Primer dia de praxis—
This morning I woke up to the smell of chocolate chip pancakes. As I rolled out of bed, Michelle, my roommate, was just returning from the bathroom. “Get up silly! The CCs (community coordinators) made us breakfast!” she practically sings. Like every morning I slip on my flip-flops and head for the kitchen for my (first) cup of coffee of the day. As I enter the dining room, I am greeted by all of the students in the Casa! I feel like everyone has been up for hours, even though it’s only quarter to seven. “Can’t you tell Katy is a morning person,” Drew, one of my housemates, chuckles as he says this. “Haha,” I mumble in return and head straight for the kitchen, el café aromatico calling my name.
After a very enthusiastic breakfast in which the Backstreet Boys were included, we were finally on our way by seven thirty. Because our praxis site is not only the furthest away, but also in the opposite direction of the others, Quentin, Chris and I took a taxi. Salvador, our driver, chatted about his experiences in the war, the role of the United States, and even mentioned Russia. “Have you taken classes about the war?” he asked. “Yes, I am a Latin American History minor,” I respond. “We are all also taking the class here,” Quentin adds. “Que chivo,” says Salvador.
Our taxi ride was short-lived, and we arrived just fifteen minutes later to the convent in San Jacinto where Soeur Rosa, the Cedro director, greeted us with hugs and kisses. “Que maravilloso that you are finally here,” she says. She continued to give us a brief tour of the convent, adding specifically to me, that they can always use knew girls to practice. She continued to hint at this throughout the day.
The trip up the volcano towards Cedro was nothing short of interesting. Crammed into the back of a pickup while it is raining always makes a typically one hour ride feel like three. Not only did the rain make it difficult for our driver Joaquin to see, but also there were lots of mudslides, boulders, people, livestock and other vehicles to avoid on the narrow road.
We finally arrived to El Cedro where a crowd of a little over thirty children greeted us enthusiastically. “Bienvenidos!” they all sang, just as they had on Saturday. Soeur Rosa wasted no time in dismissing the kids to their classes, and taking us to the ‘sala de reuniones’, where the women of the community discuss the use of the center. There, she explained the different opportunities for how we were to spend our time in Cedro. Computer and English classes stood out to me, along with helping in the ‘comedor’. Following of brief meeting with Soeur, she hurried off to work in the kitchen and sent us in the general direction of the computer lab. We found the computer lab with little difficulty because it was the only classroom that had a lock on it. The room was also cooler than the others, with three fans blowing and the air conditioning on low. I went straight to the first desktop and removed the cover, and crushed off the thin layer of dust from the keyboard. I wondered to myself whether the machines had been touched since the last Casa students were there.
I familiarized myself with the dated pc and windows program, and just as I was finishing, a group of five children came in. Sergio was obviously the oldest, leading the timid pack into the room. “Quieren tomar clases de computadora,” I ask. “Si,” they respond simply, showing no obvious excitement. “Bueno, empezamos,” I said as I motioned toward the four working machines.
Computer classes went fairly smoothly. Chris took on a more advanced boy who wanted to learn more about Microsoft Word. Quentin helped two young boys who were just learning to type. I worked with two girls who also needed some typing tips.
By noon, I was starting to get very hungry, but before we could eat, Soeur told us, the children had to eat first. Every spoonful of rice and beans that I served to over one hundred children was painful because it smelled so good. I had to keep reminding myself that for some of these kids this would be their only meal of the day. I could wait another thirty minutes for my meal, which would not simply consist of rice and beans, but also fresh vegetables, coffee and a hard-boiled egg. Lunch was chaotic, but lots of fun. On more than one occasion, one of the little boys and girls came and gave me hugs and gracias for their meal. One girl in particular wanted to know if I could stay in Cedro with her forever.
