PST2

atención! 

PST2: Pre Service Training round 2

starts Monday May 31st (same day as my Gram's Birthday, Happy Bday Grams!) and goes until June 11th. 

This means I will be in hot and sticky San Vicente during this time and will once again have to fight off 35 other peace corps volunteers to use the 2 count them one. two. computers in the office. Hence, I will probably not be online for most of my time in San V. This is the official heads up to everyone that my emails and blog posts will be sporadic at best. 

Now as many of you may know... the first round was pretty rough emotionally, mentally, and physically. So during this time I will perform many feats of strengths and once I come out on top stronger than before I will most certainly be reconnecting with you all once more. 

As I always like to do, to keep the readers entertained, here are a few music selections. 


background info: The tradition of Peace Corps Volunteer CD mixes continues and this time around the theme is 

Boys/Girls Mix CD
(Guys pick a female artist and girls pick a male artist.) 

I've removed the names of the PCV for their protection and left only the song selections. 

1.  Babe I'm gonna leave you, Led Zepplin

2.  Always Be My Baby, Mariah Carey

3. Haleluyah, Jeff Buckley

4. Defying Gravity from musical wicked OR Jolene, Dolly Parton

5. Haven't met you yet, Michael Buble OR Brandy Alexander, Ron Sexsmith

6. Mercy, Duffy
Carry on My Wayward Son, Kansas

8. American Girl, Tom Petty

9. Yeah, Usher
Baby Got Back, Jonathan Coulton

11. Chocolate, Jesse & Joy

12. Camisa Negra, Juanes
13. All Along the Watchtower, Jimi Hendrix
14. Take a Minute, K'Naan
15. I Made It, Kevin Rudolf
16. Rebel Rebel, David Bowie

I agree with some, applaud others, shake my head at a couple and had to google the rest. 

To augment this list... Daniel Pato Hinkle and I emailed in our choices: 

First up is New Soul by Yael Naim (great choice Pato) and yes, I know I've posted this song before but its just so good and I found a great live version. 

I chose:  The Perfect Space by the Avett Borthers

you go girl!

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”

                          - Henry David Thoreau

CURRENT STATUS: Very inspired by my Mom.

I can do anything good

Who is rich? He that rejoices in his portion.  

                                            - Talmud

 


(thank you Haley for emailing this to me, I did in-fact have this kind of morning) xoxo

Hansel Kennedy

Dearest amigos and amigas who reside or will be residing in the beltway for the next 45 days. I would like to introduce you to my dear friend Clayton. Clayton who’s nom de plume is: Hansel Roger David pronounced: Dah-veed Angel-face Juan-Victorio Kennedy.

Why do I bring this man of the plume to your attention? Well because in the few months that I have had the honor of knowing this man I have grown to love and value his many attributes not only as a friend but also as a human being and fellow Peace Corps volunteer.   

Clayton is way cooler than me in so many ways which if you are lucky enough to get to know him you will find out. But you would have to be around him a whole bunch because this humble man is an onion. You must peel the layers off to reveal more and more. Fortunately for me we met in the Peace Corps and being placed in the same pueblo during training we were able to spend many hours on his host family’s front stoop conversing about our hopes, anxieties, aspirations, histories, loves, losses and unfortunately other topics such as all the things going in and going out of our bodies. But that last topic is a Peace Corps thing and I’m sure he would mind his manners once back state side.

This long homage does come with a specific end in mind. Clayton, in an effort to connect with his community, played soccer with the teenage boys a couple of weeks ago. During this very physical game Clayton, a very good soccer player, was crashed into by one of these young men at full force. This crash between the two resulted in Clayton’s ACL, meniscus, and then some being ripped apart. Clayton tomorrow morning will be flown to Washington DC to have surgery. After a week of bed rest he has informed me he will be very anxious to explore the city. He knows my affinity for this fine metropolitan and I have guaranteed a list of must see and must do’s complete with happy hours and top places to eat. Then I lamented how I wished I could be there with him to show him the city upon which I realized I have people THERE who rock my world and would love to meet another fantastic amigo 100% endorsed by moi. So this is my personal ad to all my friends… I’m talking to YOU Washingtonians. Contact me, to contact him.

