TravelStream™ news feed for member armedacelestein on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/armedacelestein en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Sun, 04 Nov 2007 22:21:27 -0500 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1178836980/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1178836980/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1178836980/tpod.html Sun, 04 Nov 2007 22:21:27 -0500 Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein~

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Redding, California, United States

coming soon
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1168305600/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1168305600/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1168305600/tpod.html Thu, 08 Feb 2007 15:28:06 -0500 Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein~

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Redding, California, United States

Well, the big news is that I have moved back to the States. Before leaving El Salvador I made one last attempt to get better by moving in with a fellow volunteer who lives near my site and had a mega dose of medication. Well, this didn't work so I headed back to the capital. My mom came to visit that weekend so we hung out while I finished up all my paperwork. The night before we flew out I came down with a virus or bacterial infection. My mom and I were able to get flights together but I was rushing to the bathroom the entire time not able to keep anything down. So not fun!..but the flight attendants were very supportive. My mom flew first class while I flew sardine class (we tried to move me but we couldn't cuz it was last minute) but I was close to first class so my mom's flight attendant would come back and offer me food from first class, which I couldn't eat. Sitting in the red-carpet lounge in LAX and SFO was a bit of a shock to my system after living in the campo.

I was thrilled to be back in the states but discovered cold and flu season might not be the best environment with such a weak immune system. I got a hold of my advisor and graduate school and made plans to take the spring semester off to recover physically (and a bit mentally too) while working on my Masters in California. Plus, the Upper Peninsula winter is not the greatest environment for me to recover. My best friend and now roommate came to the coast for Christmas and we partied it up at the Holiday Inn on the beach...okay, we sat around watching Christmas shows then drove around to see Christmas lights but it was fun. We also met up with Erin, a good friend whom I used to baby-sit.

Well, I knew I needed a change of environment from where I grew up to work and recover so I moved to Redding, California. I think it is helping a lot with having less re-entry also which is great...not that re-entry hasn't hit. I still have the high level of personal security I had in El Salvador, which more annoys the people I am with than is an issue for me. I also find myself in a mental state of needing to be ready to move at a moment's notice which can get stressful while I am trying to settle down a bit in this country (at least for the next couple of years).

So, settling into my new apartment has been a bit of an adventure. We moved in in early January. I had planned to come for New Years but it had Bronchitis and the flu and couldn't make it. My mom was in Germany so I had the house to myself to rest. Not going into the difficulty of getting the rental agency to get into gear and getting the paperwork approved we finally got the apartment. They told us we would have electricity so we were thrilled we wouldn't have to stay in a motel again that night. Well, there was no electricity, not to mention the place was filthy. Jen had to go to work so I moved all my stuff into the apartment in the cold rain with my Bronchitis. We had to pay to have the electricity turned on that day but it was worth not staying in a motel again. We discovered we had no hot water so we called again to the rental agency. After three days of calling and complaining they finally sent someone to deal with the water heater. Soon after we got hot water we discovered the pipe was leaking and the carpet was soaked.

We had the pipe replaced and the floor dried overnight. During the evening our downstairs neighbor came upstairs worried about the noise. She told us the water heater had exploded a few months ago and had gotten very loud right before it exploded. Not only was the apartment we moved into flooded but hers was as well and she had over 300 books ruined (many not replaceable). That cued us into why we had new carpet and linoleum...not to mention warped doors. Getting all the repairs done (our front door is slanted, the screen in the kitchen wasn't on, the closet door wasn't on, etc...) was made even more difficult due to our issues with the phone. We paid for our phone but were surprised to find the number different from the one we chose. Soon after we plugged in the phone the phone was turned off. Turns out the previous tenants (which moved out many months ago) never cancelled the phone so we had to continually contact the phone company to turn our phone back on. Well, getting my continued health issues taken care of has been a similar wild goose chase.

