Hey
wow, two blog postings in two days. amazing. Yesterday was a good day. I went with mike and a few other members of our group (including the director) to first go to a women´s organization. that was really cool beacuse they worked with up to 5000 women with subjects like credit but also unionization. it was sad because the day before the embassy had told us that CAFTA had done a lot to help unions, but then they told us that there were actually none (we later found out that there is only one union in El Salvador). It was sad because they told us how the jobs had been shipped to china since the quotas had been lifted and that they feared losing their jobs. therefore fewer and fewer complaints were being logged because people were afraid to tell their supervizors and get canned. but the organization was very strong and it was really impressive to hear their stories and they way that they were still happy about life.
In the afternoon we met with a doctor at the state run hospital (Hospital Rosales) who is also the president of the only union which is medical union. They have been fighing for better wages for the doctors and nurses but are also fighting against privitization because it would raise the price for normal people. He said that the government had been trying to privitize it (and thus be able to put more money in the pockets of the ARENA elite) for a while, but they are well organized and so they can stop the onslaught. He had a very impressive story of how he had been laid off for his work. We also got a tour of the hospital which was cool to see the work it was doing but also sad to see the people that were there who were in bad shape. In the evening, we figured out that the business trip from whitworth was only a couple blocks away and we headed over there to hang out.
today we spent basically all day in training. it was good because i now understand how the voting process works and feel like i am ready to observe it. it was long and tedious, but it will be interesting. there are definetly some major problems with the system. there is no public transportation on sunday (voting day) but instead the government gave the parties a lot of money to arrange free rides for anyone who was going to need it. so therefore the parties are driving people to the polls. also, everyone has an ID card here called a DUI (yea, giggle a little). They come to where they are supposed to vote and show the DUI and get their ballot, but besides the pictures, there is not much of a way to distinguish if the person is actually the one in the picture (everyone is dark skinned, has black hair, dark eyes, and a mustache). so, those are just a few of the problems. So, i will have stuff to do.
after training a few of us went to a museum of popular art and saw some cool miniature figrues. it was awesome. then tonight we are having a big CIS party. should be a blast. then tomorrow (friday) we´ll be off to the town to start getting ready to observe (I am now going to a town called Ilibasco not Cojutapece). anyway, lots of love and check out new pics
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2027089&l=2fc02&id=59400432
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Few days in, less confusion
Hey
First i need to clarify that any mispellings or mistakes that you read in this blog have nothing to do with my intillegence or inability to use the english language. simply the screen is so awful and fuzzy that i can´t really rad what i am writing. anyway, my life....
travel day went off without a hitch. all my flights were simple and we arrived in san salvador at about 630 am local time. So mike and i caught a cab from the airport and went into town. we didn´t know what was going on or where to go or anything, so we were going to have the cabbie bring us to an internet cafe (ok, i just switched computers so it should be better). But it was too early in the morning, so we asked him if there were any hostels around and so he took us to one. it turned out to be the peace corps hangout. so we booked the night, chilled with the volunteers for a little, took a nap, etc. we decided to try to go to the beach for the afternoon and so we went to where i remebered seeing the bus, but that didn´t really work and so we got some directions from a few dudes and ended up on a 5 bus trip around teh city. it was fun to be on the busses again, but no beach. so we bought a few things from the grocery store and started sitting on a bench right in front of the national cathedral. after a while, we started talking to some guy who was into politics, but was from the right. it was really interesting to hear his point of view and he was really cool. it made for a good argument but a very respectful one. and as in normal latin american hospitality if we need some place to crash, we now have one. once he left, we were fending off a drunk guy who kissed my hand in gratitude for nixon when a truck full of lucha libre wrestlers pulled up. one of them walked over and started talking to us in american english and he turned out to be a gringo from maryland. he gave us free tickets to the show. so then we went to a little of mass at a large, modern-ish catholic church just a few blocks from the cathedral. it was really beautiful, but once the sermon started, we realized that the acoustics were so echoy that we couldn´t understand anything and were starting to fall asleep, so we left for lucha libre. that was awesome. it started out kinda slow, but it got nuts. the last two fights were crazy. they broke the mat and so the final part, they were just running around the crowd hitting each other with chairs and throwing eachother into doors. it was great. then we got a ride back from the wrestling gringo (who was backpacking for 12 years and always loved it and so now works at a surf shop in MD and comes down in the winter to surf and fight). great first day.
