write back to each of them, but the new role of pen pal has been established. I started to write my adult friends and just got a call from one saying she got her letter! Meredith has been most helpful by allowing me to send huge quantities to her so I don't have to pay 98 cents for each letter, thanks Meredith! But this is the 21st century and mail isn't the only form of communication...

Some of our letters

Texts:

We got phones after a week or so stateside. I brought my old sim card from my phone in Belize to get my numbers off of. The AT&T guy asked where I got a 'Digicel' chip from and found it funny that I had carried this tiny thing around so I could text my villagers. Any-who so I got most of my numbers off and sent out a text saying, "Good morning, this is my new phone #. I miss u, say hi 2 everyone! -Kevina"

Here are a few of the responses:

Ofelia:

1. Same with us we really miss you guys nice to hear from you

2. oh especially my mother in law she is always crying for u guys say. hi to greg

3. ok.so what are u doing now?? Armin alway asking for u guys. i told him that u guys went back to your country.

4 &5 texting me other villager's numbers

6. I know how u feel kevina all d people from here really everyone always ask if u txt us or cal we told them no maybe kevina do not buy her phone yet we...

7. told them

8. Ok. we join a project now we are try to make kosh'tal (*the maya bags*)

9. Yeah i am at d creek now u can just imagine how your creek looks

10. ok then. oh evet's baby dead again i hear they wil bury d body today

11. ok kevina we can chat later i am busy washing nw later.

Verginia:

1. Hello kev! i am doing fine. if u do receive my txt plz reply me back

2. oh ok. yes i wil do tel her. last week we had isqwa n lancha fish my dad was crying, he said he mis u both. so how is greg doing?

3. oh del hope when u both reach bak u can hav some. the teul's family mis u and say hi 2 u an greg. meredith is having a great time so far.

Angelica:

1. ok i mis u 2 everything is wit u?

2. I mis u 2 kevina i will do dat hw are u an greg?

3. yeah i knw me 2 i stil think like u are still wit my uncle Santi. so are u working nw?

Fermin:

1. hi kevin a its so nice to hear frm u guys. miss u both a lot! enjoying d laptop so far and we r all doing mighty fine jun got a job on a cement factory

2. yeah! did greg still got his job? wat was ur fmly reaction upon ur return? Armin is speaking fluent now i wil try to email greg dis wknd i hope it workout

3. ok kev i need to get inside case it start to rain ya i am at my wrk my kids r doing gud in their studies i am proud of den until 2marow sen ur fmly my

4. regards ok

Mr. Juarez at school:

1. Ya! I'm hapy 2 hear from u an greg

2. Sure pls take care c later

3. Tell greg hi from d family ok

Saturnina:

1. Same 2 u kev.i am very proud of u 2

2. same 2 u kev we really miss u a lot 2

3. ok is ur mother in law surprise 2 c u wen u guys reach bak?

4. I knew dat wil b a shock 2 her. i wil tx u later ms. kev we r at d river nw i dont had full service

As our phone numbers spread through the village we get more and more texts. I usually get a few a day, and most of my best friends text me at least once a week. It really helps feel like I am still there and a part of the village. Usually they want to know 'what nice I eat for lunch?' or what I am doing. During thanksgiving I had to explain that we eat turkey but that we don't 'piece it out' or cut it into chunks for a soup but leave it together and bake it. We have also had several phone calls from villagers and that is really nice and kinda surreal. We called the Coh family a few weeks after we got back and it was so good to hear their voices again! We are lucky to have served in the Peace Corps during a time where there are technologies like this to keep us close. Volunteers of years past have sometimes gone the rest of their lives without getting to speak to their villagers ever again, and that would be terrible.