Life in Redding has been pretty good thus far. I started a little herb garden (yes, actual herbs): basil, oregano, sage, mint, catnip and rosemary. It has been a good way to de-stress. Jen's birthday was Feb 2nd (Groundhogs Day) so I threw her a pirate surprise birthday party. Her parents and some friends from work, including one on maternity leave, came to celebrate her 24th bday. Thankfully Jen had no idea so after about half an hour of total shock and confusion she began to get into the party. Unfortunately Jen has had Bronchitis for a while so it wore her out a bit. Hopefully she will be able to get better soon.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1160594340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1160594340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1160594340/tpod.html Tue, 14 Nov 2006 15:42:33 -0500 Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein~

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Olomega, El Salvador

When I was coming into the capital for my mid-service medical exam this week I was able to catch a ride with the family I live with to San Miguel (large city in the east where I catch a bus to get to the capital). We were a block away from the bus terminal when we got a flat. I said I could walk the block that was left but they insisted on driving me (it is a dangerous area of the city). After 20 minutes they got the new tire inflated and changed we started on our way. Of course, we got stuck behind a funeral procession of a group of people walking behind a truck driving a casket and flowers. I eventually made it to the terminal.

Ahhh...how the time flies. Jen came to visit in October and Gregg came to visit in November. I had a great time with both.

Jen and I hung out in the capital a bit then headed to my site. I wasn't feeling that well (surprise!) so we took it pretty easy. We went out onto the lake and she was able to see our Mayan Ruines! There was a ton of nimfa on the lake but Paco (my neighbor) got us through it.

Gregg came not too long after Jen's visit. He brought along an arsenic testing kit which was a great help for testing arsenic (...which is usually the case). We met up with a bunch of Peace Corps and SNET people and I was able to get a lot of great info for my research.

Well, my birthday is coming up. I'll be a quarter of a century old! I suspect I will be getting an ultrasound that day to see if the amoebas are causing more damage (I would have preferred a cake with a candle...something a bit more traditional). Two days later is Thanksgiving which I will be spending with an Embassy family. I am looking forward to that.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1158346260/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1158346260/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1158346260/tpod.html Fri, 15 Sep 2006 14:59:09 -0400 Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein~

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Olomega, El Salvador

My week started as I went to the Alcaldia (mayor's office) early Monday morning. I had been told the week before to come on Monday to pick up the 20 gallons of gasoline and $18 to pay a person for three days on a boat for a scientific investigation of the lake. I was told the mayor was not there and he had not told anyone about what he had agreed to supply for the investigation. After waiting over an hour I was told I could call the mayor but they were not willing to call ($). As I was dialing his number I was called into some guy's office where I had to explain the situation again. He called the mayor and reported I could have 10 gallons and the money. It was clear I was quite livid but I did my best to react with class. Like dealing with people in San Salvador (especially Taxi drivers) my Spanish becomes very rapid when I am pissed.

Tuesday the professors from the University came to go out on the lake. Our driver didn't show and of course there were issues with the gas (I was given a check rather than the actual gas) but eventually they got out on the lake. I had been very excited about going out on the lake but bloody diarrhea kept me on dry land. That night I waited for them to return but it became late and I went to bed (sun sets around 6:30 here all year). Around 8:30 they called so I let them into the house where they would be staying. They were surprised to learn everyone had gone to bed (campo time and city time are quite different). The next morning one of the guys started screaming after he was stung by a scorpion (welcome to the campo).

The last day of their investigation I was waiting patiently (kind of) in my canton needing to buy groceries. Due to protests by the bus drivers all week all volunteers in the east are advised not to travel because there are no buses. I guess it worked out because I had no food but was too sick to eat anyways. As I was resting in my room I got a call from the main professor. The nimfa, a plant floating on the surface of the water, had trapped them in some small town on the other side of the lake. They couldn't return because there was too much nimfa and no one in the town had a vehicle. I asked around on my end and learned that I would have to find someone with a 4x4 to get there because the roads are bad from the rain. No one in my canton has a 4x4. The professor's trucks are 4x4 but they had the keys with them on the other side of the lake. Oh well, life in El Salvador as usual.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1152131340/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1152131340/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1152131340/tpod.html Mon, 28 Aug 2006 12:03:56 -0400 Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein~

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San Salvador, El Salvador

Well, I made it back to El Salvador. Did a bit of house cleaning then headed to the capital for our 4th of July celebration on the 1st which was put on by the American Society. Being at the party with ex-pats other than PCVs was really strange...weirder than being in the states. We of course were served cheap hamburgers or hotdogs for far too much money. The ambassador shook everyone's hand and gave a speech. His wife clapped when he assured us it wouldn't be long. They played all kinds of traditional U.S. songs...born in the U.S.A., etc... Much of the party however was strongly Salvadoran. The music was too loud, the woman "translating" the Spanish into English simply spoke Spanish with a different accent, the drawing took place an hour and a half late and the fireworks were going on during the drawing and too low to see.

