craft sale at the embassy

Heading out early (madrugando) around 4:30am on a pick up to catch the 5:45am bus direct to San Salvador. Have to print off some materials telling the story of the women of ADIM (Asociacion comunal para el Desarrollo Integral de la Mujer)


A co-op of women brought together after the peace accords of 1992. My host mother is the president of this co-op and is a group of women I have long wanted to get 'in' with. More and more I am getting to know more of the women. In El Salvador one only gets 'in' by giving time and that means spending hours, weeks and months. It first started when I did some translating for them when an expert in recycled paper products came to help the women learn to make higher quality and more efficient production techniques. For 2 weeks I showed up and translated from 8:30 am to 4pm with a lunch break. I was in!


Now tomorrow I will be heading to the U.S. embassy for a craft sale and hopefully bring home some beacon for these ladies!
We have been working on designs for the recycled paper products for cards, notebooks, etc and Indigo dyed shirts, pants, and bags. I've had a good time flexing some creative muscle and look forward to working with them more. 

this is my fav photo because of her nail polish.
choice design

and here she is in all her glory cutting the fabric

laying the fabric out to dry after washing it... 

some finished product hanging out to dry after being dyed in indigo and washed

mixing up the natural soap

Soap batter in the mold 
this is apparently apple flava
 *note two red apples in front*

Tadaaaa! almost finished product

Some of the ladies

Miriam the sales woman in the store
(yes i know i am a gigante!)


on a side note:
later that day while waiting for a pick-up a lady said in spanish
 "you don't need to grow anymore do you? ya estas" with a head nod
I smile and she tells me to sit with her while we wait for the pick-up together, she's worried I'm going to get tired out standing.
Then she asks if I'm German.
I say no, from the U.S.
She asks my name, I tell her Krystal
She says she wanted to name her daughter Krystal but that they wouldn't let her register it because its a foreigners name.
 say "que lastima" (too bad)
She asks where I live, I tell her a half hour up the road in Perquin.
then she offers me her home anytime it gets too late and I need a place to stay.
  just go to the ice cream shop and look for her. She owns that building.
Not bad! Thanks... and here comes our ride. 

Current Status: going to close the mac, head home, pack, and snuggle up to the awesome book "Game Change" thanks mom! I don't want to put it down.