I finally have cable and internet, and am sitting in my recliner watching TV (and obviously on the computer too). I have to work tomorrow, but I really don't mind (except the having to get up early to leave by 8am). I love my job and I will get comp time for working tomorrow. And I don't have to go alone because I am meeting a co-worker and we're going together. The downside to all this is that moving is crazy expensive and I was an idiot and thought my landlord had cashed my check, so I put some $ back in another account and my check bounced. I get paid this week but NYS taxes the heck out of everything so things are going to be tight for awhile. Sigh. That won't stop me from going to find the pupuseria in Kingston tomorrow though!!!!

It's been a long time since my last update. I am just now getting back online after not having internet at home for about 10 days. And the tech who was supposed to be here between 8 and 11 didn't come til about 1:00 today. I was not a happy camper. Time Warner is giving me a $20 refund. Better than nothing at all, but still.

I have a new job which I LOVE and I have cable now (on a brand new cool TV) which I also love. This is the first time I've ever actually paid for cable, and I kinda like it ;) I've had it at other places, but always included.

Just a quick update. I'm tired and hungry (but of course I want nothing in my house) and enjoying watching TV ;)

Will be hopefully updating more frequently as I get settled. But the connections I've made are awesome, and everyone has been nothing but helpful.

I woke up in a great mood today. Then, this afternoon after a Gmail chat session, I got a bit annoyed (for really no reason over things that aren't a big deal) and have been going up and down all day. I went to try to go do work. Location 1 was closing in 10 minutes, so I went to another coffee shop, The Happy Badger. Well I got there and couldn't find a really quiet place to work, but didn't want to leave so I tried to make it work. The girls nearby were really loud and annoying. I was kind of productive, and I actually am enjoying working on this Spanish paper that is due next month (I get to use my thesis data, yay!). The thesis, however, is a huge pain and bane of my existance and I just want it to go away.

I have also been eating (good and bad stuff, but mostly bad) like it is my job lately. I think a lot of it has to do with hormonal issues, for which I am taking drugs, but would still like to know the root cause of this system's sudden failure to be regular. I just started taking the Pill (much to my chagrin, but had really no other choice) about a month ago, so I am hoping things adjust themselves soon, and it has (normally) helped regulate my mood some. I think I just need to get out of BG. I swear I am usually healthy (except for PC, which is an exception to the rule). Allergist suggested I try allergy shots to try to deal with sinus issues. I don't want to add to the list of meds I am already on, thankyouverymuch. He was condescending anyway (but I don't think he meant to be).

T-minus 3 days until pupusas and fabulous friends! Beyond excited! I even bought a new camera. It cost me about $100 total, but I had gift cards I'd never used and in the end it was cheaper than buying the other brands, because I didn't need to buy a new memory card. So all in all it cost me less than $40 out of pocket.

Which nicknames have you given to your friends, and why? Have they embraced them? View 581 Answers

During high school, there was a group of 4 of us who were tight-knit. Others came and went out of our circle, but the 4 of us always were, and have remained, close. We went through a period where we gave each other nicknames of Winnie the Pooh characters, but those didn't stick for too long. But the other nicknames have. Wendi was Duck, because she always said everything was just ducky; Kelly was Bubbles because she tended to be a bit flighty. Those are the two that have stuck and they've embraced them I guess (probably because they had no other choice!). We nicknamed Jason "Drew" for some reason--I think it had something to do with the Drew Carey Show, but I don't remember now, and that didn't stick much beyond high school either. Mine haven't stuck. My Pooh nickname was Piglet; some people still call me that, but not too often.

Today was a rough day. I woke up in a bad mood and couldn't shake it. I kind of got into a "fight" of sorts over Gmail chat because I allowed my bad mood to read too much into the IM session, and then she felt the need to explain herself, probably to make me feel better, but it just made me feel like an &*^ for misinterpreting it. But I just got to video chat with some friends from PC, which made me feel tons better. Now I have eaten, am watching old episodes of Grey's, and keep stuffing my face with sugar (which I have been craving super hard core the past couple days, so I'm thinking that coupled with my mood swings are indicators of something else).

Tomorrow starts Spring Break. And Friday I head to Columbus to get Zack (one of my dearest friends from PC), eat pupusas, and continue on to Pittsburgh to meet up with some other RPCV friends. We are decking out my car to look like a Salvi bus and going to "hillbilly watch" at a truck stop between Columbus and Pittsburgh. Zack is a ball of energy and it is sure to be a great trip. Now I just need to make it til then, because I still have to work 2 days this week.

Overall, I must say that today was a really good day. I edited and pared down my policy paper for today from just over 9 pages to 7.5 pages (only 1/2 a page over the maximum length). I went to the allergist this morning, who was kind of condescending and didn't really believe me, but then quickly changed his tune after examining me. I walked out with 3 new meds, came home and immediately took the ones I could--and felt immediate relief. Class went fairly well, we got out early, and then I convinced 3 other friends to join me at IHOP for free pancakes!!!

Now that I am finally able to breathe and feel much less congested, and the weather seems to be sucking less, I am a much happier person. Spring break is just around the corner, so time to catch up on work and the neglected apartment and, the best part, to Columbus for pupusas and onto Pittsburgh for a mini PCES reunion. Only drawback is it will only be a couple of days with people I haven't seen in a year or more. But better than nothing and the timing could not have been better.

Off to watch an episode of Grey's before bed, and hope my good mood and productivity continue into tomorrow.

So the past couple weeks have been crazy. I was in bed all weekend 2 weeks ago fighting respiratory issues and this past weekend I had a conference here in BG, which meant I got really behind on work. I had a proposal due Monday that I really couldn't start until Sunday afternoon, and that was a bit stressful because I had trouble narrowing down my research topic. Now I can breathe again (as long as I don't really exert myself, which kind of defeats the purpose, but at least I can do daily things without getting winded), but my body must think it's Spring because my sinuses have been killing me, and nothing is really working (including 3 rounds of different antibiotics, 2 of which are sinus-infection specific). I'm seeing an allergist next week, and hopefully he will give me some answers. I need to get healthy so I can be more productive.

So the conference I mentioned earlier was the Ohio Latin Americanist Conference (OLAC), and was held on the BG campus. Since my thesis is on migrants, a couple professors suggested that I present. So I did, and it went fairly well. I got a few comments about more directions I could go in (but, really, a 20 minute presentation doesn't have much room for more than "my research in a nustshell"). A few of my professors were there, including my committee chair, and today one of the other grad students told me that same prof was talking about my presentation and said she was impressed! Yay! It's coming along slowly but surely, and I have learned a lot since my last conference in October. And the thesis conveniently aligns with classes I'm taking this semester, so I don't have to reinvent the wheel and can use my data for those papers!

We (my partner for my assistanship) got a surprise e-mail yesterday from one of the professors who works with us, and wants us to make 52 packets for Monday. Of course, we cannot print on site, and BGSU now charges for printing, and we don't have enough supplies for all 52 packets. So we had to e-mail another professor, notoriously lax on e-mail, and figure this out. Finally figured out where we can print, but now we need to get one final thing from the first professor so we can just print everything at once. Hopefully it all works out.

Tomorrow is a presentation on Peace Corps and how it's lead me to grad school and where I am now. Should be fun. I LOVE talking about PC and El Sal. And I get to give a snapshot of my research.

Spring Break is in just over a week and I am so looking forward to it. I have a paper due this Monday, but met with my professor and now have direction. And, for the first time in a long time, I have plans to go meet up with friends! A good friend from Peace Corps lives in Columbus, and he's lured me with the prospect of eating pupusas and speaking Spanish. Then, we'll continue on to PA to visit some other PCVs from his group. I haven't seen Zach in over a year, and it's been about 2 years since I've seen the other PCVs. So I'm super excited!

Ok this has turned into a longer post than anticipated. But for the handful of people who actually read this, thanks for bearing with me :) Oh, and as a completely random side note, I have been trying to figure out where Off the Map is supposed to take place, and am pretty sure that it's Ecuador. One of the characters said "chuta madre" which is very Ecuadorean. But, at the very least, it's set in the Andes (but filmed on the set of Lost...).

Not sure about most of the rest of the country, but BG is officially snowed in. Even the video store is closed. It's a mix of snow and ice, and there are apparently bad drifts. Campus is still open (of course), but area schools are all closed for the second day in a row. We are apparently under a Level 2 snow emergency, and the surrounding counties under a Level 3. It's treacherous, even to walk. Roads are bad (although I do hear plows) and sidewalks are just as bad because there is only about one shovel per mile in BG I've decided. I mean, seriously--it's OHIO, not the South. We get bad weather. Be prepared people. Ok, I'm done ranting. I think :)

I'm going to stay in, try to get ahead on some class work for next week, and catch up on the TV shows I've missed. Speaking of, the 2 websites I used to use to watch TV live online have been shut down. Sad...guess I'll have to wait til they come on Hulu.

