I'm in love.

Okay, it's decided: VEGlobal and I are two peas in a pod. It's early, still, but after three long days of orientation, I feel more sure than ever about this decision. I don't mean to gush, but I can't quite contain how excited I feel!

VE devotes an entire week to orientation, making sure every volunteer not only feels comfortable with logistical details like learning the Metro (I feel like a pro already) but also understands the ins and outs of the organization itself. VE is unique in that volunteers and and former volunteers completely determine how the organization runs--both the administration here in Chile and the board of directors outside of Chile are comprised entirely of former and/or current volunteers. Former volunteers are also responsible for reviewing applications and interviewing potential volunteers. In other words, every single person involved with VE believes very strongly in what we're doing and takes a serious interest in the future of the organization. VE's structure is self-perpetuating as the new volunteers serve on committees and learn how to lead the core projects of the organization. The veteran volunteers are incredibly committed to their work and have given their time generously this week, cooking lunches for us, imparting wisdom and answering our endless strings of questions.

In processing the beginning of this experience, I realize that most of the frustrating aspects of my volunteering experience in Guatemala are non-existent here with VEGlobal. VE, whose selection process is more competitive than I first thought, accepts no more than ten volunteers per class every three months to ensure that each member of the VE family feels sufficiently trained and supported. VE wants to make sure its work is done well, so rather than accept thirty volunteers at a time who may or may not take their work seriously, they choose a small group of people who will commit fully to the organization and work to make as much progress as possible. The administration has been honest with us about how challenging our work will be, but openly and frequently expresses its gratitude to us for making VE's work possible. I could not be more thrilled to join such a caring, passionate community.

On a lighter note, VE has this orientation week down to a science, to the point that I have to laugh at how successful some of the activities have been in helping my class of nine newbies to bond. We're all living in a room together at a hostal for the week before we move into our permanant housing, so it's one big sleepover until moving day on Sunday. Our ages range from 18 to 29 and we're getting along famously. Because this is Chile, and nothing quite happens as you expect it to, we already have a handful of shared jokes and stories. We've all had run-ins with the grouchy, bitter expat who owns the hostel, as well as adventures with Santiago's transportation system. Today, sadly, it appears that someone jumped in front of a train in the Metro, closing that direction of the line across the busiest part of the center of Santiago during rush hour. The crowds of people were absolutely unbelievable--the hundreds or even thousands of people that would have been taking the Metro were forced to try to crowd onto buses and into taxis, most of them left standing frustrated on the streets. Though the Metro system functions efficiently and beautifully, it barely holds the quantity of people who utilize it. The train cars fill up like Guatemalan chicken buses with people standing shoulder to shoulder and squished up against the doors and windows. So today, with no metro, the crowds were a sight to see.

Overall, I'm feeling really, really hopeful. To close, I'll mention a Chilean custom that I've come to love. Every time you greet someone or say good-bye to them, you kiss their left cheek. We do this amongst ourselves at VE and with all Chileans we meet. Not only is it the polite thing to do, for us it accentuates the affectionate atmosphere of the VE community. We've been told to absolutely follow this custom with our kids and the staff when we go to our institutions, every day, no exceptions. Because I've been so interested for the past few years in issues of human touch, I love this daily reminder that every human is worth being greeted in a warm, physical way. Hurray.