Mi Casa

Take a look at the place I have called home for the last year and some months! This was before I painted it... I wanted y'all to see it just as it has been all this time... before I made it nicer.

Not too long ago, I posted on Facebook asking my Houston friends if anyone had an old electric guitar to donate to the kids at a church in my community. An old friend of a friend quickly responded wanting to help. He went out and bought a beautiful brand new electric guitar that I was able to bring back with me on the plane. The kids have been taking lessons for a long time out of our community, and now they finally have one to practice on! Here I am with the church leaders the day I gave them this beautiful gift. Music video to come!

I taught kids from my youth group how to tie-dye! Here are just some of the kids with the shirts they made.

My house after it's makeover. It's not quite as baby blue as I thought it would be.... I LOVE IT! I should have done this a long time ago. At least I have months ahead of me to enjoy it.

Other After picture

Serena and her baby, Rey at the door of my house

She always wants to come inside, crazy vaca.

Rey

The 75 cases of beer they are storing in my house for the rodeo!

Tis the Season! & the Times Are Changin'

Over a year ago, I bought 2 huge barrels of paint for my house. I spent quite a bit of money on doing so... but after buying them I decided I didn't like my colors that I bought. I don't know how, but I left there with 2 colors that absolutely did not go together. A bright pink for the outside. And a baby blue for the inside. What on earth was I thinking? I was hoping to get colors that were soothing and pretty... like a soft green, or a maroon. All of my good taste has gone out the window in El Salvador I suppose. But I think I was just going for something different and more exciting than boring.


So what did I do? I wasn't bold or brave enough to put the bright pink on the outside of my house. I don't know why... El Salvador, unlike the US, is the kind of place where it is perfectly acceptable to have a bright pink house. And the baby blue? Not the tranquil color I ever wanted for the inside. It didnt matter that I had the receipt, returns are not something widely accepted in The Savior, along with customer service. So I was stuck with two big 5-gallon barrels of paint that I never had the intention of using. I ended up giving the pink to my neighbor in exchange for her washing my clothes for free for a few months. That was worth it. But I still have this baby blue.

And my host mom is always saying to me "It's going to go bad, Emi, It's going to go bad." I've never opened it so I'm assuming it's still good, just been sitting there collecting dust. So I was looking at my walls and seeing how dirty they are... these gross dirty vine things grow on them that I scrape off but they leave marks. And they are also covered in the marks of spirders I've squashed over the last year. I don't really have any work to do this week and the thought of not keeping busy is unbearable for me sometimes at this point in my service. So I'm doing it! By the end of today, with the help of Lupita, I will have a baby blue house. Well on the inside at least. It should be a nice way to spend the day.

Things have been a bit weird lately, at this point in my service. I've come so far.... and it still feels like there's a ways to go. 9 months. And with school being out, I am not so busy with projects at the moment. I am working on my project plans for my remaining time. I plan on working on more grants in the coming weeks to be able to get these new projects started. But also, there are the coming changes that are looming over us volunteers in this country. They, Peace Corps, have told us there are going to be changes, like they are no longer sending the new group of volunteers that were supposed to come in January, and actually won't be sending any more volunteers for the whole next year because of increasing security concerns. So PC El Sal has to come up with proposals for Washington on how they will restructure our program for it to be safer for us. Now we just have to wait and see what the changes mean for us. They are supposedly going to completely reorganize our program here, and like our country director said, "It will be a whole new ballgame." Such changes might include greater restrictions on in country travel, keeping us in our regions by having regional offices set up, etc. So, it will be interesting to see what things are in store for us. All of us volunteers have our heads spinning over it. Hopefully they will tell us the outcome soon!

I have a rat problem again. Ugh! They have built nests in the gap between my walls and my roof... they are squeaking a lot at night, and their poo is falling all around my bed that I sweep up everyday. I am not sure how to get up there and kill them. I'm just kind of waiting for them to eat my poison i put out or crawl onto a sticky pad and get stuck. At least I have a mosquito net and the poo isnt falling into my bed!

This is the season for a dirty house. The dry season has arrived. There are millions of tiny leaves that get blown into my house everyday. It's amazing how much they can trash up my house even when my house is closed. So I am spending every day out here sweeping out heaps of dirt dusts and the little leaves.

On a brighter note, my host family installed a shower head in my bathing area! Ok, it may be so low that I have to crouch under it, and it doesnt point in the right direction.... but it's really nice! 1- I can wash everything better and more easily being able to have both hands free, no longer having one occupied by a bucket. 2- I am bathing with cleaner water! Before the water would sit in the pila for days, collecting dirt and the chickens and ducks would sometimes poo in it. Don't have to worry about that anymore!

So Noel's daughter arrived yesterday! I was bummed that I couldn't go with him to pick her up from the airport, but i'll see her next week. I'm taking a few vacation days so that I can hang out with them. He told me that she came off the plane with her face all covered in blush and makeup! LoL, she said she put it on herself during the flight. That reminds me of when I was her age and I would go hang out at my neighbor Nikki's house and I'd come home looking like Frankenstein covered in her play makeup. Little girls are too cute.

I tie dyed shirts with my youth group last week. It was the easiest and most fun activity! They were looking at me like I was crazy when I told them we were going to twist and tie up our shirts, then pour dye on them. But I did mine as an example and when I took off the rubber bands and opened it, then they were "oooh-ing and ahhhhhh-ing" like crazy over the designs. It's always fun to teach them new things like that. They want to make pinatas with me next month. Last time I made pinatas was with the 4th gradres at school, and it didnt turn out so well. They destroyed them all after the first day. I imagine it will go much better this time though, working with older kids. What I really want to do is paint a mural somewhere... I guess it would have to be at the school.

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Ok now it's the next day. Didn't finish my blog yesterday because of all the painting. My house looks awesome! I love it.... it's so much fresher and cleaner looking. Not hardly the dumpy looking little casa I've spent the last year in. I will put up pictures sometime next week. I can't now because my internet's too slow. But what's sad is, my muscles are actually sore from just painting my house yesterday. Ok, there was a lot of heavy lifting involved, moving things around. And getting myself up and down and up and down from a stack of plastic chairs so I could reach up high.

But one thing's for sure... I need to get myself active again! New Year's Resolution? I guess!

I was also pleasantly suprised with the amount of living creatures I found in my home as we moved and cleaned under all the furniture. I only found a handful of quarter sized spiders, two really huge spiders that look like they are crossed with a scorpion, 2 worms, and one big dead scorpion. I thought I was gonna find the rats that have been pooping all over my things... but no, I guess they just live on top of my walls.
Happy Holidays everyone! I love that I am escaping the cold and getting to spend my holidays wearing tanks and flip flops again. I better enjoy, next year when I'm in DC, I won't be as comfortable I imagine.

Paz y Amor to all.
 
P.S. Something Gross: I was sitting on the latrine in the outhouse last week when I felt something tickling me from underneath. It was very subtle at first... then it was clear there was something there crawling on me... It was a big poopy cockroach. GROSSSSSSS! My friend Hollie tells me that is why she never ever sits down... but I don't get how she does. Sometimes you just have to. TMI? Sorry bout that!

Where am I?

I went home for about a week an a half for Thanksgiving. It was so nice. I'm very grateful that I was able to go. I got to spend lots of quality time with my parents and brother and future sister-in-law. I ate and ate and ate and ate. Too much. It was great. Dad's cookin. Shipley's. NY Bagel Shop- Everything Bagel Lox & Cream Cheese. PF Changs appetizers. Hobbit. El Tiempo's Ritas. Kenny & Ziggy's Reuben. Garlic pickles. Diet dr. pepper. Chili Cheese Fritos. Starbucks. Definitely over-indulged.

This time home was different than the last times I went home while in Peace Corps. Why? Because this time I could tell things have changed. I could feel a difference.

It really freaked me out how everyone has these new iPhones that they talk to like it's a personal assistant. You just push a button and you can ask Siri anything. My family and I sat on the couch for nearly half an hour the other day just asking the phone questions. It's a bit creepy. It's like the phone is almost a person. I'm not saying I don't like it... I just never imagined anything like it. And people are walking around talking to their phone saying things like "Text Amy: You are the bomb girl period I love you exclamation point smiley face" CRAZY! I also thought it was kind of sad how attached people are to their phones. It's like they don't really talk anymore. It's not like I didn't see this before I left for Peace Corps... I just didn't notice how bad it is. You go out to a restaurant and you often see people are all sitting around a table together, but nobody's talking. They're all just staring at an iPhone or some other fancy mobile device. These are the times I guess. I'm not judging really... because I know that as soon as I get out of Peace Corps I will most likely be buying myself an iPhone too... and I can't wait. LoL

But it wasn't just things like this that made my trip home feel different. I could feel the change in myself. That after spending nearly a year and a half in El Salvador, I am not the same girl that left there in July 2010. It's neat when you can feel the differences in yourself.... well maybe not always. Like if you get real fat, or become really unhappy. But I'm really happy.

