One Year in... Snakes, Shampoo, and Self-Defense

So I just got done paining my nails dark purple…. I have to keep my nails painted dark colors because life around here keeps your nails pretty dirty. Like my dad always used to say, I could grow tomatoes under these fingernails on most days, haha. Well it’s the rainy season, so it rains almost everyday, keeping everything pretty muddy, but also cooled down a bit, which is a wonderful thing. I like to enjoy a rainy afternoon on my hammock reading a book or hanging out with some neighborhood kids. So I don’t know if I mentioned before, but I had a mouse problem in my house. They had actually made a nest inside of my boxspring! I could feel the little guys scratching around underneath me, and I’ll let you know something pretty repulsive and slightly embarrassing: They ate up all of my underwear out of my dirty laundry. GROSS. So I’ve gotten that situation taken care of and I also got my bat problem taken care of, so I no longer feel like batman living in a batcave. So I’ll stop complaining about my critter problems, but that’s the fun stuff so I figured I’d throw it in here first. Oh yeah, and a coral snake slithered past my back door tonight (If I need to go out to the latrine tonight, I think I’ll just hold it). I guess I’ll wait until my mom gets home from her visit next week to post this so she won’t cancel her plane ticket! I am PROUD to say that after my 4th up-close-and-personal run-in with snakes in El Salvador, I finally feel like my fears are subsiding.

So now I’ve been here for over a year and I’m feeling really good about the different projects I’ve got going on. The 12 kids in my hammock-making group have been working hard every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon twisting string, and they will soon have enough made to start weaving their hammocks. The youth group I’ve been working with has now made and sold two big batches of aloe vera shampoo, raising a lot of funds that they will use some of to put on a community celebration Children’s Day in October (By the way the Mothers Day and Fathers Day events put on by the youth group were both huge successes). Remember how on Mother’s Day and Father’s day we always used to ask why we didn’t get a kids’ day? I know, I know, EVERYDAY is kids day. Well that might not necessarily be the case in a developing country, so it will be nice to have a day for all the kids in the community to play some games, have some fun, break open some piñatas, and win some prizes. Also, on at the Children’s Day Fiesta my ballet class is going to perform and to show the community what they’ve been learning all year. They’ll be wearing really cute pink leotards and ballet skirts which they earned with good attendance, courtesy of our generous donor, the lovely Jeannie Koenemann. My idea now is to change it up and have their next performance be hiphop or some other style.

My eco-group girls have finished making their recycled bottle flowers and also made some cool recycled bracelets made from woven strips of chip bags. I learned how to make these AMAZING wallets/ change-purses/ any-kind-of-bag-you-want out of chip bags. You may have seen them before in fair trade stores made by co-ops in Mexico or such, and its really really cool because the materials are literally FREE and you end up with an awesome product. Plus, you are re-using trash that here would end up on the ground, littering the community. SO I’ve been perfecting the art so that I can teach it to people in my site. I tried first with kids, and it turns out it’s a little difficult, so I’m going to get together some adult women who want to learn. Right now we’re just collecting bags. I am supposed to teach the new group of volunteers who have arrived in the country how to make them, as well as the recycled flowers, during their training, so that they will be able to bring the knowledge to the communities where they will work. Upcoming eco-group activities include an excursion to the Cinquera forest, a hike with the youth group on Mount Guazapa, and a one night camping trip which might be this weekend or might be postponed because of rain.

So I learned from another volunteer how to give these classes on women’s self defense. I saw her give the class at that camp I told you about in another blog session…. The camp for the scholarship girls… well anyways I sort of felt like since I had taught dance that I could teach these self defense classes- does that make sense? Its all physical right? The volunteer who taught them was finishing her service and she wanted to pass on her skills… So she gave a few of us interested volunteers a training one weekend and now I’m giving the classes. So far I’ve given two classes in my site and one in another volunteer’s site. Peace Corps wants to incorporate the class in the training for new volunteers for their own personal security… I think its good for women in such a machista (macho/ male dominated) society to be able to defend themselves mentally… and if necessary, verbally…. And its nice just to know that if a situation ever arose, that you could defend yourself physically too (or at least break their nose… or their balls…)

