I hope you all love where you are as much as I love ES! I want to share with you some of my favorite things about this country:)
1. SALVADORANS! The best part of the country. While the culture is pretty conservative, I find the people to be open and ready to chat with everybody and about almost anything!
2. My host mom, Nina Ana, the woman who looks after my every need and answers all my silly questions. She provides my home-away-from home anytime I need a break from work.
3. Lisette. Hands down the best host sister ever! She cracks me up, gives me pedicures, and takes me everywhere with her. She is also completely insane.
4. Salvadoran children! You can't find cuter ones anywhere. Usually they're embarassed the first time they meet you, but the second time they come around, they act as though they've known you their entire life. They're so enthusiastic about playing with me and teaching me how to live here!
5. Yummy fruit! My host mom knew I was anticipating the mangos on our tree ripening, so she picked the first ripe one and hid it in the kitchen so I could have it for breakfast one morning. Love! Pineapple season is also fast approaching, and bananas and plantains are always available. Not to mention my new favorites, jocote and mamey!
6. Music. Who in the world, outside of Latin America, understands my passion for Spanish-language and 80s music?
7. Spanish. In a week I will be in my site, speaking only Spanish for days on end! I won't have to see a gringo for two months if I don't want to!
8. On the other hand, the ES is small enough that I'm within a day's journey of all my PC friends, the beach, all major cities, and several foreign countries. Vacation!
9. PC friends and staff. I've made some great friends here, and I look forward to meeting the rest of the PC volunteers in the next few months. The staff here is also really awesome! I'm going to miss seeing them daily.
10. SAN JUAN ABAJO! My site:) We got assignments yesterday, and they are sending me to the village of San Juan Abajo in the region of Jocoro in the department (state) of Morazan. Good luck finding San Juan on a map! If it's detailed enough you might find Jocoro. It's in southern Morazan, near La Union. I'll post photos as soon as I can!
I have one week left of training, and then on Friday I'm being sworn in as a volunteer. It's a big deal - a ceremony at the US embassy and a crazy party afterwards in a private club! Then Saturday I have to wake up early to move to my site! I'll be getting there just in time for Holy Week, which is the week from Palm Sunday to Easter. It's one great big vacation all over the country. Then I turn 23! Life is good:)
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soooooooo happy for you!!! i love and miss you ver much!!
ReplyDeletetravis
Becca, you do make it sound fabulous! I hope your enthusiasm continues once you get to your site. I showed your blog to Catalina, who is from ES---born in La Union---and she was almost in tears. She's a wonderful person and the hardest working tech we have. I think you made her homesick.
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous of all the fresh fruit! And jealous of the people who are getting to spend time with you. But it does sound as if they appreciate you almost as much as I do. I love you and miss you.
I'd love to hear about the other PC volunteers, where they're from and what they're like. In clude that in your next chapter!
Love, Mom
Becca, I am so happy for you! And for everyone you meet :-). Having both a servant heart and such an open heart is a rare and wonderful combination!
ReplyDeleteI am going to have to see if I can find jocote or mamey anywhere around this temperate piedmont area! I want to taste them!!!
Please give Nina Ana and Lisette hugs for me for taking such good care of you!
I am an incredible slacker. You are already off to your assignment! I promise I am going to send you a little something from home (well, from a little north of home :-)).
To paraphrase a Police song "Every Little Thing You Do is Magic" :-) (1981, I checked ;-)