The U S of A

Did I really go to the US? It doesn't feel like it. I spent my first US vacation with two days traveling through airports and three nights in different hotels over the course of four days. It went by really fast.

I had a very good time shopping for things I need, eating out with my family, sitting in a hot tub (hello hot water!), and just enjoying America's luxury.

Here's some general observations I have about going to America after living 9 months in the campo:

1. America is rich. Excessively so. The first night we stayed at this beautiful resort in San Antonio. It was huge, there were fireplaces and big leather couches and a Starbucks stand. The grounds were so pretty- I forgot what landscaping looked like. But of course, someone has to clean the place and rake the leaves and wash the towels from the Texas shaped heated pool. Who do you think does that kind of work? The luxury of our country is built on the work that we don't see, from construction to food service. I felt incredibly aware of the "fancy" things like window panes and carpet, water you can drink straight outta the faucet. I was overwhelmed and annoyed because I'll never, ever be able to express just how comfortable America is compared with a developing nation. (Especially a developing nation that is constantly losing its population to service the American lifestyle. Salvadorans are on their way to being the third largest Latino group in the US. I swear I heard the powerwash guy say puchica.) 
2. Americans eat so much. We went to a delicious TexMex restaurant in downtown San Antonio. All the portions were huge! Two servings of fajitas could feed my whole host family. I ate more meat in that restaurant that I normally do in a month, and it was decadent. The margarita was good too. 
3. On that note- if you're ever in Texas make sure to stop at Buc-ee's. Ridiculous.
4. Even though Hispanics make up 38% of the population of Texas, I never spoke Spanish or saw many tienda signs. I was let down. Maybe they keep that out of the touristy places or maybe Spanish has truly become my second language and I didn't notice the difference. Either way, I was hoping I'd be able to show my parents how I can roll my rrrrrrr's. 
5. I got off the plane and went through a fancy customs kiosk. It was cool! But it stunned me, literally stunned me, how professional the airport security was. They called me "mam" and said "please move this way". A police officer smiled and said "have a nice day". Professionalism is something we DEFINITELY take for granted in America. It's expected that you will be treated with respect and courtesy when you enter a service situation where money changes hands, like a restaurant or a salon. Just browse Yelp! if you want to learn more about America's entitlement complex with professionalism. Half the reviews are people complaining about the "service." Too slow, waiter didn't give me extra cheese, blablabla. This is just laughable when you live in a country where a high school education distinguishes you. Where a "good job" is line cook in a fried chicken joint. Professionalism? People are late, answer their phones in meetings, sometimes even drink beer during training. Professionalism is not a value in this culture. Maybe because El Salvador doesn't have as strong a service sector they don't demand professionalism of others or themselves (Obviously, this applies to the campo. I'm sure people who can afford to go to a salon in the capital expect better treatment.) 
6. Also when I was in the airport I saw a man in a suit for the first time in months. He was like an alien creature to me. A clean pair of jeans is professional here. I mean, really though, most men work in the fields so it's not unreasonable to uphold this standard. But I guess I forgot that there are men and women who lead companies and work in big offices, and coincidentally, dress in nice clothes. 
7. I love diversity. It was so reassuring to see different races and nationalities in the same place at the same time. There was a certain time in history where being mestizo was illegal in El Salvador, so they stamped out any diversity that could have prospered here early on. Everyone is just.... Salvadoran. There's very little variation in that. I've never lived anywhere so homogeneous before PC, and it was nice to be back in America where differences are celebrated. 
8. I brought back a ridiculous amount of toys for the kids thanks to my friends and family back home. I had a fun time giving them out. Sidewalk chalk is a huge hit. I like seeing the kids happy, but it's kinda funny. Aysel's mom guards the crayons I gave her so they don't get broken, but the boys have already destroyed the lego set. It's a perfect example of the culture here- you either squander everything you got (like remezas) or you pinch and scrimp and hope you'll have enough to last til tomorrow. 
9. Honestly, it felt good to be back in my site. Everything is familiar here, I know people and they know me. I'm comfortable here, I can relax. Even the overcrowded buses and cicadas were welcome sights to behold. Being a tourist in San Antonio was not a very fulfilling experience. Next time I go to the US, I'm going HOME. 

***I forgot to mention that the Riverwalk is beautiful, I loved the architecture. Go on the boat tour because it's owned by the local government in San Antonio. Also, thank you very much to my parents for paying for my plane ticket and bringing me on spring break. Thank you to grandma for brownies and toys, grandma for my daily rooster defeating earplugs, Christi for all important t-shirts and toys, Jackie for life sustaining coffee, Deeds for dinero, Kelly and Don for scrunchies and yoga shorts and everything else. I loved everything and I'm so fortunate to have you wonderful people in my life!