OUR DAYS START AT 5:30 here in El Salvador. On monday, wednesday and Friday we go to the local school. Treava does kindergarten, Noelle, Vienna and Chris go to spanish for two hours. THEN noelle, Vienna, chris and I teach english for two hours. IT IS SO MUCH FUn ! The caps button here goes on and off so forgive the capitalized verus non capital. THIS WEEKEND is a huge festival. They asked Treava to be the princess of San pedro for her classroom. It was a hard choice for me as to say no would have offended them yet I hate how the white woman, child are given more value here. In San salvador there are ads and bullentin boards everywhere often posted with a white blond woman and a latin man and white children. It seems to bother me more than the locals as noone shows antamosity towards us.
Treava had a friend come over to our house the other day. her name is Valeria. I went to her house and am in continue awe at what these women do to care for their families. HER MOM HAS 5 KIDS AND IS EXPECTING HER SIXTH IN november. SHE RUNS A SMALL STORE, WHICH ALMOST EVERYONE DOES to increase income, a pupusaria and tortilla stand. Making pupusas is often done over a wood fire and takes lots of time.
First one must get the corn cobs, husk and dehaul it. THEN YOU HAVE TO WALK A MILE OR MORE TO HAVE IT GROUND OR GRIND IT YOURSELF WHICH CAN TAKE HOURS. then you must collect the wood, build the fire and mix up the tortillas mix. somewhere in there you would have made frijoles. Each pupupsa takes about 2 minutes to make 5 minutes to cook. THEY Sell them for a quarter each. I can eat two.
We are sowly getting into a grove and have made many new friends. Vienna is most verbal about being homesick. She Usally has lots of highs each day yet her low is always missing home, scheyanna and friends. NOELLE seems to enjoy the slower pace of life, drawing, painting, reading and playinf soccer. She ocassinally speaks of missing home. THOUGH SHE DOES SAY SHE STILL DOES NOT FEEL SAFE HERE. FEEELS AS THOUGH SHE IS ALWAYS ON GUARD. FOR ME THIS HAS LESSENED YET ONCE IT GETS DARK i FEEL THE SAME. treava misses scheyschey yet loves her friends at school and all the attention she gets.
I miss running water and the easy life we have in alaska--washing machine, dish washer. I love the weather and the rich spirit of the people. chris has been sick so heisn´t in an enjoying mood. Lisa