Stay warm out there!

Last week was a pretty horrible week. I got a bad infection, and because ever since PC I don't handle antibiotics well (and over the summer developed allergies to 2 different kinds of antibiotics), I didn't get much relief. Then, I ended up having complications from the antibiotics (but after a 2 hour ordeal at the health center and a wonder drug, it's gone away) and on top of that I'm fighting a virus probably because I had a low-grade fever (sure didn't feel low-grade to me...). It hasn't turned into anything much, yet. I have a stuffy nose and I'm still feeling a bit run down and under the weather, and still have to be careful what I do, but emotionally today I was great. I think it's going to be a great weekend. I have my lit review to work on, which is going to suck, but I have til Monday. Originally it was supposed to be due tomorrow, but I e-mailed my advisor and told her I may need a few extra days because I was so sick all week. Plus emotionally things were rough, too. But I think things are going to be ok, and this weekend I don't have to be anywhere. I have to go to campus at some point to print articles for class and grab some books, but I have an open schedule, which is nice. Next week is going to be busy as well, and I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed, but just taking things as they come.

Tonight I had some friends over for an "anti-thesis" meeting. We had dinner and talked about our theses and other life things in general. We're making it a weekly thing, and I look forward to them. It's an excuse to get out and be social, and since we're all in the same boat, we can relate to one another.

Well, that's all for now. I'm beat from cleaning and cooking all day, so I think I'm going to curl up in bed and watch a DVD or something.

I can't fall asleep so I suppose I'll blog. That's been happening a few times this week, but when I take the laptop to bed to watch TV online, I suppose I'm asking for it. I should just go to bed when I'm tired.

Today was spent doing errands and not thesis. I spent the morning doing nothing because, true to form, I wasn't feeling great. I had an appointment with the doctor this afternoon anyway in an attempt to get new (cheaper) asthma meds, because mine weren't really working. I got new meds, but nothing cheaper. And more antibiotics. It was enough to make the person who checked me out make a comment on how many drugs I was walking away with. And the pharmacist knows me by name and remembers my history. Wonder if he's available? :)

So if all goes well, tomorrow I hope to keep cracking at the thesis, but plan to venture to the library where I can sit at a table and not be distracted by checking the internet all the time. We'll see.

I am supposed to give my advisor a date for when I'll get her my next chapter. She e-mailed last week and I have yet to respond with a date or touch that chapter. But, my independent study with her is linked to my progress so I need to get a move on.

I watched Shaun of the Dead tonight with a friend, and actually found it quite humorous. Note to self, avoid getting bit by zombies.

I think I'm getting back on track emotionally, slowly but surely. Fingers crossed. People are starting to notice my "dark" side coming out. 7 more months of this...!

Well, I guess I should try to sleep again. I don't have to be up at any certain time tomorrow, but I also don't like lying awake for long. Sigh.

Two posts in one day! This one is going to be super short, though. It's been a long day, and I'm beat.

But this past week, I met with two people to talk about my experiences in Peace Corps. One is leaving in a couple months, and another is thinking about applying. Plus, the video that went around on Facebook earlier in the week made me laugh and rethink my PC experiences. I realize that I just LOVE talking about PC :)

Good night all!

This semester has been one of extreme highs and lows. I am still having trouble getting back into a routine (yes, I do realize it's only the first week of classes, but deadlines are quickly approaching and I'm feeling the pressure). I've also been experiencing high highs and low lows. Not sure what's causing this--maybe I am more of a social creature than I realize. I've found that if I make myself leave my apartment and go to campus to the GA office, usually there's someone there, and just having that human interaction makes me feel better. Messaging on Facebook or Skype just isn't the same.

Last night, I went out to karaoke with a group of friends. I found out about it kinda last-minute, and was kind of upset that I was left out (turns out it was an oversight and I should've been invited in the first place). Then, when I was ready to go, I texted my friend to see if they were there yet, and they weren't. So I asked her to text me when they got there, and after about half an hour, I texted her again to see when they were leaving, and they'd already gotten there. I was annoyed again that she didn't text me to tell me they were there. I had a blast, but at some points I did feel rather left out. I hate feeling like an outsider! Again, I was in one of my moods, and I realize it was not a big deal. But, as the night went on and more people came, I loosened up and ended up staying out much later than normal and having more fun than I have in a long time.

Today, I'm off to visit a friend who served in El Salvador with me, and I'm in a good mood, so I will enjoy it while it lasts! Tomorrow is an MLK day of service all day (with all meals included even!) and Tuesday it's back to normal. I think knowing that I am doing something each day helps my mood significantly, gives me something to look forward to. But I still am not keen on BG. I am trying to make more of an effort to be social and take the initiative on social things, so we'll see.

Hi everyone,

I've been gone for a long time (I lurk on LJ almost daily, but seem to forget that I also have a blog and can post...). Last night, I decided that I really need to start blogging again to help mainly with stress issues, and to give me a break from thesis writing.

It's the first week of classes and I'm having trouble getting mentally back into academic land. I came back to school about a week before classes started, trying to give myself time to readjust, but with hardly anybody around, after the first couple days I realized quickly that I was lonely and started realizing I hate this town. To top things off, I have decided I am allergic to BG because I got sick just a few days after getting back. Nothing major, just a headache that wouldn't go away and prevented me from being able to do much more than watch movies. Speaking of, I did take myself to a movie. I saw Black Swan, alone. It was a great movie, but INTENSE. I loved every minute of it (ok, minus the seemingly unnecessary graphic parts), though driving home was a bit scary afterwards.

Yesterday was a super frustrating day at my assistanship. We had a meeting after school and realized that there was a giant miscommunication which was beyond our control but still would make us, the GAs, look bad. To top it off, the person whose "fault" it was is someone who thinks he is our supervisor and gives us "pet projects" to do. Luckily, it's not just us. One of the other people at the school let us vent a bit and said that he is bothering everyone. Right after we found out about this miscommunication, I received an e-mail from my thesis advisor asking me to give her a date for when I will submit my next thesis chapter. The two combined were enough to send me over the edge and affect the rest of the day. After I got home, I was still in a bad mood/overwhelmed, so I vented to a friend and decided to go to her place for a bit. I also decided I needed pizza and cheesy garlic bread,a decision I was sure I was going to regret later. I felt a bit bad last night after, but woke up in a GREAT mood this morning, so I guess it was all worth it :)

I am hoping to be done in August. It seems so far away but it is definitely going to creep up. I have 2 classes, a conference (or maybe two) to prepare for, thesis, and whatever else life decides to throw at me. At least I can make my classes work with my thesis stuff. Which makes life a bit easier.

I hope to keep blogging occasionally, and will try not to make it only a venting place :) Now, to kill time til Zumba starts, and finally head home for the day. I've been super productive b/c I have been on campus all day, but did not expect that at all.

Do you celebrate your country's independence? If so, how? View 1121 Answers

This is the first and probably only writer's block I'll respond to. But 5 de Mayo is celebrated in only one area of Mexico, commemorating the Battle of Puebla day. It is NOT independence day, and is an Americanized holiday, just another reason to party. That's my two cents!

For those of you who read this and aren't on Facebook, here's a link to my pictures on Snapfish. I went to El Salvador to visit for a week and had a blast! Enjoy!

http://www5.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=3197773008/a=60277076_60277076/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/

You may or may not have heard by now about the landslides in El Salvador from Hurricane Ida that have left 130+ dead. The department that was hardest hit was where I, along with all the other volunteers, did training the first few months in country. There have been casualties among host families, and the community of Verapaz that was most affected is one of the training communities. It's been called the worst natrual disaster since Stan in '05. Details are still pretty sketchy, and we're still finding out about host families and such. I just ask that you send your thoughts and prayers out to everyone there. It's pretty hard to imagine, especially since I have ties there. I want to just go back and help and do what I can, and just be with themBut, unfortunately, at least right now, I can't. I'm sure this will be a long rebuilding process and hopfefully . These families took us into their homes, were patient while we learned their language and culture, cared for us when we were sick and did everything they could to make sure we wouldn't get sick.

Slowly, life is starting to really seem like my icon. Things are all starting to fall into place. I have a job (kind of--substitute teaching at the local Catholic elementary school), and I just found out that I got accepted into my grad school program (Bowling Green State University in Ohio)!! It was a Peace Corps program, and there was a fellowship attatched, but unfortunately, I didn't get that part of it. I'm going in August. So between now and then, I need to file the FAFSAs, learn how to do my taxes on my own, and get a job so I can pay for grad school (or loans or whatever), and find somebody knowledgeable at financial aid because I have an educational award from AmeriCorps, but the details on exactly how to use it are sketchy. I'm super excited and really looking forward to the next step. And living alone again!

