Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Livin La Vida Loca
So I have been here in El Salvador for almost two months now and find out where I will be sent for my permanent post in just a little over a week! I have had so many touching, amazing experiences here so far and cant wait to experience more when I move to my site.
Last weekend we went to an amazing municipality called Ahuachapan to Barrio Santiago where there is a charming little hostel right on the beach. I went with 6 other PCV and we had a great time. The beach was gorgeous and we had it all to ourselves! We went body surfing, turtle watching at night and just an overall chill, fun time. I am continuously surprised by how different each part of El Salvador is. Two weekends ago I went to Morazan for an immersion day visit. There it was mountanious and filled with coffee plantations and pine trees. It reminded me a little of home with the pine trees and the air was so cool and fresh. I got to hike to a waterfall and visit a PCV who is in the end of his first year there. It was definitely an experience but overall a really great one. I learned a lot about the real life of a PCV and what the day to day activities are. Its not always glamarous but the people make it worth it. Every time I meet someone new or play with kids here, I am reminded again and again why I am here and why I ultimately want to do international development.
I am really excited to be going in three weeks to my site but also a little nervous. I dont know what the community will be like or where it will be. But I think the biggest thing is that I dont want to leave the host family I have in La Mascota. They have been overwhelmingly welcoming, warm and loving. I definitely feel like an adopted part of the family. Its not even just the host family I dont want to leave either - everyone in the community is just starting to get to know me and open up to me. I feel like I am leaving right when I am starting to settle in just a little and its frustrating - but it also gives me hope that in two months in my new site I will hopefully have connections and friends that I wont want to leave either and that will be great as well since I will be there for TWO years!!!
Overall, I feel (as most El Salvadoreans would say I believe) blessed to have been chosen to be a volunteer in El Salvador. Its an amazing country so far with so much history both recent and past and I still have so much to explore and discover.
Last weekend we went to an amazing municipality called Ahuachapan to Barrio Santiago where there is a charming little hostel right on the beach. I went with 6 other PCV and we had a great time. The beach was gorgeous and we had it all to ourselves! We went body surfing, turtle watching at night and just an overall chill, fun time. I am continuously surprised by how different each part of El Salvador is. Two weekends ago I went to Morazan for an immersion day visit. There it was mountanious and filled with coffee plantations and pine trees. It reminded me a little of home with the pine trees and the air was so cool and fresh. I got to hike to a waterfall and visit a PCV who is in the end of his first year there. It was definitely an experience but overall a really great one. I learned a lot about the real life of a PCV and what the day to day activities are. Its not always glamarous but the people make it worth it. Every time I meet someone new or play with kids here, I am reminded again and again why I am here and why I ultimately want to do international development.
I am really excited to be going in three weeks to my site but also a little nervous. I dont know what the community will be like or where it will be. But I think the biggest thing is that I dont want to leave the host family I have in La Mascota. They have been overwhelmingly welcoming, warm and loving. I definitely feel like an adopted part of the family. Its not even just the host family I dont want to leave either - everyone in the community is just starting to get to know me and open up to me. I feel like I am leaving right when I am starting to settle in just a little and its frustrating - but it also gives me hope that in two months in my new site I will hopefully have connections and friends that I wont want to leave either and that will be great as well since I will be there for TWO years!!!
Overall, I feel (as most El Salvadoreans would say I believe) blessed to have been chosen to be a volunteer in El Salvador. Its an amazing country so far with so much history both recent and past and I still have so much to explore and discover.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Randomness of El Salvador
My puppy La Muneca and a birthday party at Lilah's house! Feliz Cumpleanos Marcos!
Friday, August 13, 2010
More Pictures
La Mascota (or La Mascote)
This volcano is the centerpiece of our landscape hereBus crash near San Vicente
San Vicente!Torrential downpour on my front patio!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
This is El Salvador
These are various pictures from my travels so far in El Salvador. The pictures of the children are from my house and they are my little amigos :). The drawings and photos are of Archbishop Romeo who was assasinated during the civil war for preaching peace - he has since become a national iconic figure and you can see quotes and drawings of his face everywhere. The bus is from our trip to San Salvador yesterday, which was an experience in of its own. San Salvador is very crowded, noisy and polluted but it has a great selection of museums and the biggest mall in Central America!
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Man vs Food
I just wanted to put up a post for my little brother about the food here: Every meal, and I mean every meal, makes me feel like I am in an episode of Man vs Food and I am the person that has to finish everything on my plate. The portions here are not huge but the tortillas really fill you up. Usually my daily meals consist of: breakfast: fried egg with refried beans and queso fresco with bread or a tortilla, Lunch: refried beans, cheese, tortilla and chicken, and then for dinner: refried beans, maybe some rice, tortilla, and maybe some veggies. And the cycle continues day after day. All of it is really good and freshly made every day, so thats a great aspect. So far, I am not sick of it yet but I definitely am excited to move to my site and be able to cook my own food!
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