Do you notice and feel things changing as much when you just stay in the same place? Sure I guess you do...But I don't know, my family has been evolving too. Evan and I are both engaged now. We're like real grown ups now. And my parents are heading in a different direction.. with jobs and perhaps with where they live. There are lots of exciting things to come. Big things.

I found the place for our wedding while I was there... it's perfect! A nice private little club off I-10. The perfect space for our medium sized wedding. 150 people doesnt sound like a small wedding to me. But it's def not a big one. So October 6, 2012 it is. Some people have said things to me about it being hard to plan a wedding while I'm still in Peace Corps... but I'm not worried about it. That's what mothers and event coordinators and the internet are for. I can't wait! I went with my mom and Jenny, my bro's fiance, to try on wedding dresses while in Houston. Whoa! I had no idea how much fun that would be.... but trying on wedding dresses, I was turned inside out with excitement. I don't know if I found "my" dress but I definitely have more of an idea of what I want. But everything that I put on that I liked, I was like, "i'll take it!" but there's no rush. I'll hopefully go back once more to use up the rest of my vacation days in the spring, and i'll probably find something then.

So here I am back at post. No more wedding dress shopping. I don't see people staring at iPhones everywhere, talking to Siri. I can't drive. No more hot cheetos and XX beer. No more mom and dad. No more puppies. Hot showers. Good television. Sigh. Back in the Savior. On the bright side, I have a date with my buddy Jamie tomorrow morning for breakfast pupusas! I miss my pupusas! They are good breakfast lunch & dinner, all day. Lookin forward to that and my Jamie time.

December is going to be kinda slow.... or well, different at least. Won't have my old routine going like I usually do. The school is closed. My best PC buds aren't gonna be around to chat with me on the phone because they're going on vacation. But there will be Christmas and lots of fun times hanging out with Noel and Lina towards the end of the month! I'm looking forward to that! I'm gonna plan to do a few workshops with the kids during the month too. Time passes by so much quicker when your busy working. Prob gonna make a batch of shampoo with the old ladies too.

So here's to finishing up 2011 strong! Looking forward to 2012 :) I like even numbered years. My parents got married in '82. Brother was born in '84. I was born in '86. Graduated high school in '04, college in '08, started peace corps in 2010. Seems like there is a pattern of my important years being even numbered. I feel like keeping with that. I actually said that I didn't want to get married in 2013... it sounds like a bad luck number.

Paz y amor buddies! <3

It's Officially Official!

Ok I know... It's been too long since I've blogged. Sorry 'bout that! I've been too busy just living my life I suppose. But there is way too much to catch y'all up on, I don't even know where to start!


Well how about with the biggest most important and wonderful thing of all... I'm ENGAGED! Oh that's so fun to say! lol... I'm ENGAGED!!! Yes ladies and gentlemen, on 11-11-11, he put a ring on it :) We couldn't be happier or more excited. So now you're probably wondering about the details- like maybe- Who is the lucky guy? How'd you meet? How'd he do it? What about the ring? Well... You may have noticed his name pop up here and there in my blog over the last year, Noel. I never formally introduced him into my blog by explaining who he was or how we met... because I've never been one to so publicly talk about my relationship status really. But now that things are official, I'm ready to spill more of my beans.

We met last year at Thanksgiving. Every year Peace Corps Volunteers are invited to sign up to have Thanksgiving dinner with embassy workers and their families. I signed up and by luck of the draw Rosellen, the pcv organizing the assigments, put me at Noel's house along with my friends Hollie and Kathrine. We owe many thanks to Rosellen, because she could have just as easily put me with anyone else. So I got this email from her saying I was set to have Thanksgiving with this guy, and that he specifically asked for fun lovers so we should show him a good time. He soon sent an email to my friends and I, giving us the details of where his house is, asking if we had any special requests for food, etc. So I emailed him back to let him know what my arrival plans were and to tell him I wanted him to make me some baked macaroni n' cheese and told him to call me back about answering my questions because I didnt have internet in my site. Soon after I sent that email, as I was running to catch my bus back to my site at the last minute he called. I answered very out of breath because I was carrying a huge backpack since I was on my way home from my second pre-service training. I told him I couldnt talk, because I was on the bus- I don't like to talk on the phone on the bus- so he said he could call me later in a few hours.

So later on around 7 pm he called just as I had expected- we cleared up our Thanksgiving plans- but then we ended up talking for hours more, laughing and sharing stories about what we've been up to. He was interesting and had such a nice voice and by the end of the phone call I could not wait to meet him days later when we were to go in. I admit, I tried to look him up on facebook to see what he looked like and check him out. I wasn't sure which one he was though. He was able to see my picture though, and read up on stuff I've been doing because I told him about my blog. He told me later he went and read it before I came. And then a few days later he called me mid-day to ask me if I'd be interested in going to a happy hour in the Marine House at the embassy the day I planned to arrive. I accepted and convinced my friends to come along...

So the day of we arrived at the embassy and couldn't get through security without him coming down to help us. We were waiting out front and the door kept opening, people leaving from work... and I was waiting for him to walk out and see if he was as cute as he sounded on the phone. So FINALLY after many Salvadorans walked out the front door, the big heavy door opened again... And this very handsome man in a suit walks out and says very professionally, "Let's get this taken care of." And he walked over to talk to the guards while I stayed talking to Jamie and Esther, who knew I was excited about meeting him... and Esther said, "Get it girrrrlll." Haha... Oh, Esther. Anyways, it was a great night... we went from the happy hour to dinner at a Mexican restaurant, that wasn't really a karaoke bar but would have people do random karaoke from their tables. I had several margaritas and sang a song with a big tacky sombrero on my head. Then we went out dancing after and the rest is history.

Been together ever since... And it's been the best year ever. We've talked practically every day since we met... I've gone to the capital to see him when I can. He's been to my site a few times and came to Houston for a short while to hang out with me during one of my visits home. We always have fun together... it's been great! We've had great times traveling together to Copan, Honduras and Roatan, Honduras, and making short trips to the beach here in El Salvador. And we have just as much fun when we're just hanging out together doing nothing- playing scrabble, ordering Chinese. And he cooks! I always wanted a man who would cook for me 

So, last Friday, after he got home from spending a month working in Brazil, he said he wanted to take me to the beach for lunch- to this place that we went to for our first real date -since the first time we went out was because of thanksgiving and not really a date. This place has the best ceviche in El Salvador. We hadn't been back since we had that first date almost a year ago... but we never forgot how good the food was. He was set on going there, making it sound like he just was really really craving some ceviche. So I was like, OK- let's go get some ceviche. And after eating, while enjoying a great bottle of chilled white wine- we're just sitting there talking and I had moved to his side of the table so I could sit next to him and enjoy the beautiful view of the ocean better- watching the surfers. He was holding my hand and rubbing it and I was like, "this is nice" and then he said, "Do you want a hand massage?" And I said sure- although that is kind of an odd thing to say or do at a restaurant... but the restaurant was practically empty anyway. Then he said, "Maybe this will help..." and he reaches in his pocket and pulls out a black box and my eyes got huge and he opens it and there before me was the MOST beautiful ring I had ever seen in my life! And I was so busy getting excited and overwhelmed and freaking out... literally took my breath away, surprising me like that. I guess I must have nodded yes, or my reaction was saying yes... and we were just smiling and then he put it on my finger and I started crying... and he was like, "Well?" And I finally was able to get the words out of my mouth to say yes... It was beautiful and unforgettable... a very special moment. I wasn't able to stop staring at my finger all weekend. I got to show it off when we went to the Marine Ball the following night... with my hair and makeup done and him in a tux. It was the best weekend ever!

I'm back in my site now... and I had to leave my beautiful ring with him at his house... No way am I walking around El Salvador with that on! A ring like that doesn't really belong in the campo. I sure am the luckiest PCV in the world though! I might have to get something that is cheap and of no value to wear while I am in my site. A lot of people asked me- "So are you still going to finish Peace Corps?" Yes, of course I am. I have to finish what I started. I owe it to my community, and to myself, to finish my projects and do what I came here to do. I have many good friends in my site that I am definitely not ready to say goodbye to yet and still have a number of things I want to accomplish. And I only have about 9 months left to do it all! That's crazy! And I know it will go by so fast too!