As the night and next day progressed I became quite ill. Eventually I learned I had a severe bacterial infection and amoebas again. Back on meds! While chillin' in the computer lounge at the office my APCD ran in frantically to tell us that protests had started near the University and Estancia (where we stay) about the raise in bus fare. When he came in it was breaking news that two police officers had been murdered by snipers. We were warned to travel together, not go out at night, avoid conflict and of course lay low. The violence just keeps escalading. Last week the parents of the woman who started the guerrilla radio during the war were murdered (tortured war style then macheted to death) in Suchitoto (a tourist stop...one of the few).

Recently things have been slow moving. In the capital again for some skin irritations but nothing too extreme. My master's work seems to be getting ready to take off which is nice. I have been working on a survey to study the women's perceptions about health, environmental issues and natural hazards.

My mom came down for about a week and a half this month. She got to see my site and go out on the lake then discovered how hot it is, even at night. She then gave a presentation to a group of PCVs on EFL. We headed to Antigua, Guatemala for a few days. It was so beautiful but ridiculously touristy. Pretty much everyone spoke English and about half the people were white (a ton of tourists). There were a number of families at our hotel adopting Guatemalan babies. It was nice to have a chill vacation since my amoebas were getting active again.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1150421940/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1150421940/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1150421940/tpod.html Sat, 01 Jul 2006 18:09:34 -0400 Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein~

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McKinleyville, California, United States

Wow!!! I had a totally amazing time visiting home. I was hit with quite a bit of reentry shock in the airport on the way home. I watched a little girl learning to walk while holding onto her mom's hand. She had cute little clothes and shoes. She was the same age as a little girl that is always hanging out at the bus stop in my pueblo who is also learning how to walk...but in very different circumstances. She wears the same soiled clothes everyday begging for a piece of food or a sip of water from her older siblings. She is learning to walk barefoot along the road, which is covered in broken glass. Last time I saw her she was tired so an old woman put her in a high hanging child's hammock, rocked it then walked away. No one was around as the little girl began to cry to make sure she didn't crawl out and fall the 5 feet to the ground. It began to sink in that the little girl in the airport will never experience anything like the little girl from the bus stop experiences everyday. After that I saw the woman who played the sister on Roseanne and Charlize Therone's name was announced for a courtesy call so I headed to the bathroom to take a break from the reentry overload.

My first full day there my mom surprised me by taking me to get a massage (1 hour) then a float bath (1 hour). I have always wanted to try a float bath. You float in 10 inches of water saturated with 800 lbs. of Epsom salts (for buoyancy). It was a great way to detox both the body and mind. I have got to find a way to have one when I get back to the states!!!

I was able to see my "little sister" (close friend) graduate from 8th grade. She gave a wonderful speech about the future and career preparation. Her dad is part of the school board and was the person to hand out the diplomas. It was absolutely precious when Erin gave him a hug after getting her diploma. I was able to visit with Erin for a short time afterwards. She is so much taller than me now (haven't seen her for 9 months). I didn't have much time during my vacation with all the errands I had to take care of so that was the only time we had. I was also able to see a few teachers from Jr. High and High School. It was weird thing about how much time has passed and how much has happened in my life since then.

My mom and I headed up to Oregon to visit Crater Lake. It was so beautiful...words can't even describe it. Even pictures can't show how crystal clear and blue the water is. There was a ton of snow still on the mountain but it was warm out (for having so much snow) which was really strange. We of course did some shopping (no sales tax in Oregon) then headed down to Redding.

My best friend Jen and I drove to San Francisco (from Redding). We had the most amazing diner at a Moroccan restaurant. Soooo much good food and live music. We had a blast walking around San Francisco and even found the bagel shop we ate at two years two years ago after Jen graduated from HSU. We drove up the coast along Hwy1 (the coastal highway) and stayed in a beautiful hotel overlooking the ocean. The room had a Jacuzzi and fireplace (totally needed on the coast). We drove back to Humboldt and did a little site seeing. Checked out the science buildings (where we spent most of our time) and visited her old apartment on campus. I have visited HSU since I graduated but it was totally different walking around with Jen, especially going back by her apartment. Started to hit me how much has happened in my life in the last 3 years since I graduated.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1148753580/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1148753580/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1148753580/tpod.html Sat, 27 May 2006 14:19:15 -0400 Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein~

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Olomega, El Salvador

Woo hoo!!!!! Just two weeks till I go home for a two week vacation! Soooo happy!!!!!

