3/4 Year of Service

 Hello all! Today is my last day in El Salvador. While I don't resume my studies at the University of Alaska Fairbanks until September, I've had other commitments which beckon me home. My birthday is in July and I can't wait to spent that special day with my family. It will be a time to remember all they have given me. Then I begin this amazing job as a resident assistant at a science camp in the middle of that same month.

Thank you to all my readers who have been here with me since the beginning, as well as to those who recently found this site. I may blog several more times after this. The past two weeks my mind has been rather occupied. I am happy to announce I've been able to say bye to everyone in Olocuilta, Chalatenango, and tonight is my going away party in Santa Elena (people from Santa Tecla will come too!) A new youth also arrived last Monday from the US. She'll be staying with my current roommate and I'll miss our silly chats about everything, from the lives of historical Baha'is to how much we love pupusas!

I realize I don't understand a lot of what goes on here in the country. My Spanish is ¨muy¨ better, but many things about the culture still confuse me. With confidence, I say the richness of this experience will accompany me through my life. What may seem blurry right now will surely clear out in the future. My gratitude is for this chance to travel to a developing country and give this short moment of my youthful years to the people here :)

 Me with 3rd grade (above) and my last 19 day feast night in Santa Tecla (bottom)

A Typical Day

The sun has begun to rise and my cell phone wakes me up. It's 6am and my cold shower feels amazing - when it's over. I've fallen down the wooden stairs before, so I take them slowly now. I enter our little kitchen area. The new faucet in the kitchen sink looks pretty and is a relief; two weeks ago we had water problems.

It's now about 7am as we walk the 4 blocks to the park where we catch the bus. We pass by two panaderias (pastry shops), a pharmacy and other smalls stores as we walk across the cracked concrete walkway. I try my best to ignore the comments men make when we pass. I prefer my early days here when I couldn't understand what they said. After crossing three streets with fast buses and cars and no traffic lights, we reach parque Daniel Hernandez. Our little bus, like the others, don't run by a set schedule. Somedays we barely have to wait, other times for almost 30 minutes. Riding the buses here also means sometimes you only find standing room and hopes of personal space should be quickly forgotten.

This is my favorite part of the day, as we pass all the beautiful scenery. I'm slowly waking up and mentally preparing for the Colegio. After 20 minutes we arrive in the small residency of Las Moritas. We stop right in front of the school, with its mural painted on the outside walls. We ring the bell and the young woman who works in the kitchen opens the door. The classrooms have open walls facing the hallway, so we wave at the students as we pass by. Our desk is small and in the library. The work is about to begin.

First on the list is kinder. They jump out of their seats and give me a group hug. Since they are so short, I have to be careful they don't push me over, with all them squeezing my legs! They are taught songs, colors and that sort of thing. Next is first grade. They are the ones who always fight and misbehave and perhaps have taught me the greatest lessons in love and patience. Besides grades 1-5, we have preparatoria in the morning as well, the grade between kinder and 1st.

They have recesses during the day and a snack, but they don't have a formal lunch. Grades K-3 get out at varying times around midday and 4th &5th arrive at 12:30pm and study until 4:30pm. One of my favorite memories is when we didn't give classes in the afternoon because the kids were in the library watching a soccer match! Since the World Cup, ¨Mundial¨, is almost beginning I can't go anywhere without seeing a FIFA sign or hearing ¨Waving Flag¨ and ¨Waka Waka¨ on the radio.

Even though our day usually ends at 1:30pm, we started giving English lessons to youth and community members from 1:30pm - 3:00pm several weeks ago. After about 3 months of this, 2 being only me teaching the kids, I burnt out. On top of my teaching concerns, a close friend of mine here died and his illness and tragedy shook me completely and profoundly. This exhaustion was devastating, especially since after my accident I've had to watch my health and pace myself more. Luckily, my roommate had already been here for a month and was able to take over the classes with the children. I've been teaching only the class to the community lately and resting, which has been wonderful.

Through my tears and frustrations here I'm learning the truth of working conditions in developing countries. As pointed out to me by a good friend, most of us in the US aren't used to demanding physical labor. As Baha'u'llah says, mankind is meant to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization. In the US we are still progressing and much work is to be done, but I believe we are definitely more developed in terms of matieral possession and civil rights. It's a confusing mess, thinking of how to improve the world, but I know I'll be able to use and make more sense of my experiences here as my life goes on. And I am continually more thankful for my life and this precious time to serve others.

Favorite Quotes

And here are a collection of quotes from the Baha'i Writings that have helped me a lot this past year. The first set is written by the prophet/founder Baha'u'llah and the second set by His son 'Abdu'l-Baha. Their names are in arabic and mean The Glory of God and The Servant of Baha (glory) respectively.

**************************************

¨O Son of Man! Should prosperity befall thee, rejoice not, and should abasement come upon thee, grieve not, for both shall pass away and be no more.¨

¨Be generous in prosperity and thankful in adversity...¨

¨Armed with the power of Thy name nothing can ever hurt me, and with Thy love in my heart all the world's afflictions can in no wise alarm me.¨   http://vimeo.com/2228238

¨One hour's reflection is preferrable to seventy years of pious worship.¨

¨It is not for him to pride himself who loveth his own country, but rather for him who loveth the whole world. The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.¨

***************************************

¨Men who suffer not attain no perfection.¨

¨In accordance with the Divine Teachings, the acquisition of sciences and the perfection of arts is considered as acts of worship.¨

¨Beware lest ye harm any soul, or make any heart to sorrow...be he known to you or a stranger...¨

Art Festival

At the Colegio, the students had a day of plays, singing and dancing! I really don't have many words to describe how adorable the whole show was, so here are a few pictures!