Cucumber Penises, Hammocks, and Worms

So I’m just typing away in my house sitting in front of a fan and listening to ani difranco. Thank goodness for electricity. When I talk to my friends who don’t have electricity I am wow-ed every time.
So I went home to the states and had a beautiful time. As soon as I got back I went to a three day camp for 20 young girls who won high school and college scholarships given by a group of Peace Corps Volunteers I’m a part of called WYD (Women and Youth Development). Basically we meet monthly and each year Peace Corps Volunteers choose girls in their site to apply for the scholarships . The girls who win the scholarships attend the camp focused helping the girls to be successful individuals. We included self-esteem, stress management, problem solving, women’s health and life planning, how to write a resume, how to interview, a self- defense class, yoga, and financial management. We gave them planners and journals and covered the expenses for their travel, stay, and food while at the camp. The money comes from donors in the US. The camp was an awesome success. I taught yoga, lead some problem solving challenges, and did a stress management class. My favorite part was the self-defense class taught by another volunteer. At one point during a sexual health class I saw a wide-eyed girl struggling to put a condom on a seriously oversized cucumber. I took a mental photo and then handed her a smaller banana. The girls that attended the camp were inspiring. They all came from poor financial backgrounds, but their positive energy makes them SO special.. So basically leaving the U.S. was difficult, but coming back to such a great experience reminded me of why I came here in the first place.
So, I applied for a grant for a workshop to teach a group of kids in my site how to make hammocks. The project is called Hands on Hammocks and you can read about it on the website www. Kidstokids.org under the projects being funded right now... because we got the grant! Yay. So we’re waiting on the money for that and we’ll get started.
I’ve taught my Eco-group that meets on Sundays about organic and inorganic trash and how composting and worm-composting works. We got some wood donated and we’re building a worm-composting box this week. When I look at the worms, I try not to think of the intestinal kind that we learned about in medical training. Gross.
My weekly dance class is still going well. My mom is working on rounding up some ballet skirts to send down to the girls. They all know the basic ballet steps I have taught them and the French names… but they LOVE free dance so much its hard for me to not let them spend the last third of every class just free-dancing their little butts off. Its priceless.
The weekly English class is still going well, too. Last week we sang “Head Shoulders Knees, and Toes”… (with Eyes, Ears, Mouth, and Nose). The week before we acted out and learned animals, saying the English animal name and making up movements and sounds. It was hilarious.
VIVERO- A vivero is a tree nursery. Someone from my community on the city water committee told me the committee wants to start one. I got an organization called Trees, Water, and People to come in and do a two-day workshop about trees, reforestation, how to start a vivero. The workshop was free and a success. If the vivero is a success, the trees will be given out to all the villages in the municipality to be re-planted. Trees= Good.
What else? Um… Environmental classes in the school about trash, trees, the water cycle, energy…
There’s a new youth group that’s pretty much awesome… Thanks to all friends and family in the States who helped out by the way! They have been working to put on a big Mother’s Day celebration tomorrow. They are going to act out and lip sinc to songs as entertainment…. Which I find entertaining myself, but I think in a different way then they do. J
At a recent In-Service Training I learned how to make natural aloe vera shampoo. My next exciting project is teaching the youth group how and where to get the materials so we can make and sell shampoo as a fundraiser. It feels really cool to mix up the goop with your hands and that’s my main motivation for starting this shampoo initiative. Just kidding. I want to do it because it’s a great way for them to make money and once I’m gone they can still do it…. Sustainability= Good. …. But I will still help them out…. just to get my hands in the goop.
I just learned how to make these awesome flowers out of 2 liter plastic bottles. A Salvadoran lady taught me and the final product is awesome… and its recycled art! I can’t wait to teach my Eco-group how to make them. When I finally learn how to post photos and combat my technological laziness, I want to post a photo of my sweet-ass plastic bottle flowers.
OH YEAH- in March we did a biodiversity-themed drawing contest for Earth Day hosted by the U.S. Embassy. I entered in the 2 winners I chose from my school, and one of them won 2nd place in the National contest. So he won a really nice big framed Map of El Salvador for the school. To put the greatness of this map into perspective, some of these kids have never looked at a map of their country. Now they’ll have a great big one they can look at all the time. By the way, I was going to do a big world map mural project, but I decided to wait until next dry season.
So there is this tree called Ujushte, the seed of which is highly nutritional. It has lots of vitamins, protein, iron, etc. Its like a magic seed because you can make TONS of things out of it… bread, cookies, tortillas, horchata… and especially good for El Salvador because you can make anything out of ujushte that you can make out of corn… and they make everything out of corn. Also just one full grown tree can supply enough seeds for a whole community… or so they say. The only problem is that the people don’t know about it, or realize how much it could help them. So I found out about this seed during In-Service training, and guess what? I have not only one, but three Ujushte trees visible from my house. SO an Ujushte project is on the way.
I keep talking to people about the trash situation and nothing has come of it. I’m working on that.
That’s all I can think of right now. So don’t get me wrong, it seems like I’m busy and I am in a way, but I still have LOTS of free time.
I read a lot of books. I watch a lot of dvds. The other day it rained and I played in the rain with my neighbor kids Marlon and Yessica and we had a dirt fight.
Ani Difanco is still my best friend. And Biggie Smalls. And Billie Holiday. Its funny how music can transport you through time and place.
OH MY GOD I forgot to mention the snake that was behind my house the other night when I went out to brush my teeth. AND the snake that I didn’t see until it was slithering out from in between my FEET as I was walking home the other day. Horrifying to say the least. But on the bright side I still have my beloved mosquito net which I always keep meticulously tucked under the edges of my bed so I at least feel safe in my bed at night from whatever snakes, rats, bats, scorpions, beetles, and any other evil demons pests from hell. If only my mosquito net had an internal AC system and soundproofing from roosters and chickens. I’m only kidding… in an entirely serious sort of way.