Emails:

One of my final projects was to help get Internet at the school. We were able to get the modem through the telemedia company before we left but that was during break so I did not really get to see it in use. Meredith has been working with the teachers and standard VI students and much to my delight I opened my inbox to a slurry of village emails!! Here are a few of my favorites:

Dear Mrs.Kevina,
How are you ?
I hope everything is alright with you.In our village two weeks
ago,they had celebrated the sacrment of matrimony.
And they had a very big party.
Sometimes I get sad because I donot see you again.
Yesterday Orjelinda and me accidentally drop in the creek.
when Federico and I go to the farm we drop in the creekand we just laugh.
I am so happy too with the internet and I WISH you good luck and BYE
respectfully yours
Cynthia Pop.

silver creek village

Toledo district

Belize CA

November 22 2011

Dear kevina

how is your day now bad or good,

because in silver creek is very hot.

kevina i want to tell you that your

freind walter got marry on october 16 but the things is going in my life is very
good. we have a nice day thats only what i want to tell you.
have a nice day.

your freind,
Blanca Tiul

Silver Creek Village

Toledo District

November 24, 2011

Dear Miss Kevina

How are u doing in the state now miss Kevina? And I want to ask u.

And when is your Birth day .And what is your phone numer.

That’s why Iam wroteing my letter to u Miss K

Love Lorencia

Silver Creek R.C

Silver Creek Village

Toledo District

Belize C A

October 25 2011

Dear Ms Kevina,

I really miss you and everyone misses you,too.

I ate pumpkin with rice, yesterday. Devon was watching a movie

it was about a child's birthday. Devon wanted a birthday cake, too.

That was the funny story you missed. There is no exiciting things

in my family right now. However, there was a bad thursday holiday.

We buried, Yvette's baby and I buried my dog, the little black and

white, Fluppy. There is nothing much in town or farm, because I have not gone there lately. They said they let go a little turtle in the creek by the bridge. I am reading about Belize, it is about the environment, history, and geography.

Are you missing the caldos and much more? Did you read the letter I gave you on September 22nd, 2011? And have you sent a return letter? Did you send our pictures for the sleepover? We hope you will come back to our village.I, Seynida Coh really miss you.

Love,

xoxoxo

Silver Creek R.C School

Toledo District,

November 24, 2011

Dear, Miss Kevina,

How is living in the country of united states of America.

How is Greg? Aren’t you crying for me? Merideth is working with us on the

Internet and we are working on a tide project the principal will ask for tide

To take us to the Cayes if we win. When is your B day? My sistere say that

When school close she would take me to Belize City. When would you come

Back to the country of Belize?Silver Creek R.C School

Meredith's blog:

http://in-the-hodge-podge.blogspot.com/

In case you have fallen in love with the little village of Silver Creek, which you probably have, and you want to see what is happening now, you can check out the new PCV Meredith's blog. I know I will!!

The Loss of a Dear Friend:

We learned some very sad news a few weeks ago. Our host brother, Fermin Co died. Fermin was a true brother to Greg and I. He worked at Santa Teresa where my dear friend Amy (PCV) lived and would often bring her back to Silver Creek so she could visit with us and the wonderful Coh family. He has a wonderful wife, who is one of my best friends and two sweet children that have been left behind. His 3 year old son doesn't understand and has said he will buy a horse for his daddy. Fermin always loved to laugh and joke and was quick to throw an impromptu party for our visitors or just on a Friday. He died December 12th. He was the second son to die in two years for the Coh family. Please keep his family in your thoughts. We miss you Fermin.

The End:

This blog has served its purpose and is finally at an end. We live in America again, but now we are Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. I really appreciate all of you out there that have read and commented and emailed encouragement. I hope that, like Greg and myself, you have grown to understand another culture, and to appreciate a different way of life. I hope I never forget the lessons I've learned while serving and am truly grateful that we had the opportunity to be a part of 'Promoting World Peace and Friendship' through the Peace Corps.

Thank you to our families and friends who supported us through the good times and encouraged us at our bleakest moments. Thank you everyone for the letters, emails and calls over the years. Lastly, thank you to my fellow volunteers for the support, laughter, jokes, and camaraderie that surely will go unmatched. Thank you and goodbye.

~Fin~

Final Goodbye

Last photo infront of our home of two years.

We wore our matching shirts that the village council made us.