After lunch most of the children cleared out of the center, many heading home to work, and the most fortunate back to school until quarter to five. Some children however stayed around. As I wrapped up my conversation over dishes with Soeur, I wandered out to the cement slab where I heard lots of laughing. Chris and Quentin had started a game of futbol with some of the local boys. All of them barefoot and having the time of their lives being pushed on the ground and dancing in circles when a teammate scored a goal. I decided to sit down next to Juana, the only girl watching the futbol match and show her pictures of my family. “Que bonita,” she kept saying in reference to my younger sister who is close to her age. As we sat there enjoying each other’s company, three other young girls approached us with as many flowers as they could each carry. One by one they proceeded as timidly to give me their bouquets. I had never seen so many different colors and textures. “Gracias!” I said and gave them all hugs.
Our day ended around three because we have such a long ride home. Not only did it take about an hour to get down the mountain, but also Soeur informed us that we would have some other passengers to stop and drop off on more than one occasion on the way. Two men with swinging machetes, a young male student, and a woman with her son sat in the bed of the truck as we fought the mud and rain once more.
Katy
Best meal I’ve had so far:
Pupusas de chorizo
Sliced avocado and onion
Pilsner
Chocobanana for dessert!!!!!!
“To be human, is to live out our deepest truth.”
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Que chivo.
Buenas! Que emocionado comunicar con vos por la primera vez con el miraculo mundo de la red!
Hello everyone back home en los Estados Unidos! I’m sorry it has taken me so long to update my blog. It is amazing to think that I have been here for just over a week! I have seen so much, met so many people, tried lots of new things, and already experienced an abundance of growth. All that to say, I have had limited access to internet, as my parents can attest to (I’ve skyped with them twice now!), and my ‘binge’ facebook and email activity probably implies. However, that has changed in the last two days. I will now have consistent wifi access on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, because those are the days I have class at the Universidad CentroAmericana Jose Simeon Canas, which is about a 15 minute walk from Casa Silvia, where I live.
Well…where to start?
The Casa de la Solidaridad (solidarity) program has been wonderful so far. Kevin and Trena, the codirectors have really taken the time to allow us as a group to slowly get accustomed to El Salvador. Our first week we had an orientation of sorts…we played typical get-to-know-you games, shared meals together, and most importantly we traveled all over the country to the different praxis sites where each of us will be working two days per week. But, of course we have yet to see mine, which is actually happening tomorrow! I’m very excited about this because of all the amazing people we have met at the other sites. All of the sites are very different, some rural and others urban. Many of them have opportunities for working with children, and one specifically is for Salvadorans with special needs. I, along with two boys, both from Santa Clara, will be working in Canton El Cedro! I’ll know more about what we’re doing after tomorrow.
Besides the praxis site visits, we have just been spending time as a community. Already I feel very close to my roommate Michelle (Loyola Maryland), my 6 other housemates, and 18 other students in the Casa program. We’ve had lots of reflection as to why we are each here, and discussion of our hopes and dreams for the program. We’ve eaten lots of pupusas (corn tortilla stuffed with beans and cheese), journaled, prayed, hiked and many other things together. We are definitely becoming a close-knit and intimate community very quickly.
Some of the things I have learned in El Salvador thus far:
1. Cold showers are now something I look forward to every night.
2. Less is more in El Salvador…I have yet to wear makeup or fix my hair.
3. There are so many varieties of pupusas(cheese, bean, chicarron, revuelta, loroco)…I hope to never get sick of them.
4. Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way here…though my blonde-ish hair helps stop traffic.
5. “Bicho” is not a curseword, but actually means “dude” in Salvadoran slang. I still feel weird saying it.
6. There are so many fruits that I never knew existed...jocotes are my new favorite.
7. The range in income here is ridiculous…some people live off of less than $1 per day, others have what feels like infinite amounts and don’t share.
8. Although the Catholic Church definitely still has a strong presence here, Jehova’s Witnesses, Pentacostals, and Evangelist communities are growing. Very few “simply Christian” communities exist.
9. When it rains here…people worry for their lives and the lives of their children. I have already witnessed a mudslide and flood that destroyed three houses!
