My last days in El Salvador

It wasn't all doom and gloom my last days in El Salvador. My host family and PCV friends did a lot to celebrate my time with me and send me off well. Here are some pictures from my last week in El Salvador:

Seder time! I used the time together to tell some PCVs in person that I was leaving. It was really sad, but everyone was supportive. And I love Seder. It's my favorite cross-cross cultural activities we do. Thanks to Hil and Noah!

Me and Maria in all our Kosher glory. 

The next day me and Amanda went for a hike and swam in this waterfall. It was so beautiful! 

Waterfalls were a big part of my service. Only fitting that I climbed one more.

Our guide, Prudi. I've known him through Noah and Hil, and he was an amazing guide. We talked about the future of El Salvador and how he sees things. I really valued his opinions. 

On Wednesday I made pupusas for the community. People were impressed!

Me and Orbe serving up pupusas hot!

I had two despedidas at the school. I was so surprised! Here's me with the 9th graders and my cake, it says Gracias por todo/Thanks for everything. 

Cutting the cake. Then they rubbed some on my face because that's what you do!

They also gave me a t-shirt with all their names and mine on it. Here's me with the boys.

And the girls. 

The next day I had a surprise despedida with the teachers. So much food!!!!

I would have dressed up, but all my clothes were packed. It was so kind of them and they had nice things to say. The school was my little oasis in the community, so I was happy to spend time with them before I left. 

On my last day we made marquesote (a type of sweet bread) so I could bring it home to my family. Here's my host dad whipping eggs.

And we aprovechared the oven and made pizza! It was the best pizza we've ever made. Kati and Xio making food. 

Josefina and my Aysel on Sunday morning, the morning I left my community. 

I immediately started crying when Aysel walked through the door. That was my gut reaction. I wish I could take her with me. 

Otinia was my rock from the beginning. Saying goodbye to her was hard. 

Right after this group photo I sobbed on everyone. Like can't breath, snot nosed sobs. I will never, ever forget them.

Me ringing the bell. It's over :(

My PM, Clelia, and I.  

Irma, my life saving PCMO, and I. 

It was an exciting moment. 

I really wanted to share these photos because this is how I remember my community: selfless, caring people who just want to support me and take me in.

I ask that you keep an open mind regarding my situation. I never want someone to think, "Oh El Salvador, that place is terrible." Please don't generalize and please don't think I resent anything. I have fond memories and abundant love for my community, for PCES, and for my fellow PCVs. I'm thankful for this experience and I'll carry it with me forever.

#TBT (one day late)

I’m going through all the pictures on my hard drive to try and find something appropriate to share with my community for my asamblea general. So far I’ve learned:

Damn, I used to be skinny in high school. 

I also have a lot of friends in high school that I don’t talk to today. That’s too bad. 

My sister has a special way with pictures. 

Bahaha. 

My mom went paragliding in San Diego once. I totally forgot!

Bac!

That almost pixie haircut I got just days before high school graduation… was a bad choice.

Not my best look. 

I spray painted my name on a rock on the shore somewhere in Edgewater once. At least I think it was Edgewater. Who knows. 

Ooooo so cool. 

I wore this yellow sweater a lot.

Best thrift store find ever. 

My cousin made this awesome 18^th birthday scavenger hunt in which I had to do many things before midnight, such as riding in a shopping cart, dance the Soulja Boy on the side of the road whenever it comes on the radio, and kiss my grandparents goodnight. I loved it.

The Soulja Boy

The shopping cart

My favorite picture ever.

My favorite muumuu ever.

We had a bomb diggity pirates theme for Guard Games. I think this was 2005 or something?

I wore a leopard print dress to prom.

Isn’t my grandma beautiful?

In Door County

I totally met Ira Glass once. He is dreamy.

On today's show, Alex is a super stalker. Stay with us. 

My dad is goofy.

Case and point.

My new/other host family

I had made the request during my site placement survey to live with an intergenerational family. I like the idea of having the wisdom of grandparents and the spunk of young kids in the same house. Luckily, I got what I asked for.

I’ll tell you about my host family as if I inserted myself into the family as a daughter.

My host parents are old. They’ve got to be in their 70’s. They have a bunch of kids, but I think most of them live in the US. My host dad recently broke his foot, so he’s either hobbling around in a boot or riding the family horse. My host mom is very traditional and evangelical. All the evangelicals that PCTs lived with in Nuevo Cuscatlán were a little on the crazy side, always trying to convert them or damn them depending on their mood. I was nervous at first when I met my host parents, but they seem down to earth. Either way I’m going to do my best to avoid the 4 hour long masses. They live in an adobe house about 15 ft away from the fancy remeza house I live in.