monday morning we checked in with the organization and our hotel. we got our observation credentials. In my picture for mine, i was smiling too much the first time and had to do it mas serio. then we went back to the UCA, which was good. it was strange going again because i knew was to expect but at the same time, it was still very powerfull. then we had an orientation and we started to get to know the people that we are working with. CIS has representatives from all around the world and from lots of different walks of life. It has been really neat hearing all of the different perspectives on development and different ways that it is being done. I have met a guy who was working with human rights reparations in guatemala, a woman who has a masters in conflict resolution in sub sarahan africa and a couple of aussies who are just nuts (and lots more). it is really a great group of poeple, but i to all the CASPers, i do miss you guys more.
tuesday morning we had a meeting with a woman on polls that have been held to get a general feel for the political leanings of teh country (which is against ARENA and toward the FMLN). In the afternoon, we went to the embassy and got fed the same poo that we usually get fed there. then last night, richie and jeff came over and it was good to hear what they are up to (which is observing for the FMLN).
Today i am off to learn some about labor unions and women´s rights and then tomorrow is our big training day. friday afternoon i´ll be heading out to a town called Cojutapeque to begin preparing for actual elections and then will be back here on sunday night.
As for me, i am doing quite well. at first, it didn´t feel right. my spanish was rusty, it was hot, i was tired, but after talking with the guy in the park and lucha libre, i have felt much more comfortable. I have been blessed by the group that we are working with (it is strange because it is so multi-generational) and i fell good. so, please pray for a good election and pray that i keep rolling because this has been great so far.
lots of love
First i need to clarify that any mispellings or mistakes that you read in this blog have nothing to do with my intillegence or inability to use the english language. simply the screen is so awful and fuzzy that i can´t really rad what i am writing. anyway, my life....
travel day went off without a hitch. all my flights were simple and we arrived in san salvador at about 630 am local time. So mike and i caught a cab from the airport and went into town. we didn´t know what was going on or where to go or anything, so we were going to have the cabbie bring us to an internet cafe (ok, i just switched computers so it should be better). But it was too early in the morning, so we asked him if there were any hostels around and so he took us to one. it turned out to be the peace corps hangout. so we booked the night, chilled with the volunteers for a little, took a nap, etc. we decided to try to go to the beach for the afternoon and so we went to where i remebered seeing the bus, but that didn´t really work and so we got some directions from a few dudes and ended up on a 5 bus trip around teh city. it was fun to be on the busses again, but no beach. so we bought a few things from the grocery store and started sitting on a bench right in front of the national cathedral. after a while, we started talking to some guy who was into politics, but was from the right. it was really interesting to hear his point of view and he was really cool. it made for a good argument but a very respectful one. and as in normal latin american hospitality if we need some place to crash, we now have one. once he left, we were fending off a drunk guy who kissed my hand in gratitude for nixon when a truck full of lucha libre wrestlers pulled up. one of them walked over and started talking to us in american english and he turned out to be a gringo from maryland. he gave us free tickets to the show. so then we went to a little of mass at a large, modern-ish catholic church just a few blocks from the cathedral. it was really beautiful, but once the sermon started, we realized that the acoustics were so echoy that we couldn´t understand anything and were starting to fall asleep, so we left for lucha libre. that was awesome. it started out kinda slow, but it got nuts. the last two fights were crazy. they broke the mat and so the final part, they were just running around the crowd hitting each other with chairs and throwing eachother into doors. it was great. then we got a ride back from the wrestling gringo (who was backpacking for 12 years and always loved it and so now works at a surf shop in MD and comes down in the winter to surf and fight). great first day.
