Please sing the following two lines to the classic tune of
Raindrops on Roses and Whiskers on Kittens
When I miss my dog, when I get a bazillion bug bites, when I
can’t speak Spanish
I simply remember my favourite things and then I don’t feel
so sad!
Did you sing it? You better have!!
When I am feeling down it’s not very difficult to cheer
myself up. I just think of some of my many blessings in Perquín
1: Aida Michel Gomez – My entire host family is great but
Michel is something else entirely! In all honesty the girl can drive me up the
stinking wall but I am SO grateful to have her as my little friend! We have
inside jokes together, ongoing arguments, and huge laughs. I was recently asked
to be her Madrina which is sort of like a Godmother but for the first
communion. She has to wait until she turns 12 so looks like I am coming back in
4 years!
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| This is a photo from our small paseo. We packed two bananas, bought two bags of chips, brought a towel and the english counting game I made and went to a little clearing not far away to look at the mountains eat and play. I will miss this little girl! |
2: PLATANOS and all the things you make with them! Fried,
toasted, Empanadas, platanos with beans and crema, or just the platano itself…
SO delicious! I am definitely going to be hunting down this banana like fruit
when I get home.
3: Watching/playing futbal – people are still talking about
how I was in that football tournament back in January. Playing futbal here in
Perquín has been one of my highlights. Watching soccer games is always a good
time too….even in the rain…under a tarp. These guys have mad skills and
watching them do very near backflips to kick a ball impresses me every time!
4: Teaching English – In the park, at El Centro, or during
my more formal classes in the “colonia” I love teaching English. One time after
playing a game to learn the colours, one of my students came up to me and said
“a me mi gusta su YELLOW pello”. My heart melted a little. I admire the
motivation to learn English! The children and adults have much more motivation
to learn English than I ever had to learn Spanish.
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| This was the first game I made to help the kids learn to count in english. It took me about 20 minutes to make but has provided hours of fun! I have since recreated it and made it look a lot more visually appealing. Since it was so successful I made another to learn the colors! Learning should be fun! |
5: Coffee and Pan dulce – It’s officially a routine. I wake
up a little extra early everyday so I can enjoy sitting in the park with my
“café” and “pan dulce” and clear my head before going to work. I wasn’t a
coffee drinker before a came… I am now.
6: Open doors and hospitality – I recently got to know a
family who invited me into there home and wouldn’t let me leave until I had
supper with them. I have gotten to know them fairly well and they have opened
their door to me whenever I feel bored or just want to chat. Through their
hospitality and patience with my Spanish, we have had stimulating conversations
about religion, politics, and the recent war. There kids call my aunt Rebekah
so I guess they are my second - second family here in El Salvador.
7: Unexpected gifts – I’m not all about the gifts… but there
have been times that “regalitos” have brought a smile to my face. Even stickers
and drawings warm my heart. One morning after church while enjoying a delicious
breakfast, an older couple joined me. We talked about the election, a little
about the war and how different Perquín was at that time. They shared there pan
with me then mentioned how expensive pan is in other countries. Before leaving
the older gentleman reached into his bag and pulled out a small flashlight and
handed it to me saying it was a gift. I officially have El Salvadorian
grandparents. I was a little confused at the time as to why he would give me a
flashlight. A foreigner he barley knows, and will likely never see again. That
small flashlight has become the most valuable thing I have acquired here in El
Salvador. It is a symbol of the kindness, hospitality, and love I have
experienced and never quite felt I deserved.
8 – Hugs and high-fives – I don’t think I need to explain
this one except to say children give the best hugs! I will also mention that
you cannot high-five here without giving a fist bump. They will wait for that
fist pump. But who wouldn’t want a fist bump?
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| They are pretty darn adorable. |
9 - Dar la paz – During the church service there is a time
of shaking hands or hugging to show the peace of Christ. Afterword’s everyone
hold hands and we sing a song together thanking God for peace. I know this is
not exactly a foreign custom. Many churches in Canada do the same. But knowing
the history of the recent war and the effect it has had on the people, this
small time to reflect on and thank God for peace is very powerful. It is a moving
symbol of commitment to peace and justice.
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| We recently visited El Mozote with the children. El mozote is were there was a terrible massacre with only two survivors. The whole story is rather incredible and Mozote is now a space to recognize the importance of peace and the people who sacrificed to attain it. |
10 – Mountains – It’s not Bamf or Jasper but we have some
incredible views her in Perquín! Lately I have been forgetting to look at the
beauty surrounding Perquín. But the sunsets over the mountains’ terrain have
inspired many “awe” or “take my breath away” moments.