So if anyone has any advice or knows of anyone in the Bowling Green/Toledo area that needs a roomie or tips on housing or anything, shoot! :)

Oh, yeah, and today is my middle sister's 19th birthday so I am staying the night with her at school. Fun times.

So everything is slowly falling into place. Now if I could only find my missing meds and my mp3 player...(still living out of a suitcase, one that one of the animals decided to "christen" at that, and having two "homes" doesn't help things)!

Ok, so a good friend of mine is getting married this summer. She's marrying a good guy (compared to some of the other yahoos she's dated), at least judging from the few times I've met him. She just seems so despondent on this whole wedding thing. To her defense, she does have a lot on her plate. Her fiancee lost his job because his company closed the plant where he is now, or something like that, so he is being transferred to another state. He's still in school, so the company will fly him back on weekends to go to class. So she will be moving after the wedding. Plus, she's pregnant (surprise! but we don't think so much), which is why the wedding is so early...she was going to get married in the Fall. She is not exactly the mothering type. She is super excited about the baby (she's only a few weeks along) but not the wedding.

I am one of four bridesmaids. There are two matrons of honor, a junior bridesmaid, and me. We went dress shopping this weekend and did other wedding-related things. We got our dresses and she got hers. But we only went to 2 shops, and at least two of us weren't really crazy about the dress we picked out. It wasn't ugly and it looked good on me and one of the matrons of honor, but our other friend couldn't try it on because the dresses run so small in those shops. I think we should've gone around more, just to be sure. I've only been in a handful of weddings (a couple when I was a teenager, and one after college) and am still single, so I really don't know how this stuff works, but it didn't seem like this was "the" dress. And my friend found hers, which looked amazing, after only like 2 shops too, but she just didn't seem super enthused, like she'd found "the one."

This girl is normally uptight and almost OCD to an extent, so we all thought she'd be a major Bridezilla. But she's been the complete opposite. Our mutual friend, one of the matrons of honor, flew home from out-of-town just to help with wedding stuff, and didn't end up doing a whole lot because the bride to be just doesn't care. Plus, my bride-to-be friend knew I was coming up just to help her and did not offer me a place to stay. Her excuse supposedly was that she only had a couch and not a bed. Hello?! Does she think I'm that high maintenence? Luckily, my other friend said I could crash with her at her parents'.

I barely saw her the whole weekend. She offered to come get me on Friday because she was planning to drive down to tell her parents the baby news. I didn't take her up on the offer, because I didn't want to be in the car afterwards and because my other friend ended up having to come down. But then the bride to be decided to just break the news the next morning. I was planning on tagging along with my other friend to dinner with her friends (who I didn't know). Did the bride to be call me to tell me that her plans had changed? Nope! Dinner was fine, I had a great time and didn't feel awkward at all. But why did she not make an effort to see me? Even when I saw her in January, for the first time in 7 months, she did not even aknowledge my presence at first.

Anyway, I digress. We went to a craft store to look at centerpieces, and the lady showed us this beautiful idea involving tea lights and stuff. Amazing and elegant. But she seemed so blase about it. She's made only a handful of her necessary appts, leaving the rest to our mutual friend. Something is just not right. And we think that the relationship she's in may not be right either. He's recently divorced and they met and started dating before the divorce from his high school sweetheart was even final. And he has two kids. His wife cheated and now has a baby. So did my friend try to one-up the ex? And try to one-up another friend who's been trying to have her own child but with no luck? And what about another person she knows well who's in the same boat?

Plus, even though we've been friends forever, she's been distant. So I don't know if she's mad at me for going away (even though I tried my best to call her and write her while I was away, even though she barely kept up her end of the bargain) and we grew apart? I was having a tough time readjusting to life in the States after I got back, and it would have been nice if she could've driven down and talked (she studied abroad in college so kinda knows what I was going through). Or, even while I was away, she knew I was having health issues, but she never really called or wrote to check in. And now I'm back she keeps excluding me. She was talking about waiting til the one year anniversary for a honeymoon and leaving the baby (who will not even been a year old by then) with either of the two matrons of honor (one of whom lives out of state). I was sitting right there and she didn't even realize or correct herself. And, to add salt to the wound, she said it again the next day. Granted, I am planning to go to Grad School in the fall in Ohio if everything works out, but I'm closer than she'll be to our hometown, and closer than our friend will be. What is she going to do? Fly back home from out of town to drop off the baby? So am I just in the wedding because she needed an extra girl? What gives?

Anyway, we're just worried that she's having second thoughts or maybe didn't want to even get married in the first place. We think, and hopefully we are wrong, that she has a certain age that she needs to be married by in her head. She has a guy who she's comfortable with and figures he'll fit her purpose so she said yes. They've been dating about a year. And really she's not herself around him (she really hasn't been herself for years but that's another story). So we try to talk to her about it but everything lately goes in one ear and out the other. And how do we do it without her thinking we're disapproving or being petty or jealous??

Oh, and I somehow got roped into helping plan (and pay for) her shower. She wants it outside. In June. In this area, it could still be 40 degrees in June! At least this is motivation for me to start subbing again so I don't deplete my Peace Corps money. But she's making us crazy! At least it will all be over soon.

You Crave an Exhilarating Life

Your dream is to live a life of inspiration, ideas, and wisdom.

There's so much to do in the world, and it's important that you accomplish something great.

You desire success, but not necessarily material success. Success could be helping others find the right path.

More than anything else, you want to reach your goals... no matter how high they may be.

The Sunset Test

This entry is long overdue. I really haven't had much to post about since I've been home, but now some things are finally happening.

I am applying to grad school at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, to the Master of Arts in Cross-Cultural and International Education program. I take my GREs on Wednesday Feb. 25 and have spent most of my free time the past couple weeks studying vocab and reviewing math.

I think I've pretty much readjusted (I am still always cold, but that's WNY weather for ya!). I've kinda figured out how the world works again and am ready to start doing something with my time and making money again (once I get my GREs done that is). So we'll see.

For any interested, I got this e-mail a couple weeks ago about the Fresh Air Fund. They are looking for hosts and for college-aged counselors. I know most of you who read this probably don't fit the description, but I'll put it out there just in case. freshairfundcounselors.smnr.us/

That's all for now...will try to be more dilligent about updating and checking.

As I'd probably said before, readjustment and culture shock is coming in waves. First it was the weather, then it was the hurry up attitude of everyone here in the States. Then, realizing that my relationships had changed despite my best efforts to keep in touch, and then realizing that with some friends you can just pick up right where you left off. Lately, it's the whole speaking English thing (I'm not so much thinking in Spanish anymore but I just can't think in English that quickly...earlier today I told my dad to "up" the window!) and feeling like a fish out of water. I feel like I've missed SO MUCH during the two years I was away, not only in my family's and friends' lives, but I feel so behind technology-wise and pop-culture-wise too. I got an mp3 player for Christmas and downloaded a bunch of Spanish songs because I don't know any of the new songs and still need that little piece of El Salvador with me. Same goes for my cell phone. My ringback tone and ringtone are both Spanish songs that remind me of life alla. And I just don't know how to act sometimes...I feel like I'm kinda bumbling about, but I don't really fit in. I need to eventually find a job, but the thought of job searching or making any kind of decision like that, terrifies me. So right now, I'm just chilling, trying to catch up on what I missed while I was gone, and taking life one step at a time. I do know that I will NOT be leaving the country for any extended length of time anytime soon.

Just a quick update. Things have been crazy lately, so no time to post. But I am back Stateside. I got back yesterday (the 23rd) and for the first time was thankful for flight delays! I got delayed out of San Salvador by an hour, and would've missed my connecting flight in Atlanta had that not been delayed, too! I landed around 11 and finally got home around 1:30 am. It's still all surreal, not really hitting me yet that I'm home for good. But, on the upside, I talked to my little best friend today, and I am actually adjusting to the cold better than I thought. More thoughts on readjusting and post-Peace Corps reflections another day.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and happy holiday season.

Yesterday was a very typical day in the life of a volunteer, one of those days with lots of Peace Corps moments. My APCD came (the supervisor of the Youth Dev program), we had lunch in the pueblo, I had English class with the 6th graders (and they did AWESOME), then a parent´s' meeting where my APCD reminded them about the responsibilities of a volunteer (I'm requesting a replacement), the community's part, etc. One of the things she mentioned was that they could teach me some cultural things, like learning how to make tortillas. So after the meeting, my best friend's mom passed by my house and told me to come to her house. I got there around 3 or 3:30 and stayed til dinnertime, so taking to heart what Steph said in the meeting, she decided to try to teach me how to tortillar. It didn't go so well..I don't possess the necessary coordination to make them! Everyone had a good laugh at my expense, it was good fun! Then, after dinner, I was running around with the girls because they were chasing chickens to catch them and put them in their pen. They solicited my help and I succeeded in chasing them but was too afraid to pick them up (yet the 2 year old goes and picks them up like it's nothing!). Good times!