monday morning we checked in with the organization and our hotel. we got our observation credentials. In my picture for mine, i was smiling too much the first time and had to do it mas serio. then we went back to the UCA, which was good. it was strange going again because i knew was to expect but at the same time, it was still very powerfull. then we had an orientation and we started to get to know the people that we are working with. CIS has representatives from all around the world and from lots of different walks of life. It has been really neat hearing all of the different perspectives on development and different ways that it is being done. I have met a guy who was working with human rights reparations in guatemala, a woman who has a masters in conflict resolution in sub sarahan africa and a couple of aussies who are just nuts (and lots more). it is really a great group of poeple, but i to all the CASPers, i do miss you guys more.
tuesday morning we had a meeting with a woman on polls that have been held to get a general feel for the political leanings of teh country (which is against ARENA and toward the FMLN). In the afternoon, we went to the embassy and got fed the same poo that we usually get fed there. then last night, richie and jeff came over and it was good to hear what they are up to (which is observing for the FMLN).
Today i am off to learn some about labor unions and women´s rights and then tomorrow is our big training day. friday afternoon i´ll be heading out to a town called Cojutapeque to begin preparing for actual elections and then will be back here on sunday night.
As for me, i am doing quite well. at first, it didn´t feel right. my spanish was rusty, it was hot, i was tired, but after talking with the guy in the park and lucha libre, i have felt much more comfortable. I have been blessed by the group that we are working with (it is strange because it is so multi-generational) and i fell good. so, please pray for a good election and pray that i keep rolling because this has been great so far.
lots of love
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Leavning on a Jet Plane
So, Caitlin is coming to pick me up for the airport in about an hour. I am really being hit with the realization that I have NO idea what is in store for me, but that is a good thing. I kinda know what the organization is about, I know when/where to show up to start, but that is about it. I am so excited to just live again. That is one of my favorite things about the latin culture is the knowledge that what you are doing is the most important thing. You would never hear of someone saying "dude, I'd love to talk, but dinner is on and I've got to get home" or something. I am just excited to turn off my cell phone, ipod, and computer, leave my keys with Alice, and put on my traveln' Chacos. It just feels right again.
Last night some of the most amazing people one could know put on a "going away party" for me. I would say that it was a little more of an "I want to go too" party, but that is why I love them. But in natural conversation, Kelsey asked me what my goals for this trip were, so I thought I would share a little of them with you.
1) I want this to be a different trip. This is not CASP 2008. It is a different purpose, different people, different time, etc. When I was a freshman in high school on my first AMOR mission trip, there was a kid who kept comparing EVERYTHING to "last year." It drove me crazy. I don't want to be that. I feel that I did have a very open mind last time because I had no expectations. I am now going back to places that have changed me. I can't be going back to get the same feelings or to have the same thoughts, but rather completely new ones. For example, monday afternoon, I will be either visiting the site where Romero was murdered or the UCA where the Jesuits were slain. Both were incredibly difficult locations before and I have had problems thinking about what it will be like to go back and if I can put myself through it again. I don't want to become calloused, but I need to treat these like new experiences. I think the same can be said about going to Honduras. It will be different and that is good.
2) Be all about people. I don't have homework, I don't have reading that I have to do, I don't have a structured journal to keep up. It didn't keep me from people last time, it shouldn't this time.
3) By the time I come back, I want to know why I went. Honestly, right now, it feels like I am going for more selfish reasons than anything else. I am there to "help" the country, but what gives me that right? What makes me the authority? Is it because I have a degree in Cross Cultural Studies from Whitworth, is it because I have the magic blue passport, or is it because I can actually help. Also, why am I going to Honduras? I want to see these people that have helped shape who I am, but is it being too pompous to travel half way around the world twice in a year to see these people that have never been further than a 3 hour bus ride from their village? Am I bringing anything to them or is this just for me? How can I bring something of value to their lives?
4) I also want to know if this is what I am supposed to do more of.
So, that is just a few thoughts to kill some time today. Thank you all for send off messages and prayers. I love you each dearly.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
8 months later and going again
Well, it is a little strange to be doing this again. I have sat down a few times and worked my way through my messages again. It is strange to go back, to remember the stuff that struck me, and to now be a long way away from that. It is kinda scary, but yet awesome to go back and read stories that I had forgotten. It is awesome because the memories flood back with such a richness that really allows me to relive those moments. They also scare me because they make me realize how much I have forgotten. There is no way that I could even joke with myself to make believe that I can remember everything, but it is always sad to realize what you have forgotten.
