30 June 2010

Alex?

So this new storm is called Alex, right? All I know is that it finally stopped raining. PC had us on standfast in our sites, meaning we weren´t allowed to leave. There´s really no risk of flooding where I am, but I´ve heard they evacuated people in other parts of ES. I just got another good soaking, and lots of time to go through my pile of books. My poor puppy´s so bored she´s about to destroy everything in my house.
I´m putting up photos on facebook as we speak. I´m also uploading some full quality ones to shutterfly.com so that everyone can see them, but obviously that takes longer. I´ll try to get some more up soon.
http://elmundoesunpanuelophotos.shutterfly.com/
Hope that link works.

25 June 2010

Yes, I´m in my house!

Ok, so life is crazy. I was thinking this whole government mess would be over by now, but the meeting with the mayor this week didn´t solve anything. It turned into such a shouting match that my counterpart and I just left, and we learned later that they hadn´t reached an agreement anyway. We´re still hanging, but we´ve got to keep going as best we can given the circumstances and the information we have (and by we, I mean my counterpart and I).
Good news, though! I´m in my new house with my new puppy! She´s a gift from one of the women in the community, and her name is Dulce (pronounced Dool-say - it means "sweet"). While her owner gave her tortillas occasionally, she was pretty much a street dog, but now that I have her, feed her, and spoil her, she doesn´t want to leave my side! She´s like Winston, if you remember when we got him, Mom; at first she was shy, but now that her belly´s full, her personality is shining through! Such a cutie, too. She´s a mutt, but she looks Border collie-ish, except brown and white instead of black. She´s about three months old. My house is great too, and I´m surrounded by little boys who come to visit me all the time.
Cross your fingers I get photos up next week. It´s going to be another crazy one, but then next weekend my friends and I are going to the 4th of July party at the embassy in San Sal!

17 June 2010

home!

Hey everybody, I´m back home in San Juan! I get to move into my new house today! Cross your fingers that I get a dog tomorrow.
I came back to a community in an uproar over some local government issues, so I´m on hold as far as projects go. To make a long story short, some community members formed a rebel government, but it´s not violent or anything. The whole thing will be sorted out next week, for better or for worse. Then I can get to work (when I know who I´ll be working with!) I´m trying to imagine how this sounds to yall back home. Maybe scary? It´s not really, but it does sort of feel like I´m in a movie at the moment, like I should have a soundtrack to capture the emotions of the moment.
Hope things are well at home and you´re enjoying the summer! Happy Father´s Day!

04 June 2010

safe!

Just a quick post to say we're all clear! I'm back with the host family, but going to San Salvador this weekend.
My response to the question about the dryer is, "What dryer?" I guess I forget that yall don't really know what life looks like here. Microwaves, while not in every house like back home, are not uncommon here, though. I may start microwaving my clothes to dry them faster during rainy season. It can't hurt to try, right?