Juayua/Nahuilingo

This past weekend I spent it with the fam. I traveled to Sonsonate to spend time with my auntie, cousins, and the children. On Saturday I went to Juayua ate some yummy food, and went to see the "chorros."

I had an opportunity as well to visit Salud (the milk processing plant in Sonsonate).

There were fireworks on Saturday night to celebrate "la fiestas patronales" in Nahuilingo but I was too scared for my life and too busy running away from the homemade fireworks to take pictures.

Sonsonate- Trip to the Milk processing plant

Juayua/Nahuilingo

Cinquera/Suchitoto

This past weekend the CIS team took a trip to Cinquera and Suchitoto. Cinquera has a protected natural reserve, it is in fact a protected forest. We took a hike up the mountain and took in the beauty of the lush greenery around us. During our hike we learned that during the civil war Cinquera was part of a base for the guerilla. We saw where the doctors and nurses performed surgeries and general medical care, as well as the kitchen area. "La cocina vietnamita" I would later find out was not a restaurant serving Vietnamese food rather a method the guerilla had adapted in order to have the ability to make fire and minimize the smoke being expelled into the air. These kitchens had pipes or tubes that were dug into the mountain. The smoke would travel through these tubes until reaching the other side of the mountain where it would exit undetected.

I am happy to say that I completed the whole hike and made it down with a lot of bitching (it was freaking hot...my calves were sweating). After the hike we had the opportunity to swim for a bit. After lunch we listened to Don Pablo's testimony. His words pierced my heart. I had listened to stories/testimonies from people I know but it is a different type of sensation when you hear a stranger sharing the same stories with you.

In Suchitoto we had the opportunity to walk around, eat some pupusas, and visit a revolutionary chupadero called “El Necio”. I loved the tranquility I felt while I walked around on the cobblestone streets. That night we stayed at a hostel. After dinner and drinks we returned to the hostel and we were greeted by shirtless men jumping into a ”jaccuzzi” that looked more like a bath tub. But Isaac and Zack didn't have a problem with this in fact as soon as they saw this they took off their shirts and joined. :)

On Sunday we went on a boat ride on Lago Suchitlan....we visited an island were a man lived on for almost 13 years.

Click below for the album.

Cinquera/Suchitoto

A Septuagenarian tried to pick me up...

So for the past three weeks Heather and I have been volunteering in San Francisco Chinamequita. Each Wednesday we head off to teach the children in the community a bit of English but most of the time they just ask us random questions. Like for example how to say "aceituna" in English. When I tell them it's "olive" they quickly start pointing at one of the their classmates and begin to shout, "Olive!" Apodos or nicknames are big here. I've met people here and started calling them by their nickname, come to think of it I don't think I actually know their names.

Anyway back to the septuagenarian...so on the way back to Soya (I'm getting use to the lingo here, this is the short form of the area I am staying at) I got off the bus from chinamequita and took my regular route home. The buses during rush hour are always full and an older gentleman had the seat next to him free so he made the effort to tap me with his umbrella and offer the seat next to him.

I sat down, the following is the translated transcript of the convo with the Septuagenarian...
Septuagenarian: Hello, it's hot today isn't?
Me: Yes it is...
Septuagenarian: Do you work or study?
Me: Both
Septuagenarian: So what do you think about the financial crisis in El Salvador.
Me: I am not familiar with the situation in this country. But I think it's bad all over the world.
Septuagenarian: It is important to know about the financial situation in your own country.
(At this point I started to explain to him that I was visiting ES but then I noticed he was kind of hard of hearing so I just nodded.)
Septuagenarian: How old are you....28?
Me: No I am not 28...
Septuagenarian: 18 then....
(at this point I told him 26 but he wasn't understanding or hearing me, I kept saying 26 but he kept repeating 23, so I nodded)
Septuagenarian: Are you married?
Me: No
Septuagenarian: Do you like pupusas?
Me: Yes
Septuagenarian: Do you usually eat one or three?
Me: Three
Septuagenarian: Oh you have a great appetite...
(at this point the couple sitting in front of us started kissing)
Septuagenarian: Do you like to kiss?
Me: (A little scared by the question) Yes I do.
Septuagenarian: Do you kiss nice?
(At this point, I was like this is an old man ....old enough to be my grandpa)
Me: Well, my boyfriend doesn't complain....
Septuagenarian: Well, it is always good to have something to compare to....
(At his point I saw the Pollo Campero which is my signal to get off. When I saw the sign it was like angels were singing, "you will be saved from the Septuagenarian..."
Septuagenarian: So when can I take you out to eat pupusas?
(I quickly got up didn't answer and just told the Septuagenarian, "Que le vaya bien" and jumped off the bus. I didn't even wait for the bus to make a complete stop.)

To Change or Not To Change Blog Assignment #3

For our third assignment, we have to analyse how we have changed in order to be more effective in our host culture. I think for me it has been a bit different because I have a sense of what the culture in ES is like already from what I have learned from my family. However there are certain things that I have had to alter. One thing I noticed fairly quickly is that in ES everyone you walk by will say “buenas” which is typically short form for buenas dias, buenas tardes, etc. I am used to going to the bus stop in Toronto and just waiting for the bus in silence while avoiding eye contact, or greeting anyone for that matter. I noticed that in my neighbourhood everyone says “buenas” and everyone says “que le vaya bien” now I start to saw that too. The other thing that I had to get use to are “los piropos” that men on the street constantly throw at me. At first I used to get mad and throw a bitchy look at them but now I just say thank you or just smile. (unless they say some nasty things to me but most of the time they just say “buenos dias chinita linda, que le vaya bien”)

Another thing I have been trying to moderate is my tone. I speak very loud when I am on the bus and I find that people here are very soft speakers very rarely will you find people that speak loud in public. According to Oscar (our wonderful tour guide at CIS) it is because a long time ago when Nahaut was widely spoken, people often spoke soft in public because this language was not the official language although many of the indigenous population spoke it. Therefore in order to not call attention to themselves (b/c at the time indigenous people were being targeted) they would speak softly. Ritha and I noticed this recently while we were enjoying a refreshing drink at a local establishment that we were the loudest people there while everyone else was speaking so low what we couldn't hear what they were saying.