As for a quick roundup on what has happened in-between these postings (though most of you already know this or may have only met me during this "in-between time." I spent my summer as a counselor at Camp Spalding just north of Spokane. It was an amazing experience to be surrounded by so many people who love Jesus so much and it was a blessing to be able to avoid the "standard" american life for a little longer. CASP was a very "this world" experience where we focused on the plight of humans and were trying to figure out how to seek humanity and social justice. Camp was quite oposite. We were working for something that was a little more supernatural. I feel like it was a good time for me to talk to God and to see what he thinks about life. I had a lot of fun, but by the time it was over, I feel like I had been separated from a lot of what I was fired up on when I got back in May.
After a family vacation to Canada, I moved into a house in Spokane with Cory and Caleb (who are getting their Masters in Teaching. From my first day there, I dedicated myself to living a simple life. I don't own a car (though thank you Alice for letting me borrow one during this snowy Christmas season) but have mainly used an old bike that I found in a shed at camp. I am trying to save up a good chunk of money to pay the government back for my student loans so that I can go abroad (and therefore continue writing for "the blender").
So that brings me to why I am writing again. On January 10, I'll be getting on a plane to go to Central America again. I am going to El Salvador with Mike Johansen to be an elections observer for the salvadorian municipal elections. We will be working with an organization called CIS (Centro de Intercambio y Solitaridad http:www.cis-elsalvador.org/ ). We will be working with them for a little more than a week. At this point it looks like a few days of culture and training in San Salvador, then a few days observing in a smaller town and then back to write reports on our municipality. I am really excited about this job because it is something that truly interests me and because I think it is super important. About 70% of salvadorians don't have faith in this or the presidential election in March. ARENA and the FMLN (the two main parties) are the two most opposed main parties in the Western Hemisphere. They are both slandering each other in ways that put McCain and Obama's mudslinging to shame. This is only a year after 60 people were killed in the elections process a boarder away in Guatemala. Of course this is a country that is full of gang violence and only 16 years away from signing a peace treaty. Not to make it sound more dangerous or to blow anything out of porportion, but this is an important time for the country. The FMLN is leading in the polls and it will be facinating to see what happens.
After observing, we are hoping to hop the border to Honduras and see our families there. I got a letter from the Gutierrez family (my Honduran family) a couple weeks ago. They were really hit hard by the heavy rains this fall. Some of the CASPers have been talking about finding a way to help out and so I hope that Mike, Richie (separately going down) and I can give a little better picture of what was/is going on.
Well, this is getting long (which is a great habit of mine), so I'm going to conclude. I am excited to go back and I hope that you can share my excitement too. Keep checking back, I won't flood your inbox, but just want to keep you posted.
Prayer Requests
As for a quick roundup on what has happened in-between these postings (though most of you already know this or may have only met me during this "in-between time." I spent my summer as a counselor at Camp Spalding just north of Spokane. It was an amazing experience to be surrounded by so many people who love Jesus so much and it was a blessing to be able to avoid the "standard" american life for a little longer. CASP was a very "this world" experience where we focused on the plight of humans and were trying to figure out how to seek humanity and social justice. Camp was quite oposite. We were working for something that was a little more supernatural. I feel like it was a good time for me to talk to God and to see what he thinks about life. I had a lot of fun, but by the time it was over, I feel like I had been separated from a lot of what I was fired up on when I got back in May.
After a family vacation to Canada, I moved into a house in Spokane with Cory and Caleb (who are getting their Masters in Teaching. From my first day there, I dedicated myself to living a simple life. I don't own a car (though thank you Alice for letting me borrow one during this snowy Christmas season) but have mainly used an old bike that I found in a shed at camp. I am trying to save up a good chunk of money to pay the government back for my student loans so that I can go abroad (and therefore continue writing for "the blender").
