Visitors Part 2

First and foremost I hope you read “Visitors Part 1” because it is a great post, but also because it will provide you with the necessary context to process this next segment. This past week March 18^th- 22^nd, Upire and I hosted 3 new trainees and a Spanish Teacher from Peace Corps Staff in what is known as Field Based Training (FBT). FBT is a week-long immersion trip (see Visitors Part 1 for information on Immersion Weekend) where trainees are expected to help a current volunteer with executing some of their projects (FYI: This was not part of my training). Current volunteers were asked to apply to host by submitting a schedule for the week and how the trainees would be asked to participate and help. Additionally, we were asked to find host families for each of them for the entire week.

My work plan looked a little like this:

Monday: Arrive to Upire around 5, eat dinner, and sleep at Jamie’s house.

Tuesday: Meet host families, meet students in my art class, begin painting light posts, continue painting in the afternoon, prepare for Wednesday’s food festival, and stay with host families.

Wednesday: Sell American food in the First Annual Food festival, help with games and activities, and help clean up at the end of the day.

Thursday: Cleaning Campaign of the community, paint light posts, celebration with host family of a week well done!

Friday: Trainees leave for Santa Rosa to go to San Salvador

Looking back on my plan we were very successful and I very content with the amount we accomplished in a week. We followed that schedule almost exactly. The only hiccup was on Thursday afternoon we had to cancel painting more posts because there was a huge rainstorm. I think it was a blessing in disguise though. The trainees and I were exhausted and it gave us a little time to celebrate finishing FBT, process the week, and have a small question and answer period, which I hope was helpful for them.  

Here are some pictures of our week: 

Boys leading the way

Yeah, girls can paint too! 

The painters and myself!

We sold Mac and Cheese, PB&J's, Rice Krispie Treats, and Pop Corn!

Peace Corps Staff came to visit! Eating Soup with cow stomach :)

Trainees enjoying food festival

Cleaning the community campaign!

That was FBT in Upire. I am so grateful I was able to host because it gave me an incredible opportunity to move forward with the painting project, add a unique touch to our first food festival, and give my community a chance to show off a little bit for the trainees. It gave my community members (especially the kids who worked with us and the host families) so much pride that we were chosen to host and to do our best to provide the trainees with a rewarding and comfortable experience. I hope that we succeeded in that! Thank you so much to Ariel, Ismaldi, and Jacky for coming out and helping us! It was truly a pleasure to have you all.

However, I also have to admit FBT was downright exhausting. It was like a more intense Immersion Weekend (see previous post for details). You can multiply the challenges, stresses, and frustrations by 3. I am so glad that I did it, but I am also so glad it is over. Selfishly, I am kind of ready to have Upire to myself again.

Of course, until you decide to come!.....

Visitors Part 1

There is something special that happens when you bring people to visit your community. I am not sure what it is exactly, but you get so many points for it. Maybe it is that Salvadorans love to see that you actually have other friends? And on top of that that you are proud enough to bring them home? Maybe it is the allure of meeting a new person? Maybe it is they are just bored with you and like a shiny new face? Whatever it is, I’ll take it. I’ll never turn down the opportunity to gain more “cool points” in life. (READ: COME VISIT and HELP A SISTER OUT).

I have not had many visitors (COUNT: my two bosses and the previous volunteer, Brian ) up until this point in my service. I promise it has nothing to do with me. I am a good host. I provide good snacks, a comfortable house, and an amazing community that will welcome you with open arms. I’ll chalk my lack of visitors up to Upire’s location—maybe just a little too far for the average traveler. However, the word has spread, our luck has changed, and rightfully so Upire has become a high-class tourist destination. I have already received 4 visitors this month and this is just part 1.

Okay okay I am exaggerating a bit. Tourism is taking it a little far. Most of my visitors came because they had to (work related/training), but despite that tiny detail 4 new Americans over a 3-week period in a small rural community feels like tourism is booming.