(Clayton, I’m sure you are blushing and maybe even the watered down version of upset…since I could never imagine you upset. But I assure you… I have some seriously awesome friends in DC)

Here are the essentials:

Exhibit A: His Blog http://claykennedy.wordpress.com/

Exhibit B: A photo of the two of us taken almost two weeks ago in San Salvador.

His nearest metro stop is Rosslyn.

And if I give any more info he might kill me.

Love you Clayton, and you better skype or email me as soon as you get out of surgery. Million besos!

sneak preview

Here is a sneak preview of the new house Daniel and I moved into on Sunday night. 
Please note these are the "before" photos a-la-HGTV. . . In two weeks we would like to have the outside painted... mustard yellow! 

Our home. We are still not sure if that's the front or the side door. Also still in debate : what color to paint the door and the bars once the house is painted... 

Our covered porch... daniel and I planned on building our own but the owner of the house thought he would do us a "favor" and build it for us... there are some very questionable architectural decisions that were made during the construction of this structure. I'm not an architect but I know wire and hooks probably won't be strong enough to hold this thing together while I swing in a hammock. We are currently in talks with some other guys who are handy men who work at the hotel. This too will be getting some T.L.C. in the form of hanging plants and paint. 

 

The gate to our driveway. Its hard to see but under the right door there is a huge gap between the ground and the gate. This gate is not foolin anyone. Chickens and dogs are still able to crawl under the gate. This is being added to the "fix it" list. 

Our beautiful backyard. 

Compost, veggie and herb garden coming soon!

p.s. many have asked so I will report that I'm recovered from the scorpion bite :)

pain in the knuckle

Today I had my first real “Peace Corps incident”. 

I was taking my usual ice-cold bucket bath enjoying the view of the mango and palm trees. 

I grab my towel and begin to dry off when a sharp pain causes me to shriek and drop my towel.

aaaahhhh !

I squeeze my hand and feel the throbbing pain continue. 

Something stung me.

F*ing Mother of Mangos!

Completely naked and doubled over in pain I feel utterly defenseless.

With my eyes filled with water I stand up straight. 

Trying to compose myself and gather up the courage to pick up the towel.

I pick up one little corner. I shake it a bit to allow whatever bee or wasp just attacked my knuckle to fly far far away from me.

But nothing flies away. I grab another edge of the towel to reveal more of the surface area. All I could see before I quickly dropped the towel again was a black outline of what looked to be a scorpion.

I scream again. . A sting from a strange animal somehow causes my finger to hurt more. I start to think about how I should have paid more attention to the medical sessions during training.

Do scorpions carry disease?

Do I have to get someone to suck out the venom?

What next?

Uuugh. I wish I wasn’t naked. F.

I start screaming for Esperanza, the woman who works for my host family, and has become a close friend of mine.

“Esperanzaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

“Esperanzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

I realize she can’t hear me, she’s in the front room cleaning with a bachata song I’ve heard 100 times blaring … one of the good ones.

One of the ones you have to turn up to really feel it move through your bones.

But why?

Why did this song have to be on the radio when beastly jungle creatures are attacking me?

“Esperanzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!”

“Si!?!” I hear her scream.

“Can you bring me a towel?”

“Don’t you have a towel?”

“Yes, but some animal is in my towel and just stung me.”

She runs back with a towel. I wrap myself up and come out of the bathing area and point to the towel on the ground. She bends over to pick it up. I warn her to be careful…it’s a scorpion. 

In one smooth motion wiggles the scorpion off the towel onto the cement and squashes it under her flip-flop.  

(in my head "that's what happens to scorpions who sting ME")

She put on some rubbing alcohol and then this is when I find out there is no Benadryl in the Peace Corps med kit but thanks to my good friend Nancy and her practical care packages I had some StingEze that has worked like a charm to help the pain subside a bit. I said a prayer that I didn’t have some unknown allergy to scorpion venom and then thanked my lucky stars that the little creature didn’t sting me where the sun don’t shine.