So that brings me to why I am writing again. On January 10, I'll be getting on a plane to go to Central America again. I am going to El Salvador with Mike Johansen to be an elections observer for the salvadorian municipal elections. We will be working with an organization called CIS (Centro de Intercambio y Solitaridad http:www.cis-elsalvador.org/ ). We will be working with them for a little more than a week. At this point it looks like a few days of culture and training in San Salvador, then a few days observing in a smaller town and then back to write reports on our municipality. I am really excited about this job because it is something that truly interests me and because I think it is super important. About 70% of salvadorians don't have faith in this or the presidential election in March. ARENA and the FMLN (the two main parties) are the two most opposed main parties in the Western Hemisphere. They are both slandering each other in ways that put McCain and Obama's mudslinging to shame. This is only a year after 60 people were killed in the elections process a boarder away in Guatemala. Of course this is a country that is full of gang violence and only 16 years away from signing a peace treaty. Not to make it sound more dangerous or to blow anything out of porportion, but this is an important time for the country. The FMLN is leading in the polls and it will be facinating to see what happens.
After observing, we are hoping to hop the border to Honduras and see our families there. I got a letter from the Gutierrez family (my Honduran family) a couple weeks ago. They were really hit hard by the heavy rains this fall. Some of the CASPers have been talking about finding a way to help out and so I hope that Mike, Richie (separately going down) and I can give a little better picture of what was/is going on.
Well, this is getting long (which is a great habit of mine), so I'm going to conclude. I am excited to go back and I hope that you can share my excitement too. Keep checking back, I won't flood your inbox, but just want to keep you posted.
Prayer Requests
- safety: when I tell people what I am doing, I usually get the "won't that be dangerous?" question. I don't think that I will be in too much danger. I will be smart about it and I pomise to not do too much stupid stuff. But I do want the safety blanket of the Big Guy too.
- A good election: duh
- good times with the family: also duh
- That I can use this time as a way to grow and know better where I am supposed to go with my life
- God shows more of himself
Thursday, May 8, 2008
I'm back on American Soil (an not an embassay)
It is wednesday morning and I have been here in spokane since about 10pm on friday night. Since then, I have been in a whirlwind of seeing people, debriefing, and now making the presentation (SATURDAY 2:30 IN THE WHITWORTH AUDITORIUM). I want to say thank you to all of you who have welcomed me back and to all of you who have expressed reading these messages, so lucky for you, here is the last one.
After leaving San Salvador, the team split up into 2 groups. Half of us went to a town called La Mora and the other (my group) went to another called Las Vueltas (which is close to the honduran border). So we took a nice little chicken bus up to the town of Caltenango where we met the leaders of the youth ogranization that was putting together our homestay. We then piled into the back of a truck and headed 20 minutes up the hill to Las Vueltas. When we arrived, we walked into the parque central where there there were many pro-FMLN (the leftist party) paintings and murals, two sculptures representing those who had died fighting in the civil war in the area, and then an un-exploded bomb. So, in the first minute of being there we felt that we had a general understanding that this town was very involved in the conflicts during the 80s. We split off into homestays. I went with Travis to the home of one of the leaders of the youth organization's house. Her name was Areli. This began the rediculusness of this homestay. Travis and Areli were always making fun of each other and it made being there very fun. That night we played soccer (like normal) and then headed to bed. The following morning we woke up early do go do some community building work (like Community Building Day, but in spanish). So the ladies went to pick up garbage in the park and in the river and the men headed up the mountain with machetes and such to go do some "heavy labor." After hiking up the hill, we came upon a clearing with a bunch of rocks with hyroglyphics on it. our guides looked around and said "oh, well.... all of the clearing looks like it has been done......lets go pick some mangos." so that is what we did. We also found a rusty clip from an M16. This really brought the war to reality and put it in my hands. One of our guides said that there was a town near there where the government had come in at 3 in the morning and massacred 600 people by noon. I am still reeling from those numbers and the reality of those stories. finally, the girls got up there and were quite angry of how easy our day was. then we headed back and watched the ladies of the town (and cheri and Fletchface) play softball.