I know you are interested so here is the general breakdown of my visits:

Visitor # 1:

A lovely volunteer friend of mine who just finished her service came to visit me for a few days. (SARAHHHH! How’s the states?! I hope you are eating the steak and potatoes you talked about as I write this. Miss you every time I put on my sea horse (caballo del mar?!) shirt)…which is at least every 3 days). She is the one visitor who came for the pure pleasure of my company and to enjoy the cool climate in Upire. I should have put her to work teaching my students how to make fabulous bracelets because she is a rock star at it, but I had just come back from a workshop with my teachers and was feeling pretty lazy and unmotivated to go to the school immediately the next day. Instead, I just took her around the community and we hung out in my house. I hope she didn’t mind the lackluster, unproductive visit. I really enjoyed just having her up to hang out with me. Plus, she is so easy going I knew I did not have to worry about her. It was a nice, relaxing, easy-going visit. The best kind!

Visitors # 2 and # 3:

Then for a weekend in the beginning of this month I had two visitors in one weekend! If you recall during my training to be a PCV I wrote a post entitled Immersion Days (or something like that). It documents my weekend visiting a current volunteer in their site, learning what is means to be a volunteer, and to live in the campo. It also documents my challenges, surprises, and my infamous one time only chicken killing experience. Well now the tables have turned and I find myself writing as the host of two future volunteers. Our weekend was pretty relaxed for the most part (as weekends usually are). Plus, one of my trainees had a cast on her leg which made a lot of things seem impossible when I planned the weekend, but she had such a great attitude and can do mentality that I believe we could have done way more than I had anticipated. We arrived to my site late on Friday (9 p.m.) because we got off the bus and met my host mom in the community a little bit up the road to help her set up for a big birthday party. The poor girls were stuck setting up chairs and tying ribbons, but they also got a chance to meet my youth group and see just how flexible one must be during their service. On Saturday I brought them to Dia de Comercio and then in the afternoon dropped them off with host families so they could spend the rest of the weekend being "immersed."I hope they enjoyed the weekend. For me, hosting two trainees was a really fun, reflective, and draining experience. I guess I should explain what I mean by all of those feelings.

FUN: For the most part, hosting is really fun. It is a chance to show people what you know best: the place where you live. It gives you a unique opportunity to be a guide and convey the love and deep connection you have to a certain place. Hosting other Americans also wins you cool points (mentioned above) and provides sometime to chat in English, gossip about Peace Corps or life in general, and feel a little more at home for a brief stint. For all of those reasons, I really had a fun time hosting trainees. I got to meet two new friends, to tell my random stories from the past year and a half, talk to them about training and their current situations, and introduce them to a community that I believe represents the best of El Salvador. Additionally, they were a breath of fresh air for a Peace Corps program that has suffered quite a bit during my time here. I am so excited to see the program rebuild again, welcome fresh faces, and start a new chapter for Peace Corps E Salvador.

REFLECTIVE: During the weekend, I could not help but find myself reflecting on my service. For the first time since I arrived to this country, there is a group that is newer than mine. I am no longer a “newbie.” I think it took meeting this group of trainees for me to actually realize the truth in that statement. I am that “older” volunteer that I remember during training giving me annoying advice, telling me to suck it up, and learn to live in rural El Salvador instead of the fancy USA. During training I often hated the condescending tone of the older volunteers telling me let go a little more, eat the food and gain the inevitable weight, and learn to be more patient and flexible. However now that I am in the position of “older” volunteer I realize just how right they were and how terrible it feels to give that kind of advice, especially remembering how you felt in their situation. But, I realized in order to become the volunteer I am today, I had to follow their advice. You have to let go of your old life and embrace a new one, you have to eat with your family and gain a little pudge, and more than anything you have to be patient, flexible, and ready for an emotional roller coaster. I think the quicker you learn the better off you are—hence I told the trainees the truth with all the brutal honesty I have in me. I hope it helps them in the long run, even if they hate me for it today.

DRAINING: Well hosting can be fun, it can also be draining. First, I have gotten pretty accustomed to being on my own in my site. Therefore it was a little out of my routine to have two other people around me constantly. Moreover, two people who actually relied on me to kind of take care of them. I was in charge of their daily activities, their travel, their host families, and just their overall well being while in my site. It sounds easier than it is. Trainees are still new and adjusting to life in El Salvador, which means they are a little more vulnerable to the elements. They are not quite used to the dirt, bugs, stomach issues, travel time, language, host family life, food, climate, lack of privacy, need to be social with everyone, etc. As their host all of that falls on you to try and mitigate potential discomforts if possible. However, this is virtually impossible and leads to some stressful and frustrating moments for all parties involved. 

