This is the life

It has been four days in San Salvador and so much has happened! I feel like I still don’t know anything and that I’ve been here forever at the same time. Sometimes I wish I could be here forever and other times I really wonder how you couldn’t be insane living here. Here are some few things about El Salvador that I have found interesting, fun, or just pain bizarre:
• Transportation: first of all, the roads are CRAZY here! Basically no traffic laws are reinforced and so they are basically nonexistent. We ride in the back of a truck and/or squeeze six or seven into a tiny car on a daily basis. And it’s pretty fun zipping around super fast! But the funnest part of transportation is the bus, we take the bus just about everywhere. Fare costs only twenty cents and you get CRAMMED in! It’s fun to talk to the driver or people you’re sitting next to, we get catcalls constantly, and I’ve actually seen a drunk man basically fall flat on his face in the curb getting out of the bus. Probably the funniest experience was us trying to squeeze out of the bus that was completely full. I don’t know how I managed, but all of us got out except one of us. Peter, another volunteer, realized Lisa was still stuck in there somewhere and decided to go in. It reminded me a lot of giving birth, we first saw her arm, then shoulder, then her body getting pulled out, and all of the Salvadoreans were there yelling “Poosh! Poosh!” It was quite the accomplishment getting out!
• Food: The food is so good here! Unfortunately we can’t try everything for sanitation purposes and so we go to some American fast food places every once and a while. However we do get an authentic experience every weeknight when we have dinner at Estela’s house who cooks for us. The first night she made chiles rellenos, arroz, agua de piña y arroz con leche! I felt like I had died and gone to heaven. As I continue to have different food experiences I will share more. And yes, the pupusas are amazing, but tragically we can’t have the cortido because cabbage is a little shady to try here.
• Projects: So far I have worked with three projects, an orphanage for abused or abandoned boys and teenage girls, an eye screening center, and English classes. It’s been really fun! My favorite part is getting to talk to people. I don’t know if I’m still learning the specific Salvadorean language, but my Spanish needs a lot of improvement. Everyone is very kind and patient and willing to help. It’s hysterical to see people watch us, sometimes a whole bus is staring at us as they drive by, I even had a little girl tell me that her little sister was scared of me! But then we became friends ☺
• Fun: We have had a BLAST so far! On Friday we had our new volunteer “initiation” in which we went to the market on a mission to find three things: the most random toy, piece of underclothing, and piece of jewelry. I got some pretty crazy stuff, and all for less than 6 dollars! That night we went to a YSA dance for the world cup and had so much fun! My dancing is getting a lot better! We danced until our feet hurt, but it was so worth it. It makes me excited to come home and practice my Latin dancing more! Yesterday was the best so far, we went to basically the most amazing beach house you could imagine. Secluded area, beautiful waves, swimming pool, private cook, and a hammock hut. I felt like I had died and gone to heaven once again. It was so fun to relax and enjoy the sun, honestly I couldn’t have expected anything better. Today we went to the Spanish ward and we are at a member’s house right now. Actually the power and wifi is out right now so we’re playing mafia and I’m typing up a word document. Life couldn’t be better!
• The few things that I don’t quite like here: peanut butter is way expensive, gross men are hitting on us and giving us catcalls, you get a sweaty film all over you because of the heat and it never seems to go away, and the showers are freezing cold! Other than that this is basically the best ever ☺. If you have any questions about life or the country or anything at all, just comment and I’ll try to accommodate you as best as I can. Hope the summer is going great for you! ¡Que les vayan bien!