So I will finish up here next August... Noel will be moving to D.C. next Sept.1st where he will get training in Tagalog for 8 months before we move to Manila in the Philippines. We are still talking about specific dates for the wedding but it will most likely be next fall, and definitely in Houston.

So there ya have it- it's officially official!

In other news- Peace Corps Washingtos has chosen 4 countries in the world to come do an "Impact Evaluation" on and El Salvador is one of the countries. They have chosen specific sites to visit next month and they're planning to visit my community. I'm interested to see how they're planning to do this evaluation- because I was told that I'm not allowed to be in my site at all the day of. It's very important I don't run into them they say. But who's gonna show them around? Are they just gonna show up at people's houses? I am sure I will hear all about it from my community friends afterward.

Jamie came to my site recently and taught some of my youth group kids yoga! It was super fun. She's a yoga master, that one! My kids liked it a lot, which kind of surprised me! When we were wrapping up the class they were asking for more moves to try. I guess they've just never ever moved their bodies in that way before. Next month's youth activity includes self-defense for women. Me and my lovely regional leader Anna are gonna teach ladies how to defend themselves (aka- how to shout and kick men in the balls).

I went to a very nice wedding yesterday in San Vicente, one of my neighbor's sons got hitched. It was the nicest one I've been to in El Salvador. In the cathedral in the park, big long mass... the bride in her HUGE poofy dress. I thought it was interesting how relaxed things were during the ceremony. They let the bride and groom sit during the mass, since it was the super long, stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down kind of church things. But also, people were walking around and talking throughout it. At one point the lady in the pew in front of me (we were sitting kind of far back) walked all the way down the aisle straight to the bride and groom to tell him he forgot to pull the bride's veil back and kiss her... because after it was official, they just kept going on with mass stuff. Of course there were some street dogs walking up and down the aisle during the ceremony as well. We threw rice on them as they walked out the door and then the entire wedding party and guests walked together several blocks from the church where the party was, where we ate a nice chicken dinner on styrofoam plates. It was nice. I wore an ugly ruffly black dress I bought at a thrift store for 10 bucks. It was so hot in the church and the reception hall... the poor bride in her huge poofy cupcake gown was fanning herself all night. Thank God my wedding will be in the land of climate controlled buildings!

Happy Birthday to my Mom today! Mom, you are the best, coolest mom in the world... I love you! Can't wait to see you and everyone at Thanksgiving! Yes, I am leaving Noel to have Thanksgiving with my family on our 1 year anniversary. I'm sad we won't be together for it, but after next year, once we're in the Philippines, having Thanksgiving with them most likely won't be possible... So I am taking advantage of my close proximity while I can! Wish he could come!

Allright folks... it's time for me to get out into the campo and walk around and see some people. I need to sell raffle tickets. I am raffling off a hammock to benefit the 9th grade graduation next week. Lot's of walking and talking to do! I will try to blog again really soon... Because there's always more to catch up on! Things like how my neighbor and I got sweaty and out of breath chasing a huge cat this morning that was trying to eat some of our chickens. This cat was not a regular house cat... it was more like a wild bobcat! I had never seen one of those around here before. And did I tell y'all about the bats in my house? I dont think so... so yes, more blogging to come. LOVE!

Paz y Amor.

p.s. I really wanted to include pictures in this post but my connection won’t allow it. Sorry!

Here Come the HOLIDAYS!

Hello world! It sure has been a long time since I blogged. I just wasn't in the mood to blog, with the recent tropical storms and having to be on standfast- meaning Peace Corps would not let me leave my site for over a week and a half due to risks of mudslides and flooding.


During those days, I mostly just stayed in my house, because it was non-stop raining, and colder than I've ever been in El Salvador, I didn't want to move. Sure I could have gone and done house visits to see my friends I have around town- but it was not appealing to walk in the rain and mud. I didnt want to get my clothes wet because I knew they would never dry. Plus, I knew that if I did go out and talk with people- all we would talk about is the stormy weather and how people were flooded in La Libertad, many in shelters, etc. I knew all of this from the news. So that also was not appealing. So I spent most of those days in my house in my hammock, reading and rewatching every season of Sex and The City for the 5th time. I might be finally sick of that show. And I was also thinking too much, felt like I was going crazy... and I wrote a blog during those days, but I decided it wasn't good for posting. You all really would have thought I was going nuts. And I was. But the details of my craziness were not worth sharing publicy. So it was a long few weeks, but that first day that the sun came out... it was amazing how seeing the sun alone could make me so happy. And the next day we were allowed to leave and I felt back to normal again. And the weather has been gorgeous ever since... it seems to be that Summer is arriving in El Salvador. There might be a few more rains, but the beginning of the dry season is so nice here. Clear skies, cool... Sure is nice to be down here when I know I could be up north having winter.

Sunday my youth group and I put on an excursion. We all got on the bus at 5:30 am... stopped at Pollo Campero, because it would not be an excursion without fried chicken, and made it to the pools by 8:30. I actually had a nice time. They were amazed with how I could swim. Most of them can't really swim at all. But some of them can... and they wanted to race me. Even though I swam competetively for 3 years in highschool, I was always one of the slowest on the team. So we raced... and when I got to the other side of the pool, I looked back and they hadnt even made it half way. They were very impressed. It felt good swimming laps. I would love to get back into that when I'm done here. We also had a mini soccer tournament. I was shocked that I enjoyed soccer... probably because it was on a basketball court instead of a big huge field and I didnt have to run as much. And we went on a walk in the wooded area by the pools. The "forest" this place had advertised turned out to be really lame. We were walking through a muddy path for about 20 minutes getting eaten up by huge mosquitos. I really would not be surprised if I had dengue all of a sudden in a few days. Besides, walking through wooded areas is something these campo kids see every day. Still it was a fun day. And we made a lot money for our activities by charging people for the bus ride and selling food on the bus. We didnt make enough to do anything huge but it was a good start. In a few weeks I have Jamie coming to my site to teach the kids Yoga. It's something new for them to learn. I'm planning on having some movie nights in town to raise more money. I'm gonna play movies on a projector at the school and sell popcorn and other foods. And then I want to plan a field day and make it a color war- teams of kids, big and small- Relay races, tug of war, sack races, etc. Just like we used to have at Camp Young Judaea. That's going to take ALOT of planning... so I'm working on it poco a poco.

So yesterday I slept until 8:30. Almost never do that. My host family must think I am the laziest person ever. Especially because I'll tell them goodnight at 6pm because I'm tired... they don't know that sometimes I stay up really late. They just think I'm sleeping that whole time. Because people here never spend time alone like Americans do. It doesn't make sense to them. When I spend a lot of time alone, they sometimes take it personally like I don't want to hang out with them. That, or they think I am sad or sick. It's neither. It's that I enjoy doing things alone. Like writing, reading, watching movies. They always do everything with their families, so I understand it seems odd to them how anyone could be so content spending so much time alone. I love it. And there's nothing like being able to speak to people on the phone in English at the end of the day.

Yesterday I spent all day walking around giving people reading glasses that I got donated from an organization from the states. I got over 300 pairs sent to me and it's great to see how they are helping people. There are lots of people who were not able to read before who now can. And there is this one lady, the cook at the school, who for years hasn't been able to thread her needles because she cant see well enough. It was such a wonderful moment when she put on those glasses and threaded a needle all by herself. She was all smiles and totally ecstatic.

I was going to invite the entire community to come on one specific day to give out all the glasses... but after selling them to people individually I know that would just be chaos. Everyone takes at least 10-15 minutes to figure out which ones they need and then they pick the style they want. Also, there are some people that just do not understand that these glasses are for reading and not for wearing all the time around town or for looking far away. They will put them on and just look around with this dumbfounded look on their face like, "Oh no, these are not right." And then I tell them again, look at the paper. Which line can you read. LoL... I have to tell some of them 5 times before they get it. And there are still all these people that want to buy them just because they're cute. And I see them walking around with them on, and I'm like... Oh boy... LoL... but what can I do? I've explained it the best I can. And I am seeing tons of people that are really helped out by them. So I can feel good about that.