Visitor #4: 
Following Immersion Weekend I was so happy that my next visitor was one of my favorite current volunteers, Kara, who is not only one of my best friends in country but also a fantastic volunteer, person, friend, and human being in general. Hosting Kara was awesome because she is flexible, ready for anything, and always has a positive and energetic aura about her. Not only all of that but she also taught my kids how to make wallets out of chip bags and make paper beads (all part of my art and leadership course). Talk about a rock star! Here are the pictures: 

It was a really productive week with Kara. My kids loved her, the crafts that they learned, and are more motivated than ever to keep coming to class. Mission accomplished! Until the next visitor...here is a picture of me and Kara!

The New School Year

I know the New Year started over a month ago now, but my posts since then have been only dedicated to chronicling my vacation to Nicaragua and my hopes/dreams/challenges in discovering my post PC future. Both are good posts in my humble opinion, but lack information regarding my actual life in PC. So… here goes a general life update post.

I feel I can split life in PC El Salvador up into categories.

1.    Daily living in the campo

2.    Work life in terms of projects

3.    PC Events/time off

All are unique parts of the experience and one could write a book about each part and its influence on the greater PC journey. But here is a post instead…

1.    Daily life, just like at home in the states, is both comforting and boring, sometimes it drives you nuts, and other times you crave its sense of stability and normality. Here in Upire daily life is pretty simple- I wake up, have coffee and breakfast, go to the school, hang out with people, help with housework, and finally have dinner with my host family to round out the day. Yes, it gets old after awhile, but this experience is an important part (maybe even the most important part) of a being a volunteer—learning to live and embrace a different kind of daily life. Although it can be boring at times for those of us used to being able to do a variety of activities at a moment’s snap decision, El Salvador also likes to throw us Gringos surprises and learning experiences almost daily. Never in the states would I spend a day picking green beans and ZUCCINI:

YUMMMMMM

Showing zuccini

relaxing among the green beans

Host Mom and Dad Picking Green beans

2.    Work here, just like in the states, is a mix of success and failure, frustration and ease, enjoyment and pain. This past month, of course, I have experienced a little bit of all of them. In good news, I have started my Art and Leadership Course with the introduction lesson, a few small art projects like harmonicas and flutes, and taught my first big lesson in the art of making a piñata. FYI: I never want to make a piñata again. We have some really cool lessons planned for them including making wallets out of chip bags, bracelets, making masks, doing tye dye, a “food as art” day, and painting our light posts in the community. It is going well now, but a few weeks ago I had a horrible breakdown when everyone bailed on every single meeting I had planned. The youth group bailed on a meeting before a big market day, the kids did not show up for the art class, and then during the market day the woman supposed to bring the donuts (for our version of the Krispy Kreme Challenge foot race) did not show up. Unfortunately, we could not have the “Race for Donuts” in Upire. I guess it just was not in the cards. It is a hard lesson to learn, but sometimes things just can’t happen the way you want them to and you just gotta keep truckin’ along. Because once you keep moving you find that things turn around eventually. First, I got wind of potential funding from the German Embassy and have submitted a grant for my school to win $10,000 to update the kitchen, cellar, and eating area for the students. CROSS YOUR FINGERS! Also in breaking world news, I convinced my school to give SEX ED! Biggest success since Dia de Comercio. We started already with one class—very easy and tame subject matter, but I am so excited that despite the religiosity of my community, they are finally willing to take the leap and educate kids regarding sex. So, all in all work is good- some days great, some days just plain terrible.

3. PC Events or anything involving other volunteers is always something special. I can't really compare it to anything. It is it's own animal. This month I have been around volunteers quite a bit.  First, to say goodbye to the group 6 months ahead of us who are currently finishing their service this month. We had a goodbye party for them at the beach in the beginning of February. It is hard to watch them go since they have been the group who stuck it out with us our entire service. I will miss them all so very much! Right after that I headed towards Perquin to help translate for the Eye Care Campaign-another fun and rewarding experience just like last year. Now I am back in Perquin helping with a Environmental Education Training for teachers (including two teachers from my community). It should be a great training. I am really looking forward to it. Plus, Perquin is just so so nice.

So that is the general breakdown of my current lifestyle. It is a good mix of everything. Just keep truckin'!

Dia de Comercio- selling some soup

Looking Ahead

A few years ago, my two best friends and I sat down on New Year's Eve around the kitchen table not planning to go out, not even planning to leave the house nor remove our pj's, and barely even considering making "resolutions." Instead we created Bucket Lists. Really long ones filled with the easily attainable, the difficult but doable, and the nearly impossible, but still not impossible.

