Yo soy Kathryn presidente.

While Guatemala was engrossed in its elections, Peace Corps was holding elections of its own (slightly less tumultuous and bloody) for the Volunteer Advocacy Council—the representative voice of the volunteers to the administration…and I am to be the new president of VAC.

I would love to be able to say that my election to the presidency was the result of my impeccable character, my carefully crafted campaign, my sound platform, my steadfast refusal to resort to political mudslinging, my riveting stump speeches, and all the hands I shook and babies I kissed, but the humbling truth is that no one else ran, so I won by default (a fact I probably won’t be including on any future resumes).

So even though I don’t have a mandate (read my post “90 days” for more details on that subject), I am nevertheless excited to take the helm of VAC. Hopefully after my year of service the volunteers here can say they were pleased with the performance of the president for whom they never voted.

[And contrary to what the title of the post may lead you to believe, I am not actually conceited (as if I have a reason to be). It is a little nod to a certain annoying Guatemalan political jingle that will forever be etched into my memory. My fellow PCVs (thank you Kelly, Mo, Laura, and Bryan for your loyal readership) probably share in my joy that Pablo shan’t be advancing to the next round.]