The last day came, like any other day. I couldn't believe it had the nerve to just appear and pretend like it was just some normal day. We woke up after our few hours of sleep, Greg with a cold and me with tears to say our final and last goodbyes. We headed off to our respective schools for goodbyes and exchanges. Greg's best friend George drove out to pick up Greg (since our bikes were in the school storage for a latter raffle). Greg's school had a feast for him and gave him a beautiful cuxtal. Emails were exchanged and Greg's assistant principal offered to drive Greg back, and then escort us to the junction with our bags. I stopped in each class, said a little speach about how I loved and learned from each of them and that they must work hard to make the best of themselves.

Goodbyes to the students of Silver Creek R.C.

Saying goodbye to our little Godson, Devon(in my lap) and his preschool class.

I had a little bag from my staff gift and in each class kids would silently come up with neatly folded letters and notes for us to read on the plane. Several kids brought letters from older siblings in high school, over 60 letters total when the day was done. My school surprised me with a second pair of maya earrings...a tiny pair that I am still wearing (three months later). I couldn't believe it!

Surprise gift from the staff...tiny maya gold earrings!

Mrs. Delphine had to re-pierce my second hole, while Mrs. Susana admired them.

The Hardest Goodbye

Our final day had been mainly tear free, we shed a lot the night before so I was beginning to think perhaps I was cried out. Then I went home and Cecilia and I just stood in the house sobbing. Santiago came in and told us both that we had to be strong but I could barely hear him. It hit me, we were done and going, and this little hut in this little village would never be our home again. So many emotions were hitting me as Greg came home with Mr. Requena. Meredith came just in time to snap a final photo with our 'parents' of two years before we were hurried into the truck so as not to miss the bus at the junction. It was a quiet ride, with sniffling and small talk to the junction. We were unloaded, given best wishes and then sat for the final time in our little bus stop in the hot sun. Chris rode his bike out to say his final goodbyes and keep us company. It felt crazy, insane to be sitting here to go back to America. To not wake up and wash in the creek the next day. To sleep without the hum of insects.

Our ride to the junction...the end and the beginning.

You might be able to see me sobbing uncontrollably in the back.

We spent the rest of our 4th anniversary (19 hours of it) on school busses sitting shoulder to shoulder. After a relaxing few days of luxury in Mexico, thanks to our friend Erica's welcoming parents, we headed back to America forever.

Welcoming party at the RDU airport.

Our luggage. Two rice sacks, a bucket, backpack, and duffle.

Checkin out of the Peace Corps...PEACE!

Peace Corps Headquarters

Belmopan, Belize

Peace Corps Belize

Wrapping up two years of service was no easy task, especially having been volunteering for a government organization. There were meetings, medical tests, more meetings, and lots of final signitures and documents to be done and submitted. We did our final VRF (volunteer reporting form) where we itemized and documented all activities we did/projects we've accomplished. There were also sections to talk about our Goal 2 and 3 work (teaching Belizeans about Americans, and Americans about Belizeans). This is a quarterly report that gets turned over to headquarters and gets compiled with all the other volunteers serving so that Washington can get an idea of what we're doing. It is always dreaded because it is a very complicated, multi tabbed, special JAR file downloading pain so it was exciting to do our very last one.

We also had our final medical interviews where we were given a folder of papers and had to initial as we went over about 15 forms that we'd need back in America. We also got a glimpse of our medical records. Mine was a 2 inch thick book...did I mention they think I had typhoid a month before I left...

First food after 7 days of salmonella/typhoid

any-who so yeah we can request those records and can claim any Peace Corps related problem for up to two years. Nurse Jackie (our PCMO or Peace Corps Medical Officer) took pictures with us and we spent a while after our interviews just chatting with her.

Me at the training office, first day of training 2 years ago

Greg climbing up the steps to the volunteer lounge entrance 2 years ago

When we actually left the office for the last time the entire staff gathered to see us off. We received our official signed copy of our DOS (see below), a thank you card signed by all the staff and many hugs. I was not expecting this and it was a very nice surprise. They also made a thank you sign that we were supposed to run and slap on our way out but I was so excited/caught off guard that I forgot:( Greg had a very funny man-hug with our PCMO's assistant Kent. They often would hang out while I was sick and Kent made Greg promise to send a picture of himself on his motorcycle.

