Quick update...

Praxis has been going great…The tally for haircutting is now up to 16 after two days!!! SO MUCH HAIR. My two praxis partners and I can now dance typical Salvadoran folk dances…Quentin and I are especially good at the “baile de los novios” (boyfriend/girlfriend dance). This upcoming weekend we are going to be staying with a family in El Cedro. I am staying with a woman named Delma.

Something interesting that has been happening in El Salvador lately (not sure if it’s made the USA papers or not), is the gang problem. These past two days have been especially hectic and dangerous to drive (I have been worried at times), because the gangs have been issuing threats to the bus system. Last week the Salvadoran government made it illegal to belong to any gang (M13, or 18Salvatruchas), meaning that if they suspect you are simply in a gang, not doing anything illegal such as killing, stealing, etc, you can be put in jail. In reaction to this law, the gangs have “shut down” the bus system, paying off bus drivers, and burning buses. This hasn’t affected us directly in any way, it simply makes driving more difficult, and there is a huge increase in people walking around the city trying to make it to work. It has also canceled classes for children and adults of all ages. Most of our becarios have not had class for the past three days because their professors and classmates cannot make it to school. There is also increased police force and government officials on patrol…makes it interesting walking to get a chocobanana. Again, we are not at risk as long as we stay away from the buses. According to the newspapers and Trena and Kevin, all of the hype will hopefully die down in a few days.