christmas in El Salvador

schmitterschrier

As with many things El Salvadors Christmas is different in some ways from the American Christmas. We are working very hard with the girls to not evaluate and compare the two place, to only accept that each has it`s own beauty. Sounds simple yet is a very difficult task for all of us. Acceptance of the here and now.
Christmas EVE DAY WE TOOK THE BUS IN FROM San pedro to El Salvador. The bus rides are always an adventure. There is a reason why they call these buses the chicken buses. The women next to me had a chicken on her lap that she was taking to her parents house for christmas dinner. IT`S LEGS WERE TIED AND IT`S rear was in a bolsa (bag)it was amazing quiet on the ride. Other`s had huge bags of oranges, etol (corn) and many other products. The drivers are wicked. They drive at such high speeds that I`m sure we`ll go airborn off a cliff. Evidently the buses are privately owned which means each person owns their own. THEY HAVE USUALLY TWO OTHER PEOPLE WORKING WITH THEM, ONE TO COLLECT THE FARES(HE must have an amazing memory as people enter and exit and you pay after you are on and hopefully seated and the bus is moving.) The other man ushers the people and their belongings onto the bus. WHEN YOU ARE READY TO EXIT YOU STAND UP WHILE THE BUS IS IN HIGH SPEED MOTION AND THEY WILL STOP. Since the buses are privately owned the owner (driver and other two men keep the bus amazingly clean. it helps them that whenever a person is finshed with their trash they toss it out the window. At night they wash the whole bus inside and out. The chicken and other animal make it a neccessity I think. We usually sit with one of the locals and here the story of their life and share ours. THE OTHER DAY A FAMILY WITH A 6 MONTH OLD BABY WERE SITTING IN FRONT OF ME. We were playing peaka boo with her. The parents handed her to me and for the next hour Vienna, Treava and I entertained her while the parents sat and enjoyed watching.
So for Christmas we arrive here in San Salvador and spent the day shopping for last minute things. Then we went and took a siesta because Christmas night goes on into the weewee hours here. Then at 5 we began our progressive dinner and vists. We visited with Marcela's mom`s mother and step father. She lived in Alaska for a year during the civil war her. she told us stories of her life. THEN WE WENT TO lAURA`S BROTHER HOUSE WHERE WE PLAYED SOCCER AND SET OFF A TON OF FIREWORKS. Next was Fatima`s house where we sung Karoke christmas song. I was so excited when I recieved an excellent rating for SANTA CLAUS IS COMING TO TOWN. I guess all the suzuki training has paid off. THEN AT MIDNIGHT they (each family lights off their own) brought out the big fireworks and for the next hour the sky was decorated with beautiful flowers and colors. Marcela is a was amazing with her zest and lack of fear. Next came a Christmas toast with a different virtue on the bottom of each glass. we each had to speak on this virtue and how we will use it in our life in the year to come. Then came a huge feast at 1 AM. It include chicken, the head and feet icluded. A delicacy here are the eggs that are indentro (inside) the chicken when killed. Their are many differnt salsas for the chicken and many other local foods. Chris says they are delicous. The rest of us aren`t brave enough to try. Dinner was followed with dessert of delicious flans and local dulces. Next was more Karoke and by this time we were exhausted. We went to bed at about 3 yet understand the rest retired at 6 am.
CHRISTMAS DAY WE WENT TO THE BEACH FOR SOME OF THE MOST AMAZING BODY SURFING i`VE EVER EXPERIENCED. i CAN GET A 100 -200 foot ride out of most waves. Noelle and Vienna have gotten really good at body surfing and love it as much as I do. Treava discovered a local tradition of throwing a ball out into the waves and trying to catch it. We all love the beach here. The trip to the beach was great for the girls as it made Christmas seem like Hawaii as Christmas has been hard for them. They have really been homesick these last couple days. So if you get a chance either e-mail them or comment here as i`m sure it would brighten their days.