Go Dawgs!!!

Another Saturday on the farm complete with a morning trip to Usulutan to buy some needed bug spray and supplies for my birthday celebration!!! Since I do not eat any wheat or gluten products a birthday dessert was tough so we went with wine! We bought wine and candles and I bought some chocolate in bar form. I hope it lasts until my birthday but I doubt it so wine and candles it will be (though not together!). As many of you know I have a countdown annually that begins on March 7^th until the big day! I also tend to plan multiple celebrations and this year is no different even here in El Salvador! On the way home from Usulután we entered Santa Elena where the paved road ends and the dirt road begins. As we were turning onto the dirt road a man passed us on a motorbike wearing a gray t-shirt with a red, black, and white GEORGIA G on the front!!!! It made my good day even better!!! It has also inspired an all day Corey Smith jam session! Oh Athens I miss you!

 This is the first day in a while that I woke up with a positive outlook. Over the past week I had reached a point in my time here where I was feeling frustrated about several things and really having a hard time overcoming it. Thanks to some inspiring words from Meagan and Alli and a super long sleep last night I think I accomplished my recent goal of feeling better and regaining my positive outlook on life. Check that off the list! I am excited because change is coming over the next and final 3 weeks here in El Salvador. 5 days from now I will be turning 26! (By the time I post this it will be 3 days!!!) A professor from school is coming into ES tomorrow for a week. I am excited to see what types of future projects we can develop during her visit for future fellows. We need a more developed project for the future and a funding mechanism at some point. I think this could happen now that we have a clearer picture of the community but we shall see what happens! Also on my birthday Kayla’s best friend Jerry Boone is coming to visit for a while! I am excited that someone else is coming to see where we live! It is so hard to explain the farm to anyone and pictures don’t really do it justice. It will be interesting having so many people here in such a small space! But like I said I welcome the change.

I have begun to look forward to my post-practicum adventures and my fun-filled, jam packed summer of weddings and parties and work and school and figuring out what happens next in life. The last thing not so much, but it’s time to decide… AGAIN. Oh Maria I feel a transition coming on which will probably lead to a post-25 quarter life crisis. I know Mama Ruth says I can’t go to school forever, BUT I actually could for a while longer. Seriously though I am not sure what is coming next, but it will come and be just as it’s supposed to be. Until then, I have Sunday playdates with the kids in Santa Clara to look forward to. Last Sunday after our class, we played “policia y ladrones” or cops and robbers with the kids and they and I had so much fun! Any time we saw a child this week they asked if they would see us Sunday to play again. I love that they are so excited to play with us! It makes me happy to play with them! Hember (previously known as Ember) is our daily friend who never ceases to entertain me with his karate moves, swinging in the hammock, putting on my stunna shades and strutting his stuff, or the utter joy he gets from playing on Kayla’s IPod and peering over our shoulders as we work on our computers. Ale, our other regular friend, has not been around this week but Alex was here on Monday! He usually only comes to hang out on weekends when Leonel is here. Since Leonel was leaving for a month and a half, Alex came over for the night. Leonel, Alex, Kayla and I spent the evening chatting on the porch. I also was helping Leonel with a powerpoint presentation he is compiling to show church communities in the US more about El Salvador. I like that he asked Kayla and I for help! It’s the least I could do for all that he has done for us! I have to admit I am sad that he is gone, but I do plan to keep in contact with him via email and possibly may even try to meet up with him in DC when we are both there at the same time. Wednesday morning we wished him safe travels and thanked him for everything as we headed out to meet the promotoras. This week we finished visiting all the homes with the promotoras. Yay!!

2 DAYS now!!! I am picking up from where I left off since I did not have internet access until today. My Sunday was complete with an English lesson or 2, play time with the kids, and the arrival of my professor. It’s always a fun feeling when someone comes to visit you at your home or a place you know in a deeper way than them. I loved showing her around and feeling like this is my home! So Sunday night/Monday morning I am laying in my bed sleeping. I wake up around 2:15 to roll over onto my stomach. The next thing I know I feel a light mist fall on my legs. I was sooo freaked out. For a second I thought it may have been my imagination or a slight dream state, but no I am sure it was not. The next thought was, “Shit do bats pee like humans. I would think it would be more like birds.” Yes I had a mini convo with myself in my head! See the bats were super loud during the night and have been lately. They also have been flying in pairs so I think they are twitterpated (Kayla taught me this word!) and mating…um eww. I don’t know what the mist was but it was gross and we have not had rain in so long. I am getting such a great story from this experience! Our week is full of activities and meetings and I am so happy! I love the busyness of it all. I also feel like the discussion we had with our professor today helped me see some things I have been missing and helps me focus on some new aspects of the project during the remainder of my time here!

I am heading to San Salvador on Friday after my birthday celebration on Thursday night on the farm to celebrate again with the girls on Saturday at the BEACH!!!!! Woots:) DC see you in 1 month! SF see you in 23 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xoxo

Coley