So here I am in sunny, densly populate El Salvador where livestock runs wild (literally), where outdoor markets are the social scene: everyone who is anyone goes, and where the 1980-90´s civil war still posessess a strong presence. I arrived about a month ago today and am still pinching myself as a reminder that this is not just a vivid dream. Most of the time though, the people themselves remind me that I am an outsider eventhough I do not think that this is their intension. For example, I have been deemed la muñeca (the doll) and have been asked various times to ¨give my eyes as presents.¨ While it is a little different, I am aware that I stand out in a crowd seeing that I stand about three inches than most men and that my alabaster skin and blonde hair is a tremendous contrast to the beautiful brown skin and hair of most Salvadorans.

I live in a town called Palacios (the palaces) with a family of three syblings, a brother and two sisters. The ironic part of the living situation is that my out of the eight syblings four have stayed in El Salvador and the other four have moved to New Jersey, a town only twenty minutes from my little Jersey pueblo, weird huh. Anyway moving on, while my family here does not own any livestock themselves, the absence of the idea of private property means that I am often greeted by chickens, roosters, cows, and the community horse that often gather for reunions at my front door. Some of the animals like me more than others, but I guess I can´t win them all. In the back of my house is a perfect view of the Volcano in San Vicente that we all hiked up and fell down the other weekend. It is a really beautiful and surreal view of the volcano and the clouds that loiter around its peak.

This past weekend I ventured on the Salvadoran public transporation to a place in the East, Upire. Upire is a tiny little town almost right next to the border of Honduras. While is did take seven hours to get there, the trip was worth every hour. The land is covered with bananas, coffee, and coconuts and the hills appear as if they continue forever. There is a breeze up there that I have yet to find anywhere else in this country thus far. It was really beautiful. The first night there I met the director of the school, who happened to be the sister of my homestay mother: everyone, I have learned, in this country is extended family to everyone else (not really but it sure seems that way). She invited me to observe her school the next day. Well, observing became teaching and teaching became two classes: social studies and english. It was quite a surprise, but a delightful one. Teaching was followed by making sweet bread, I know, I have become quite the woman. Anyway...signing off for now but I am saving the laughs for next time just you all wait.