Rite of Passage: My First Dysenteric Experience

So My mom came to visit me and we had a great time. We spent a few nights in Milingo and a night in Molineros, so she got to experience the two placed I have lived. She also got to see San Salvador and the beach. In my site, people were SO exited to meet her. EVERY SINGLE PERSON I introduced her to said "Que Joven!" and "yo pense que era tu hermana" which means... "How young"... "I thought she must be your sister." SO I guess my mom left with a confidence boost. They also brought her lots of gifts. She recieved a teddy bear, a box, a little woven bag, an embroidered cloth, more little cloths, coconuts, tangerines, mangoes, candies, earrings.... I told you they like to give, even though they don't have much.

So I was super careful of everything my mom ate and drank while she was here, but I must have forgotten to knock on wood the last time I said "I'm so lucky I've been here for seven months and I haven't gotten sick from the food or water." Almost all of my friends had by this point some type of diarreah/vomiting/infection/parasite/poop in your pants experience, so by this point I was feeling pretty lucky.... but I knew inevitably I would have to make that rite of passage. I just didn't know it would happen the night before my mom's plane was supposed to leave.

So basically it was nausea/vomiting/severe abdominal pain/diarreah/fever/dehydration that I found out later at the hospital was caused by amoeba parasites and a severe bacterial infection. My mom stayed an extra day to help take care of me (I'm a lucky girl) and then I spent four nights in the hospital. The hospital was nice and they took good care of me. I'm alive and feeling much better.
One of my friends had the same thing and when she was released from the hospital she came in to visit me. Also my host mom from training came all the way down from San Vicente to visit me in the hospital one morning and bring me gatorade and juice boxes. How sweet!

Well theres been a lot of stuff going on, and I've been having to spend a lot of time in the capital recently, for work reasons and others (Superbowl- Go Saints!).

Thats all for now. Miss you all!

Training, Turkey, Soccer, My New House and my First Christmas Away from Home… also Work

Ok so its been FOREVER since I blogged… I think I’ve got to go all the way back to November, when the landslides happened….

TRAINING: So Training 2 was rescheduled and moved from San Vicente to Santa Ana, at the National School of Agriculture. The 16 of us in the Sustainable Agriculture/Environmental Education Program stayed together in a big house. Real World El Salvador! …without the plushness or the amenities. We learned about worm composting, organic farming practices, local trees and plants, forming environmental groups, community garbage management projects, etc.

TURKEY: After training several of us went to Lago de Coatepeque to celebrate Thanksgiving. Its a beautiful lake right in the crater of a volcano. The house we rented (for cheap!) was SO lovely; I hope we go back to the exact same place next Thanksgiving. We cooked turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans. It was delicious.

SOCCER: After Lago de Coatepeque, I went to a Peace Corps soccer game in Chinameca, in the east. There are monthly games between PC volunteers and Salvadorans in the community that hosts the game. It’s a nice reason to hang out and see another part of the country.

