Tropical Times~!

Oh my goodness! The rain here in El Salvador has been so intense in the evenings. It's nearing the end of their rainy season, which means it's quite hot in the daytime and POURS at night. There was a little bit of hail today. I stepped outdoors and felt cold for the first time since I came to my new home.

It's now been five days since I arrived in the country. It is clear in my memory, the moment my plane flew over the palm trees and cattle. At the airport, I was so surprized to collect my bags, leave customs, and find myself in front of a huge crowd! There were so many people waiting to greet the passengers. Instantly, I felt the humidity, it's like the air gave me a hug! I searched the crowd and eventually met the dentist who was to pick me up.

We drove a ways to San Salvador, the capital. We passed many coconut stands and stopped at one. I tasted fresh coconut juice for the first time!!! People in the capital drive CRAZY as well. We made our way through the city to another, Santa Tecla, where I am now.

The house I'm currently staying in is gorgeous. It will be my home on the weekends, since I begin my service at a rural elementary school soon. In their backyard are orange and coffee trees. I enjoy listening to the cicadas at night. We hang our clothes outside to dry and people here don't flush toilet paper, since the septic system isn't built for that. But other than these small differences, life here is easy to adapt to. Especially with all of the beautiful scenery, flora and fauna.

I've been practicing my Spanish A LOT. Learning is still a slow process, but I've built my confidence in my ability to communicate. I've said some funny things, as you can probably imagine, and my hosts are more than happy to correct me.

I wish I could express how nice it is to be here. I think of home a lot and enjoy telling people about Alaska. Even here, they think we live in igloos, haha. Now is time for dinner and I'm so hungry. So, my best to all of you :)

Texas

I flew into Houston not sure where I'd be staying. After a few frustrating hours at IAH, I asked for help. The wonderfully helpful airport personnel had me on a bus downtown to a hotel. All in all, things worked out and it was a lesson in taking care of myself.

The following day was spent walking around downtown Houston. I took many pictures of the parks and ginormous buildings. Later that evening, I went to stay with a Baha'i who's a niece of a family friend.

It has felt like home here. I've grown fond of her two dogs and cat. They are the cutest! It is only a few hours before I head back to the airport and leave the country. Reality is still not with me. I'm sure there will be much more to say when I arrive :)

*Anchorage*

The drive down from Fairbanks was BEAUTIFUL! I drove a friend's car here, as a favor, and two of my friends joined the trip in another car. We stopped briefly in Denali National Park and had a jolly time. Fall colors are some of the most extraordinary things! I took so many pictures on the way here. It was neat to see the scenery change as the 360+ miles flew by.

My stay in Anchorage was a time surrounded by love and friends. Met some real fantastic Baha'is down here and ate good food :)

Now it is time for me to head to Houston, TX. Never been, so it should be quite the experience! My plane leaves a little after midnight, but I don't arrive in the "second biggest state" until noon tomorrow. ~Adios~

A Sort Of Beginning

Bienvendios! Welcome!

As I take this opportunity to share with you my experiences, I stop to reflect about what has brought me here. The past few weeks have been filled with so much trip preparation that I haven't aniticipated the future, until now. I'm about to embark on a great journey, but more importantly I will be achieving a life goal: to go on a year of service.

I have been a member of the Baha'i Faith since birth. (Any immediate questions can be answered at http://www.bahai.org/.) Many youth decide and are encouraged to travel to other communities to serve for a year. My time will be spent in El Salvador, teaching at a Baha'i operated school called Colegio Ridvan. More on that to come!

Currently, I'm looking over the things I have packed. I leave Fairbanks (my home) later this morning for Anchorage, where I will spend a few days visiting family and friends. This is only the beginning of my travel and most everything is set. It's nice to finally be able to simply relax and enjoy the moment. Pressing concerns take up so much energy!

That being said, I ought to consider "hitting the hay". Thank you for your time, thoughts and joining me here. Hasta luego, buenas noches,

~Sigourney