Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Los días pasados
On Saturday I had the good fortune of being able to celebrate my birthday in this wonderful country. I missed my family and friends back home but at the same time I received so much love here and was able to really enjoy the day. My birthday actually began several days prior when people started asking me, “You’re birthday is in (blank) days, are you excited?!”. I would get asked this everyday by about 30 different people. On Friday it was the birthday of one of the cooks named Lidia. As we were singing for her, I found out we were singing for me too because they brought our two cakes. The community also got us a piñata in the form of Ariel from The Little Mermaid. It was hands down the most incredible piñata I have ever seen! We broke it open as a community and had some good laughs.
The next day I woke up to a giant card outside my room that everyone had signed. It was such a beautiful way to start the day. I was sung to about 20 times and continually congratulated by friends as well as strangers throughout the day. It finally finished with a cake, a final song and a beautiful gift of a mug made by a famous Salvadoran artist LLORT. It could not have been a better end to a great day. Everyone here made me feel so loved even though we had only been here 10 days. It was truly an unforgettable birthday.
On Monday I spent my first day in Las Delicias. I was a little nervous as the day began and I was not sure what to expect. The morning went by slowly with some awkward conversations and I was feeling a bit uneasy with what the day would hold. But some kids showed up and we got to play baseball. Later helped a woman with her garden and got to talk with her.
Throughout the day I really struggled with the idea of accompaniment. I would like to be constantly doing something and working as hard as I can for the community but I have to keep remembering that that is not why I am here. I am here to learn, walk and just be present in the community to form relationships and understand their reality. I think it will be hard to keep this mentality but in the afternoon we were able to visit some of the community members’ homes and just chat with them. I was feeling a little uncomfortable at the homes because I did not have much to share but in the last home I finally began to understand the idea of accompaniment.
We visited a woman who lives with her husband and has a beautiful garden and animals everywhere. She is a short, spunky, old woman who was excited to have us in her home. She showed us around and started playing pranks on us. We got to this tree in her yard and she picked this fruit that appears to be grapes and told us that it was sweet and that we should try it. So we proceeded to eat this fruit and were shocked by how sour it was. My praxis partner and I both made “sour faces” and the woman laughed and laughed while we tried to ride our mouths of the strong flavor. She proceeded to take us to another fruit tree but this time we were a little wary. The fruit is used solely for medicinal uses but she told us to smell it. I took a big whiff and almost threw up because the stench was so horrid. She laughed again and just thought it was so hilarious. She gave us bags of both fruit so we could trick all our friends. She had such a warm spirit and was so full of life, it was quite inspiring to have met her and know that I will get to spend more time with her over the semester.
These past few days have been a great start to the semester and I am looking forward to what the next four months will hold. Thank you for continuing to read my blog and I hope it finds everyone in good spirits.
Until next time.
The next day I woke up to a giant card outside my room that everyone had signed. It was such a beautiful way to start the day. I was sung to about 20 times and continually congratulated by friends as well as strangers throughout the day. It finally finished with a cake, a final song and a beautiful gift of a mug made by a famous Salvadoran artist LLORT. It could not have been a better end to a great day. Everyone here made me feel so loved even though we had only been here 10 days. It was truly an unforgettable birthday.
On Monday I spent my first day in Las Delicias. I was a little nervous as the day began and I was not sure what to expect. The morning went by slowly with some awkward conversations and I was feeling a bit uneasy with what the day would hold. But some kids showed up and we got to play baseball. Later helped a woman with her garden and got to talk with her.
Throughout the day I really struggled with the idea of accompaniment. I would like to be constantly doing something and working as hard as I can for the community but I have to keep remembering that that is not why I am here. I am here to learn, walk and just be present in the community to form relationships and understand their reality. I think it will be hard to keep this mentality but in the afternoon we were able to visit some of the community members’ homes and just chat with them. I was feeling a little uncomfortable at the homes because I did not have much to share but in the last home I finally began to understand the idea of accompaniment.