Esperanza, the heroine of this story

CURRENT STATUS: No alergic reaction as of yet

border crossing

The love of one's country is a splendid thing. But why should love stop at the border?
 - Pablo Casals

buenos dias

My morning so far:


5:30 am - Wake up at to my little host brother crying and throwing a fit
                  (this continues until around 6:45 am)


 7:30 am - after much rolling around I decided I've sleep in too long


 7:45 am - My terrific host mother serves the family breakfast, the usual tasty mix of eggs, beans, fried bananas with cream and cheese plus piping hot coffee


8:30 am - have a lively discussion over the stupidity of spending thousands of dollars on a "Fiesta Rosa" or Quinceañera (15TH Birthday) as its known in Mexico.  I shared stories about my sixteenth birthday (which is the big deal in the U.S.) and how its more traditional to have a smaller party with just close friends and family and rather than spend the 10K on a Fiesta Rosa, I received a used car that I still drive to this day (when I'm in Iowa of course). I left out that it's a beautiful cherry red jeep wrangler that I absolutely adore ... but she got the point I was trying to make. She completely agreed. Furthermore, the purpose of the fiesta rosa she says is to present the young girl to the world as a stand up citizen who the parents raised to go to school and care for their family but then months later they are all pregnant and I quote "all used up with their boobs hanging down sad saying how their families don't give them any money or take care of them" this came with my host mother's hilarious facial and body gestures. (* note to self * start bringing camera to the breakfast table).
It was a lively conversation which then moved onto how the remesa money that comes in goes to buy 12 year olds cell phones. She also thinks this is ridiculous since, the cell phone equals a boyfriend or girlfriend which leads to spending more money on cell phone minutes, lower grades in school and after the Fiesta Rosa,  teenage pregnancy and the cycle continues... So as you can guess...none of her girls had a Fiesta Rosa and her children don't have cells phones except for the one who is at the University. She bought her one for her 20th birthday.  Now this is why I love. love. love. my host mother. She's smart. She's one of the "gets it" people.


9:00 am - wash dishes


9:15 am -  cold bucket bath which felt great because its a warm one today 

(the view while I bathe)


9:30 am - get dressed, have no clean bottoms except a pair of jeans that are just a tad too snug. No prob, just gotta throw on a loose top. done. and done.


9:45 am - make my bed and find that the whole time I was rolling around in bed I was rolling around with a friend. A junebug/beetle friend. Yuk. well...too late to freak out now.


10 am - walking out of the house onto the street I almost slip and fall on a mango that had splattered on the street. With arms flailing and a toe scraped a bit I am able to save myself from a complete face plant. A neighbor boy sees the whole thing and only giggles quietly.

"are you going to work"

"yes, where are you going?"

"I'm going to the molino" (He is carrying a huge guacal (bowl)"

"What do you have there?"

"Corn"

 "what is your name"

 "Brian"

- pause for him to ask me my name -

- he doesn't ask -

"My name is Krystal"

- silence-

"you already knew my name didn't you?"

"yes"

"well have a good day Brian"

"Salut"

10:05 am -  waiting on the street for a pick-up to pass-by


10:15 am - still waiting. but then a truck slows down, the man gives the universal signal for "going up" not to be confused with "thru the butt".  he pulls over. I recognize his face. I know him. sweet! So I run toward the truck. I realize today was not the day to wear the tight jeans as I have to do a serious bend at the knees to give myself momentum to pull myself up into the tall work truck.


* side note * I look over to relatives of my host family inspecting him and the truck wondering who the heck I'm hitching a ride with. This comforts me as I know they can give a full description to the police and peace corps if something crazy where to happen. One plus of living in a small community and everybody knows everyone else's business.


He is on the phone. I recognize his face, I know him but from WHERE? uuughh...think. think... quick before he gets off the phone. bah. he's off the phone and he starts talking and finally says something that lets me know he's the owner of the house I'm going to be renting. He is heading up to drop off some supplies so they can pour a cement patio in the back.


10:30 am - inspect the house, meet the workers, then... thank you peace corps training, see out of the corner of my eye that he calls me CHEAP through a hand gesture. Pu-leeeez. Just because I didn't want to spend 10 bucks on a burlap sac for decoration. anyway, I did manage to squeeze out a privacy fence, a gutter for one side of the house, and a new shower-head.


