Today I was assigned another job! It's to take over as the volunteer/intern coordinator here at CASA. I will review applications of prospective interns and volunteers, arrange Skype interviews and work with Nina, the head of the coordinator department in the development office. I'm still going to be working with Colectivo 41 but primarily with fundraising/grant writing. I will also finish out the training with the promotores which is over at the end of the month so...lot's of work! I'm feeling good. I feel as though I'm developing more of a trust with this incredible organization and its people. This morning, in the Colectivo 41 training, we discussed gender roles and gender stereotypes. Miguel articulated the difference between biological sex and gender identity. This confuses most of the promotores a lot and has been the case since the beginning of the trainings. One of the questions in Miguel's presentation was - "Is your biology your destiny?" If you are born a man must you only identify with the stereotypes of masculine gender? The promotores and I broke up into groups and made lists of what women and men were "supposed" to be. Women were defined as virgins until marriage (that prompted hysterical laughter when it was read) coquettish, whiny, docile, timid, maternal, obedient and so on. Men were described as macho, liars, drunks, violent, strong, leaders of their families, workers, intelligent, lazy, cheaters, and egotistical. Yowzer!!! Very defined, very extreme, not a lot of room for flexibility in our lists! What if you are a beaker and contain a little fizz from one list and a little liquid from another list and then you dip pretty heavily into the all around weirdo batter...? I don't know, I really don't. Keep trying to be the best HUMAN I can, that's about all I can do to respond to stereotypes that are placed on me and that I place on others. I'm learning that the dialogue for much of what we identify as problematic in our communites is ongoing. I'm not going to come up with a solution for anything ever, HAHAHA,...obviously! I would like to participate in the ongoing conversation though. My favorite moment today: I joined in on a meeting in which there were five women sitting around a tiny table, discussing a bevy of subjects and folding informational brochures. I actively listened. I was asked to explain my opinion about a certain subject and I fumbled my way through an explanation. But I think I was understood. Then one of my co-workers gave me a chocolate. After the meeting I went to the bathroom and skipped/ran down the hall grinning like a fool. Hasta luego!