Things workwise are good...my 3er ciclo kids (7th-9th graders) are awesome and finally have quitared their pena (shyness) and are starting to participate a lot more. They all know that they have certain phrases that they have to ask in English, including May I come in. So on Thursday the bell rang and some kids (and the prinicpal) were still outside, so those inside made everyone ask permiso to come in before they'd let them in the classroom. Then, they did the same thing for the principal! And when he refused, they made him stay out!

I have my official COS date...it's December 23, the same day I fly home. Just in time for Christmas! So providing I can stay healthy (or semi-healthy) between now and then, it will all be good. But that's easier said than done...I was hopsitalized a month ago with a sinus infection and put on IV meds because I couldn't handle them orally, and also have an inflammed colon because of the massive amounts of meds I've been on this year. So I'm on a no fat diet. It sucks. And I managed to get another uti, so I'm on yet another round of antibiotics (#10 or so this year alone). I just found this out so we'll see how I handle these meds...I've been on Bactrim before, and it's better than Cipro (which was the other option).

I'm excited to go home but am not sure exaclty how I'm going to manage to say goodbye and leave all these wonderful people behind...!

Last week was my Close of Service Conference...which was all about taking the next step, how to wrap up our last 3 months, how to do our final reports, etc. I really wasn't prepared for the emotional exhaustion, but it took a lot out of me. I really hadn't thought much about COS til then. It was always some far-off date in the future. But it's all so real now...picking dates, scheduling interviews and medical examinations, writing our final reports (3 of them...I'm just about done with one!), etc. And once you look at it, there really isn't a whole lot of time left with all we have to do, saying goodbye, etc. Now that I have my date, I'm telling my community when I'm leaving (though it's complicated because I leave for 3 weeks in November to do a training in the capital, then come back for a week before I fly home) and it's starting to hit. Plus they're starting to take claims on my stuff, so I have to figure that out.

We were doing this guided fantasy and at one point, the person running it said to imagine your family meeting you at the airport. Your sister wanting to tell you about her new outfit, everyone trying to update you on the latest news. Then you get home...your mom goes to cook dinner, your dad's on the phone, and you're left alone, so you go to your room. That part really struck a chord. Here where everyone has time for everyone else and has the time to just "pasear" for a few hours at a neighbor's house drinking coffee and shooting the breeze. In the States, nobody has time for anyone but themselves. Everyone's in a hurry and doesn't have time to just sit and chat for a few hours (with exception of course). I'm afraid I'm going to get trapped into the consumerism and all the evils of US culture...and not fit in anymore because I've changed so much during these two years here (physically and otherwise). Plus the job hunt and all that goes along with that. We got a ton of resources at COS and part of me wants to hit the ground running, but I know that I'd hit a brick wall eventually. They tell you to wait a few months for a reason! So I'll just chill and see where the wind takes me. I can always get a job translating at a hospital...certainly have the medical vocabulary! Eventually I would like to live overseas I think...but extending here or somewhere else a 3rd year isn't an option. I need to go back to the States and get healthy again. As it is right now, I'm fighting respiratory issues still (which are better now, but still always an underlying issue) and an inflammed colon due to being on too many antibiotics in the past few months...that landed me in the hospital a couple weeks ago. So I'm on a no-fat diet (again...but different this time because I really can't tolerate anything greasy at all), which means lots of veggies and fruit but always being hungry.

I'm ready to take the next step...but also not sure how I'm going to leave everyone here.

Going to need a trip to Central PA for some pot pie and pb pie I think :)

Meme, stolen from mindykim

(the computer doesn't seem to want to post this right...apologies!)

<p><em>Your result for The Heart Test...</em></p><h4>Slave to Emotions</h4><p style="text-align:center"><img src="http://is1.okcupid.com/users/200/416/2004179830107632772/mt1172806131.jpg" width="" height="" /></p>

<div><center>

<b><font size="5"><font>The Slave to Emotions</font></font></b><br />

<font size="4">Dependent, <font color="#0000FF">Idealistic</font>, <font color="#FF0000">Intimate</font>, <font color="#FFFF00">Indulgent</font></font><br /><br />

</center>You are the most emotional of hearts, the Slave to Your Emotions. You crave love, and have high standards for love. You are very intimate and value harmony with a mate. Sometimes you may feel that you are over-emotional and see this as a curse at times, because you are so emotionally-charged, and you so greatly desire love. You might want to break the emotional chains that bind you, but find that the ideals of love and intimacy are firmly shackled to you and cannot be severed.<br /><br />

<b>Matches for the Slave to Emotions: </b><br /><br />

<b><a href="http://www.okcupid.com/tests/describescore?testid=4870700699364858717&category=5">The Bleeding Heart</a></b><br />

The Bleeding Heart is idealistic and indulgent as you are, and just as love-needy, making for lots of shared common ground. You'll also find the Bleeding Heart to be more passionate and fun-loving, something that at first might turn you off, but you will find this will provide a perfect balance to your intimate nature.<br /><br />

<b><a href="http://www.okcupid.com/tests/describescore?testid=4870700699364858717&category=15">The Heart of Gold</a></b><br />

The Heart of Gold values harmony and unity just as you do, and shares your ideals of love and intimacy, but is more independent. The Heart of Gold will never leave you and always be there to love you, and this above all else you will appreciate. The Heart of Gold's loving nature will make you feel as if you have found someone to help carry your rattling emotional chains, and that they are glad to do it. <br /><br />

<b><a href="http://www.okcupid.com/tests/describescore?testid=4870700699364858717&category=1">The Patron Saint's Heart</a></b><br />

The Patron Saint's Heart craves love just as you do and value harmony and togetherness as well, but is more down-to-earth and passionate than you. However, you will value these more sensual qualities, and the Patron Saint's more protective and loving nature will make you feel loved needed, something value greatly.<br /><br /><br /><br />

Your exact opposite is <a href="http://www.okcupid.com/tests/describescore?testid=4870700699364858717&category=8">The Lord's Heart</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br />

Avoid Explicits when possible. They're open and frank nature is contrary to yours. You may also want to avoid Independents unless they have other qualities you seek to balance them out, as you are a person who craves closeness with another person.</div><p><a href="http://www.helloquizzy.com/tests/the-heart-test">Take The Heart Test</a> at <a href="http://www.helloquizzy.com/"><b style="color:#131313"><span style="color:#ac000c">H</span>ello<span style="color:#ac000c">Q</span>uizzy</b></a></p>

No time to write and entry but just wanted to post a link to new pics on my Facebook acct. I put the privacy as public, so everyone should be able to see them regardless of whether or not you have Facebook.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51501&l=7a142&id=558527273

Things have been crazy lately, hence lack of an update. But this week is our COS conference, which means our group goes to the beach for 3 days and we talk about what we need to do in these last few months (as Jon pointed out, we will have exactly as much time left after the COS conference as we had in training--10 weeks) and we have to pick a COS date. So by Friday I need to tell Peace Corps when I want to stop being a volunteer! I'm not sure I'm ready for it. But at the same time I'm ready to leave and see what else is out there. I was talking with a couple of the 8th grade girls yesterday just shooting the breeze and realized that I finally have the much-coveted confianza with my community and the kids are comfortable just hanging out with me. I usually am not comfortable around teenagers but I felt totally at ease with them. And I realized that I am going to miss that, the warmth and curiosity of the people and just being able to hang out. Sometimes two years is just not long enough because it takes about a year or so to get that confianza with your community and to figure out what exactly it is you're there to do and how things work. This year work-wise, despite health issues and being out of my community a lot, has been amazing. I have a great English teacher who is taking advantage of me being there and has a lot of ganas to work, and is totally open to new (and sometimes funky) teaching ideas. It's been a struggle getting the kids up to where they should be and getting them talking but I can see their progress. So hopefully he will take what I have given him and run with it. And I'd like to request a replacement volunteer so hopefully s/he can pick up where I left off and do all the things I just never got around to doing.

I'm going to miss all the friends I've made, but like I said earlier, I think I'm ready. It's been a rough year health-wise (I've been sick with something or other since March, and ended up in the hospital on IV meds last week) and I think I need to live Stateside for awhile. Now to figure out what I want to do! I've pretty much decided I still enjoy teaching, but do not necessarily want to teach Spanish. I really like ESL and working with people. We'll see what pans out...I can always sub for awihle when I'm home and go from there.