Today, I still have this list. It is obnoxiously long and filled with my funny, random, simple, and crazy desires. Despite being a little frivolous in some cases, it is probably one of the most important documents a person could and should own. With it you can reflect and ask yourself, how many things have I checked off my bucket list this year? Then you will know you are really living the life you dream of. 

It is with that list in hand that I look back on this past year and a half and realize I am exactly where I wanted to be many years ago when I wrote it. I am living the life I had dreamed of then. The list is significantly shorter now and I have crossed off some big ticket items- joining PC ( and finishing...almost...), becoming fluent in a foreign language, living abroad for more than a year, and climbing a volcano among just to name a few. I realize I am lucky. I am fortunate enough to not only have dreams, but to watch them come true. There are so many kids around the world, including here in Upire, that don't even know how to dream. I am so grateful that my I was born to a Mother who constantly told me I could be anything I wanted to be, that I was born in a country and in a place with the resources and a school system that helped me learn, grow, and reach for the stars, and through that I developed the skill and confidence to dream BIG. 

Although it is a beautiful gift that I love and treasure, it sometimes gives me great anxiety. 

I guess to be politically incorrect I have "first world problems." I spent some (more than I care to admit on this blog ;)) time this month updating my bucket list and trying to figure out how to keep living my dreams. Tragedy struck when I realized I have too many dreams. I know what you are thinking...poor, selfish, little, ignorant Jamie wants to do and see everything. She actually spends her time creating a list of dreams. Yes, GUILTY.

Okay, it is not that bad....what I mean is that 2013 is a new chapter. I will begin and finish my final projects in Upire, I will finish my Peace Corps service, and return back to the states saying goodbye to the last two years of my life. It is terrifying because for the first time in my life I do not know what is next for me. I have a lot of dreams or ideas for my life, no sense of direction, and little sense of place geographically speaking (all I know is Mom lives in Delaware, but I can't say I want to, sorry Ma). So, the world is literally wide open (well as long as the world will have me and circumstances permit). 

Many (even I) would call me lucky. Free to dream up a life. Free to pick and choose as I see fit. Free to explore for a bit. But as much as I like adventure, freedom, and change Peace Corps has taught me that although all of that is fine and dandy at times, there is also great beauty in security, stability, and having some kind of plan or schedule. So how does one reconcile wanting adventure and security, wanting change and stability, and wanting freedom but also some concrete plans and a schedule? 

I thought 2 years in Peace Corps would give me time to think and "figure out my life." Although  I have time left still, it does not feel nearly long enough. In fact, I believe it has been my relatively long time in the Peace Corps that has given me some tough love and opened my eyes to the reality of certain dreams. As a result, I find myself trying to reconcile the seemingly opposite personal desires listed above. 

So my dreams do not seem so clear anymore. Barely clear enough to make a Bucket List I can make sense of. But maybe that is the point. As one proverb says, "A well beaten path does not always mean the right road." Maybe I am just carving a new type of road- something previously unknown, untouched, and unique. Something that right now does not make sense. Maybe my path is not there yet, it is waiting for me to make it. I know it sounds cheesy, cliche, and like a line from a stupid, romantic comedy, but it is probably true. There is a way to reconcile all of my goals. I just have to do the work and find it.

"It may be when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey." 
**Wendell Berry 

For your viewing pleasure a look into the current Bucket List (10 only):

1. Finish my Peace Corps Service 

2. Upon finishing PC travel through Central America

3. Run an International Marathon

4. Find my dream job

5. Get my Masters Degree

6. Learn to fly planes

7. Live in Europe

8. Pay off debt

9. Know Love

10. Finish Top 100 Books to Read before I die List

What's does your list look like?

