Living the Northern Life

I've been in my new site for two weeks.

The contrast is astounding, in every way. I've moved on up. Up from the flatlands of coastal Ahuachapan up into the mountains near La Palma, Chalatenango, from the heat to the cool, from the closed to the open. My toilet has moved from outside to inside, and my bucketbaths have turned into cold, high pressure showers in my own, private bathroom.

The people are kind, friendly, and respectful. They have las ganas to work, to better their community, and to do it through the sweat of their own brow.

And the women, oh the women. The Salvadoran woman is a thing indeed, but the women involved with the community association are kick ass mujeres. They raise chickens, they sew and embroider tipico/Llort style clothing, they lead bible studies, organize school events or cleaning campaigns, and they find time to run their homes, raise their children and make the cheekiest jokes.

Unfortunately, I haven't taken any photos... yet. When I do, you'll get a look at my pad, "La Casa Mision," the great view the community has of the sometimes misty mountains and coffee trees and the really charming embroidered clothes, as well as the equally charming women who stitch them.

The next 5 (though some say six) months will be a whirlwind, but I feel like they will be happy, fruitful, and fast.

Teen Spirit

Do you speak spanish? If you do, you'll know what it means when I say: tejido adiposo, glandulas sebaceas y foliculos pilosos.

If you don't know what that means, think enclosed blob of armpit. Fatty tissue, sweat glands, hair.

So now we know.

Depending on how much umph I can muster, I might try to make it out the Miraflores locks to see the canal tomorrow. Can't go to Panama without seeing the canal, they say.

In other news, here are some belated photos from
my jaunt out to Parque Metropolitano in Panama city.

Leaf cutters in every Country! My Favorite.

Beware.

A quiet, solo, two hour hike,
and all I saw were trees and lots of ants.

Panama