And, randomly, today was a weird day. It was one of those days where everything worked out. I needed to find a random stomach medicine in La Palma, and the second pharmacy I went to had it. I had to meet one of my scholarship kids and was worried because I hadn't been able to get a hold of him. But he texted me today and we met. I also managed to meet my other scholarship girl and talk with her. And I found a bunch of good DVDs (Wall-E in English, Harold and Kumar 2, and some others), plus a CD with random 80s music translated in Spanish (Total Eclipse of the Heart, Lady in Red, etc). The CD may not sound like anything special but it's part of the Salvi experience. And I bought a mixed CD with Low. Great day!

Well, all for now...I've been online for way too long and nowhere near done, but it's time to call it quits for today. Happy weekend all!

A fun meme because I'm waiting for a friend at the ciber...bolded ones apply to me. Cheers!

appearance:

- i am 5'4 or shorter.

- i think i'm ugly.

- i have many scars.

- i tan easily.

- i wish my hair was a different colour.

- i have friends who have never seen my natural hair colour.

- i have a tattoo.

- i am self-conscious about my appearance.

- i have/had braces.

- i wear glasses.

- i'd get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free, scar-free.

- i've been told i'm attractive by a complete stranger.

- i have had more than two piercings.

- i have had piercings in places besides my ears.

- i have freckles.

family/home life:

- i've sworn at my parents.

- i've run away from home.

- i've been kicked out of the house.

- my biological parents are together.

- i have a sibling less than one year old.

- i want to have kids someday.

- i have children.

- i've lost a child.

embarrassment:

- i've slipped out a "lol" in a spoken conversation.

- disney movies still make me cry.

- i've snorted while laughing.

- i've laughed so hard i've cried.

- i've glued my hand to something.

- i've laughed till some kind of beverage came out of my nose.

- i've had my trousers rip in public.

- i've had stitches.

- i've broken a bone.

- i've had my tonsils removed.

- i've sat in a doctor's office with a friend.

- i've had my wisdom teeth removed.

- i've had serious surgery.

- i've had chicken pox.

travelling:

- i've driven over 200 miles in one day.

- i've been on a plane.

- i've been to north america.

- i've been to niagara falls.

- i've been to japan.

- i've been to europe.

- i've been to africa.

experiences:

- i've been lost in my city.

- i've seen a shooting star.

- i've wished on a shooting star.

- i've seen a meteor shower.

- i've gone out in public in my pyjamas.

- i've pushed all the buttons in a lift.

- i've been to a casino.

- i've been skydiving.

- i've gone skinny dipping.

- i've played spin the bottle.

- i've crashed a car.

- i've been skiing.

- i've been in a play.

- i've met someone in person from the internet.

- i've caught a snowflake on my tongue.

- i've seen the northern lights.

- i've sat on a roof top at night.

- i've played chicken.

- i've seen the rocky horror picture show.

- i've eaten sushi.

- i've been snowboarding.

relationships:

- i'm single.

- i'm in a relationship.

- i'm available.

- i'm engaged.

- i'm married.

- i've gone on a blind date.

- i've been the dumpee more than the dumper.

- i have a fear of abandonment.

- i've been divorced.

- i've had feelings for someone who didn't have them back.

- i've told someone i loved them when i didn't.

- i've told someone i didn't love them when i did.

- I've kept something from a past relationship.

sexuality:

- i've had a crush on someone of the same gender.

- i've kissed a member of the same gender.

- i've had sex with someone of the opposite gender.

- i've had sex with someone of the same gender.

- i've had sex with more than one person at the same time.

- i am a cuddler.

- i've been kissed in the rain.

- i've had sex outdoors.

- i've hugged a stranger.

- i have kissed a stranger.

- i have had sex with a stranger.

honesty/crime:

- i've done something i promised someone else i wouldn't.

- i've done something i promised myself i wouldn't.

- i have lied to my parents about where i am.

- i am keeping a secret from the world.

- i've cheated while playing a game.

- i've cheated on a test.

- i've driven through a red light.

- i've been suspended from school.

- i've witnessed a crime.

- i've been in a fist fight.

- i've been arrested.

- i've shoplifted.

drugs/alcohol:

- i've consumed alcohol.

- i smoke cigarettes.

- i've smoked pot.

- i regularly drink.

- i've taken painkillers when i didn't need them.

- i take cough medication when i'm not sick.

- i've done hard drugs.

- i've been addicted to an illegal substance.

- i can't swallow pills.

- i can swallow about five pills at a time no problem.

mental health:

- i have been diagnosed with depression.

- i shut others out when i'm depressed.

- i take anti-depressants.

- i have an eating disorder.

- i've slept an entire day when i didn't need it.

- i've hurt myself on purpose.

- i'm addicted to self harm.

- i've woken up crying.

death:

- i'm afraid of dying.

- i hate funerals.

- i've seen someone dying.

- i have attempted suicide.

- someone close to me has attempted suicide.

- someone close to me has committed suicide.

random:

- i can sing well.

- i've stolen a tray from a fast food restaurant (not a fast food place, but does stealing trays from Baker count?).

- i open up to others too easily.

- i watch the news (when I have access to a TV).

- i don't kill bugs.

- i hate hearing songs that sacrifice meaning for sake of being able to rhyme.

- i fucking swear regularly.

- i sing in the shower.

- i am a morning person (not by choice).

- i paid for my mobile phone ring tone.

- i'm a snob about grammar. (Spanish grammar at least)

- i am a sports fanatic.

- i play with my hair.

- i have/had "x"s in my screen name.

- i love being neat.

- i love spam.

- i've copied more than 30 cds in a day.

- i bake well.

- my favourite colour is either white, yellow, pink, red or blue.

- i don't know how to shoot a gun.

- i am in love with love.

- i am guilty of tYpInG lIkE tHiS.

- i laugh at my own jokes.

- i eat fast food weekly.

- i believe in ghosts.

- i am online 24/7, even as an away message.

- i can't sleep if there is a spider in the room.

- i am really ticklish.

- i love white chocolate.

- i bite my nails.

- i play video games.

- i'm good at remembering faces.

- i'm good at remembering names.

- i'm good at remembering dates.

- i have no idea what i want to do for the rest of my life.

- my answers are totally honest.

I've been thinking a lot lately about life post-PC and when I should COS (that's PC speak for leave the country). Our COS conference is less than a month away, which means I have that much time to figure out when exactly I'm going to leave. Which is conjuring up all sorts of stuff. What do I do after PC? What kind of work do I want to do? I know I still love teaching, but not sold on doing it full-time. So do I do grad school or find a job? I get a year of non-competitive status for federal jobs for being a PCV (which means I think that I get a leg up on your average joe who'd apply...), so that's attractive. I absolutely love it here but I've been thinking in the past week or so that something might be telling me to get off the island, so to speak (I got sick again 3 days after being in country from the States, where I was fine). Granted, many of these musings have been made in the fog of sickness (bronchitis/sinusitis being the latest issue), but really I've been sick with something or another (not usually something simple either) most of my service so I can't try to wait til I'm feeling better. I've been out of my site a lot lately, and it's just going to be busier--Northern Conference next week (at a country club...seems like an oxymoron to me!), then in two weeks a doctor's appointment (followup only hopefully). Then, the beginning of September is our COS conference for 3 days, so more time away from my site. And that brings me to my "when do I leave?" decision. There is a teacher training that I'd like to do at the end of November, which is 3 weeks, so I'd technically have to apply for an extension, which shouldn't be a problem. I would love to do this, but at the same time I'm worried about a. my health and b. getting cleared to stay for an extra 3 weeks. Then, a friend of mine wants to travel around Central America after we COS, and has nobody to go with, so I kinda want to do that too. But again, what if I get sick traveling? I won't be a volunteer anymore and under the PC umbrella. <Sigh> I have some time to figure this all out, but not much. I'm ready to leave...I will miss all the people in my community, especially my girls, but I'm ready for the next step, whatever that may be.

After being out of my site for too long again (2 weeks in the States, 3 days in the pueblo at IST and a week in the capital for med), I've finally started to get back into the swing of things and have a (semi) routine. The girls have been over a lot, too, mainly watching movies, but they've been dragging me off to the cancha to play, too. We just got seating at our cancha so they've been having fun running up and down the steps. My 10-year-old host sister has decided she wants to be more active and lose weight (she's on the chubby side) so on Friday night after playing all day outside and running around all day she decided that she was going to get up early the next morning to go running. Sure enough, the next morning at around 7:15, my best friend showed up and then 7:30 my host sister and her two cousins showed up and after watching It (yes I know I'm corrputing the minds of young children!) for awhile we (and a couple other stragglers) went to the cancha, did laps (well they did...I don't run, I made about half a lap) and ran up and down the stairs. Good fun but I was sore for two days afterwards! Sunday I spent with my bff...of course she showed up just as I was mopping my floor so it didn't get nearly as clean as I would've liked, but ni modo. The kids are starting to treat me as one of their own...catching me up on all the latest gossip (mainly who likes whom and the like, but occasionally semi-philosophical discussions about what the Bible says about the end of the world...yes I had this conversation with a 9 year old!). They've been over almost every day, and all the time on the weekends. And if I'm not in my house, you can usually find me at one of their houses or on the weekends out with them eating pupusas. I love my girls! Whenever I''m having a bad day the kids always make me feel better.