I found out yesterday they moved the school's 9th grade graduation date from Nov. 17th to Nov. 22nd. The day after I leave for Houston. I am so bummed that I am going to miss it now. I really want to be there, it's the biggest school event of the year. And frankly, if I'm not there it will make me look really bad to the community. Everyone will know that I am in the states instead of being there. It looks like they are not important to me. They moved it because they say they need more time to plan it, that the rains set them back a lot. Like 5 days is really going to make a huge difference. Man, where I am from, graduation is set on a day and it doesnt change. You especially don't change the date 3 weeks ahead of time. Bummer. And it's hard to explain to people what Thanksgiving is and how it is my favorite holiday. How it's a time to be with your family. They don't get that. I was considering changing my ticket dates, but I don't think it's worth spending hundreds of dollars to change my flight dates. Everyone will have to get over it. I can't always be here for everything, I just want them to appreciate what I am here for and what I have done for the community.

I'm not going to be here for Christmas either, I'm going to go spend it in San Sal with Noel and Lina. Last year I was here for Christmas, and there was nothing special going on and I was sad that I wasn't having some kind of celebration. I just ate a sandwich at my neighbors house and was home going to bed at 8 o clock last year. I am not doing that again. The unfortunate thing is that my community's rodeo is on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Another thing that I will look bad for not being at. But man... they keep planning special events on American Holidays. What's up with that? It doesn't help that the Rodeo is in my FRONT YARD. Haha.... Oh man....

Anyway, Noel is still in Rio De Janeiro, Brasil for work. It feels like he's been gone forever, but still a few more weeks til he gets back. We can't even talk on the phone because his hotel's internet is outrageously expensive. Miss him! He'll be home soon though and luckily he gets back the day I have to go in for my mid service medical appointments so I'll get to be there that Wednesday! Hopefully my doctor will tell me I'm as healthy as a horse.

Why do they say that? Are all horses real healthy or something? The horses around here don't look too healthy to me.

Oh joy, Milton is outside screaming "pendejo" at someone. We've talked about saying bad words before... time for me to go!

Happy Halloween everyone!
I am so ready for a vacation :)
 
Paz y Amor.

A Big Update

Rumour has it that there is a woman in the town over that hasn't bathed in 37 years. She has 7 daughters. Supposedly her motive for not bathing is in some sort of protest to God for not giving her a son. She thinks that God would not want her to suffer and that eventually he will give her the son that she has always wanted. I'm pretty sure this story has to be an excellent example of how out of control gossip can get out here in the campo. What was months of not bathing could have somehow turned into 37. I don't believe it could be true. Who can do that? Not bathe for 37 YEARS!? What would happen to you? How bad would you smell? I don't think anyone could do it... And if this woman wants to have a son, she has to have sex with someone... who would want to touch her after not bathing for nearly 4 decades? Who knows... it couls be true. There are some real crazies in this world. Like those people that are in the Guinness Book of World Records for having fingernails longer than they are tall.


Speaking of crazies- there's a guy that lives in my town that is obviously not right in the head. He is always wheeling around this huge tire on foot and tells people it's his car. He really does think its his car. He's offered me a ride before. I've seen him miles away from our town wheeling it on the site of the highway too...

Another interesting rumour- one that I'm pretty sure is actually true. There is this house on the side of the highway that sells gas. It is not a gas station, but they sell gas. Supposedly they have dug an underground route to the pipes at the gas station and have hooked up more pipes to bring it to their house... Where they sell the gas for much cheaper than at the actual gas station. The buses I take at times stop off there to get their refills. Isn't that crazy? And very illegal. I always did wonder how the bus companies around here make any money if gas is so expensive and my fair is only $0.80 for an hour-long ride. I'm positive the police know about this going on... but perhaps no one does anything about it because the transportation systems are heavily controlled by gangs and getting between them and the money they receive from the bus company's... could get very ugly.

So I was going to post this blog over the weekend when I had access to better internet to put up pics in the blog as well... but I forgot the cord for my camera... So here I am posting this blog without pics because I don't want to wait until I have good internet again to post. My readers are anxiously awaiting... lol... well... maybe, if they're not bored with me by now.

I have been uber busy this month because I've started my baking workshop. Which is going AWESOME! The kids are making something new every day and loving it. They're so enthusiastic and dedicated to this course, I'm really impressed. They are all in their seats ready to start class way ahead of time, so that when I walk in , there they all are. It makes me feel good, that all my hard work on writing the grant to get the money for the course has really paid off. I think the youth here need more opportunities like this to learn new skills and participate in something positive and worthwhile in their free time. I hope I can find more money to bring more courses here... this NGO I'm working with also offers courses in auto-mechanics, cake-making, electrical work, and cosmetology. Having special skills gives these people an opportunity to earn an income and do something other than work in the field or do housework. The kids in my course are already teaming up and planning on how they can get their own bakery started. We talk about small business skills as part of the course too. And it would be super cool if they started a bakery here because while most towns have several, we don't have a single one in my town. All our bread comes from outside, and it's not as fresh or good.

So yea, the time I spend in my site these days is more productive and meaningful. The only thing is- I never have much of a clue about what's going on in the world. I rarely have a chance to watch TV- except for when I go to Noel's, but weekend TV does not keep me up to date on things. I don't really ever watch the news or read newspapers. I'm wondering what it will be like when I get out of here and go back to the states- hardly knowing what went on for 2 whole years... Will I know what people are even talking about? A lot can happen in 2 years. Oh well, it's not really too bad. I kinda like it. Things feel less noisy.

My Comite de Jovenes is up and running! We're planning an excursion to some swimming pools in San Miguel next month as a fundraiser for our activities. Hopefully some more vocational trainings! Some recreational stuff- like a soccer tournament and Field Day. Educational events. Career Fair. Who knows. On the 6th we have another Youth Assembly to see what the youth's interests and needs are to help us prioritize and guide our planning. We're doing this because, again, kids here don't have opportunities to participate in positive activities. Which is what leads to them doing things like hanging out with the wrong people, getting into trouble, joining gangs, etc. Same for kids all over the world. They need help. They need opportunity. Someone to motivate them. So here's to hoping for the best while my newly formed Youth Commitee gets things goin. It would be amazing if I could set up a way for people stateside to donate to my youth projects. I'm gonna look into that! There's never enough money is there! I have spent a lot of my own money on lots of little things for my projects over the last year. Foolish of me perhaps, when I only get $300 a month. At the end of every month my PC account is bone dry.

Oh, Peace Corps. Sometimes I think about how I went from my decent and comfortable teaching salary to this- and I laugh. I gave up a good job to come here and work for free. LoL... I suppose I also may be one of those so called crazies I was talking about earlier. But being here, I'm getting paid in so many other ways- that make me much richer. Like I'm finally fluent in the language that I got a frikin' college degree in. And I have a much deeper love and appreciation for the U.S. and my culture. And I met the most wonderful, loving man and made many new great friends I never would have had otherwise. And I will leave knowing that I did something to improve the lives of some people here in some way. All of that is priceless.

Milton turned 4 last Monday. Because I love that boy so much, I threw him his first ever birthday party! I got him a pinata as big as he is that he came to visit at my house every day up to the party he was so excited there was a pinata to beat in his honor. I played games with the kids like musical chairs. We danced, and ate cake. It was a lot of fun! I wonder if he will remember me when I'm gone. When I leave here he will be almost 5... Who remember stuff from before they were 5? Sigh....

I have my mid-service medical stuff coming up. I'm so looking forward to going to the dentist for a cleaning. Not so much looking forward to pooping in a little tiny plastic cup to see what kinds of parasites and friends I have inside of me. I've had to do that a few times now- it sure would be nice if they gave me a bigger cup. It's hard to see what you're doin back there. TMI? So sorry.

Lastly, I have some news. I'm going to go home for Thanksgiving!! Haha, it will be my 3rd time paying a visit to Houston during my service. Most PCVs only make it home once during service. But I'm Posh Corps like that. Ha, well... I wouldnt have gone home so much if Houston weren't so close and if I didnt have all those airline credits to use up before August. Lucky me. I always did love Thanksgiving. And it will be very nice to be with my family on it. Only wish Noel could come too... then it would really be perfect.

Well there you have it.... a complete update. I will try to blog again soon so I dont have to make such a novel out of it.

LOVE!

Pictures next time hopefully!

Spillin my Beans

I just made refried beans for the first time ever and they turned out nothing like the locals make it. Per Marinita's instructinos, I put them in the licuadora with some of the liquid that they cooked with, put some butter in the pan with some onion... then threw in the liquid beans to fry them up. You know what was missing to make them turn out just like Marinita's? A huge chunk of lard. That way they would have turned out nice and thick instead of soupy. But you know, if I'm makin 'em I just cant knowingly do that to myself. I'd rather just eat her beans and not watch her prepare them. They really do taste pretty awesome the way she makes em.