12: 09 pm - the accountant at the office is clipping her toe nails! Is this really the appropriate place to be doing this?




Current Status: Waiting for Daniel to arrive so we can have lunch. amazing I still have any appetite. toenail clipping? really?

T.M.I

For those of you who want the "real" on the ground stories of the Peace Corps experience here is a book I found that I have NOT yet read but from the Amazaon "look inside" preview I have no doubt it's true. Even the chapter titles are already making me chuckle to myself and shake my head in agreement. 

Description:


Herein reside seventeen stories (and one poem) written by Peace Corps Volunteers from across the generations and across the planet. Such writing often brings expectations for a certain type of book (heartwarming, uplifting, nice). 


Many books give you that experience. 
And we like those books. 
They are good books. 
The world needs those books. 


This is not that book. 


Americans Do Their Business Abroad is a collection of stories a little too goofy, a little too personal (and maybe a little too gross) to belong anywhere else. Latrines. Goat eyeballs. Pickpockets. Whimsy. Wisdom. And arson in the name of hygiene. Enjoy.

Pupusaria Avila

Daniel and I have received the official authorization from Peace Corps staff to move into a little house near Perquin. This is great because it’s a short walk to our office and the neighborhood is safe.  I’m truly eager to acquire certain additional amenities, which are all found in the bathroom (toilet, sink and shower!) 

We have big plans on improvements including painting the outside and inside, building a bamboo porch where we can relax on hammocks under the canopy out of the scorching sun or heavy rain. This porch will also serve as cover while we wash dishes and clothes outside. 

Furthermore, a garden and compost will be added to our backyard.  Peace Corps provides seeds so we shall see what we can get our green little thumbs on.

But as the day draws closer (Friday) I am reflecting on what I will miss. And the first thing that comes to mind is my host mother’s Pupusas. Mmmm que rico. 

Here are some photos: 

The Pupusaria Viewed from the street. 

  From the back of the room watching the magic happen. 

Mixing the Masa de Maize (corn dough)

Familia working together. 

The pupusaria has frescos de Mora y Mango and sometimes Tamarindo. 

ha. I love my host mom's suspicious face. after I showed her the photo she started cracking up. She didn't know what I was taking a picture of. Although Esperanza our family's muchacha was ready and cute as a button. 

Echando pupusas: you can order them with any combination of cheese, beans, or chicharrón stuffed inside. 

To-go bags of salsa (not spicy)

Current Status: Craving some pupusas

Día de las Madres

I'm a day late but my mother and I were traveling yesterday (although not together).
So today now that we are back home we can pause and reflect with some of my fav. photos and of course a quote to boot.

“Love the whole world as a mother lovers her only child.” 

                                                                     -Buddha

Current Status:  missing, loving, and being very thankful for my mom  T.Q.M.

Asamblea General

Today is a big day. Why is it a big day? Well because today is the day our Jefa Clelia ( PC program director) comes to Morazan. She will be here to support Daniel and I in our respective meetings. Daniel's will be at 3pm at the school and mine will start hopefully at 5pm here at the hotel where I work most days. When inviting everyone I trying to be very specific to say 5 pm hora gringo! meaning BE ON TIME PLEASE. gracias. 

Today was a slow start. I was cold and didn't want to roll out of bed. Once I did I had some breakfast, chicken nuggets, beans and coffee, then proceeded to do a little laundry (by hand) followed by ironing my clothes for the day. I am on day two of not showering and in this hot jungle that's two days too long. The water situtation is rough sometimes. Water only "falls" every four days. So when there is water....YOU STOCK UP! unfortunatly in my well trafficed home the water doesn't last long. Regardless, I'm going to treat myself to the office shower. Something about a bucket bath doesn't give you that squeeky clean feeling I would like to have for my big meeting today. 

Another big deal on the agenda today is the official approval of our house. Daniel and I have found a small house near the hotel. Which is great because the half hour to hour travel time is getting a little old. I'll reserve the details of the house until we have final approval. *fingers crossed* 

Current Status: waiting my turn for the shower. Andale Daniel!