10. Salvadorans are so welcoming. They use their best ingredients to make the best meals for us when we visit. They also think I don’t eat enough. I need to be “more round for when you want to have babies someday” many of the women have said to me!
11. Bowel movements and “toilet talk” is typical for Casa students. Thankfully no one has yet to be sick!
12. Machismo is something Salvador men struggle with on a daily basis
13. The bus system does not have any sort of route or map…it runs on word of mouth.
14. Comfortable walking/hiking shoes are a must for Gringos, but Salvadorans seem to get by with flipflops.
15. Solidarity is an extremely common word here. I wonder why…?
Love and miss you all!!! More updates soon.
Katy
My schedule:
Monday 730am-5pm Praxis Site- Canton El Cedro
Tuesday 7am-10am Political Science, 2pm-5pm Sociology, 7pm Cleaning Party, 8pm Spirituality Night
Wednesday 730am-5pm Praxis Site- Canton El Cedro
Thursday 10am Avisos, 11am Seminar, 230pm-530pm Salvadoran Literature, 630pm Community dinner, 8pm Community night
Friday 8am-11am Theology, 1230pm Community lunch
“If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time…but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
Lilla Watson
Hello everyone back home en los Estados Unidos! I’m sorry it has taken me so long to update my blog. It is amazing to think that I have been here for just over a week! I have seen so much, met so many people, tried lots of new things, and already experienced an abundance of growth. All that to say, I have had limited access to internet, as my parents can attest to (I’ve skyped with them twice now!), and my ‘binge’ facebook and email activity probably implies. However, that has changed in the last two days. I will now have consistent wifi access on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, because those are the days I have class at the Universidad CentroAmericana Jose Simeon Canas, which is about a 15 minute walk from Casa Silvia, where I live.
Well…where to start?
The Casa de la Solidaridad (solidarity) program has been wonderful so far. Kevin and Trena, the codirectors have really taken the time to allow us as a group to slowly get accustomed to El Salvador. Our first week we had an orientation of sorts…we played typical get-to-know-you games, shared meals together, and most importantly we traveled all over the country to the different praxis sites where each of us will be working two days per week. But, of course we have yet to see mine, which is actually happening tomorrow! I’m very excited about this because of all the amazing people we have met at the other sites. All of the sites are very different, some rural and others urban. Many of them have opportunities for working with children, and one specifically is for Salvadorans with special needs. I, along with two boys, both from Santa Clara, will be working in Canton El Cedro! I’ll know more about what we’re doing after tomorrow.
Besides the praxis site visits, we have just been spending time as a community. Already I feel very close to my roommate Michelle (Loyola Maryland), my 6 other housemates, and 18 other students in the Casa program. We’ve had lots of reflection as to why we are each here, and discussion of our hopes and dreams for the program. We’ve eaten lots of pupusas (corn tortilla stuffed with beans and cheese), journaled, prayed, hiked and many other things together. We are definitely becoming a close-knit and intimate community very quickly.
Some of the things I have learned in El Salvador thus far:
1. Cold showers are now something I look forward to every night.
2. Less is more in El Salvador…I have yet to wear makeup or fix my hair.
3. There are so many varieties of pupusas(cheese, bean, chicarron, revuelta, loroco)…I hope to never get sick of them.
4. Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way here…though my blonde-ish hair helps stop traffic.
5. “Bicho” is not a curseword, but actually means “dude” in Salvadoran slang. I still feel weird saying it.
6. There are so many fruits that I never knew existed...jocotes are my new favorite.
7. The range in income here is ridiculous…some people live off of less than $1 per day, others have what feels like infinite amounts and don’t share.
8. Although the Catholic Church definitely still has a strong presence here, Jehova’s Witnesses, Pentacostals, and Evangelist communities are growing. Very few “simply Christian” communities exist.
9. When it rains here…people worry for their lives and the lives of their children. I have already witnessed a mudslide and flood that destroyed three houses!
10. Salvadorans are so welcoming. They use their best ingredients to make the best meals for us when we visit. They also think I don’t eat enough. I need to be “more round for when you want to have babies someday” many of the women have said to me!