Now that I have just gotten back into the swing of things, I am in the capital, again. I came in just for a checkup with the doctor and to get a test done but I managed to get sick again (everyone in my site is sick so I caught something else) plus I had a bad reaction to one of the meds he put me on so I'm still here...Good news is it's not TB or dengue (I really thought I had dengue yesterday because it seems to be "going around" as much as dengue can go around b/c it's a mosquito-borne illness). Bad news? Not sure yet! I don't know what I have or what I'm doing from here...waiting for them to tell me that. And next week is vacation (feast of El Salvador del Mundo....big to do in San Sal but really an excuse for anyone else to vacation) so the office is closed and so are the doctors' offices. I should have an answer soon.

I'm hoping that Mamma Mia comes out here this weekend! I know it's out in the States already, but not sure when it will be out here. Seen Batman, that was cool. But I haven't been in the movie-watching mode this time around because I've been feeling awful.

Happy weekend everyone!

It's been awhile since I posted last. Wish I could say I've been busy, but I've been stuck in the capital because I managed to catch whatever nasty virus was going around our IST (in service training). But more about that in a minute.

My trip home was awesome. Very busy and jam-packed, but with lots less cultural stuff to deal with than last time and I found myself falling into life in the States almost a little too easily. While I was impressed and shocked by the efficiency of things (like customs in the airport...which by the way I just found out I can go through the diplomatic line because of my PC passport! Crazy!), I did notice that people in the States are just plain rude. And my hometown has been overrun with white trash (for lack of a better phrase). I couldn't believe it! Our town was always nice and I felt safe (of course it had its pockets of sketchyness), but there are more and more people. A good friend from high school works at a local gas station and has 2 kids (maybe with the same guy), and was on her way to pick up her welfare stuff when I saw her. It's just sad to see a lot of people from my graduating class trapped in the vicious circle. And whatever happened to dressing up? A lot of my sister's classmates graduated in jeans and/or sneakers. Can't they buy a nice skirt/dress/pair of slacks and some decent shoes? I couldn't believe it. One of Francesca's classmates was at graduation with her family and they were all in shorts and sneakers. I was probably overdressed in my skirt, blouse and heels. The teen pregnancy rate is going way up too...middle schoolers are getting pregnant (or at least drinking and/or smoking) and the high school has quite a few pregnant girls. I realize there isn't that much to do, but compared to other places, it's happenin'.

I'm back in country, have been almost a week...but still haven't made it back to my community. I got back Sunday, stayed in the capital and had IST in La Palma, which is where I do my shopping and such, Mon-Wed. I came back to the capital on Wednesday for a dinner at my boss's house and to do a follow-up exam. Well I (along with 5 or 6 others) ended up getting really sick because there was a nasty virus being passed around (we think we have a good idea who started it, but it's all chambre, nothing proven). To make a long story and a doctor's visit that lasted half the day complete with a lecture on how I am taking the wrong meds, short I started out feeling fluish and then it turned into chest stuff so now I'm on a nebulizer and a whole slew of other meds (including 2 shots in the butt, one last night and one this AM, of a steroid...it was supposed to be IV but he didn't hospitalize me and the office won't do IVs, so it turned into shots). I can breathe better now but am here til at least Monday. Yesterday was a pretty awful day and I was mad at just about everyone. Nobody called to let the hotel know I was staying another night, and the pharmacy didn't have one of my meds, so they were going to bring it to the hotel. Well, turns out that the pharmacy showed up twice but since I wasn't at the hotel and they didn't know I was coming, they sent them back. Twice. Luckily the nurse came today to give me my shot and called the pharmacy and I finally have all the meds I need. I'm on so many different things, the nurse made me up a little schedule of when to take each medicine. I go back to the doctor on Monday and get x-rays so we'll see what happens. I'm not sure I'll be able to get out of here on Monday, but there's always hope!

But since I'm stuck here I'm going to make the best of it and go to see Wall-E with another volunteer who's here sick (he's been my roomie the past few nights, and is now healthy but stuck here til Monday as well). I'm excited...I've heard good things about it!I noticed earlier the computer here has iTunes. I'm wishing I had my iPod with me so I could update it! But it's in the bag I left at the hotel where we had IST (purposely...it's close to my community and I didn't want to lug my stuff all over creation, so I'll go get it once I get back to my community).

So I was talking to a friend the other day and she mentioned that she was watching America's Got Talent the last time it was one. Well come to find out this one lady, Busty Hearts (obviously not her real name), was on the show crushing beer cans with her boobs. Busty's from around my neck of the woods...in Turtlepoint, PA, there is a strip club called Busty Hearts..the AGT and strip club lady are one in the same. Wish I could've seen it!

Things are crazy, trying to see everybody and do everything before I leave on Sunday. I went shopping today and dropped $40 on a pair of jeans. I winced, a lot, and did a lot of going back and forth, but they look good and are the PERFECT length (which is amazing and really hard to come by when you're as short as I am). I just want to get one more pair (because I really have very few pants that fit me now...thanks to my health issues), but plan on going to Steve & Barry's and see if they have my size. A ver.

Exhausted and going to bed but just had to post that random coincidence.

HAPPY 4TH EVERYONE!

So my sister graduated from high school yesterday...I can't believe it!! She's grown up a lot...both the girls have. A bunch of family came in from out of town for the event, and between that and my neighbor's college grad party, I got to see a lot of people. This week is going to be all about seeing my friends and doing what I want, no pressure. I've done some shopping because Old Navy was having a huge sale, and Francesca's taking me shopping in Buffalo later this week (how sad is it that my 12-year old sister is more fashionable than I can ever dream to be?!) and introducing me to the world of Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister, Delia's, American Eagle and Aero. Since El Salvador's shrunken my stomach, we're about the same size and can share some clothes! Should be fun.

Being home's good...I still get overwhelmed when I go into Wal-Mart or somewhere because it's MASSIVE but it's all good. Here's a link to some pics from yesterday's graduation...on Facebook for now, eventually I'll put on more and post them to other pic sites. Enjoy!

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=41878&l=ed356&id=558527273

Back in the States again...been home not even 12 hours and I'm already overwhelmed! I like being in my own little world where my best friends are little and don't want me every waking moment and then I can retreat to my own house all alone and avoid them :) It's good though...girls have grown up a lot and good to catch up with people and enjoy the ammenities of home (HOT WATER anyone?!). I will have had just enough time to adjust when the family comes in over the weekend for graduation. Fun fun. If nothing else it's a good break from campo life, and hopefully time to get my immune system built back up!

Sitting at the office getting last minute things done to go home tomorrow (for two whole weeks! I'm beyond excited, not only to see my family but hopefully to give my body a break to build up some tolerance to whatever it is that makes me sick...and of course you can't leave out two weeks of constant hot water and homecooking!). Saw this survey on mindykim's site and thought I'd give it a whirl, especially because I haven't posted in awhile. And to repost, just erase my answers and fill in yours. Enjoy.

1. First Name: Jen (or here in the Savior, Yeni...as in Jenny)

2. Age: 28

3. Location: in the mountains of El Salvador near the Honduran border.

4. Occupation: Peace Corps Volunteer

5. Partner: none

6. Kids: none yet, but let me tell you between being here and friends having babies I got the baby bug!

7. Brothers/Sisters: two younger sisters, 18 and 12, and a stepsister who's 15 (16?)

8. Pets: None here, unless you count my host mom's dog who gets super excited everytime he sees me just because i pet him. At home in the States it's a regular zoo: a dog (2 when beth's dog's over), 3 cats and who knows what else (i can't keep track)

9. List the 3-5 biggest things going on in your life:

-Serving in the Peace Corps in El Salvador, which is probably the most rewarding experience of my life, but also challenging with dealing with campo life, different cultures and a body that just wants to rebel.

-Figuring out the rest of my life; Peace Corps was supposed to help with that but has just made me more confused.

-Trying to stay healthy (which I guess goes along with #1 but it's definitely a major issue).

10. Parents: Complicated. Have a mom and a dad, separated, and my dad's girlfriend (for lack of a better word) who's just like a mom to us

11. Who are some of your closest friends? Here in El Salvador my best friend is nine years old and is wise beyond her years. I love her to death and will miss her greatly. And I'm close with the volunteers around me: Mer, Danila, Jon and Katie. In the States, I have a circle of 3 good friends, although one never seems to have time to answer her phone or write e-mails ever.