We visited a woman who lives with her husband and has a beautiful garden and animals everywhere. She is a short, spunky, old woman who was excited to have us in her home. She showed us around and started playing pranks on us. We got to this tree in her yard and she picked this fruit that appears to be grapes and told us that it was sweet and that we should try it. So we proceeded to eat this fruit and were shocked by how sour it was. My praxis partner and I both made “sour faces” and the woman laughed and laughed while we tried to ride our mouths of the strong flavor. She proceeded to take us to another fruit tree but this time we were a little wary. The fruit is used solely for medicinal uses but she told us to smell it. I took a big whiff and almost threw up because the stench was so horrid. She laughed again and just thought it was so hilarious. She gave us bags of both fruit so we could trick all our friends. She had such a warm spirit and was so full of life, it was quite inspiring to have met her and know that I will get to spend more time with her over the semester.
These past few days have been a great start to the semester and I am looking forward to what the next four months will hold. Thank you for continuing to read my blog and I hope it finds everyone in good spirits.
Until next time.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Las Delicias
On Tuesday I was able to visit my praxis site where I will be spending two days a week for the semester. The area and town are called Las Delicias which technically means the delightful. It is a rural community with 7,000 inhabitants in the greater area. As we entered the town we passed two sweatshops but the majority of the people in Las Delicias work in the coffee fincas (farms). On the fincas people usually earn 25 cents for a 25-pound bag of coffee beans. Frequently children must stop school to work in the fincas so their family can earn enough money to get by.
View Larger Map
In the town there is an area where a new community center was just constructed. There are three parts to the building. One for office space, another for general community use and meetings and the last room is going to be used for a computer room. They are just waiting for the computers. Behind the community center the community has started a giant greenhouse. They have been starting plants in the greenhouse and keeping them there until they are ready to be put into the ground. At which point they give them to the community members so they can start their own gardens at their homes. I think this is such an amazing project because it really empowers the members of the community by giving them a way to directly provide for their family. It also saves families money and allows them to have access to healthy food that they otherwise could not afford. I am very excited to be apart of this project and to help it expand to more of the community.
Close to the community center there is a biblioteca (library) for the children. They use the space for the children to work on homework and to get help if they need it. The space is also used to serve food from the comedor (like a soup kitchen) for the children from low-income families. I am not sure what in considered low-income exactly but I will find out soon.
During our visit we visited a few homes in the community. Las Delicias is located at the base of the San Salvador Volcano and the majority of the community lives on the volcano. We walked up the road and went up a small zigzagging path that was comparable to a goat path that lead to some of the homes. It was a steep and tough walk to reach their homes and it is incredible that they do that everyday.
After lunch we were able to just play with the kids so we played some soccer and ran around like kids do. It was energizing to act like a kid again and just be crazy. I am definitely looking forward to that this semester.
Overall the community was very welcoming and made us feel right at home. I am thrilled to be accompanying this community and to learn from the people especially the women. I will share pictures as I develop a better relationship with the community.
Nos vemos!
P.S. If you have any specific questions or comments or dudas, feel free to comment or email me at cwildcrea@gmail.com
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Saturday, August 20, 2011
Impresiones Primeras
Hola amigos!
I arrived in El Salvador safely midday on Wednesday. The flight was great and very easy. I flew into Atlanta and from there went to El Salvador. The plane to San Salvador was packed with Salvadorans and I was one of 10 white people. It was an amazing experience to be with so many people returning to their home county and to see their joy when they greeted their family members.
My time so far has be great! The other people in the program are very much on the same wave length and it has been great to have conversations with them. I live in the biggest house in a single room. My room is directly connected to the courtyard that has two wonderful hammocks. Our house feels like you are always outside which is pretty amazing. We have several Salvadoran women who cook for us and prepare amazing authentic Salvadoran food. All meals are accompanied by tortillas and usually beans.