So it's lots of Salvo campo food for me for the next few days. I didn't go to the grocery store. And frankly, nor can I afford it. I have less than $10 in my peace corps bank account at the moment. I just need to make it 6 days or so til pay day.

Despite that fact that I have no money, I'm good. Looking forward to all the things I've got planned for September and October. Thursday Jamie and I are heading over to our friend Hollie's site in Usulutan to help her out with her Youth day camp-like thing she has going. I'm doing my HIV/AIDS thing, Jamie's gonna do a workshop on Yoga and relaxation techniques... Should be good. And this weeken also coincides with our 1 year anniversary of being in our communities. We will have to celebrate that a little.

What else is new?

If you recall, Marinita's and Chepito's kid came from the states with his family a while back. Well, while they were here they bought my host parents a very nice brand new big expensive beautiful white refrigerator to replace their 20 year old stinky little yellow one. My host mom had it plugged in and was using it a bit while they were here. But as soon as they left, and ever since it has been unplugged almost all the time. It uses too much energy she says. Because she doesn't want to only use it and get rid of her yellow one. She likes her yellow one, which maybe was actually white once uon a time. Because with that one she can put whatever in it and doesnt care if it gets dirty. The new one she doesn't want to get dirty and can't use it in addition to the yellow one because the electric bill skyrockets. So instead, it just sits there unplugged and she uses it to put some things in.... like veggies and bananas. That just get all moldy from being in the hot refri. I think that will ruin it anyway. I said why don't you sell it then? She said oh no... because if they ever come back they wont want to buy me more things if they see I didnt appreciate and keep what they have bought me before. LoL... The whole thing I just think is kinda funny.

Milton turns 4 on Monday. I think I'm gonna bring him a pinata. He's been doing great. I have been teaching him his colors and number and the "magic words"- please and thank you and excuse me. Now he knows better than to just walk into my house and say, "Give me the coloring book." He says "Can I use the coloring book please?" without me having to give him a look or anything. What a good sweet boy he is... I want him to have what he needs and someone to teach him about how to be a good person forever... I've said to his mom in a joking manner about how I want to take him with me... Ok i wasn't really joking, but it's not the kind of thing you can seriously ask a mother... "Will you give me your adorable cute son and let him go and never see him again?" So I say it like I'm joking... And she always makes it clear that that's never gonna happen. Sigh, saying goodbye to my little man is gonna be hard.

But perhaps it's a little too soon for me to be thinking about my goodbyes. I just know the second year is going to fly by though. And my neighbors and friends in my community are already calling dibs on what they want to buy from my house when I leave. Guadalupe wants my hammocks. The clinic wants my tables, etc.

I had a nice weekend in San Sal. Noel and I went to my friend Alayna's despedida, who's done with her 2 years and going on to new things. I spent Saturday recovering and going to see Planet of the Apes at the movies. Sunday Noel and I went to the art museum, which wasn't bad... and free on Sundays. But man... the entire weekend I was just over-indulged with food and beverage. That's what happens to Peace Corps Amy.... spending several weeks in my site straight, I go into the city and get overly excited about what is available to me...

This weekend I had pizza, cheetos, tons of chips and guacamole, two visits to McDonalds, Noel's very bacony carbonara pasta, waffle, Hebrew National hotdogs that traveled all the way from San Diego and into my belly, popcorn at the movies, an assortment of appetizer junk ordered from Bennigans, and Wendy's on my way to the bus terminal.

GROSS! How can I not feel disgusting after all of that? And an even better question, how can I control myself and not go nuts when I get to the city? GROSS GROSS GROSS. Ok, well I suppose not all weekends are like that... this one was exceptionally worse than others.

Haha, and I say I don't want to put lard in my beans!

Could I Be...?

Let me ask you all an honest question...


If you were poor as dirt with no money... living in a mud hut... with nothing to eat but beans and corn and tortillas and what you grow...

Would you leave your family and your dearest loved ones to travel to a far away land to never come back... but to work in a more financially prosperous place and send them money for them to live off of? Would you?

I wonder about this sometimes. Salvadorans leave their families... sometimes to never see them again. Or it may be decades between visits. Until they have the papers to be able to come visit... But with the rare occasion that visits even be a possibility aside... They maintain connections with family through phone calls and moneygrams and other presents sent through travelers... Is that enough?

Is it worth it?

To lose that closeness you have with them to be able to have money and nice things? I mean... they can live like they always have. In their huts. Living off what they grow. It's their closeness. But people are drawn to modern materials.... like blackberries... nice TVs... is it worth it? What a strange country El Salvador is.... nearly EVERYONE has someone up there sending them money to live off of. And I often wonder... would I do the same thing? In their position...

I mean... I know that I myself have chosen to live a life apart from my family. But I have more means by which I can go visit them...skype with them... I have papers... and money for flights... But if I didnt have all of that. Would I say goodbye to my family like that forever? I dont know. What a hard decision. What a hard life.

I am blessed.

Well... today I had my biggest event yet with the youth of my community. I invited them all... all the youth from my community of over 1000 people to come on over and participate in this event in which we elected the Youth Council of the community. This Council I will be working with closely over my next year to plan events for all of the community youth. It went pretty well. I invited a few members of the City Council to help with the official voting process... Which involved putting a bean in a paper envelope with the candidates names on them. Beans were counted by the official city council members and at the end of it all I am left with the group of kids that is my youth council.

It was a bit stressful on me... I could not tell if I was sweating so much just because it was hot as hell or if because I was nervous about running this event on my own. I chalk it up to nerves... because no one else seemed to be hot! LoL... but it's over! thank goodness! I had been putting this thing off since June. Finally I got it done. My community can see that I follow through on things.. doesnt matter that it's months late. It's El Salvador. As long as you get there eventually. But it was pretty cute. Kids gave us their nominations. I wrote the names on papers I had taped to the wall... and then while they put their beans in for their votes I played their favorite reggaeton music to create a nice ambiente (environment). Coulda gone worse. As far as I'm concerned.... EXITO! Success! I got it done! And the kids elected are pretty good ones. So I'm happy. Now I just have to spend the next 5 or 6 months having meetings with them and guiding them while they plan their work. I'll slowly start letting them work on their own... until a year from now, when I'm gone... Hopefully they will continue voting for and electing new rounds of youth councils to take on the work... Sustainable, that's what we're shooting for. Because these kids on the council will be planning educational and recreational activities for all the communities kids... So that they stay out of trouble, off the streets, and put their time into productive, skill building, character building activities.

Whoa. I think I am a real Peace Corps Volunteer. I have to say... I am feelin' kinda successful. Let's keep this going. That's what Year 2 will be all about. Making it happen. Making sure that I am making a difference here. I want that when I leave here for some of the things I started to keep going. For people to continue experiencing good in their lives.

I am grateful to be here. I am grateful for my wonderful, unique, awesome life. For all that I am capable of and for all the possibilities that my future brings... Opportunities to continue doing good things. That is what I want. I want to continue going through life and looking for ways that I can help people. That kind of work is the most rewarding.

Ha! sh*t. Listen to me. Sometimes I feel all beat up like I can't go any further. But I keep going... and then I have an event like the one I had today, that I worked hard to plan, and it turns out to be a success... and I'm like WHOA... this is awesome, let's do this. It's just funny because often I dont "feel like" doing these things. I kinda feel like I might just want to cancel them. I just want to get them over with. But I don't cancel them. I do them. I decide, so what, I'm gonna do it, even if I look dumb in front of my entire community. What do I have to lose really? I'm out of here in a year... I won't be here forever. So let me make a fool of myself. And things always turn out better than I can even hope for. So what have I been such a pessimist for? I need to start believing in myself. That I can really do this. That I actually am doing it. And that I actually am kind of good at it.

So how 'bout that?

Well... Tomorrow is Sunday and I'm going to church with my host mom at 8:30... which I am sure she is thrilled about. I said I'd go because I don't really have anything else going on tomorrow, since Noel's in the Oosa and everything..........So what the hell. I'm going to mass. Won't hurt me. And then Monday I'm going to get all the stuff for my vocational workshop figured out, that is supposed to start on the 19th. We're gonna learn how to makes breads and pizza and donuts, folks! Ain't that sustainable? I have lots of young ladies interested in learning this trade so they can start making and selling bread of their own. Will be tons of fun! Pictures of my youth group and the baking group to come soon!