Staff thank you and goodbyes leaving the office for the last time

So we did it, we signed up for two years and we finished it and I am glad we did it. We learned a lot about the world, the Maya people, hard work, and ourselves. Only half of our group made it to the end and with good reason. This was BY FAR the HARDEST thing either of us have EVER done in our lives and probably the hardest thing we will have ever done. I am so proud that Greg did it with me and that we made it through some of the toughest things a couple could face.

WE DID IT!

The final and biggest form we had to complete was our DOS (Description of Service). This will be our official record of our service to stay filed in PC Washington for evermore. We had 2 pages to sum up our entire Peace Corps service. I have put them below incase you feel like seeing two years squished down to two pages. After we checked out of the peace corps we actually went back to the village for 2 more nights. That is when the sleepover and the party happened. A little out of order, sorry. Without further adieu...

Peace Corps Belize

Description of Peace Corps Service

Gregory Casaletto

Belize, 2009-2011

After a competitive application process stressing technical skills, motivation, adaptability, and cross-cultural understanding, Peace Corps invited Greg Casaletto to serve as a Teacher Trainer in the Central American nation of Belize.

Pre-Service Training

Gregory Casaletto began an intensive 9-week pre-service training in Maya Mopan Village, a community located 5 minutes from the capital, Belmopan. The program consisted of language training, technical skills training, and cross-cultural studies training. Throughout the pre-service training program, Mr. Casaletto lived with a Belizean family, reinforcing his linguistic abilities and exposing himself to Belizean culture and traditions.

PC Belize’s Training program included 62.5 hours of formal instruction in Q’eqchi ,96 hours of core topics (history, politics, economics, cross-cultural, safety & security, and health) and 77 hours of technical project training

Primary Assignment

On October, 22, 2009, Gregory Casaletto completed training and was sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer. He was assigned to Big Falls Roman Catholic School, Big Falls Village, Toledo District.

During Mr. Casaletto’s service he worked with the teachers and the school administration of Big Falls R.C. School to facilitate the transition from hand written paper forms to electronic copies for all school documents. He also repaired computers to get the schools computer lab in working order. The computer lab and Internet had been set up by the Belize Rural Development Project and was not in full working order when he had arrived. Mr. Casaletto collaborated with the B.R.D.P. to attend and give workshops on there behalf on computer lab repair and maintenance. This enabled the teachers to use the computers and Internet as a teaching resource. The school library had been previously established by a past Peace Corps Volunteer and had become unusable after a large donation of books rendered the library useless as the boxes of books were taking up too much space. Mr. Casaletto, with the help of three other Peace Corps Volunteers sorted the books and organized the books and then encouraged self governance of the library and resources. The teachers then became accustomed to using the library themselves instead of relying on a librarian.

Mr. Casaletto worked closely with 15 teachers and two administrators as well as the PTA to conduct fundraising for the school that was done in two large fairs and soccer tournaments. He also conducted computer classes for 67 students over the course of two years. The classes that he taught were parts of the computer, basic computer skills, typing, internet research, and email. Teacher’s also received one-on-one trainings on some of the same topics but mostly focused on finding teaching resources and lesson ideas on the internet.

Secondary Activities

Gregory Casaletto immediately saw a desire from everyone to have and use computers in everyday life. When he arrived at Big Falls R.C. the computer lab had a few computers that were not in working order so with limited existing knowledge and very few resources he learned how to repair computers. News spread of his new found talent and he was soon contacted by nearby rural computer labs for technical assistance with computer systems and local area networks.

Mr. Casaletto learned what he could and then started conducting technical trainings and workshops in beginning computer skills as well as intermediate and advanced computer maintenance and repair. Over the course of two years he conducted five formal training sessions on computer maintenance and repair to 22 youth leaders and students who helped run rural computer labs.

Many people came to ask Gregory for help with their own computers so he performed many informal private tutoring on computer and Internet skills as well as repairing approximately 45 community members with personal computers free of cost. These free computer repairs helped sparked many young students interest in computers and as of now one neighbor of his has started schooling to become a computer repair technician.