The next morning, we began a hike up the mountains. We were told that this was a 20 km hike, but personally, i don't believe it. It did take us within one hill of being back in honduras. at the top, there were caves that had been carved out of the hillside where the guerrellas had hiden, had a hospital, and held their radio as to hide from the government forces. I really was struck in the hospital cave because there were so many people who did not make it out of those caves and had put down their lives fighting for the lives of others. this was not an idealisit war for them. it was a war for survival. I really advocate for peace, but my host mom was forced to take up arms to ensure the safety of her children.
On Sunday morning, we watched people squeeze sugar cane, then went to mass. it was a good mass, but the interesting part was at the end when the priest lambasted the congregation for not turning out for the local protests against foreign owned mines. He also talked about how there was going to be a procession on May 14 to remember the massacre. In the evening, the town made us dinner. It was cool to see the way that they were excited about us coming and the future that they had.
Then monday, we hit the road. it was sad to see the town left behind because this was one of our favorite homestays because the people were sooooooo excited to have us there and we really benefitted from their lives. We then, after picking up the other group and going to Pollo Campero, went to a retreat center in the town of Tacuba which was close to the border with Guatemala. There we did debriefing for a few days. One of the days, we went canyoning in the national park "el impossible." This is when you hike through a river and whenever you get to a point when you can't hike, you cliff jump. it was AWESOME. that night we went to hot springs too. one of the most fun days of the trip.
our last night there, we had a coffee house where people did little things to commemorate the trip and to remember the amazing experiences we had done. I just gave flowers to everyone, but some sang songs, or preformed poems, or said what we are going to be doing in 25 years (apparently I will be winning the portland marathon without leg cramps). Then at 2am, we hit the road, the plane, and were back in the states.
so this is basically it. Thank you so much for reading these messages, replying, sending mail, and praying for me. You all are amazing and I would love to hang out. Please, let me know if you want to spend time. I have literally NOTHING to do next week. so send me a message. but more importantly COME TO THE PRESENTATION. well, actually, it is more an introduction to what we did. we will try to scratch the surface of what we did and how it affected us, but if you love me or any of the other 24 students, you should be there (I do understand if you can't though). but a reminder, it is SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2:30PM, COWELS AUDITORIUM.
thank you all.
muchas gracias con mucho amor.
Jose
After leaving San Salvador, the team split up into 2 groups. Half of us went to a town called La Mora and the other (my group) went to another called Las Vueltas (which is close to the honduran border). So we took a nice little chicken bus up to the town of Caltenango where we met the leaders of the youth ogranization that was putting together our homestay. We then piled into the back of a truck and headed 20 minutes up the hill to Las Vueltas. When we arrived, we walked into the parque central where there there were many pro-FMLN (the leftist party) paintings and murals, two sculptures representing those who had died fighting in the civil war in the area, and then an un-exploded bomb. So, in the first minute of being there we felt that we had a general understanding that this town was very involved in the conflicts during the 80s. We split off into homestays. I went with Travis to the home of one of the leaders of the youth organization's house. Her name was Areli. This began the rediculusness of this homestay. Travis and Areli were always making fun of each other and it made being there very fun. That night we played soccer (like normal) and then headed to bed. The following morning we woke up early do go do some community building work (like Community Building Day, but in spanish). So the ladies went to pick up garbage in the park and in the river and the men headed up the mountain with machetes and such to go do some "heavy labor." After hiking up the hill, we came upon a clearing with a bunch of rocks with hyroglyphics on it. our guides looked around and said "oh, well.... all of the clearing looks like it has been done......lets go pick some mangos." so that is what we did. We also found a rusty clip from an M16. This really brought the war to reality and put it in my hands. One of our guides said that there was a town near there where the government had come in at 3 in the morning and massacred 600 people by noon. I am still reeling from those numbers and the reality of those stories. finally, the girls got up there and were quite angry of how easy our day was. then we headed back and watched the ladies of the town (and cheri and Fletchface) play softball.
The next morning, we began a hike up the mountains. We were told that this was a 20 km hike, but personally, i don't believe it. It did take us within one hill of being back in honduras. at the top, there were caves that had been carved out of the hillside where the guerrellas had hiden, had a hospital, and held their radio as to hide from the government forces. I really was struck in the hospital cave because there were so many people who did not make it out of those caves and had put down their lives fighting for the lives of others. this was not an idealisit war for them. it was a war for survival. I really advocate for peace, but my host mom was forced to take up arms to ensure the safety of her children.
