I came to El Salvador completely open and empty. No expectations. And now . . . now I think I am in love.
The people we have met are incredibly kind and engaging, helpful and hilarious. There has been much laughter for me here in E.S.
The country is beautiful - from volcanoes and crater lakes to expansive beaches with not a soul in sight, only the encounter with the crashing waves! And who can pass up playing SOCCER with the local teenage boys on one of these beaches at SUNSET??
The food here is MUY DELICIOSO . .. we´re talking piping hot Queso Pupusa´s right off the grill of a ma and pa shop with one or two tables. AWEsome!
(Hana eating Pupusas)
(Our Beach House in El Salvador)It all began when we arrived one evening in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador. The bus dropped us off at a hotel. But the hotel was full. We caught a taxi (with a delightful driver who showed us pictures of his entire family - we´re talking grandchildren, nieces, nephews) and asked to go to La Estancia hostel. But the taxi driver hadn´t heard of the place, so he took us to a different hostel called Ximena´s. We checked in and the next morning both the owner and hte manager of the hostel stopped by to wish us a good morning and see if we wanted to catch a ride with them out to their beach front guesthouse on the northwestern Pacific coast of El Salvador. Umm, YES! Within the hour, we were loaded up in their jeep and on the road. Along the way, we stopped in different towns and got a flavor for local shops and foods. As we drove, the husband and wife team told us of El Salvador´s history and stories behind the natural landscape as we passed through it.
We arrived at the beachhouse - a lowprofile set of rooms with a couple of hammocks and the ocean. OH! THE OCEAN!! I absolutely delighted in body surfing the waves. I had no idea of the enormity and power of the ocean until I was right there in it, listening to the low roar crescendoing as the waves formed, blocking out all other sounds and then being pummeled as the waves crashed down on me, around me, sometimes tearing at my hair and swimsuit. I loved it!
(Hana BodySurfing)
(Kristen BodySurfing)
Right at sunset, a hundred pelicans appeared on the horizon, flying in formation. As they passed overhead, they turned and took roost in the two towering trees in the very middle of our beachhouse lot!
The next morning Kristen and I met up with the neighbor boy, Hector and jumped in his dug-out canoe. Kristen and I took turns paddling as Hector (who paddled the ENTIRE way) guided us through a maze of protected mangrove forest. We saw lots of fishermen out in their launches, either standing in their boats and throwing their nets into the air or submerged in the water with their spearguns. We watched fish called ¨Quatro Ojos¨ worm their way across the water like a mini-muskrat. We stopped at one mangrove island and with barefeet, we followed a little path through maiz (corn) and frijole(bean) fields until we came upon the residence of several campesinos (farmers). Upon meeting one of them by the name of Narcicio Garcia, he proceeded to pull out his machete and chop open three sweet coconuts for us to drink out of. He also handed each of us an aguacate (avocado), which Kristen was quite content to receive (a favorite food of hers).
(Kristen Paddling the Canoe)
(Hana Paddling the Canoe)
(Fishing net)
(Our tour guide)That evening, Hector came by to see us on his way to play the usual sunset soccer game on the shore in front of our residence with his buddies. He invited us to play, so I grabbed my bright green soccer shorts (gracias Mary Slav!) and joined them down by the water. We played and we played HARD! I picked out one of the guys from the other team (Yermo) - he was quick and good (and I like a good challenge) - and I stayed on him for most of the game. There were several times that I outwitted him! (though not nearly as many as he outwitted me, but I like to celebrate small victories!) Once I kicked the ball up and over Yermo´s head when he was goalie. I even made three goals! I was quite impressed with these guys - my teammates often passed the ball to me, even when I had just messed up the play before. I really appreciated their playing ethic and I know that made a difference in my confidence and playing ability. (Beline, you would be proud of me. I imagined your delight if you were here with me. I know you would´ve been first in line to play, so inspired by that thought, I got right in there with the guys! We ladies gotta show these boys what soccer´s all about :). I can´t begin to count how many times I stopped in the midst of the game to remind myself that I was playing soccer on a beautiful beach at sunset in El Salvador. It just doesn´t get much better than this!
And then it did. After the game and under a bright starry sky, Hector took Yermo, KK, and I to his aunt´s house for Pupusa´s. (Pupusa´s are a traditional El Salvadorean food, made of cornmeal grilled with cheese, beans, or a variety of meats in the middle. Think quesadilla-ish. I have been craving these since before we arrived in El Salvador, but hadn´t had any yet). We arrived at the intersection of two dirt roads, where a table and a grill were set up to one side. Tia (aunt) Malina was busy making Pupusa´s at the grill, while the whole neighborhood hung around eating or chatting. I ate FIVE Pupusa´s! They were fresh and piping HOT! Heaven to me, I must confess. The moment when I felt most alive and in my element (aside from the entire evening) was when I was trying to get a point across at the dinner table with my broken, simple spanish, and everyone was laughing, even Tia Malina! The entire evening was a highlight because of the SPARK of connection I felt with the Salvadorean people, first with the soccer guys and then with this community gathered around the dinner table.
(Sunset Soccer)There is something about El Salvador that has me in high-spirits, my body feels light, I´m chatting with the locals, overflowing with joy, laughing for no reason and constantly grinning from ear to ear. I feel intoxicated, but I haven´t had anything to drink. Except the water.
On our way back to San Salvador this afternoon, KK and I stopped by the University of Central America (La UCA) to see the memorials for Oscar Romero, six Jesuits, their housekeeper and her 16 year old daughter - all of whom were killed here in the 1980s because they stood up for the marginalized peoples of El Salvador and spoke truth to power. This is a whole other story that is important for me to tell you, but I will wait for another day.
Love and prayers,
Hana T.