So that's my survey. Gotta run and do some last minute errands and hopefully catch the game. El Sal vs. Panama, World Cup qualifiers. Playing here in the cap but I'm not going. And it's starting to rain! EEEK! Take care all!

So after being in the capital for just over a week, I am finally home. I'd been having health issues (what else is new?) and went to the cap for a follow-up at the doctor's. Well, turned out I had a uti (another one, or maybe the same one that never went away). The doctor wanted to put me on injectable antibiotics because this had been going on for about a month with no solution and wanted to be safe. Well, I went back to the PC office to check in with the nurse and apparently the meds he wanted me on are not approved by Washington except as a last resort. The nurse talked to him again and convinced him to wait for the results of my culture. Meanwhile, I got put on other meds to help with the pain and control the infection. So on Saturday I find out the culture was actually positive (past 2 were negative) and my bacteria was resistant to Cipro (which is probably why it never went away because I was on Cipro last time), but sensitive to Bactrin and some other stuff, including the meds I was on. The nurse wanted me to take a couple oral antibiotics at the same time for 2 weeks, but the doctor still wanted me to get injected. So he changed the medicine to one that was ok and I had to get a shot in my butt for 5 days. I lasted two. I got sick to my stomach and we had to stop the meds. Then I developed a strange pain in my side, right around where it hurt when I was having gallbladder issues. And I was still feeling awful. So another doctor's visit resulting in even more medicine, two ultrasounds (one for which I had to drink lots of water, one for which needed to be done fasting, but yet I had them within an hour of each other...go figure) and a bunch of lab tests later, I was still in pain and still no closer to an answer--no parasites, normal blood work, etc. The nurse was just as baffled as I was, but decided it was all due to the medicine I was taking for the uti because it's pretty strong. So yesterday I was feeling better finally and got sent home. I'll finish my meds tomorrow and today so far I am feeling a bit better. It's good to be home and have control over my diet (was on a bland diet and it's almost impossible to work with in the capital) and try to reintroduce normal food because I have been living on soup, carbs and jell-o the past week. Fun stuff. But it is all just so frustrating and I get sent all over creation and stuck in the capital away from my site. I have to go back in next week for more lab work...it can be done here in the pueblo but the nurse would rather I have it done in the cap. So another night away (because there is no way I am making the trip down and back in the same day...that's just crazy) and more money. Ugggh...hopefully after this I can stay healthy, but one never knows here in El Sal.

Here is a link to photos online...they are on my Facebook account, and should be public (at least that's the promise they make...). I know that some people have had trouble with Snapfish and Photobucket, so here's this one. Yes, I have pictures all over the Internet. One of these days I'll consolidate (sp??).

I went shopping yesterday since I decided not to go home in between med stuff. I spent entirely too much money but as one of my friends said, new clothes are always fun and with my med drama I deserve it :) Plus most of my clothes are either way too big, stretched out or stained (or all of the above). I'm sad though because I saw a super cute shirt that I loved, but couldn't get because it has sequins on it, therefore making it non-conducive to being hand washed. But I'm happy with my new clothes, and today I found my way to the centro all by myself and got the first 2 seasons of Gray's Anatomy, Lost season 3 and some assorted other movies. Now I'm waiting to find out where I'm staying tomorrow night so I can take my stuff there de un solo tomorrow morning after one of my tests and not have to lug it all around town.

So it's been forever since I've updated...it's been busy lately and is going to be busy for awhile. I have a few things I want to write about so bear with this very stream-of-consciousness (I think that's spelled wrong but I can't tell...my English has gone to the dogs) post.

Oh and since I added a blog link to my Facebook site, let me say that all opinions are mine and not of the Peace Corps or US gov't.

I was reading the paper last week and an aritcle was in it comparing the educational systems in the Central American countries. El Salvador has pretty good access to primary education (near 100% in fact).Something happens after 5th grade because the percentage drastically drops off and few make it past 6th grade. But El Sal has the least access to bachillerato (high school). Which makes sense if you look at it from a campo perspective. Until this school year, you used to have to pay tuition to go to bachillerato (school through 9th grade was free), and for kids who live in the campo, they have to travel to go to high school. So combine the cost of transportation with the cost of books and uniforms plus tuition and that leaves out a lot of kids. And education just isn't that important. Plus, when everybody working at Pollo Campero (Salvadoran version of KFC) has at least a high school degree (minimum degree required to work there) but often times a university degree, what's the point? If kids make it through 9th grade, that's great. If they make it through high school, even better. If they make it to university, amazing! And then they go to the States to work (or sometime in between). That's the cure all...family doesn't have money? Kid goes to the states, gets a job and sends money home. But usually the remesas a family gets aren't put towards food or school costs. They build houses, buy TVs, computers and of course Pollo Campero. It's so sad but it's true. Working in the school I see it everyday. The education system is broken and needs to be fixed. As my mom said, it makes you realize the importance education is to development. But I keep reminding myself that's why I'm here. And honestly I couldn't have asked for a better place...as much as I didn't like it at first and as many health problems as I've had, ithe people here are so amazing and strong and I've made so many good friends(ok so most are 10 and under but hey why not right?!)that it makes up for it.

On a lighter note, I got to go up the mountain last weekend to Jon and Katie's site. They live near El Pital, the highest point in El Salvador. It was cold (yes it gets cold in El Salvador!) but lots of fun. We went hiking (which probably wasn't a good idea on my part, but whatever) and walked to Honduras. Pics to come soon.

I'm in the pueblo again today for more lab work...been fighting an infection and it's not gone yet so I had to have another test done...results will be in Friday so I'm back again then. Grr! It would have been cheaper to go to the capital to get it done but whatever. Anyway, I passed by they dollar dvd guy and bought a movie called The Naked Ape. I couldn't resist. It's probably horrible but for a dollar why not? :)

Ok that's all my rant for today...sorry it's very random and stream of consciousness. Take care!

So I've lived in country 18 months (today in fact!) and in the campo 15 of those months. I thought that nothing could amaze me now, but lo and behold, I was suprised the other day. I was at my host mom's house and she has a tienda (store) out of her house. One of the little neighbor girls I'm friends with was over and bought me an ice cream. Except the ice cream didn't come in a cone, but rather in a bag! Now I've gotten used to drinking pop out of bags (they use the glass bottles here and they are returnable so if you're taking it to go, they pour it in a bag and give you a straw) and eating icees out of bags (they're called charramuscas here and are usually made with fruit juice and water or milk and frozen). But ice cream? That was a new one! It's a good idea and was kinda fun, but really messy!

On another random cultural note, yesterday was our town's patron saint and this week is Holy Week so there is Mass everyday. I went with one of my little friends and it just happened to be a healing Mass and people brought pictures of family members who are living in the States. Well the priest asked everyone who was sick to raise their hands and at least half the church did! Then he had all the sick people kind of process to the front to get healed and I was one of the only ones who didn't go! Now I don't doubt that most either truly are sick or believe they're sick. The thing about Salvadorans, at least here in the campo, is that if you ask them what's wrong you get a whole list of things. Which is good that they're so in tune with their bodies. But I just found it kinda funny because in the States people who are really really sick are usually the ones who go to those Healing Masses...not that they're the only ones who deserve it, I just think the "healthier" ones for lack of a better word are too shy to do it or something. Just a thought.

I'm in town today and it's overrun with tourists. It's so weird...there's actually traffic, and lots of it! The supermarket was crowed and the streets are crowded too. Tomorrow is Good Friday and there is no public transportation running. Here in town they make "alfombras" on the streets which are pictures from the Bible made with colored sands and stuff, and there is a contest for the best one. In my site, I guess they make altars and have stations of the cross outside. I don't really know...I was under the weather with gripe last year and hid in my house :)

I cleaned my house yesterday and found $30! I am a little sore today but well worth it! I'm feeling lots better but still have to be careful what I do. All I did was go through a couple boxes and rearrange some books. Guess that's all it took!

Happy Easter!

I just wrote a long post and lost it all! The internet picked that exact moment to go out. So here I go again. It's been almost a month since I last posted. Here goes.

I've been back in my site about 3 weeks since surgery and am getting stronger and healthier everyday. I still have to be careful with my diet (but the things that make me sick I shouldn't be eating anyway), but I've managed to change my diet and don't crave fatty stuff as much, probably because they made me so sick. I've been eating more fruit (it's mango season right now and the mangoes are just turning ripe so i've been eating those...much better than the green ones!) and cooking healthier. And I'm able to physically do a lot more. I have more energy and don't get sore as often. So I'm pretty much back to normal, and am even washing my clothes. For awhile I couldn't even lift the bucket to scoop water and rinse my clothes without getting super sore, so one of my neighbors was washing my clothes for me (she has a washing machine). But I'm back to doing my own laundry, just because I can and it's easier, and I don't like having to depend on people.