On Sunday morning, we watched people squeeze sugar cane, then went to mass. it was a good mass, but the interesting part was at the end when the priest lambasted the congregation for not turning out for the local protests against foreign owned mines. He also talked about how there was going to be a procession on May 14 to remember the massacre. In the evening, the town made us dinner. It was cool to see the way that they were excited about us coming and the future that they had.
Then monday, we hit the road. it was sad to see the town left behind because this was one of our favorite homestays because the people were sooooooo excited to have us there and we really benefitted from their lives. We then, after picking up the other group and going to Pollo Campero, went to a retreat center in the town of Tacuba which was close to the border with Guatemala. There we did debriefing for a few days. One of the days, we went canyoning in the national park "el impossible." This is when you hike through a river and whenever you get to a point when you can't hike, you cliff jump. it was AWESOME. that night we went to hot springs too. one of the most fun days of the trip.
our last night there, we had a coffee house where people did little things to commemorate the trip and to remember the amazing experiences we had done. I just gave flowers to everyone, but some sang songs, or preformed poems, or said what we are going to be doing in 25 years (apparently I will be winning the portland marathon without leg cramps). Then at 2am, we hit the road, the plane, and were back in the states.
so this is basically it. Thank you so much for reading these messages, replying, sending mail, and praying for me. You all are amazing and I would love to hang out. Please, let me know if you want to spend time. I have literally NOTHING to do next week. so send me a message. but more importantly COME TO THE PRESENTATION. well, actually, it is more an introduction to what we did. we will try to scratch the surface of what we did and how it affected us, but if you love me or any of the other 24 students, you should be there (I do understand if you can't though). but a reminder, it is SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2:30PM, COWELS AUDITORIUM.
thank you all.
muchas gracias con mucho amor.
Jose
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
last message from down here?
hey everyone,
i am writing what may be my last email from central america. wow, that is a strange thing to say. all those years of waiting, all these weeks of doing it and now it is coming to a close. so, i don´t remember when i last sent a mass email. it may have been in nicaragua. so we have been here for a week and a half. salvador has been one of the most packed, but yet awesome times we have had. we are staying at a hotel that we have basically taken over and so it is like a home. our first days we went to work with a program that helps kids stay out of the gangs. gangs are a huge problem down here and they have absurd amounts of power. so it was cool seeing people embrace the alternatives. the next day we had probably the most intense day of the trip. we began the day with an economic status of the country at the UNDP building. that was pretty cool. then we went to the UCA (University of Central America) campus and had a lecture of 500 years of salvadorian history in 1 hour. crazy. everything from colonization to the civil war (which is such a crazy and hard topic). our professor (Karla Morgan) wen to this university, so she gave us a tour of the school. we then went to the site of where 6 professors and a cook and her daughter were brutally murdered by the salvadorian military in 87. it was so moving. (that sentence does not give it credit, but i really don´t know how to explain waht looking at that rose garden that holds so much history in it means, sorry. lets have coffee sometime and maybe i can help you to see it). then finished the day with a lecture on modern salvadorian politics (which is sooooooooooooooo polarized). the next day we went to the national assembly, visited with ARENA (the conservative party) and the FMLN (the liberal party). it was amazing seeing the differences between the two parties stances and just the way they viewed the world. we then had a day of visiting museums and just hanging out here in san salvador. i love riding buses. the next day we went to the site where Archbishop Romero was shot while he was giving the mass. that was a very emotional visit because his life and death has really affected the life of the country and to go stand on the place where he was killed is mind boggling. there was a museum there too where they had his blood stained robes and pictures of his body as they rushed it out of the building. honestly i have had nights that i cant go right to sleep because i am being tormented by these pictures.