Marinita, my host mom, walked over to my house this evening just to tell me about her friend in the town over who had her door open at about 8 pm and 4 men entered her house and robbed her and her family of everything they had of value. She came to tell me so that I would shut my door when it gets dark... because sometimes I get caught up in what I'm doing, or I just like the way the breeze feels with the door open. But anyway, the town over is known to be a lot more dangerous than where I live. Besides... I have the police station in my front yard. I'm pretty confident no one would come mess with me here. I'm pretty good at screaming quickly upon being surprised. Don't worry about me. I feel safe here.

Hope all my friends in Texas are getting a break from the drought and the heat this Labor Day weekend! Enjoy the holiday! Pools and beers for everyone! Well... except me... maybe i'll go to the laguna.

To all a good night!

Paz y Amor.

Amy

P.S. Thinking about scheduling a visit home come December... so i can see my folks and brother and soon to be sister in law... and... Drive a car!!! To Chick-fil-a!!!! LoL... the things that keep me going... LOVE!

Talk to the Hand

I am very jealous that Noel is in the USA right now. And I'm in the campo in El Salvador with allergies... and my period. Let me be blunt... it is not fun having your period in the campo in El Salvador. LoL... TMI, gentlemen? Sorry. Anyway, I'll be super happy if he brings me back a bag of flaming hot cheetos or some other tasty American snack foods I can't get here :)

Some things that have been running through my mind lately:

I sure ain't perfect. But at least I try.

I often say the wrong things... but, oh well. I'm getting better with filtering my thoughts from my words as time goes on. And it's usually just because I'm being honest... Although, is honesty really always the best policy? when it comes to someone's feelings getting hurt?

There's been some drama and commotion around the campo lately about the girls I have chosen to help with scholarships to go to high school. But whatevs... I stand by my decisions. They are questioning my actions... like, "Why didn't you give it to THAT girl instead? or THAT one?" I actually walked into all of my teachers at lunch the other day having a conversation about this... They weren't expecting me. But you know, I can't help them all. I know my girls I chose deserve it. And every child that wishes to continue their education deserves the support to do so. My girls are awesome. They're good kids... they have good grades... they're leaders... They deserve scholarships just as much as the quiet girls with the straight A's. Ugh. Whatever, drama. I don't need you.

That's one thing I think I am learning a lot about in Peace Corps. How to just turn my head away from the drama... and to just let people have a problem with me and the way I do things. You can't please all the people all the time. Well... almost never really.

So tomorrow is my big Youth Committee Election Day. I invited all the teenagers of my community to come nominate and elect their leaders. Let's hope it goes well! My entire community of over a thousand people is watching. The kids are going to vote secretly by putting beans into the bags that have the names of candidates on them. Counting all those beans might take a while.

I can't seem to give up my Chicken Noodle Soup and Ramen Noodle habit. It's gross. But just too easy. Anyone want to send me some snacks? :) I've gotten bored with the food here. And I am in such a rut mostly because it's only once a week that I can go to the grocery store and I have to be able to carry everything in bags on my shoulders that I'm gonna eat... and walk with it about half a mile before I get to my house... So I can't buy too many things. Oh how nice those days were... going grocery shopping at Kroger. Pushing the shopping cart up to the trunk of my car. Loading it. Driving all of it to my door step. What luxury.

The other night I had a dream about driving a car. I thought it was the best thing ever. Oh I cant wait to be able to do that again :)

But this grocery trip I did treat myself to a nice bottle of wine, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Vanilla Soy Milk, V8 and Fruit Cups. Things I don't buy regularly. Huge expense when you're living on $300 a month.

Well... Noel got his assignment for his next post... And its.... the.... Phillipines! Way cool! But he doesnt actually start the job there until July 2013... after months and months of language training in Tagalog in DC. Yay!

I'm really looking forward to November and December... to get a break during the holiday season. And I'm trying to figure out when my next vacation will be. Really starting to feel like I need to have a flight out of El Salvador to look forward to.

But in the meantime... I'll be here... workin my tush off in the campo.... Occasional trips to the city or the beach... Same ol' Same ol'.

I want something new... Any hobby suggestions? Or workout video suggestion? p90x is getting old. Anybody want to send me some snacks or things to do or suggestions? Or does anyone want to actually come VISIT me :)?? LoL... Come on friends, gimme' somethin! Por favor :)

Ok well i'm gonna be a good little host daughter now and go say goodnight to my host parents... Helps keep up the confianza.

To all a good night.

Paz y Amor.

Amy

Hello Year 2! I think I'm gonna Love You

My favorite torro, Ninyo, greeting my at the door of my house in the morning. I swear that's a smile!

What a month! Well.... it's almost over. I can't believe it. The months just seem to be going by faster and faster. It feels like there is never enough time to get everything done. I try not to think too much about all that I have going on. Because when I do I just feel like my mind is exploding and I get blown away. I've got enough to do... I'm not taking on any more projects. I have enough. If I finish what I have on my to do list before my time here is up then I will be satisfied. I don't even care if these things fail.... as long as I do the best I can with them. So I've told myself that I will kick myself in the butt and for the next 6 months really focus on finishing these things I've started. No more new stuff until at least a few get crosed off my list. I've started saying no to people who ask me to do more stuff. Feels good. I never imagined I could be so busy in the Peace Corps. 

I have spent most of this month in my site. The longest I've ever gone without spending a night a way since the beginning. I am sooooo ready for a break, which I will finally get the day after tomorrow!! Hallelujah! And as my friend Jessica reminded me... it's not like anyone is giving out any prizes to volunteers who spend the most time in their sites. It really is important to get out and take time for yourself. Still, this month has been good for me. I spent a lot of extra time with the people in my community, was seen around a lot more, built up that confianza... It was nice. My host family asked me if I broke up with my boyfriend because I haven't gone to San Sal in so long. Haha.... I told them "Nope just wanted to be here with you guys" which they loved. But GAH I can't wait to get out of here this weekend and see him!

Car says: "If you don't believe, you suffer."

There's a new group of Youth Development volunteers here in training now. I had one sent to me for her immersion days... As part of training they have current volunteers host newbies so they can spend time in an actual volunteer site and see what they do, what life is like, etc. I remember when I was in training mine was such a good experience, I was really excited for it to be my turn to have one. I got a very tranquila muchacha, Liz, who was here with me from Thursday to Sunday... I had a blast dragging her all around my community and having her visit houses with me. The people we visited were so flattered that I wanted to bring my gringa friend to THEIR house.... and at every house they told us that we look identical, which is so not true. Salvos think all we americans look alike. 

So for the special occasion of her visit I decided to forego the cheap boxed wine I always buy for the house and bought a fancy $6 bottle of wine with a twist off top because I dont own a corkscrew. Good thing all I had was one bottle because we had to wake up at 5 a.m. on Friday to go to San Vicente with my youth group where we gave our infamous Sex Ed. charla. By the end of Friday we were exhausted. 

Condom Demonstration. "El uso correcto y consiste del condon se previene embarazos no planeados, VIH, y otros ITS."

Sunday she got to be a madrina with me for the 9th grade sponsored "Carrera de Cinta." We wore sashes like Miss America, decorated all pretty with our names on them. The event involved men running on their horses with a pencil in their hand that they try to stick through a tiny little ring that has a number on it. The number is the madrina that has to give them their sash, a gift, and they often ask for a kiss too. I was the 5th madrina to get the ring snatched... Upon walking up to the cowboy who was all smiles the host guy on the microphone started shouting, "Beso! Beso! Beso!" And I was like, hellz no I am not kissing this guy. So I went to give him one of those awkward side hugs... The kissing thing later turned out to not be such a big deal... every madrina kissed the winning cowboys like they were french. But by french i don't mean french kissing...  I mean, in the way many Europeans greet each other with kisses on the cheek. 

Me and my PC Trainee, Elisa- Somos Madrinas muy bonitas :)

So the immersion day thing was a success. I sent her off on the noon bus, mission complete. I had never had another American come spend so much time with me in my site before. I think it really helped me see what I'm doing here and feel good about it. Just hearing comments from someone else that sees it. I would love to have visitors more often! 

So that afternoon that she left, there was a dance from 3 to about 8:30. I went to show my face, but going to dances here isn't that fun for me. They play the music so loud you are deaf when you leave. And I certainly don't want to dance too closely to anyone from my community because I dont want anybody getting any ideas. And they love this techno electronic kind of music that I hate and find impossible to dance too. I dance for an hour though with some of the 9th graders and other student friends of mine. No touching. I was just trying to help them get the party started. People were so shy to start dancing. As soon as things got going I was off and home and showered before dark. I thought it was really funny that the beer they were selling was poured into plastic bags to be drunk with a straw. Haha... So El Salvador. But beer never tastes as good through a straw. That's ok though, because I guess the Pilsener they drink doesnt taste that good to begin with. Not that I was drinking any... women don't hardly ever drink in public here. And I especially wouldn't do it because I work with kids and at the school. It would really be looked down upon. 