Couple weeks ago I was excitedly preparing for my first trip to the capital that wasn't medically related. That week there had been no water in the house because the well pump broke so I had been taking my showers at the neighbor's and did my laundry at their house. Friday night I packed up my things to head to the capital the next day. I was going to work over the weekend collecting scientific articles relating to my studies in the lake here and then go to a going away party for a friend that finished his service and then head home again. It was all planned out perfectly but of course life doesn't work like that, not here. I began feeling a bit sick Friday evening. By 8 or so I became very sick, triple fountain sick (use your imagination!). The next morning when nothing was left in me my body continued to try and purge in either direction, I dragged myself downstairs and begged in shaky, weak Spanish to be driven to the hospital in San Miguel. The neighbor from across the street drove me to the hospital where I was given injections for nausea and some stuff to rehydrate my body. A driver from Peace Corps came and picked me up from the hospital and we drove to the capital. I was feeling much better and slept for about 12 hours. Although the hospital said it was a bacterial infection my doctor (for my amoebas) said it was more likely food poisoning or a virus but I had to continue on the cipro (a VERY strong antibiotic). My body was sore from the exertion from Friday night but I began to feel better.

I decided to go on a fast when I got back to my site. It was a detox fast to hopefully rid my body of toxins built up from illness and medication. I also wanted a break from food since the entire process is still painful for my body. The hunger wasn't bad but the required laxative tea caused cramping as bad as having amoebas so I decided on the fourth day to forget the fast and deal with the pain of eating, at least then I could function a bit better mentally.

I went out onto the lake with my neighbors. It was quite fun and informative. We went out to a rock that has Mayan carvings (could be a great tourist attraction). I learned that there is boiling water in the lake and occasionally geysers! That was just too cool! The lack of food calmed my excitement, which was probably for the best at the moment.

I attended a large meeting in the pueblo of my canton that was being run by the mayor's office. The volunteer in that community came as well and we sat next to each other. I had hoped to blend into the crowd and get whatever information I could then be on my way. An hour and a half after the actual meeting time the meeting began. As I sat there greeting people and shaking hands waiting for the meeting to start I noticed a number of chairs were lined across the front behind a table for the panel of speakers. A man from the mayor's office began calling people to sit in the chairs: directors of schools and organizations, the mayor, etc... I noticed two chairs left and was waiting, bored, for the meeting to start. Then Nate's and my names were called as Peace Corps volunteers. Shocked we made our way up to the two last chairs to join the other members of the panel. Certainly wasn't what I had expected, which is something to expect. We ended up giving a little talk about who we are and why we are here. The meeting seemed to last forever!

Well, I just created a myspace account so if any of you are on that give me a holler and I will add you as a friend. I have been enjoying myself working on my creative writing during my free time. I am ¨publishing¨ my first short story in our little Peace Corps El Salvador newspaper.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1146598620/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1146598620/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1146598620/tpod.html Tue, 02 May 2006 15:51:03 -0400 Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein~

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Olomega, El Salvador

I have had many interesting weeks during my time in El Salvador but this last week stands out with the most extreme of them.

My week started out with me going into the capital still quite sick. I had already finished two rounds of amoeba medications (even though they never found amoebas in the samples I gave) and was still very sick so it was decided I would have a colonoscopy to see if something else was going on. The preparation was very unpleasant but not as bad as I expected. I guess after 5 months of being ridiculously sick, pain and nausea don't phase me much anymore. For the procedure I was completely unconscious which was nice but strange to wake up and have no memories of something you know happened to you. They did finally find amoebas and the ulcers they caused so I was yet again put on amoeba medications. These are some pretty hardcore amoebas. I certainly hope the medications work this time around.

Although I was still pretty out of it the next day I decided to our I.S.T. (in service training). I rested a fair amount but was able to attend the sessions I felt would be important for my specific work. During our reconnect session our boss, Rolando, stood up in front of the group and said how impressed he was with our group (the typical "go team go" speech). He then apologized to me about how badly he had treated me during December and January and thanked me for having stuck around through all the illness and mistreatment. After the session I thanked him for admitting to how he had acted, particularly in front of the group. It took real courage to do that in front of the whole group. Two important things I have learned during my time here is to forgive people who have mistreated me and to not loose site of who I am; being true to myself.