Language Skills

Even though the official language of Belize is English there are many other languages spoken throughout the country. The Q’eqchi language is used mostly in the southern part of the country where Mr. Casaletto lived. He was able to acquire an understanding of the language and is able to communicate and understand basic needs and questions. Most Belizeans speak Belizean Creole which is a form of English. Mr. Casaletto found it necessary and was able to gain a very good understanding of this language. Most of his colleagues at the school where he worked would converse with him and each other in Creole so he was able to develop the ability to use this language on a daily basis.

Summary

Gregory Casaletto completed his Peace Corps service in Belize on September 23, 2011.

Pursuant to section 5(f) of the Peace Corps Act 22 U.S.C 2504 (f) as amended, any former Volunteer employed by the United States Government following their Peace Corps Volunteer service is entitled to have any period of satisfactory Peace Corps Volunteer service credited for purposes of retirement, seniority, reduction in force, leave and other privileges based on length of federal government service. Peace Corps service shall not be credited toward completion of the probationary or trial period or completion of any service requirement for career appointment.

This is to certify in accordance with Executive Order No. 11103 of 10 April 1963, that Gregory Casaletto served satisfactorily as a Peace Corps Volunteer. His service in Belize ended on September 23, 2011. He is therefore eligible to be appointed as a career-conditional employee in the competitive civil service on a non-competitive basis.

This benefit under the Executive Order entitlement extends for a period of one year after termination of the Volunteer’s service, except that the employing agency may extend that period for up to three years for a former Volunteer who enters military service, pursues studies at a recognized institution of higher learning, or engages in other activities that, in the view of the appointing authority, warrant extension of the period.

Peace Corps Belize

Description of Peace Corps Service

Kevina Casaletto

Belize, 2009-2011

After a competitive application process stressing technical skills, motivation, adaptability, and cross-cultural understanding, Peace Corps invited Kevina Casaletto to serve as a Teacher Trainer in the Central American nation of Belize.

Pre-Service Training

Kevina Casaletto began an intensive 9-week pre-service training in Maya Mopan a community located 10 minutes from the capital, Belmopan. The program consisted of language training, technical skills training, and cross-cultural studies training. Throughout the pre-service training program, Kevina Casaletto lived with a Belizean family, reinforcing her linguistic abilities and exposing herself to Belizean culture and traditions.

PC Belize’s Training program included; 62.5 hours of formal instruction in Q’eqchi, 96 hours of core topics (history, politics, economics, cross-cultural, safety and security, and health), and 77 hours of technical project training.

Primary Assignment

On October 22, 2009, Kevina Casaletto completed training and was sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer. She was assigned to Silver Creek Village.

Kevina Casaletto’s teachers and work counterpart, Mr. Geraldo Baltazar greatly contributed to the success and completion of her projects through their willingness to try, implementation of strategies taught, and eagerness to share ideas and success. Kevina’s primary project mainly consisted of training in the field of literacy; specifically, diagnostic testing, teaching reading comprehension, and creative writing instruction from preschool to standard 6 (equivalent to eighth grade in the US Education system). These goals were achieved through a combination of observation, model lessons and workshops. She conducted four workshops on literacy at Silver Creek R. C. School on topics such as teaching comprehension strategies, reading and writing mini lessons based on student need, and writer’s notebooks. Additionally Mrs. Casaletto conducted eleven other workshops for six schools, other PCVs and PCTs, and Jesuit Volunteers across the nation. Kevina also conducted a literacy workshop for 28 Preschool teachers on literacy, reaching every preschool in the Toledo District. These trainings consisted of strategies in behavior management, diagnostic testing of reading, and reading comprehension strategies. Therefore, resulting in a total of sixteen workshops facilitated by Kevina Casaletto throughout her two years of service, training 89 teachers, 53 Peace Corps Volunteers, and one Jesuit Volunteer.

To supplement and support the strategies introduced in workshops Mrs. Casaletto demonstrated concepts by providing 23 literacy ‘model’ lessons in the classroom while the teacher observed. Teachers were able to share ideas and progress through continued observation and feedback through conferences. Teachers met with Kevina Casaletto after any observation or model lesson. Additionally three model lessons were demonstrated at Big Falls R.C. School on the use of graphic organizers in writing. Eight other model lessons were demonstrated at Silver Creek R.C. School focusing on math concepts, behavior management, and the use and management of classroom libraries, resulting in a total of 34 model lessons demonstrated by Kevina Casaletto over her two years.