MY NEW HOUSE: When I got back to my site, I was told there was a house I could move into! Previously there weren’t any available houses, and I was very ready to have my own space. Its a common cinderblock house built by Habitat for Humanity after the war. It was empty, except for a bed and a table. Using my moving-in allowance, I bought a small refrigerator, a two-burner gas stove, a hammock, dishes, a pot and a pan, etc. People from the community have lent me a gas tank, blankets, and chairs, and also helped me build a closet and a bench. The family that owns the house has been so helpful. Don Rigo comes over and fixes things… he built a roof over my outdoor washing area so I have some shade and cover from the rain. I didn’t have a private place to bathe, so I was bucket bathing outside in my clothes (shorts and a tank) like many Salvadorans do. Don Rigo built me a place to bathe with sheet metal and shower curtains. I pay $20 rent, plus electricity and water ($5-10), but I only make $300 a month, and it disappears like magic (trips and phone cards).
So now I live in my own house and I cook for myself, which is awesome. Kids come over and play cards on my porch, and friends come visit and bring oranges, bananas, star fruit, etc. People like to give you the little that they have.

CHRISTMAS: So in December people are in holiday mode. My community had a couple dances to raise money, but one of them turned into a giant drunken brawl.
I went to the beach for two days with my friend and her parents who were visiting. It was a sandy beach, so I felt just like I was in Charleston or Alabama!
I’m not going to lie and say it wasn’t hard to spend the holidays away from home. I tried to fight the homesickness by making myself a little Christmas tree and decorating it. It was pretty pitiful… like Charlie Brown Christmas. Here (and in most Latin America) they celebrate Christmas on the 24th. My old host family had killed one of their cows, like many people do so they can have meat on Christmas. At a church service, the sermon warned that sometimes we forget the “true meaning of Christmas” and think that it’s “all about the meat.” So like we get excited about gifts, they get excited about meat…. And I was excited too! We had carne asada! Then I went and traded Secret Santa gifts with friends. Later we went to a dance party. I was invited to a friend’s house and we had panes rellenos (bread stuffed with chicken and veggies). At midnight everyone hugs and says “Feliz Navidad” and shoots off fireworks. I was lucky to have a community that celebrated, because many people don’t celebrate because they don’t have the money.
The next day, the 25th, I went into the capital and met up with friends for a movie, dinner, and dancing.
In December I started running with my neighbor! She is a police officer so it is safe for us to go, and its mostly just lucky that she runs because that’s VERY rare here.

NEW YEARS: I went to my training community, Molineros. We ate more panes rellenos, and shot off more fireworks and hugged at midnight. The next day was the Fiestas Patronales of Molineros, so there were rides, and more fireworks. They did this thing called Torito Pinto, in which basically these guys run around with a bull shaped thing on their backs that shoot off fireworks. They are these crazy fireworks that shoot off in all kinds of unpredictable directions. Its really dangerous, but it really was fun. Everyone goes running and hiding behind houses. I’m sure every year people get burned. I rode on a really sketchy Ferris Wheel and got a great view of the valley and the volcano. Later that night we went to a huge dance party.

WORK IN MY SITE: I came back to my site, had some meetings in my community, and planned my dance classes! I’m teaching two weekly ballet/creative movement classes, ages 7-11, and 12-14. They love it, and I hope to find a way to get them some ballet shoes and maybe some little ballet skirts or leotards. At some point I’ll be looking for donations! I tried to get an adult yoga class going but it’s taking a little more effort.
I’m working with a woman in my community to start a World Map Mural project. We’re going to raise money to buy the supplies, and using a grid system, have a group of kids paint a huge world map mural on one of the school walls. We’re also talking about getting a project going teaching kids how to make hammocks. The point is to teach the kids a traditional trade, to give them a possible source of income in their future, and keeping them out of gangs, etc. I really want to get these kids involved in a recycled art project as well. We planned the first meeting of an environmental group, and elected a president, secretary, and treasurer. I’m also bringing a group of volunteers to my site in February to perform the play version of the Dr. Seuss book The Lorax. It’s in Spanish, rhymes, has an environmental lesson, and involves some rapping, haha.

MORE SOCCER: So last weekend I went to another Peace Corps Soccer game in Juayua, a really cool town. Lots of my friends came and we had a good time. It was CRAZY windy though.

This week my mom is here visiting me!