This week is Semana Santa (Holy Week) and everyone is on vacation. Some people go to other parts of the country, and a lot of people are coming up this way, so I'm seeing lots of white people, which is really strange (of course none in my town...that would just be too weird...although yesterday I saw a lady with a church group who definitely looked like an American). A lot of people go swimming on Saturday. But in my town many just stay put (some do go swimming on Saturday), and school is out. So I'm going to take advantage and catch up on some much-needed decluttering and find stuff that I put away before I left for Panama and haven't found since (but beause I haven't looked very hard). Next week I'm off to the Bay Islands in Honduras with some friends...like they said, I've been gone a lot but not for vacation and this will be a much-needed R&R trip.

I spent all last week translating with a medical campaign. Monday and Tuesday we were in my site and between the two days we saw over 500 people (which is about 1/3 of my town's population). Wednesday we were here in La Palma and Thursday and Friday I went with them up the mountain to a town called Las Granadillas. It was a good week but exhuasting, both emotionally and mentally. We saw a couple cases that were pretty bad. An 8 year old came in for a sunburn and probably has skin cancer because the doctor noticed a mole on his face with a "satellite lesion" which is a smaller mole next to an exisitng mole. So, being the translator with that doctor, I broke the news to the mother or sister or whoever brought him in, but soon got in over my head because the doctor was talking to me in terms I didn't understand even in English and I couldn't explain them in Spanish because I don't have that vocabulary. Luckily there were some bilingual Salvadorans working with the campaign so I called one of them over and had him help. They're going to give the kid a reference to the children's hospital, but there is a very long waiting list so if he does actually ever go (there's the financial situation to consider...and maybe even transportation), it may be awhile before he gets seen...and how many appointments will it require? Will they keep the follow-ups? It's a tricky situation. There was another case with an 8 month old baby with asthmatic bronchitis who'd probably had lots of lung problems in the past because of the way his chest sounded (another example of medical terms I didn't understand). So he got a couple breathing treatments and was sent on his way. So here's my dilemma...it's great that these people come and provide free meds and medical care, but what happens to those who need follow-ups, especially for something serious? Many don't have the resources or ability to get out and get that kind of care. But all in all it was a rewarding experience. A funny (well kind of) antecdote though...I was holding a baby who came in to see the doctor and at the end of the exam, the doctor lifted up her shirt to listen to her lungs. Well, he noticed a rash that, which the mother didn't know about, and it turns out it was scabies! And I was holding her!!! So hopefully the loads of anti-bacterial hand gel i put all over my arms afterwards did the trick! Haven't gotten it yet, so we'll see :)

This week were are in fiestas, so basically it's going to be a big carnival (but the rides aren't as good) for a week. The 70s-era banned US carnival rides haven't shown up yet but when they do the town will be hopping, at least at night. So between that, the DVDs I stacked up on and books and magazines, I'm set! :) Oh yeah and cleaning my house and visiting some people in there too :)

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone! I'm copying my blog just in case the internet decides to be weird again...!

So just when I think I'm feeling better, my body throws me back into reality. On Saturday, I met up with a friend who was in town so we hung at the pool for a bit then hit the mall for lunch and shopping. Later that night I got a text from another friend in town and I met her at the hotel we frequent and a bunch of us went to dinner. So that day involved a lot of walking and carrying my swim stuff around most of the day. So yesterday I was really sore, and still am a little sore today. It's so frustrating that I can't do the little things! I know it's an excuse to watch cable all day but I get so bored at the hotel and it's so far away from anything! I guess it's a good thing I'm here though because it would be hard for me to be back in my site I think (physically). But I learned my lesson and I'm going to lay low for a bit and take it easy as much as I can. I have a week and a half, may as well aprovechar.

But today my bff from my site (she's 8) called me and checked in on me. So I talked to her and her mom and her mom was full of all sorts of advice for me and told me to take care. That totally made my day! I was so happy that she called. They do remember me lol :)

Decided to give grease a test run today and get McDonald's. So far so good...now if I could just get coffee to agree with me... :)

Happy Presidents' Day! Enjoy the day off!

Yesterday was a weird day. I was walking in San Salvador with another friend and all of a sudden she looks at me and asks if I saw the same thing she did. I didn't and then she pointed me in the direction of a woman with no pants. She was a middle-aged woman roaming around the streets of San Salvador, mid-afternoon, with no pants. Not even pants in her hand. She looked like she was either incapacitated or on something, or both. So we were walking pretty fast because she was going our way. Luckily, she didn't follow us to the hotel.

Fast forward to later on that night. A bunch of us had gone to see a movie and stopped at the gas station on the way home (same area as the naked lady incident). One of the girls was going to go across the street to the ATM when a crazy guy dressed as a wizard pushed into the gas station door. Unfortunately, I missed this, but did later see Mr. Wizard, wand and all.

Never a dull moment here in El Salvador. Man, it's good to be back!

I'm back in El Salvador! I arrived late yesterday afternoon and was definitely glad to be back. This place has a way of growing on you :) I was worried about how it would be to be back, because I was getting really comfortable in Panama and really liked Panama City. So I was leary that I'd be comparing it to El Sal, but that's not the case. It's great to be back in my comfort zone where I know people and know my way around. And have good cable :) I felt it right as I arrived...I was very antsy on the plane (didn't help that my seatmates were obnoxious and one was gassy!) and felt at ease once I landed. And it was refreshing to know that no matter how long you're gone for, some things never change. I got a taxi and they wanted to charge me $25 to go to San Sal from the airport. It's the new price as of January 1st. Right, that's why I paid $20 two weeks ago to go to the airport from the same place! So I eventually got them down to $22, and then the driver got lost. I knew the area but was so tired and got confused so I didn't say anything. But we eventually made it and it was all good :)

I think I watched TV for like 5 hours yesterday! I was so tired and sore from lugging my stuff (I know, I know, I shouldn't be lifting anything over like 2 lbs but sometimes I had no choice, and it wasn't for very long periods of time). I got to the hotel and just crashed.

Unfortunately, I can't go back to my site yet. I still get tired easily (which is normal) and still need to be careful what I eat (grr...I just want to eat McDonald's :)). But baby steps. I'll be able to rest and relax while I'm here and then hopefully be physically ready (and able to carry my huge backpack!) to go back to my site. I don't do any strenous work but living in the campo definitely is not like living in the city so it will take some adjusting. Luckily I don't have to do much walking or haul my water. So I will just make the best of my time here in the capital, eat good food and aprovechar.

The lady at the hotel this morning was so sweet...she had a sign up that said Happy Valentine's Day in English and German and gave me a box of chocolates. I thought it was cute. She can be sweet sometimes. Other times she's very nosy!

Wishing everyone a happy Valentine's day!

Well I've been in Panama almost two weeks (12 days to be exact) and am really liking it. I'm feeling almost back to normal...the stitches are out and my holes are healing. A little itching and still a little tenderness but I am a lot more mobile, almost completely back to normal. I still get tired pretty easily but I guess it only has been 10 days since my surgery! But the doctor has cleared me to go back to El Salvador...I had the choice of when to go back...I picked Wendesday. Like I said, I like it here, and I'm going to have to stay in the capital for a couple weeks when I get back, so may as well aprovechar! Panama City is really safe and there's a lot to do. I haven't figured out the layout of the city too much or the bus system but it seems pretty easy to get around. I still have a few days, maybe I will do some non-taxi exploring :) There is another volunteer here on medevac too so I may have a buddy. Although she had surgery too so she may not be too mobile yet!

I've done so much...gone to the movies, gone to Old Town and the Canal (we got to see 2 ships go through and see how they open the locks and raise/lower the water). Also went to Carnaval, and that was tons of fun. There were food and other vendors up and down the street (mainly all selling the same thing, yet they all had business), lots of water and confetti, and tons of people. We didn't see the parade because it was delayed by rain (a fluke...it's not rainy season yet) and I was tired from doing so much walking. But when we left there was a line of people blocks long waiting to get in. I was glad to get out when I did.

Not much is new...enjoying the sites and good eating, debating whether to cave in to my American ways and visit the Hard Rock cafe :) I could care less about the food really, I just want the t-shirt! But is it really worth it? That's the question... :)

By the time I get back to my site, I will have been out almost a month. It's going to be so weird getting back into a routine, but school's in session and hopefully that will ease things a little. Plus I am feeling well so being healthy is always a plus!

Hope everyone is well! Keep in touch.

A few pics from Panama...check 'em out...

Happy Mardi Gras!

http://s152.photobucket.com/albums/s192/chica_caida/Panama/