noticias de una gringa feliz

Buenas a todos!
Well here I am! It is hard to believe that it has just been a few days that I've been in this beautiful country, it is hard to sum up all that has happened already! One word best sums up the view as we flew into San Salvador-GREEN. As I stared out the window with a ridiculous grin on my face I remember thinking to myself ¨I´m here, I did it!"
I moved into my new house, Casa Ita (after Ita Ford) the smallest of the three student homes, with all women. There are eight of us, including two Salvadoran scholarship students (baccarias) and my Community coordinator, Annie (a Casa alum, a mentor and friend for us). I am already amazed at the sense of community between my housemates, and all 23 of us Casa students.

my corner of our lovely little cuarto (and the door to our deck!)

A few highlights...
On our second day, after resting up and getting settled, we headed off to the UCA, to see the museum dedicated to the Jesuit martyrs, and the rose garden where these brave men those their lives. Anyone who knows me well is probably imagining the amount of geeking out that this event meant for me, and you couldn't be more correct. I packed up my camera and eagerly walked down with my new friends, ready to document this incredible moment! But things were a little different than I imagined.
Walking onto the UCA campus was breathtaking...I will literally be walking under palm trees and past the most beautiful flowers on my way to class each day! My inner hippie was doing summersaults. But when we stepped into the museum things changed, it felt a lot more real for me as I looked at the last articles of clothing these men wore, and pictures of them throughout their lives. A Salvadoran woman, Gris, led us out to the place where they were killed, which has been made into a rose garden. Just then, it started to rain lightly (which happens often here) and something inside me didn't want to take pictures at all, it was real in a way that didn't need to be documented at all...being present to it was more than enough.

The other day I met a man named Lolo at dinner, who is from Mariona, the community where I will be spending two days a week. I have been having a lot of trouble with what El Salvadorans call "pena" it is somewhat of a shyness, a littel bit of anxiety, but mostly-what Annie explained to us, a "fear of being known" when it comes to speaking Spanish. But I finally got up my courage to attempt being a part of a group of students talking to him, and he was adorable! After openly sharing about his family, daughters, and much about his country and its struggles, he said something that I will never forget...he said that every year students come to his community-whose people do not speak any English, and the students sometimes hardly speak Spanish. But they always manage to communicate, he smiled and held his hand to his heart and said "porque hay una lingua del corazon, que rompa las fronteras"--"there is a language of the heart that breaks down barriers" At which point I teared up, smiled back, excused myself, and promptly decided that this man will be my new friend.

Another night we went out for Pupusas (what someone in my group described as a Salvadoran hot-pocket, but better) and were serenaded by a mariachi band--MY LIFELONG DREAM! The pupusas were delicious, even if I could feel my arteries slowly dying. Later we walked to a nearby overlook, and looked out on the beauty of the city at night. It was dark with just a sprinkle of lights around the base of a huge mountain. Every once in a while a flash of lightening would light up a bit of the sky--and taking pictures that we knew couldn't quite capture how exquisite it was. It was so peaceful!
Yesterday we visited two of the service sites that some of my friends will be spending time (as part of orientation we will see all eight sites, so that when we share experiences there is a point of reference) There was a heck of a lot of hardcore hiking, but later on we trekked out to a local swimming hole with tons of kids, water has never felt so wonderful!

And for all of you who are trying to picture my adjustment to this country, here are a few new things on the Maura-radar:
-They weren't kidding about the showers here--I stepped in on my second morning here and appreciated that they didn't even pretend I had options. There was only one knob, one temperature. One refreshing way to start the day! Maybe its just because the honeymoon phase of being here hasn't worn off, but I stand in the cold showers with the dumbest goofy grin on my face every time.
-Pedestrians here have NO right of way, so I opted out of a group run through the streets given that I'd rather avoid being the kid that got hit by a car during orientation week. Instead I headed down to the dirt track at the UCA with some friends, and enjoyed the scenic mountain/Burger King view without fear of crazy taxi drivers. For those of you concerned with my getting lost, there is one comfort. This town is one entire incline, so I've learned one thing-home is up, school is down--so side street names are my new challenge!
-Living without a cell phone or regular internet has been a rather liberating feeling, and I don't mind not being able to flush toilet paper--however, I am still morning the loss of fresh milk :( I have not gained up the courage to try the powdered milk quite yet. Call me a coward, but I am afraid of disappointment.

There is so much more I could say, but this has gotten much longer than I imagine anyone has time to read. I miss home, and my beautiful family and friends...but I am so happy here, and grateful for all of the "confianza" that you have sent me here with.

Spanish word of the day: lobo--balloon
random reminder of home: this internet cafe is currently playing "papa don't preach," and earlier I outwardly sang along to "last christmas" (luckily only us gringas are here)

Hasta pronto mis queridos amigos!

Maura