New Year's in Nicaragua

Most of my closest friends know I am a travel junkie. Give me a plane ticket and I'll go. Just about anywhere. However, I have some places I DREAM about going, places that I just can't bear the thought of not seeing before I die. Places like India, Turkey, Denmark, Greece, Lebanon, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, South Africa, Tunisia, okay okay you get the point. Before I joined Peace Corps Central and South America were pretty low on my wish list. I mean I would not have turned down the opportunity to go (aka I came to PC El Sal) but those countries were never quite as intriguing to me as India or Lebanon for example. Of course, Peace Corps has changed me and my perspective quite a bit. Nicaragua?! Really...? It probably would have never made my top 100 of places to visit, but now I am already itching to go back. Even amongst the Central American countries I had it seriously underrated. Next to Guatemala, Costa Rica, and Mexico it seemed kind of meh. But those feelings were just symptoms of ignorance and my failure to truly understand that all countries around the world are beautiful. Let's see just SOME of the beauty that is wonderful Nicaragua:

On top of Cerro Negro near Leon.

Volcano boarding!

Somoto Canyon Tour

Tour of the Flor de Cana Rum Factory!

Lounging at the beach.

Popoyo Beach

Hanging in Granada

Eating tour of Granada

That is vacation in pictures. Now a little bit in words. Four members of my PC training group and I went to Nicaragua for ten days visiting Granada, Leon, Esteli, and Somoto. It was a fantastic trip that included a variety of fun activities, plenty of time to relax, and a lot of great memories. We started in Granada which is the Central American version of a European city. I arrived there and thought for a brief moment I was in Italy. It is laden with beautiful plazas, amazing restaurants, and cobble stone streets. We basically toured Grenada indulging in the food that we don't ever eat in El Salvador: iced coffee, hummus and pita bread, falafel, eggplant, bagels and cream cheese, gelato, etc. It was delicious. From Grenada we rolled into Popoyo Beach where we met up with Cory (a RPCV from our group who left last April) is currently working as a surf instructor (among his many talents). We also met up with some volunteers from PC Nicaragua!!!

We spent the next three days (including New Year's) hanging out at Cory's stunning beach and hotel. I spent my time sleeping, reading, running, sleeping, hanging in the hammock, and more relaxing. From there we ventured to Leon which is essentially a college town providing us with tons of good restaurants, fun night life, great second hand clothing stores, and NEARBY VOLCANO BOARDING. 

Volcano boarding was probably my favorite thing from the trip. Nicaragua is, I believe, the only place in the world where you can literally sled down (or snowboard down) a volcano. We carried our boards up the volcano for about 45 minutes to the top. It was a long 45 minutes mostly because I thought the wind would carry me off the side of the volcano, but we made it. After 45 minutes climbing it takes about 3 minutes to come down sledding. There is nothing quite like sledding down a volcano. I would FLY down and then have to flip myself to stop the sled from losing control. Surprisingly, it does not hurt. The terrain was rocky, but more of a soft, volcanic ash. It was thrilling, fun, dirty, and a once in a lifetime experience of pure adrenaline. I loved it.

The next day after volcano boarding we toured the Flor de Cana Rum Factory. For those of you who know me you know I am not much of a drinker. But Flor de Cana is different. It holds a special place in our hearts as the cheap rum that is ubiquitous at PC events. Therefore, when you are in Nicaragua (birthplace of Flor) you have to check out the factory. Plus, I had never seen a rum factory, nor tried the 18 year aged rum, so I HAD to go. I was quite surprised at the sophistication of the factory and just how much I could learn about rum from an hour and a half tour. Definitely worth its heavy price tag. 

The last stop on our trip Esteli/Somoto. It was a nice change of pace because of its cool climate (NICARAGUA IS HOT--it feels ways hotter than El Sal). We were happy to sleep under blankets and walk outside in sweaters and jeans for a few days. Somoto was placed on our travel list when we heard from a bunch of backpackers in El Salvador that it has a one of kind canyon tour including a long float trip down the river, jumping from high rocks, and beautiful canyon views. We were sold! It was a beautiful trip and really fun. I highly recommend it, especially if you enjoy the thrill of jumping from cliffs! 

Overall, it was a really fun trip. I am so thankful for such wonderful friends to travel with, the opportunity I have been given to travel here in Central America, and the realization that even places that you don't really think about going to have so much for you to discover. I am looking forward to discovering more.

Not Going Home for Christmas

Happy New Year! I hope each and every one of you had a wonderful holiday (whichever one you celebrate) and have begun 2013 with a bang! I know January is typically the time to look forward and make plans for the upcoming year, but before I get to that I need to document my December here in El Salvador.