My sister-in-law and her 2 year old daughter live with them. She’s young, I don’t think she’s more than 17 or 20. But I’m horrible at guessing ages here so who knows. She’s always cleaning or cooking and rarely leaves the home, so I’d describe her as traditional. She’s sweet though and I think we’ll be friends. Her daughter is gorgeous with the biggest caramel brown eyes you ever did see, but she’s always falling off of chairs and slamming her head on the concrete floor. I want to put her in a bubble.

My house is equivalent of the kids table. My host sister is in her late-twenties, and her son is in fourth grade. He’s hilarious. I have no idea what he says because he speaks really fast and slurs his words together, but I’m glad he likes me. Also in the house is my 15 year old nephew. His mom lives in the US. I don’t know when he saw her last. He’s graduating from the 9^th grade AND turning 16 next week. He’s a good kid and he taught me how to play dominoes. My other host sister in her mid-twenties studies at the university in San Miguel during the week and comes home on the weekends. She wears teal eyeliner and pencil skirts around the house. I never know what she’s saying either, but we get along.

It’s like living with roommates! Except one of my roommates has a kid. But he’s cool, so it works out.

I really like my house and my family. I get full rein of the kitchen because my sister usually eats with her parents. And get this- I have a toilet and shower and sink. Water runs in the house! My bedroom window opens up to the outside. Today we’re getting doors installed on my room and the bathroom, so it’ll be even better. I’m going to the big city on Tuesday to buy a bed and dresser. Overall it’s a pretty good set up. I think I’m going to be really happy here.

Home sweet home!

Tranquilo Chica

What a difference a few hours makes. My last post was written just before dinner, and yes, I was absorbing the culture shock. Sorry, not sorry. Get used to it. I need somewhere to vent and this blog will most likely be that. But not every post has to be sad, so here's a good story- 

Tonight my whole family was together for dinner, which only happens on the weekends because my host dad works nights at a bank. We ate beans and rice and tortillas (duh) and a special potato salad type thing made of the national flower. It was good! I don't need to eat it everyday, but I'm loving the new flavors. I was feeling a little down so dinner was quiet. After a while my host sister started asking me questions and my host father helped with los verbos. A lot of words are similar but the verbs are killing me. Oi, and I only speak in the present unless I've somehow internalized the conjugation. Anyways- we're laughing because I called the cat piccachu and my host brother brought out all these Pokemon pogs. Remember pogs? Yeah, me either. They are sooooo happy for me to go to church with them tomorrow. Now, I'm familiar with catholic masses- if this goes beyond 2 hours I'm gonna be in trouble. I told them I used to sing in the church choir when I was young and now they want me to sing tomorrow. I haven't sang in a church in years, but hey, esta la vida del campo. My family is awesome, they don't care that I speak at the level of a 3 year old. 

My host dad missed my presentation of photos (which I noticed too late are incredibly offensive for El Salvador. Women do not drink beer, even delicious craft beer, and they do not wear short skirts. All of my pictures were one of the two or both.) He asked me some questions about my family, which I'm glad I knew how to answer. But then he asked me something new, and after some creative go around, I realized he was asking if my family needed me in the United States. If we were close. If we spend a lot of time together. 

That's about when I started crying on my beans and rice. Most of you probably know my family's position on Peace Corps. It's not always the brightest outlook. Yes, it's something I struggle with because 1) if someone's constantly telling you to come home and you just pooped your pants, you're gonna want to quit and 2) I always worry about my family back in the states. 

I pulled myself together long enough to brokenly say that yes, my family needs me in their lives but PC is an important goal for me. Because they love me, they can let me come here. Yes, we are close. And yes, we spend a lot more time together than some other families in the states. 

I think they were happy with my answers. I'm happy too, because they're very true. 

I really have to wrap up. I have a paper to write for my summer class. I'm literally writing in the dark under my mosquito net. And I thought dorm rooms were rough. 

Love and kisses, 

Ale 

Ps- Ahhh crazy news! Alex is a man's name in Latin America so I had to change my name. I chose Ale because I hate it when people call me Alexandra and Alejandra is the same. Ale has an accent over the A, but I have no idea how to do that on the iPad. 

Pss- I can tell that I'm learning Spanish because my last post had a lot of if-thens. Like, before I go to sleep tonight, I need to tuck in my mosquito net. It's just a weird grammar thing. Hey Tate!