Today we went to the mountains to visit different pueblos where people will be volunteering. The people were overjoyed to have us in their communities and wanted to make us feel at home. To get to the second site we had to take trucks up the steep mountain slopes. We rode in the back and held on for dear life. There were two slopes in particular that were almost straight up and the trucks struggled to make it to the top. It was pretty incredible to see the how much people in the furthest community has to walk on rough terrain to make it to the city center and back. While seeing the volunteering sites has begun to make this experience feel more real, I still feel like a tourist and that this experience will soon come to an end. We travel in a group of 30 gringos and are constantly stared at. But that is part of the experience and I am excited to have that feeling change.
I have only been in San Salvador for 4 days but it feels like I have been here for a long time. And yet again it still hasn't sunk in that I will be living here for 4 months. It is hard to decide what to share with friends back home and what experiences will help give you a glimpse into my life. It will take a while to figure out how this blogging thing works so just bear with me.
Entonces, hasta el próxima vez.
I arrived in El Salvador safely midday on Wednesday. The flight was great and very easy. I flew into Atlanta and from there went to El Salvador. The plane to San Salvador was packed with Salvadorans and I was one of 10 white people. It was an amazing experience to be with so many people returning to their home county and to see their joy when they greeted their family members.
My time so far has be great! The other people in the program are very much on the same wave length and it has been great to have conversations with them. I live in the biggest house in a single room. My room is directly connected to the courtyard that has two wonderful hammocks. Our house feels like you are always outside which is pretty amazing. We have several Salvadoran women who cook for us and prepare amazing authentic Salvadoran food. All meals are accompanied by tortillas and usually beans.
Today we went to the mountains to visit different pueblos where people will be volunteering. The people were overjoyed to have us in their communities and wanted to make us feel at home. To get to the second site we had to take trucks up the steep mountain slopes. We rode in the back and held on for dear life. There were two slopes in particular that were almost straight up and the trucks struggled to make it to the top. It was pretty incredible to see the how much people in the furthest community has to walk on rough terrain to make it to the city center and back. While seeing the volunteering sites has begun to make this experience feel more real, I still feel like a tourist and that this experience will soon come to an end. We travel in a group of 30 gringos and are constantly stared at. But that is part of the experience and I am excited to have that feeling change.
I have only been in San Salvador for 4 days but it feels like I have been here for a long time. And yet again it still hasn't sunk in that I will be living here for 4 months. It is hard to decide what to share with friends back home and what experiences will help give you a glimpse into my life. It will take a while to figure out how this blogging thing works so just bear with me.
Entonces, hasta el próxima vez.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The Send Off
Hello family and friends!
I leave in a few short hours to embark on a new chapter of my life. I am quite nervous but very excited to finally be in El Salvador. I will be studying in the capital of El Salvador, San Salvador, as well as serving in the community. I will be living with the other American students in one of three houses. We will attend class together but be more or less separated while working in the community. The idea of the program is to live in solidarity with the people around us and to learn to live a more simple and meaningful life. Our classes will directly relate to what we are experiencing and there will be a lot of time to reflect and discuss our experiences.
I am keeping an open mind as I do not fully know what to expect. But I know I have a lot of support from my friends and family at home which is definitely making this possible. I will do my best to keep up with this blog and post pictures as they come.
Peace,
Claire
I leave in a few short hours to embark on a new chapter of my life. I am quite nervous but very excited to finally be in El Salvador. I will be studying in the capital of El Salvador, San Salvador, as well as serving in the community. I will be living with the other American students in one of three houses. We will attend class together but be more or less separated while working in the community. The idea of the program is to live in solidarity with the people around us and to learn to live a more simple and meaningful life. Our classes will directly relate to what we are experiencing and there will be a lot of time to reflect and discuss our experiences.
I am keeping an open mind as I do not fully know what to expect. But I know I have a lot of support from my friends and family at home which is definitely making this possible. I will do my best to keep up with this blog and post pictures as they come.
Peace,
Claire
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