If you are a loyal reader of this blog you will remember or if you are random reader you can look back in this blog to this time last year and find a post titled “Going Home for Christmas” where I chronicle my difficult decision to return to the states for the holidays. I look back on that post and realize I spent a lot of my time justifying my decision to go home- you know listing all the reasons why it was okay to do so. But I think I was just too proud to admit that I was not strong enough to stay. At 3 months in site, I just could not commit to staying here and missing Christmas at home.

However, I am happy to report that 1 year and 3 months later, the situation is completely different. This year I made the relatively easy decision to stay in El Salvador for Christmas. I say “relatively easy” because it is never easy to make an active decision to stay away from your family, especially on the holidays. This year, however, as much as I wanted to go home I also really wanted to stay here for Christmas. Last year, I would have stayed only out of guilt and shame, but this year I believe I stayed for the right reasons: the love I feel for my friends and family in Upire, the desire to spend one Christmas with them, and the opportunity to celebrate a little differently in a new place.

In a lot of ways I did not really even know it was December (well the way I know it is December in the states). There were few, if any, decorations, no Christmas music really, only some random Christmas movies, and no shopping for gifts. The only time I really felt the hint of commercialized Christmas was when I would go down to the city and into the supermarket—music, decorations, food, gifts, toys, etc. Here Christmas seems to be defined by the basics: family, food, and friends. You know it is December when everyone is visiting family and friends (full houses!!!), enjoying vacation and relaxing in the house, and mentally and physically preparing for the meals on Christmas Eve (in El Sal, Christmas is celebrated on the 24^th, not the 25^th).

Essentially, that is how I spent December: hanging out with my host brother and sister, enjoying time away from the school, hanging out with friends and family, and preparing for Christmas eve. Despite it being vacation though, there was still work to be done too, which I will document first before the festivities!

The week before Christmas the youth committee and I were busy preparing for special “Dia de Comercio” the Saturday before Christmas Eve. We decided to decorate, play festive music, give out gifts (including a huge basket filled with food), and have two piñatas for the kids. In addition, the youth committee was also in charge with helping with a Christmas Lunch that was planned for the clients of the community’s finance group. We had to decorate the auditorium of the school, make all the food, and prepare the program. Needless to say, it was a long and busy week. But it was well worth it! It was a really special day for everyone in the community, brought a lot of people out to the community market, and right before Christmas it really helped me (and others I am sure)get in the spirit! Here are some pictures of that day: 

Members of the Youth Group and the Gift Basket

Bashing the pinata!

On to the best day of the year (CHRISTMAS EVE / more importantly the BIRTH OF YOURS TRULY): At precisely 4 a.m. I was woken up to the sound of singing and fireworks coming from outside my bedroom door. I jump out of bed and find my host family, a few best friends from the community, and a band singing Happy Birthday songs to me. I was SO SURPRISED. But the surprises did not end there. I would have been extremely happy with being serenaded at 4 a.m. and a small dinner with family at the end of the night. But Upire never ceases to amaze me. The youth group, teachers from the school, and my closest family and friends got together to throw me a HUGE SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY. I should have known something was up when my host sister wanted to straighten my hair, loan me a dress, and paint my toe nails. But I just figured it was to look nice on my birthday...oh no, I was very wrong. I was sent a (odd?!) note asking me to go to the school and take out a book from the library and when I got to the library there was everyone shouting surprise! It was a lunch party filled with grilled vegetables, fruit, candy, a pinata, games, and just tons of laughs with my 25 closest friends.

Here is what it looked like:

Host sister and best friend Kellye preparing plates!

Youth Group Boys

Pinata Time!

Smurf Pinata and me

It was definitely one of the best birthday parties I have ever had. I almost teared up telling them how much this meant to me. I still cannot believe that they love me this much. I am so honored, blessed, and happy to live in this community. I am so lucky that I call Upire home now.

The rest of Christmas Eve was spent eating with the family. One family party included rice, chicken, and salad. Then afterwards there were chicken sandwiches. Lots of food and then sleeping late the next morning--haha just like home! :) I was on such a high from my amazing birthday party that the day passed quickly and I did not suffer much homesickness. I was surrounded my so much love and affection that it was virtually impossible to feel sad.

However, the 25th was nothing. Just clean up and saying goodbye to family and friends.  I'll admit it was kind of sad--like a REALLY rough post Christmas blues. But I just tried to forget it was Christmas and that my family was all together without me. It worked for the most part, but I think only because I spent most of the day packing to go to NICARAGUA with my friends. Details on the trip in the next post!!!!!!!!!!