Through administration of diagnostic reading tests in October 2009, 118 students (from Infant II through Standard VI, first grade through eighth comparatively in the US system), 48% were reading one or more grades below expected with 24% at two or more grades below, and only 8.5% reading above their grade. To address the issue of a large number of students working well below their peers Kevina Casaletto pulled 30 students (all students two or more levels below in reading) twice a week for intensive reading instruction. The following October the combination of workshops and model lessons on literacy instruction and the intensive extra classes proved successful. The results in October 2010 (with 117 students from Infant II to Standard VI) showed 32% one or more level below, 8.5% two levels below (with no students testing beyond two grades below) and 18% above the expected reading level. During the 2010-2011 Mrs. Casaletto worked with ten children intensively and by May 2011 only two were not on grade level. Through these intensive classes along with training of teachers on strategies to support literacy the majority of students were caught up to grade level allowing them to access information from their textbooks previously too difficult.

Additionally four faculty members were trained in basic operations of computers. Students from Standard I-Standard IV were given bi-weekly computer classes, with standard V and VI receiving weekly instruction along with 30 minutes per week of extra morning classes for typing instruction. Lessons were given in the classroom with teachers observing and then assisting in the computer lab as students practiced what they learned.

Secondary Activities

To further support her work with literacy at Silver Creek R.C. School Kevina also took on the library as her secondary project spending approximately 20% of her time on the following; networking to expedite construction of the library, facilitating three village meetings to discuss the course of the library, and being a main point of contact once the community decided to join the Belize National Library Service. She worked closely with the school, village and librarian to organize the inauguration of the library, school library days, and holiday activities including a stimulation month. Mrs. Casaletto has worked closely with the three librarians, providing support, advice, and accompaniment on a field trip to the district library in Punta Gorda.

Kevina Casaletto worked closely with Mr. Luis Cal, the Standard III and IV teacher (and football coach) on the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment’s freshwater cup project. They planned four activities including a creek clean up, researching water pollution on Encarta, and creating and presenting a PowerPoint to the 35 parents of his class in English and Q’eqchi. The project won first prize resulting in the donation of $1,000 Belize dollars worth of school supplies to the school.

Mrs. Casaletto also assisted in facilitating the painting of a six-foot by twelve-foot world map on the side of the library. The work was completed by 44 people ranging in ages from four to 48 years of age. The community decided they wanted to label the countries so several Standard VI students located and labeled all of the countries and major bodies of water. The map has been used several times by teachers lacking a world map in their class and by interested villagers.

Language Skills

In addition the 62.5 hours of Pre Service Training instruction in Q’eqchi Mrs. Casaletto also attended 15 additional hours of In Service Training. She has acquired a functional level of comprehension and speech allowing her to converse with children and women easily at about 65% fluency/comprehension (men at about 50%). This has proven greatly beneficial in gaining support of community members and also integration into the community of Silver Creek.

Summary

Kevina Casaletto completed her Peace Corps service in Belize on September 23, 2011.

Pursuant to section 5(f) of the Peace Corps Act 22 U.S.C 2504 (f) as amended, any former Volunteer employed by the United States Government following their Peace Corps Volunteer service is entitled to have any period of satisfactory Peace Corps Volunteer service credited for purposes of retirement, seniority, reduction in force, leave and other privileges based on length of federal government service. Peace Corps service shall not be credited toward completion of the probationary or trial period or completion of any service requirement for career appointment.

This is to certify in accordance with Executive Order No. 11103 of 10 April 1963, that Kevina Casaletto served satisfactorily as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Her service in Belize ended on September 23, 2011. She is therefore eligible to be appointed as a career-conditional employee in the competitive civil service on a non-competitive basis.

This benefit under the Executive Order entitlement extends for a period of one year after termination of the Volunteer’s service, except that the employing agency may extend that period for up to three years for a former Volunteer who enters military service, pursues studies at a recognized institution of higher learning, or engages in other activities that, in the view of the appointing authority, warrant extension of the period.