Well, our I.S.T. ended and it was time to head back to our sites. Nate (the volunteer 15 minutes from me) and I grabbed a bus together back across the country. I was sitting on the left side of the isle next to a Salvadoran man. Nate was sitting on the right side of the isle a couple seats behind me. I had my head resting on the bar of the seat in front of me. The bus began to slow down, but I didn't think anything of it since we often stop to pick up or drop people off at different stops, until the guy next to me frantically started hitting my side. I looked at him and saw a horrified look on his face. I wondered what would involve us stopping and have him so incredibly scared. A police block or an accident shouldn't have him that scared. I would have heard a protest and I don't think it would instill that much fear. I followed his gaze out the front window and saw a man with riffle and his head covered in black cloth with just his eyes showing. My mind raced and my body froze. I have truly never seen such a terrifying site in my life. The man next to me tapped me again (no one could speak) and showed me his wallet. I grabbed some money from my purse in case the bandit came through to collect money. Before I knew it we were pulling away. Nate looked out the window and the guy had his gun trained on the windows incase anyone did anything. Many of the Salvadorans slouched in their seats to keep from adding holes to their heads. I followed and was relieved it was over. I turned to see the man next to me lean over and grab his wallet, which he had thrown on the floor. The guy next to Nate had done the same thing. I thought it was odd since I would much rather give my money than my life to a bandit. As I thought about it later it made more since because identification would be left behind if we had been kidnapped and they could have figured out who was missing. I certainly won't be watching "Man on Fire" for a long time after this. I decided to buy some Lucky Charms after that. Gotta enjoy the moments of your life, you don't know when then will end.
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1144770900/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1144770900/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1144770900/tpod.html Sun, 23 Apr 2006 16:18:38 -0400 Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein~

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San Vicene, San Salvador and Olomega, El Salvador

My busy days of April started with a trip to San Vicente for some training in classroom management. The second morning after some breakfast I took a different path to the training center than the group I ate with. As I was walking down the street I heard a horrible screeching sound and turned to see a truck desperately trying to stop and then heard a thud as it hit something. I hoped at first it was a dog but then saw a shoe fly far in front of it. I ran to the other side to see a woman on the ground trying to breath behind the pain and moaning in fear. A group of men ran over, lifted her up and tossed her in the back of the truck. I was horrified they moved her. As I watched blood flow down her leg I couldn't of what to say in English to stop them let alone Spanish. I was in shock for a while after that. Later in the day as we were getting a ride from Bri (a trainer) to San Salvador a truck nearly slammed into us and that afternoon as I was showing a trainee who was leaving where the clinic was I saw a car back into another car.

One volunteer who just got approved to stay for a third year and has done a great deal of work in his community had to leave all of a sudden. He was approached in the morning by a man telling him he had to appear in court because a teacher at the school had accused him of threatening her (along with some other men). Thankfully the volunteer called the embassy and country director and was told to pack up all his stuff, he had to leave the country right away or they would toss him in jail with no hope of trial any time soon.

Things got better as they always do. My mom flew into San Salvador and we stayed in the Intercontinental. I was thrilled to stay in such a nice place with a bathtub. The night before I had spent five minutes trying to get a large roach out of the room in our hostel. In the Intercontinental I saw no roaches. It was awesome! We hit happy hour in the bar downstairs we a group of PCVs. The happy hour includes free nachos which is why it is frequented so much by us poor volunteers. The next day we visited my training host family, which was great fun. The kept emphasizing how young and beautiful my mom is. My mom used her Spanish and was able to talk with them over lunch. Being back was really nice and not having the grandfather dying/dead in the house I was able to talk with my host family again. My mom was able to meet my cat that I will eventually get to my site. My host brother couldn't make it cuz he had classes but there will be time in the future.