Salvadoran people take pride in always appearing presentable. I at times feel like a slob but I have started ironing my clothes now. (which is something I don't do in Canada, Hey! We have dryers in Canada!) It amazes me how well ironed their clothes are because as hard as I try to iron my clothes perfectly I always have creases.

One thing that I have noticed though is that admiration people here have for gringos. They are captivated by their light skin and eyes. There have been instances where in social settings the gringos (my fellow CIS teachers) are being admired more while I have been disregarded perhaps because of my Salvadoran features they just figure I am a tour guide. At first it use to bother me, now I just avoid situations that would make me feel uncomfortable. It just makes me realize that the idea that beauty lies in people with light skin and coloured eyes still exist in Latin America.

Memorial and Sala Nacional De Exposiciones Salarrue San Salvador

Last week we went to the memorial and la Sala Nacional De Exposiciones Salarrue

Click below to see album.

Memorial/Sala Nacional de Exposiciones Salarrué San Salvador

Starting to feel better...

Saturday morning I woke up with the craziest cough and a pounding headache. (No cigarettes or alcohol were involved therefore these symptoms were not a consequence of a hang over). I had already made plans to head to Tonacatepeque with a friend so I decided to be a trooper and keep my plans. Unfortunately by Saturday evening I was feeling worse and I began to think that I had contracted the swine. Thankfully, there was a doctor available in Tonaca. After asking me about my symptoms she took my temperature, examined my throat, and told me that all I had was a throat infection with a mild cold but no swine. She then asked me, "do you prefer oral medication or injection?" I asked her, "What is faster?" Of course to no surprise she said injection. She quickly jotted down the prescription and sent Eduardo to go get it. When he came back five minutes later, she took the meds from him and began to prep the needle (an anti-gripal). At this point I thought that the needle was going to be administered on my arm but then she told me "lie down on your stomach." Upon hearing these instructions I realized that I was going to get a shot in my "nalgita."

So I did what she instructed. I tried to relax but as she was trying to find the muscle I became more tense. Finally I took a deep breath and felt 500 ml being shot straight into my buttock. At first there was no pain but soon after the pain became intense. I had to remain seated for 3 minutes because my ass cheek was numb. On Sunday I had to endure it again as the doctor had prescribed two shots.....

Today I feel better, I have been bitchy and lethargic for most of the week (sorry girls) but I finally feel like I am getting back to my old self.

Iglesia El Rosario

Perhaps the most surreal experience...I would have never imagined the beauty that this building holds inside.
Click on the album below:

Iglesia El Rosario

La Catedral Metropolitana

It has been an overwhelming two weeks. I feel that I have grown the most within the last two compared to my last twenty-something years. (shut up Vivian you don't need to remind me how old I am :p)
Last week we visited La Catedral Metropolitana de San Salvador. From the first moment I stepped inside this church I was overcome by an uneasy feeling. I suddenly felt like I had a ton of bricks on my chest and I instantly told Vivian, “I don't feel right being here.” We continued the tour with Cristy (who by the way is a kick-ass tour guide). She told us that it took many years to complete the cathedral. She also told us about the the people that died at the Cathedral stairs during Romero's funeral cortege.

We proceeded to go downstairs where the tomb of Archbishop Romero is located. As I walked down there the heaviness on my chest became overpowering. Cristy began to speak about the struggle that Romero carried on his shoulders and how all the Salvadoran people regardless of their religion still hold a great regard to Romero. As we approached the tomb I was moved and began to sob. At first I tried to control it but I was something that I was not able to control. I just kept crying and it is difficult for me to explain the reason why I was moved to such extremes. I have always had a complex relationships with religion. I was raised Catholic but I have not practised since my first year of high school. Recently I have declared myself an agnostic. I believe that there is a higher power but I don't believe in following a doctrine or being part of any organized religion. Being in ES I have had to tackle the question of religion again. I am frustrated when I see leaders from churches scrounging the little money the poor have in order to fulfill their lavish lifestyle.

So why did I become so emotional while Cristy talked? I became emotional because she described how Romero was trying to fight for the poor and that people speak of a great change in ES while there has no been change at all, in fact some people think its worse than before. As soon as Cristy said this it struck such a strong chord in me because it was the exact emotions I felt when I arrived here. I was frustrated and angered by the fact that people had told me that ES had gone into some great changes meanwhile it is perhaps in worse state than it was before. Just because more malls are built it doesn't necessarily mean that their is progress.

To All My Fans...

That have been waiting for my post....you will have to wait a bit longer as I have to really sit down and give a run down of all the events that have happened. I must tell you though that the past two weeks have been the most memorable (both professionaly and personally).
Tune in on Monday for my update....

On a funny note
the girls think I look like Puca (a popular south korean cartoon in ES)......I DONT SEE IT What do you think?