Overall, Christmas (December) in El Salvador was a very special experience - one I was cherish for the rest of my life. I am so thankful for both of my families- my Salvadoran one that made me feel loved and cared for so far away from home and my USA one who constantly supports me in all that I do. I love you all very much! My Mommom sent me a card with the perfect quote to summarize this Christmas: "It is the Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air"- WT Ellis

As for making New Year's Resolutions, I don't really have any. My one resolution is to treasure time. Treasure the days instead of constantly looking forward.

Graduation

**Warning, this post is a little old, but I feel the need to post about our Kindergarten graduation this year in response to the terrible events in Connecticut this week. I dedicate this post to the fallen and their families and cast it as a reminder to treasure our children for they are our future and we owe it to them to keep them safe. To the kids around the globe struggling to go to school- keep going, learning and growing, and keep making us proud. Hopefully, we will turn these events around and make you proud too. This is a call to action, adults, in the name of our kids so that they may graduate not only Kindergarten but high school, college, and go on to make this world a better place.

Here in El Salvador the school year ends in the middle of November culminating in the graduation ceremonies for kindergarten and ninth grade (as well as high school in the main towns). This was my first year being a part of the graduation ceremonies in Upire since last year I was in San Vicente going through my second round of training.

Graduation resembles a lot of the formal events here in El Salvador. A lot of people show up really dressed up in their Sunday best, there is a long, pretty boring program, and a big lunch to follow (for the important people, like me J). I had the pleasure of sitting at the “Mesa de Honor” or special people table for ninth grade and kindergarten graduation, so it did make it somewhat more special for me than the usual events.

The kindergarten graduation took place first on November 13^th and I was asked to be the “Madrina,” which is basically just someone who is an “honorable” guest at the ceremony, sits at the honor table and hands out the diplomas, and typically buys each graduate a small gift. So instead of my usual Peace Corps wear, I put on my Sunday best (an amazing dress I had made by a seamstress (my host aunt)), straightened my hair, and sat at the special table. During the ceremony I gave a small speech about learning to read and write, then they presented the other Madrina and myself with a diploma of honor, we handed out diplomas as the kids graduated, and at the end I gave each kid a small gift (t-shirt). It was a small, entertaining ceremony, especially because the little ones are just so darling in over the top cute outfits and they also performed a few songs that were just too precious to describe adequately. Afterwards, I had lunch with the other special guests, the kids had cake provided by the other Madrina, and we were all home relaxing by 1:30 p.m.

Here is the ceremony in pictures: 

Handing out Diplomas 

Can you really expect them to spell Albrecht right? ;)

Dancing Ninos!!!

The following Monday was the ninth grade graduation ceremony, which was huge (more people at one event than I have ever seen in Upire, except for maybe the day the market opened) and a little bit longer (but not as long as I anticipated). For this event I was not anything special with a title, but I still had the pleasure of sitting at the honor table. I still had to put on a formal dress (another one made by my host aunt), straighten my hair, and put on make up (such a rarity J). But, I was Don Brian’s beautiful ;) escort. Brian was actually the “Nominada” of the ceremony, which is basically the honored guest who gives a longer speech and usually (but not required) gives each of the kids a gift. Brian gave a short, but sweet and funny speech and bought each of the kids a wonderful gift (a monogrammed towel and a picture frame with pictures of each kid).

The ceremony was simple. The school director spoke to the graduates, their professor, Brian gave his speech, a student gave a “thank you speech” on behalf of her class, and then the ninth graders performed a song as a way of saying goodbye. Afterwards, we had another big lunch with all of the guests of honor.

More pictures:

That wraps the end of the school year. I’ll admit I am ready for the tranquility of December. Everything is about to shut down and go into vacation mode, including myself ( I might actually already be there). Although, I am spending my birthday and this Christmas in my site in Upire, I am going to Nicaragua right after the holidays. I am definitely a little bit sad about missing Christmas at home with my family and friends (actually really sad, I LOVE XMAS TIME), but I know deep down I need to give Upire one Christmas.

P.S. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving! I sure did. I got to enjoy it from the comforts of a beautiful embassy home with a wonderful American Navy family. I enjoyed all the fixings of American Thanksgiving and left super, squeaky clean after a hot shower—it was glorious. Enjoy the holidays.