My best friend flew in a few days after my mom left. We hung out in the capital a couple days for my mystery illness to calm down then headed to my site. She learned how to wash her clothes campo style and learned the true meaning of tropical heat with no air conditioning (or fan much of the time when the electricity went out). She had some pretty amusing experiences with local animals (trying to catch roosters and chickens). Her ear was then attacked by a bird sitting on her head. We made a gingerbread house and tutored my little neighbor in English. Good times all around!
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1143384960/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1143384960/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/armedacelestein/el_salvador/1143384960/tpod.html Tue, 28 Mar 2006 12:21:39 -0500 Only a life lived for others is worth living. ~ Albert Einstein~

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Olomega, La Union, El Salvador

Well, I have now been in my site for over a month. I assumed once I got to my site my body would revive and I would be able to stay healthy. What a funny assumption. Soon after I returned to my site after a professor from my university visited me I began to get ill. It was certainly different from other intestinal problems I had had and I was incredibly worn out. At first I thought it was Dengue Fever again and began to panic. I soon realized the symptoms were different and figured it was the flu. I had to go into the capital for a theater group meeting and decided to see the nurse. She sent me to see a doctor one evening. I sat in the waiting room wondering what was wrong. My appointment was at 5 and I got there early so that I could leave before it got dark (around 6). I sat there thinking of all the possibilities and began to be overwhelmed with the thought of my own mortality. One thing I have learned is that PCVs think about death a lot. Normally the death of loved ones back home and if we would be better off spending this time with them incase they die while we are gone. When sick, we tend to think about our own mortality. As I sat there thinking about what I would do if the doctor told me I only had a year left to live (yes, illness can make the mind dramatic) I tried to hold back tears of the unknown, mostly because the secretary was watching me intently. Probably curious why the strange expressions flashed across my face as I seemingly stared at nothing. I tried reading an Anne Rice book but to take my mind off my own problems but of course it didn't take my mind far from mortality. After an hour and a half of waiting and watching many patients who came after me go in before me I finally was able to see the doctor. He told me I likely have amoebas even though the test results were negative and put me on some meds. I was quite pleased to hear I would survive. It's the little things in life that make me happy. Ha ha ha.

I made the long trek home that weekend. I began feeling better taking the medication and eating soft foods. Just as soon as I felt better I got a cold that quickly moved to my lungs and put me out of commission for a few days. What can I say, I wanted a challenge in Peace Corps and I got my wish.

Life in my site is doing much better than my health. I have been observing science classes and am thoroughly impressed by the level of science knowledge the students have. The teachers are quite excited about the possibilities too. One teacher explained that she wants the children to have laboratory experience and do work on the lake such as taking samples. She also gave me the contact information for a professor of chemistry at the university nearby who is interested in working with me and has ideas for artisans work with the seaweed from the lake. I mentioned creating a garden at the school to one of the subdirectors and the next day a science teacher walked me around the school so that I could see possible areas for gardens. I have been very pleased with how receptive the teachers are to environmental education. I think my first step will be to do composting with the children to make better soil for a garden then we will solicit seeds from the Ministry of Agriculture in El Salvador. Things seem to be looking good for my work here although everyone tells me in a few months I will be frustrated as no one will come to meetings or will show up quite late. I have also been making a ton of connections with respect to working on the lake, which is great to see so much interest. It is a huge concern here and I am already seeing areas in which I can establish new collaborations that will help everyone involved and future work after I leave.

I have had some of those strange moments in and around my site that I thought I would share. The other day I was to meet a volunteer in San Miguel (the large city in the east) for lunch. Buses weren't running to my pueblo so they had the pickups with the metal sides running. As I climbed into the back standing there I noticed only men were sitting in the front cabin and the women and children were in the back. All the women except myself and another woman about my age were wearing woven scarves covering their hair. It was errie how similar my situation seemed to a book I recently read about women of Islam. As I stood there contemplating this and wondering if it would be better to give up my left breast and live as an Amazon woman I began to get splattered by something. I wasn't sure at first if it was sprinkling although that seemed ridiculous since we are still in the dry season. Then I noticed the woman in front of me had a bag with chile she was sipping from the open end that she held closed tightly. For some reason my mind raced to the idea of being in space and liquids doing things they don't normally do. I closed my eyes and with the wind puffing my checks out like a chipmunk I imagined I was in one of those large centrifuge like contraptions that prepare astronauts for high speeds. I opened my eyes and I was still riding in the back with the women with the burnt and smoldering landscape behind us. It just amazes me how different people's lives can be. As I stood there getting splattered and holding a piece of my shirt over my mouth to reduce the amount of smoke I inhaled I thought of my friend at the International Space University in France (which he described to be like Star Fleet academy) and how vastly different our experiences are at the moment yet we still have the same scientific passions.
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