such a tough enchilada: May 2011

19 May 2011

Gator does C.A.

My first official visitor to El Salvador.

The Gator straight from Iowa/DC came down to visit and do a little work with PFCAC

then we took a little vacation in El Salvador then Guatemala.

It went a lil somethin' like this...

travelin equipment

may or may not have had these two days in a row

view from the room at playa Tunco...

dinner entertainment in Antigua

taking in the sites by night

spanish home turned hotel in Antigua
final thought: not enough courtyards in the states

shout out to I.O.W.A.

Lake Atitlan with 3 volcanos in the background. <3

art in San Marcos "Sonrie"

the Gator's new friend

Ganesh on tex mex night.
the food and drink was a thumbs up

our tree house room

where to next for these chanclas?

mama la la

Mama La La always says:
"besos y abrazos no hacen muchachos"
translation : "kisses and hugs don't make babies"

I must say that one of my favorite aspects of being a female volunteer is growing relationships, confianza, with the women of my family and my network of colleagues, students and friends.

This confianza came pretty quickly with my host mother, and my host mom’s muchacha (Esperanza), who is a neighbor, helper, but also a kind of family member. We hit on the heavy topics of love, relationships, sex, children, birth control and future planning.

Today she called me and wanted to know where I have been, I had not been around for a couple weeks and ever since I mentioned a girls sleep over at my house she likes to bring it up. I don’t mind since I got her started on Almodovar movies (i.e. Volver with Penelope Cruz)… she wants to cook and watch “more of those kind” of movies at my house and I think I might just let her next time the Pato is out of town. I hate being home alone anyway ;) And muchacha can cook!

But the point is 1. I love bonds between women that transcend borders (even if there are still the cultural differences) there is a genuine relationship that grows. 2. Mama la la is funny. She is my host grandma who let me bucket bathe at her home when I first came to site.

Funny story about mama la la : She was over at the house as I was coming out of my room I heard her voice… and then my name… of course I walked slower to listen in… rough translation of what I heard

“That Krystal, she is really stubborn. Every time she comes over to bathe she never lets me wash her clothes, she says she wants me to teach her because she can do it herself” (insert offended tone).

Bless her little heart. I love me some mama la la.

06 May 2011

flexible planning

“At no time are we ever in such complete possession of a journey, down to its last nook and cranny, as when we are busy with preparations for it. After that, there remains only the journey itself, which is nothing but the process through which we lose our ownership of it.”
- Yukio Mishima