The next day we went out to a community called Huisisilapa where the the whole community was forced to flee to honduras for safety. when they came back, the organized themselves into a community that is working for the good of all and is doing really good work. there was a youth gorup there that was doing good work (including building a full sized soccer field). they had a town radio that i got to talk on too. monday we went to the US embassay and had a conversation that we felt actually didn´t feel terrible about. then we went to hang out and work with a GBLT rights group that were pretty cool. yesterday we had a free day, so instead of doing homework like everyone else, i and a couple other people went to a world class surfing beach and ripped the nar-nar. and then today we went to a different beach and played in the surf.
tomorrow we are going to go out to communities that are beginning ecotourism homesay stuff and we are going to be their guinea pigs. and then the last few days will be debriefing at another lodge.
so that is the trip. wow... thank you all for the paryers, hopes, emails, letters, and random thoughts. i really know that i couldn´t have done it without you. this is important MY PRESENTATION IS MAY 10. please come if you are near to spokane. ti wont be a compelte description o fwhat went on but it will be an introduction. also, i would love to spend time with you all. i don´t know if i will be able to tell you my deepest secrets or how i am going to change my life, but i can give you want i can. so yea, i guess i will see you all soon.
i am writing what may be my last email from central america. wow, that is a strange thing to say. all those years of waiting, all these weeks of doing it and now it is coming to a close. so, i don´t remember when i last sent a mass email. it may have been in nicaragua. so we have been here for a week and a half. salvador has been one of the most packed, but yet awesome times we have had. we are staying at a hotel that we have basically taken over and so it is like a home. our first days we went to work with a program that helps kids stay out of the gangs. gangs are a huge problem down here and they have absurd amounts of power. so it was cool seeing people embrace the alternatives. the next day we had probably the most intense day of the trip. we began the day with an economic status of the country at the UNDP building. that was pretty cool. then we went to the UCA (University of Central America) campus and had a lecture of 500 years of salvadorian history in 1 hour. crazy. everything from colonization to the civil war (which is such a crazy and hard topic). our professor (Karla Morgan) wen to this university, so she gave us a tour of the school. we then went to the site of where 6 professors and a cook and her daughter were brutally murdered by the salvadorian military in 87. it was so moving. (that sentence does not give it credit, but i really don´t know how to explain waht looking at that rose garden that holds so much history in it means, sorry. lets have coffee sometime and maybe i can help you to see it). then finished the day with a lecture on modern salvadorian politics (which is sooooooooooooooo polarized). the next day we went to the national assembly, visited with ARENA (the conservative party) and the FMLN (the liberal party). it was amazing seeing the differences between the two parties stances and just the way they viewed the world. we then had a day of visiting museums and just hanging out here in san salvador. i love riding buses. the next day we went to the site where Archbishop Romero was shot while he was giving the mass. that was a very emotional visit because his life and death has really affected the life of the country and to go stand on the place where he was killed is mind boggling. there was a museum there too where they had his blood stained robes and pictures of his body as they rushed it out of the building. honestly i have had nights that i cant go right to sleep because i am being tormented by these pictures.
The next day we went out to a community called Huisisilapa where the the whole community was forced to flee to honduras for safety. when they came back, the organized themselves into a community that is working for the good of all and is doing really good work. there was a youth gorup there that was doing good work (including building a full sized soccer field). they had a town radio that i got to talk on too. monday we went to the US embassay and had a conversation that we felt actually didn´t feel terrible about. then we went to hang out and work with a GBLT rights group that were pretty cool. yesterday we had a free day, so instead of doing homework like everyone else, i and a couple other people went to a world class surfing beach and ripped the nar-nar. and then today we went to a different beach and played in the surf.
tomorrow we are going to go out to communities that are beginning ecotourism homesay stuff and we are going to be their guinea pigs. and then the last few days will be debriefing at another lodge.
so that is the trip. wow... thank you all for the paryers, hopes, emails, letters, and random thoughts. i really know that i couldn´t have done it without you. this is important MY PRESENTATION IS MAY 10. please come if you are near to spokane. ti wont be a compelte description o fwhat went on but it will be an introduction. also, i would love to spend time with you all. i don´t know if i will be able to tell you my deepest secrets or how i am going to change my life, but i can give you want i can. so yea, i guess i will see you all soon.
Friday, April 18, 2008
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