11. Bowel movements and “toilet talk” is typical for Casa students. Thankfully no one has yet to be sick!
12. Machismo is something Salvador men struggle with on a daily basis
13. The bus system does not have any sort of route or map…it runs on word of mouth.
14. Comfortable walking/hiking shoes are a must for Gringos, but Salvadorans seem to get by with flipflops.
15. Solidarity is an extremely common word here. I wonder why…?
Love and miss you all!!! More updates soon.
Katy
My schedule:
Monday 730am-5pm Praxis Site- Canton El Cedro
Tuesday 7am-10am Political Science, 2pm-5pm Sociology, 7pm Cleaning Party, 8pm Spirituality Night
Wednesday 730am-5pm Praxis Site- Canton El Cedro
Thursday 10am Avisos, 11am Seminar, 230pm-530pm Salvadoran Literature, 630pm Community dinner, 8pm Community night
Friday 8am-11am Theology, 1230pm Community lunch
“If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time…but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.”
Lilla Watson
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Let the countdown begin
At this exact time, a week from today, I will be buckling my seat belt on an American Airlines jet, ready to take off for Miami, FL. The first leg of my trip is the shortest of the two, on which I plan on enjoying my last hours above American soil while sipping ginger ale, and munching on salty peanuts. The second flies directly into San Salvador, where I will be picked up by my program director, Trena Yonkers-Talz. According to our group's itinerary, three other girls from our group of nineteen will be on my same flight from Miami to San Salvador. I'll be sure to look for them, most likely carrying full backpacks, and biting with my same anticipation.
As my departure date has quickly approached, I've had many questions from the different people in my life. The most common one is of course, "are you excited?". In most cases I've been honest and responded with, "yes, I am excited, but at the same time nervous." Those who know me well sympathize, understanding that I am nervous about leaving my family for such a long time, and others even empathize, sharing their abroad experiences, all of which turned out to be, "the time of their lives". "You will never want to come home," some have even said.
Although I want my four months in El Salvador to in a sense be "the time of my life", I hope that I'm not necessarily saying, "I never want to come home." I know I'm going to LOVE the culture, the language, the food, the people...I did the first time I was there, but I also know that traveling and living in another place without my family and closest friends, there will be a void. Learning to be independent is extremely valuable, and I'm excited to learn more about myself, but I will not forget the community in which I am apart of here in the States.
I love and care about all of you, and I thank you all for your prayers and thoughts while I am away! I am nervous, but even more EXCITED knowing I have support.
I hope this blog finds all of you well. And that while I am away "having the time of my life", these entries will give you a glimpse of the other communities that I will be apart of for the time-being.
Katy
"Los únicos goces puros y sin mezcla de tristeza que le han sido dados sobre la tierra al hombre, son los goces de familia."
As my departure date has quickly approached, I've had many questions from the different people in my life. The most common one is of course, "are you excited?". In most cases I've been honest and responded with, "yes, I am excited, but at the same time nervous." Those who know me well sympathize, understanding that I am nervous about leaving my family for such a long time, and others even empathize, sharing their abroad experiences, all of which turned out to be, "the time of their lives". "You will never want to come home," some have even said.
Although I want my four months in El Salvador to in a sense be "the time of my life", I hope that I'm not necessarily saying, "I never want to come home." I know I'm going to LOVE the culture, the language, the food, the people...I did the first time I was there, but I also know that traveling and living in another place without my family and closest friends, there will be a void. Learning to be independent is extremely valuable, and I'm excited to learn more about myself, but I will not forget the community in which I am apart of here in the States.
I love and care about all of you, and I thank you all for your prayers and thoughts while I am away! I am nervous, but even more EXCITED knowing I have support.
I hope this blog finds all of you well. And that while I am away "having the time of my life", these entries will give you a glimpse of the other communities that I will be apart of for the time-being.
Katy
"Los únicos goces puros y sin mezcla de tristeza que le han sido dados sobre la tierra al hombre, son los goces de familia."
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