Me & my little ring at the Carrera de Cinta

This guy won like 10 times... his horse was a beast!

Monday I went to San Vicente with the intention of knocking out some more work... But I got there and was good for nothing. Just frikin tired. I realized I had not taken a day off for myself to rest in weeks. I ended up catching the next bus back to my site and watching movies the rest of the day. I needed that. 

So I had what I was planning to be my last water project meeting today. I was gonna go over there and tell them, "I'm sorry, this isn't gonna work out." But thinking about it... I realized it's not over yet. The fat lady hasn't sang (or is it sung? god, my English is getting terrible!). I just feel like I really need to see it to the end... and they too need to be a part of that end. So it's not just like, "Oh this gringa came and said she'd try to help us get water, but then she stopped." No, that's not good... not good enough for me. I figured... well we still have time to give this thing one last shot. If this is a project they really want... they can go to the mayor themselves and show him they want it. So.... it will be over soon... but first we have to set up a meeting with the mayor and get a big group of people over there at his office in front of his face.... and show him that they are serious. And then, at least they the people will know for themselves the outcome, and it won't be all on what the gringa said or did. Anyway... I dont have a lot of faith that our mayor will follow through on this... but ya never know. We have to try and give it all we've got.... Well... they have to. I can't do it for them by myself.

Just heard that my birthday package arrived! Sweeeeet!!!! Thank you to my wonderful family! I am so excited! Real birthday presents! I hear they are wrapped and everything! What a wonderful weekend I am going to have :) 

No I just have one last day of work before I get my break. Tomorrow I am off to San Juan with the jovenes to give our famous charla. Me and my kiddos are taking the department of San Vicente by storm! This will be our 5th time around... They have become professional facilitators. We got our matching polo shirts so we even have a uniform now. Too bad the polos turned out pretty ugly. I think they make us look like we work at McDonald's. My bad for asking for black collars on red shirts.

Me & My Crew in our awesome matching shirts at our traditional celebratory post-workshop Pollo Campero Feast

Off to finish the movie I started yesterday, The King's Speech, and pass out! 

Goodnight World.

P.S. Noel turned in his bid list for his next post today! Where's it gonna be? Manila? Africa? Mexico.... Who knows! :)

P.P.S. One of my host fam's dogs just walked in my house, lifted up his leg, and peed on the leg of my table. Damn chucho.

Top 10 Reasons Peace Corps El Salvador Makes Me Feel Like a Kid Again

10. Telling my host parents where I’m going and when I’m coming back. And having my host mom calling me worried about where I am if I’m not home within 30 minutes of the last bus coming in.

9. Telling Peace Corps specific details of my whereabouts whenever I leave my site and not being able to leave for more than a few days at time.

8. Playing UNO, Barrel of Monkies, and coloring with the neighborhood kids when I get bored.

7. Being forced to eat food I don’t want. (The only thing forcing me is guilt, because it makes Salvadoran women so happy to feed you).

6. Not having shaved legs. (Well, in the campo at least).

5. Going to bed at 7:30. Going to bed at 9 pm feels like staying up late.

4. Having sleepovers with girl friends when we visit each others’ houses. Then trying not to make too much noise at night and making an effort to conceal the boxed wine we’re drinking.

3. Sometimes not understanding big words or what people are talking about (in Spanish).

2. Riding around everywhere on old American School Buses because I am not allowed to drive and listening to the 80s music they blast on them.

1. Sometimes I poop in my pants. (When I can’t make it to the bathroom in time, thanks to amoebas and parasites).

“Wherever you go, there you are.”

The Toughest Job I´ll Ever Love?

Oh my. I slept in until 8 am today! That's crazy to me. I have only slept that late a handful of times since being in El Salvador... I forgot how great it is! The only thing is that everyone here wakes up at 4 or 5 a.m. to milk cows, start washing, cleaning- making the gringa look like a lazy bum. But you know what... I can really appreciate that I come from a place that thinks walking up at 8 o clock is ok.


I'm still getting over this mid-service hill I feel. Definitely on the down side of it. And I'm not gonna lie... I've thought about calling it quits. Why? I think I'm just tired. I've taken on a lot of different projects... and juggling them all feels like a lot, especially when I feel like I may not even have the energy to mop my floor. So I've decided to not take on anything else until I finish these things. The vocational course, the vision and literacy campaign, the creation of a solid youth committee, the water project, repairing and cleaning up the old clinic to be used by the new community doctors, the HIV/AIDS Prevention charlas. If I'm going to do these things, I want to do them well. And I won't have time to do them well if I keep picking up more and more small side projects.

Sometimes I get flustered when I can feel that I may not be doing things my community wants to see me doing. And it's often hard for them to see what I am doing. But for example, they wanted me to teach English classes from the start. I haven't gotten around to doing it. And I also just don't feel like that is an effeective use of my time as a volunteer in this community. Majority of the people here struggle enough with understanding their own language... many of them not even knowing the whole alphabet. I am not going to teach them English- they need to be able to read and write in Spanish first! Sure, there are a few kids that are at a level where they are ready to learn another language... but not enough. There are far too many more that do not know how to read. So I'm gonna focus my second year on that- literacy- while continuing the things I've started.

The Water Project. It appears to be a no go. I put a lot of time and effort into trying to make the thing work. And all we really need is for the mayor to give the money now... which he might still do. But I feel like I've taken the community as far as I can take them. I'm not here to work on stuff like that. I saw an opportunity and I decided to give it a go... but you see, I am starting to think that this is not even the kind of water project they need anyway. it's based off of filling systems from rain water... and this has been the dryest rainy season ever. If they had these systems right now they probably would be dry. It's not worth it. So I've been wanting to talk with them about how I don't think it's the best thing for them... that I think they need to work on getting real running water like the rest of us in the community has. But fijese que, that's not my place to be working on something like that. That really should be between the mayor's office and the community. I'm gonna tell them that I can help get them started by setting up and going to some meetings with them... but they need to be the ones organizing something like this. And truth is... They could have had water a long time ago. They were very close to putting it in, but some obstacles came up and they dropped the ball with no one taking the lead. I'm not going to be able to carry all of that on my back for them. They need to be the leaders and owners of their projects. We'll see what happens when I talk to them. They will be disappointed.

In other news, my youth that have been doing the HIV prevention/Sex Ed. charlas with have been doing AWESOME! We are doing the workshop every month at the high school in San Vicente. And now they even want to make matching polo shirts for us to wear when we do it. They are something else. It baffles me how enthusiastic they are about doing this when they don't get anything in return for doing it. But they LOVE it! i think they love it because it's something like putting on a show, and it's great public speaking experience for them. I'm amazed by them everytime. After the charla I buy them their favorite fried chicken at Pollo Campero... it's a good time. We are doing two this month- one at the highschool and another at a school in a rural community.

Anyways- So it sounds like I'm busy enough doesn't it? And I think about how there are all these things I want to see finished before I leave here. I know I don't really want to quit. Sometimes it just feels like it... because I have a bad day, or because I'm just so looking forward to whatever life will be like after this. How comfortable it will be. How much opportunity I will have. I can't help but daydream about the future. But who doesnt?

And when I have bad days I tend to call my parents. It's like this constant need for pep talks. The last time Dad said, "Amy, just shut up and do it. Get over it." And of course that's not what I wanted to hear. Maybe I wanted to hear something more like, "You poor thing... Out there, on your own... poor baby." But as much as those pitying words feel nice, they don't help. Dad's right. Shut up. Get over it. Thanks Dad- You couldn't have said anything better.

So yesterday I had this feeling like... like I'm finally caving. I'm giving into the fact that I still have a ways to go. That I actually want this. I signed up for this. This is it. I'm in it for the long haul.

I wish I could always be optimistic and positive and happy here... but Peace Corps comes with its downs. Downs that can really only be understood by those who are here going through it. I'm ready to accept that. To stop dreaming about what I don't have here... what I could have if I left it. To stop calling my loved ones whining about the same shit. It's time to shut up and just do it. This is what I asked for. This is what I wanted... and boy am I getting it. And it's all going to be a very worthwhile valuable experience in the end, I know it. And I already get emotional thinking about how I will possibly say goodbye to this place a year from now. It truly is "the toughest job you`ll ever love." So I'm tired... Tired of wasting my time being unhappy when the going gets tough. Life is too short to not be happy. This is it.

