It’s been a while since I last updated – my internet access has been a bit limited, and I’ve been dealing with a lot of changes. First of all, I’ve been in my site now for almost three weeks trying to get to know the community and figure things out. About half way through my first week, it started raining and practically didn’t stop until about a week later. I had a ton of dirty laundry and was unable to do anything because everywhere was covered in A LOT of water. Some days, I literally couldn’t leave the house because everything was flooded. It rained like it does in Colorado – but in Colorado it might rain really hard for an hour, maybe two. Here it rained really hard for hours and then subsided to a regular rain. It turned out that Peace Corps put us on standfast, which means we couldn’t leave where we were, so I couldn’t leave my site. Later that week, the river was so full that the quick road out of my site closed because the bridge washed out. Then, on the other road out, a tree fell, and so the only way out was by sea. I ended up having to go to the medical office for a couple of reasons, so it was an adventure to get there. At first, I had to walk half an hour to an office where I ended up finding a ride. Drove about 15 minutes to the boat launch, got pushed across a bay, walked to find a pick-up stop (which is a form of public transportation here – you stand in the back of a covered pick-up), I was on the pick-up for about 45 minutes, ran to catch the bus to Sonsonate – the closest big city, and finally in Sonsonate, I got picked up by a Peace Corp driver. This was the first time I had ever left site that way, while I was new in site, and sick – so it was quite an adventure. I was fine, and it ended up being quite easy. Also, the nice thing about El Salvador, generally, if you ask someone directions or if a certain bus is the correct one, they will answer you honestly and be more than willing to help you.
Also, since being in site, it has been very difficult. In training, we had plans almost every day and a set schedule. Here, we are just expected to walk around and meet people, maybe have a couple of meetings with some community leaders, and then relax when we can’t do anything (because of the rain, per say). This is very un-American and very hard for me. I start to feel really anxious that I’m not accomplishing anything, and I have a lot to accomplish. Also, it’s hard being a community where everyone knows everyone and you’re the new person that knows no one and you look, speak, and act completely differently. Also, it has made me really appreciated the little comforts we have in America, for example, a bathroom inside the house that flushes and doesn’t have bugs in it constantly. Currently my bathroom is about 50 feet from the house – so if I have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night – I don’t. Also, I miss showers, especially hot ones and non-wood burning stove to cook on. I also miss the general cleanliness of America as well and, believe it or not, the public education system. There are some good things here – the students are given their school supplies and uniforms to wear to school, but their days are half day and the teaching style is way different. Also, I miss news! Weird because I felt completely inundated with news in the US, and now I really would love to read any news, even if it’s the Enquirer or something silly.
It looks like for now, I will be working with the school a fair amount when the school starts in January. This is good because I like being around the kids, and I think it will be more of a set schedule. I think I will be helping teach or teach some English classes to students and teachers. Also, I think we will try to set-up a computer class and the computers as well as a small business for the older kids. I also would like to work with a cooperative here that makes jewelry and ashtrays and things out of used pop cans. I’m not sure what else I’ll be up to, but this is what I’ve figured out so far. Anyway, I think that’s about all the news for now. I’ll try to be better about updating my blog and keeping you all update! Hope all is well back home!
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