morazan photo hike

unwanted house guest this july

3 days til my feet walk on american soil
i will not be missing this tipo while i'm gone
 

Getting down

getting down with NY students / doctors over dinner at Lenca

Marta gets down with the hot pink bday shades

Jovenes getting down

PCVs, NY doc and students get down

dr. Santa Maria getting down with the groupo andino

“Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. Was it worth it?”

• - Gandhi

in place

Things are falling into place just in time for the Doctors and Students to arrive on Sunday


I have the Transport almost lined up (meetings tomorrow morning with the drivers to review final dates, times and locations)


Moreover, another relief and reinforcement that this culture is all about getting out there and being present:
Talking to a neighbor after a meeting we begin to chat while she waits for her chicharrones and yuca... she asks how its going with me and work... I share that I'm frustrated looking for tents/camping gear... she says, Oh I have three tents I can rent to you.
Oooo... how much i ask with one ojo closed waiting for some crazy price...
8 bucks each! phew.
She signed me up.


And tonight a little teatro up at the Casa de Joventude in Perquin


I don't know why but I'm always so pleasantly surprised by how everything works out at the last nail bitting moment here in El Salvador. It's the best and worst trait about my work here. Everything is possible... even more so if you don't plan it. makes no freaking sense. at least to this gringa.

a soggy hump day rant

This afternoon thunder is rattling the building with lightning blinding me with the flashes coming through each window. I woke up this morning thinking how this rainy season had not been so bad; we had yet to lose power (more than a few minutes) and only lost water for a day.  I have not tumbled on slimy muddied rock paths or fallen victim to black mold naciendo on the walls in the house. I was recalling how last August I had enough with the rain and the weeping walls and the funky tang of mildew in my clothes. It’s July and I haven’t cursed the season yet? YET.

But maybe it’s my pending visit to the U.S. or the relentless work laid out ever so clearly in color coded detail on my iCal that keeps me marching along in my flip-flops flapping up sopping lodo on the back of my rolled up jeans. I’m exhausted emotionally and sleeping in and Kellogs are not helping but I’m ok with letting myself feel this way. It’s natural. Shoot. I’d be made of stone if I wasn’t allowed to breakdown every once in a while, not be completely in sync with the cultural differences and strains…  and for a moment wish for my mom’s cozy couch with red wine, or my dad’s bbq and my family’s gluttonous get-togethers coupled with acoustic sing-along and games and my aunt and grandma’s flan… mmmm flan. 

Can’t wait to squeeze the Jugo out of my familia come Aug. 

Until then I’ll be grateful for the opportunity to live in such a beautiful region of El Salvador doing work each day that reflects my passions. 

Lord help me when and if I ever go back to a desk job in an office building with florescent lighting. Dios Guarde! Although, nobody would tell me I’m gorda, call me negrita or colocha or show up 1-2 hours late to a meeting. There are trade-offs I guess. 




translations: 
naciendo: means to be born but also means growth or sprouting of mold or fungus
lodo: mud
Kellog: any type of cereal
Dios Guarde: God Keep Me, used to emphasize just about anything
gorda: fat
negrita: blacky
colocha: curly head


:)

The way of the whole-hearted

Courage: tell the story of who you are with your whole heart ...the courage to be imperfect

Compassion: to be kind to yourself and then to others

Connection: as a result of authenticity, 
let go of who you should be, 
to be who you are … you need this for connection