Last Weekend

Last weekend was pretty busy which was nice. On Saturday, I went with my friend, Ana to where she works in La Union. She works at a Tuna canning factory called Calvo...next time you are in the supermarket look for this brand and think of me and El Sal. Anyways, they had a celebration for dia de los ninos (Kid's day) even though it was October 1st. Well, we were running late so we literally ran as the bus was pulling away and got onto a bus PACKED with moms and kids. Along the way, more and more kids pile in. When we get to Calvo, there are clowns, a dancing minney, a dancing sponge bob square pants and some other random characters. It was pretty amusing because they were like breaking it down to reggaeton music for the entertainment of little kids. They also had little rides- marry go rounds and such.

I hung out with Ana and my other friend Norma who went too, and all was fine, a bit boring and a few too many kids for my taste until they had like left over soda and food. Holy shit it was a mad house. We formed like a human barrier around the drinks, while like people started rushing, pushing, grabbing, and yelling for free sodas. THe security guy told them to make a line and then they'd get soda, but no. 20 minutes went by of trying to be a bodyguard for soda until they finally gave in and started giving out the sodas. It was like people fighting for the last toy in a toystore at christmas time. A little stressful for my taste especially for a free soda.

When we got back, Ana, her family and I went to a birthday party...lots of kids, pinatas, breastfeeding and candy. Afterwards though I had a meeting with farmers who want to form an association. It was like there second meeting, and so they are basically starting from scratch. Anyways, I'm really excited to work with them and hopefully, we can get this group to form, be a legal entity, and actually do things! As, I mentioned earlier I was a bit down about my counterparts, but hopefully, I can work with this group and focus some of my energy into this instead.

Sunday....I milked a cow. Actually, I helped milk two cows. I got up at 4am and these two women, Esmeralda and Rosanna brought me to the field where they milk the cows and showed me how to milk them. Its like tugging and sweezing and aiming all at the same time. I have to say they made it look so easy, and I probably only got like 2 cups of milk. Afterwards, we fed the cows and brought them to the pasture. They gave me some milk to bring home, which was very nice of them considering how little I probably contributed. So, I came home with the milk and put it into the fridge because that seemed like the normal thing to do, right? Wrong. You have to boil the milk here first to pasteurize it which I totally forgot about. Good thing Floria told me. But once it was boiled and cooled it was pretty tasty.

Also, watched Bring it on with my friend Norma in the afternoon. It was awesome chillen in the hammack and watching a crappy but great teenage american movie that I love. hahah

I miss everyone! I got internet and have skype so if you want to talk let me know!

Asamblea General

Last Wednesday the 20th of October I had my asamblea general. Basically, I had to present to my boss and my community who I am, what is peace corps, and what are the areas people have asked me to work in/ areas I see I could work in for the next two years.

So I invited all the kids at the school parents some 300 kids and then I gave out invitations to all the "community leaders"- the priest, pastor, tienda owners (store owners), the mayor, and then I invited a few of the families I like. Anyways like 50-60 people showed up, but neither one of my counterparts did....

I was frustrated with this and upset but there are plenty of areas and hopefully people to work with here!

Good news was that I got like 16 people interested in forming an ADESCO which is like a town council ish thing but is a body that is apolitic and is suppose to represent and respond to the needs of the community. Also, I got like another 15 women interested into making a softball team!! Oh yeah, so I'm not very good at softball nor did I ever have any desire to play it before but its the only sport really women/girls will play here so softball it is!

9 de Octubre

Salvadorian food…is mas o menos bien (pretty good for the most part). Refried beans, eggs, tortillas, pupusas, chicken, rice (eh) and vegetables and fruit here and there. However, the pairings of food here just is well a bit interesting especially breakfast. Yesterday, my host mom asked me if I wanted eggs and beans and I said sure, but when I got my plate it had wings and beans. Yes, wings that you eat on Sunday to watch football or whatnot for breakfast next to a big pile of refried beans with a side of tortilla. I like wings and I like beans separately. The combo was a new one.

Ademas de the new comida, laundry is as a chore has also a new meaning because I wash everything by hand. It literally takes me about 2 hours to wash my clothes from the week. This week when I was doing it I felt like a housewife from some era because I spent my whole morning doing it.

Oh, so I was on the bus the other day, and I hear the song the entertainer, like the music from an ice cream truck. And it was the ice cream truck! Yes, there is an ice cream truck in my town that plays the same music as in the US and sells ice cream for like 25 and 50. So weird.

Speaking of music…I bought a guitar, a bright yellow acoustic guitar. The cords or whatever I play is well pretty basic haha. I’m so excited to have one, and I found this kid Juan Antonio who plays for the Evangelical Church to teach me in exchange for some English! But yeah, I’ve wanted to learn to play guitar for like ever, but I was forced as a child to play piano instead by her (aka my mother). Yeah, I’m glad I played piano some, and now I figure I got 2 years to learn!

So, I don’t know if I should admit this, but since every time I hear Lady Gaga here I get really excited. In the US, I wasn’t such a fan, but I find myself having a new love for her. Also, for those of you who knew me back in like 7th grade and those GIANT ASS hoops I would wear. Well, girls wear those here, and I got given a medium size pair from this really sweet family…the ones that let me walk their cows with them from the pasture to their house…anyways, I kinda like them hahaha. But don’t worry it’s nothing like it was in middle school hahaha.

I hope everyone is doing well and I miss and love you all

oh yeah I hope someone has done some apple picking/ apple crisp making this fall for me hahah

4 de octubre

Holas!

So heres a picture of my park in my town to show you guys a picture of something and to make my blog a little more exciting!

This weekend I spent it in San Miguel with a bunch of peace corps volunteers from my group! We all meet up to celebrate sams birthday, go out in San M and then some went to the soccer game! It was awesome to see everyone, speak english, and have normal conversations and hang out but unfortunately I wasn't feeling so great and apparently have ameobas :P but its okay cause since I was in San M i got some medicine! Tomorrow I got my first science class I'm teaching...wish me luck love and miss everyone lots and lots!