Year 2 will be over before I know it. I'm going to do the best I can to enjoy it. All of it.

And part of enjoying it includes going to the beach with Noel for my birthday at the end of the month. August is a busy month so I won't be able to leave until the very end of it when my birthday comes. But we are going to a beach we havent been to here yet... where hopefully I will get to release some baby turtles in the the ocean! :) How fun! Looking forward to it!

And I'll be going home for a wedding sometime in year 2, because... My brother is engaged! Congrats Evan and Jenny! Can't wait to come up there and be with y'all when you tie the knot!

And hopefully there will be a few other small vacations in there. And in the the meantime I'll be hanging out with the cows and chickens in my campo. It's really not that bad.
Last thing- Sometimes it still amazes me that I live in what is supposed to be one of the most dangerous countries in the world and after being here for over a year I still have never had a thing happen to me or even seen anything happen. I thought the time had come when i was on the bus the other day on my way home from San Sal. I got on the $1 bus that I usually go on that goes to San Vi... this cheaper bus makes a lot of stops along the way- picking people up on the side of the highway. From what I've heard, this is often how robberies happen on these buses, when they stop to pick people up. There is a more expensive $5 bus that doesn't stop at all, and therefore is more safe. But $5 vs. $1 is a big difference when you only have $6 in your pocket. So anyway, this bus I was on stopped on the side of the highway when we were about half way there. I started to get worried because we stopped... and we just stayed. And the driver got off the bus and we were stuck sitting there for like 20 minutes when I really started to get worried. Why the hell were we stopped if there was nothing wrong with the bus? I asked the cobrador- the guys that takes the money- he said it was because they were ahead of schedule and needed to wait or they'd arrive in San Miguel too early. Then he suggested I smoke some marijuana and relax. Ummm... no. So it turned out being nothing and eventually we were on our way again. Thank god. And anyway I guess the robberies that happen on those buses usually occur while the bus is still moving after they pick the thieves up. I dont think a bus would sit on the side of the road and wait 20 minutes because the thieves are running late... Maybe I'll take the fancy buses from now on.

Anyway, that's all for today folks. Gotta head up to the school and work on getting things ready for the vocational training.

Thanks for reading!

Paz y amor.

The Answer is Blowin in the Wind

I have never been so scared in El Salvador as I was last night.


I had noticed there was an increasing fowl smell over the last few days... that I dismissed as a successfully poisoned rat. I got in bed last night with my mini DVD player watching the Hangover 2- a really terrible movie... and not just because it was a pirated version filmed by a guy in a movie theatre with a video camera... It's just an awful movie. Anyway, so it's like 10pm and over my head phones I hear the strangest growl I have ever heard in my life. I've gotten used to the animals that live on this farm with me... they never sound like that! It was such a creepy growl! And I could tell it was right outside my house on the other side of the wall from my bed. I couldn't help but wonder- Is it just the dog? Coyote? Is it one of my dogs protecting me from an intruder? I considered all possibilites. The growling came to an abrupt hault. Did the intruder kill the animal? What the hell is going on out there?

But with the noise having stopped briefly I went on being poorly entertained by the Hangover2 until my eyes got heavy and I passed out. 11PM- Eyes wide open as the strange growl returns and disturbs me from my sleep. The unfamiliar sound of the animal alone made me uncomfortable, but then... there was rustling and I heard things being moved on my back patio. The back porch of my house is full of Marinita's firewood stacked up against the wall that's on the other side of my bed and they have a barrel of corn out there that chicken live on top of. I'm used to the chickens being on the other side of my wall... and I know their sounds. This was different. I even heard movement that was touching the roof. Firewood was falling and I could hear the tiles that sit on top of the bamboo to make my roof being moved. My god. This is it, I thought.

Now, to tell the truth- my worst fear of living in a house alone in El Salvador has always been that someone could break into my house in the night entering through the roof by simply removing the tiles. Of course this is the worst case scenario imaginable. I have heard of this happening to one Peace Corps Volunteer in the north- she was not physically harmed but she ended up ending her service soon after and going home. And it happened to a sweet old lady friend of mine that lives here in my community. So, it's not unheard of. However, I can tell you I have always felt safe in this house. I live next to the police, in plain view of the street. And my host parents come running when they hear noises. But you know, being alone, in the dark at night... when I hear freaky noises, especially unfamiliar ones, I get freaked. Whenever I was house-sitting for my parents in Houston- who don't live in a good neighborhood by the way- if I heard scary noises sometimes I found myself walking through the house with my dad's revolver. What I would've done if I actually encountered an intruder in the house, I have no idea. But at least I felt like I had a defense. What do I have here? A whistle! The big plastic orange one that came in my Peace Corps medical kit. It's a loud one, and if I blew it I know that Don Chepito would be outside with his rifle in no time.

So, heart racing, I get out of bed, slinking through the bottom of my mosquito net, with the intention of quickly finding my whistle. In my nervous motions I accidentally hit my little yellow nica with my right foot, the bucket I use to pee at night because I don't want to go out in the dark. I turn on the lights and.... GROSSSSSSS. Now I have my right foot and the floor covered in urine. Explatives are flying out of my mouth... and then i figure, well now whoever's out there knows I'm awake, they can hear my $&!(@* and see my lights. I talked to Noel on the phone and he made me feel better... I went back to sleep with the lights on and with my whistle in hand, noticing the nasty smell was still there... getting stronger. This just wasn't my night. As the night went on, I kept waking up nearly every hour from the growls and bumps outside... scrambling to find where my whistle got lost in the sheets. I was so happy when morning came!

After my morning run I was talking to Elsy, Marinita's daughter-in-law visiting from Boston. I asked her if she had heard all those strange noises last night... she said she did but that they had noticed them the night before too and didn't think much of it. Then I told her about the strange smell in my house, so she comes over to my house to investigate what stinks. She noticed it too, and that it was especially strong in the corner of my room by my bed. We went outside to see what's on the other side of the wall. I notice the loads of chicken poo, but that's nothing abnormal, and I know the smell of chicken poo by now, that is not what we were smelling. So we get to where the wall of the patio is shared with where my bed is... the smell was definitely coming from here...

Elsy climbs up on the stacked firewood and says, "Oh my God. I can't believe Marinita did this. Why would she do this?"

"What?" I see a knocked over bucket, with flies all around it, but had no idea what I was looking at.

She didn't want to tell me. She said I didn't want to know. "I want to know!" I tell her. Then she tells me that that bucket is full of the tripe and cow inside parts that were left over from when they killed the cow for their feast on Saturday. OoooOoH! That IS gross! And yea, why the heck would she put them in a bucket at store them for days right outside where I sleep? What was she planning to do with it anyway? Well, they do eat those parts, but man... days later? So this explains the smell, and noises in the night... the dogs were all climbing up there and eating it and fighting over it. Phew! It's gross, but at least it wasn't something worse, like some of the things I had imagined throughout the night.

Marinita wasn't home for me to ask her to take care of it... but I wasn't touching that bucket! So it sat there all day until she got home in the afternoon... the wind was even carrying the horrific smell all the way over to the neighbors house. But she got home and apologized so much for it, saying she had forgotten that she put it there. LoL. This is one to remember.

In other news, Noel was cat-sitting for about a month. A black domestic short-haired sweety named Malcolm. He was a good cat and I enjoyed having his company when I went over there... even though he was annoying at times, but that was just because he was a baby still. I kinda fell in love with him and when his time at Noel's came to an end I was asking if we could keep him. The owners were on vacation and that's why they needed Noel to take care of him, and when they got back they were moving to Panama. So they came back and took Malcom in the car to drive him down to Panama with them. Sounded kind of crazy to take a cat on a long long road trip like that... It would've been a lot easier if they would've let him stay in San Sal. But no, they wanted to keep there cat, so we said our goodbyes and on the road Malcolm went. The other day Noel broke the news to me... about 5 miles outside of Panama City they got a flat tire and Malcolm got out and ran away.... :( How sad. Maybe he is out there somewhere still... trying to find his way back to San Sal? Who knows... but he was a good cat. Peace be with you, Malcolmcito. You were loved.

I'm gonna get a cat when I'm done with Peace Corps I think. A girl cat.

Lots of things to look forward to this second year of my service, and after!

For now, I am thankful to be alive and well and safe and loved... and free from stinky cow parts!

Good night world!

Paz y amor.