Princesses and Wheels on the Bus

Giraffes, bears, mice and flowers

*!* Feliz Naw-Ruz *!*

How can I begin? This past month was crammed full of extraordinary moments, as well as welcomed days of leisure. Mostly, the reason I haven't blogged in awhile is that I was busy moving...yes, again. But the little apartment I'm now in with my new Canadian roommate will be my last house here. I've adored traveling around the country and staying in many different places, but it'll be nice to settle down, so to speak.

My new roomie and I laugh with great frequency together. Especially about each other's English, mostly mine since it comes out funny often. One cannot notice here, because I can edit my words as I go, but after hearing mostly Spanish for over 6 months, certain connections start to go! Now it feels like I'm not quite proficient in either language, but I can transition between the two well.

Naw-Ruz is both the Persian and Baha'i new year, celebrated on March 21. This year marked the 70th anniversary of the Faith in El Salvador. The story goes that a 17 year-old youth arrived here from the states and he was the only Baha'i here. In this short time later, there are members of my religion spread across the country, from different backgrounds and all strata of society. Therefore, the celebration this year was made a country-wide festivity. Over 900 names were on the guest list, thought I still have to confirm the actual number of community attendees and their guests. It was held at a children's museum, named Tin Marin. I'll post pictures here when I get more time online.

Our apartment is extremely modest, compared to Fairbanks standards. The carved wooden door to our entrance has a metal frame outside, we lock both when leaving the house. The downstairs has a small living room, dining area and kitchen. People still mostly use gas to cook here. Upstairs are the three small rooms and bathroom. We wash our clothes in the pila outside and the water pressure has it's own way of coming and going. But I'm enchanted with ¨la casita mia¨. It's a dose of independence I've never had before! I'm SLOWLY learning how to cook. Still can't get over why I can do chemisty lab experiments but appear to be inept at kitchen creations.

I have so many more precious stories about my time teaching at the school as well. But alas, I must be going. It's getting dark, so I should be heading home from this internet cafe. Hasta luego!

Ayyam-i-Ha and Fast

One can think of the 4 or 5 day celebration of Ayyam-i-Ha as like an extended Christmas. We give gifts to family and friends, but also host get-togethers, all in good cheer. I spent two nights at a cafe owned by a group of Baha'is, named Guilindujes. On the first night, a Garifuna (ethnic group of Central America) ensemble performed for us, it was amazing! So the second evening I made a point to talk to the same guests. The first man I introduced myself to also spoke English and gifted me a necklace! Later, when the band came over to our tables with drums, a grandma invited me to dance with her and that's how the party really got started!

Now is the 19 day Baha'i month of fasting; no food or drink from sunrise to sunset. (In Alaska this is set to 6am to 6pm for obvious reason.) I haven't been able to observe the fast since my near-fatal accident 3.5 years ago. I hope to have the opportunity again one day. But in the same spirit of renunciation of self, I have personally decided to go the 19 days without eating chocolate or drinking coffee. It's harder for me than it sounds. For exmaple, yesterday I went to the supermarket and absent-mindedly bought myself a nutella and strawberry crepe to-go. Halfway through my walk home I realized I was carrying chocolate-containing food. So I gave it to my host sister.

We certainly do live in a materialistic society and here I'm trying more and more to generate my happiness from other sources, like my service. Speaking of which, today a student at the Colegio put a paper crown on my head, then two little girls bowed to me saying ¨your majesty¨.

On Religion

Dear Reader,

Up until this point I haven't directly said much about my religion. I did this out of respect as I know we live in a society that allows differences of religion to cause tension. However, my faith is something I'd like to share with the whole world. It has also come to my attention, with the trial of 7 Baha'i leaders in Iran underway, that now is the time to addresses this question: What is the Baha'i Faith?

Of all the independent world religions, the Baha'i Faith is the youngest and second-most widespread. Originating in Iran in 1844, it has brought together people from diverse backgrounds. As Christians follow Christ, Baha'is are followers of Baha'u'llah, a Persian nobleman who lived in the 19th century. We believe His teachings will bring about the promised age of peace on earth, but we all must work towards that. We recognize the fundamental unity of all the great religions and the prophets as reflecting the same light of one God.

That's my little introductory blurb for now! The international website is www.bahai.org, viewable in many languages. The Baha'i Writings are available for anyone to read there as well. And, if you have not seen photos of the Baha'i World Center in Haifa, Israel, I encourage you to google some! I'm looking forward to the day I can make my pilgrimage there and see the gardens on Mount Carmel myself.

Thank you for joining my effort to promote knowledge and peace,
Sigourney

Education and Learning

One morning recently, a marvelous thing happened. I woke up with a profound sense of belonging. I felt like I was adjusting well to my new home and work. A welcoming peace was about me as I arose out of bed. Not a few minutes later, I go to put on my shoes and discover a dead cockroach in one of them. Yuck. So that's how my existence here is, always something new!

At the school, the kids really like playing ¨duck duck goose¨. We play games sometimes, I like to think of them as a fun orientation to practical applications of English! However, my first grade is on probation, as I like to think of it. They have been misbehaving, throwing paper on the floor, bickering with each other, etc. I've had to shout at them, which puts me really out of my element. In that class this week, I had them take notes a lot, but we still got to sing songs.

For all of their antics, they are so endearing. Once, a group of about 15 greeted me as I entered the school, all swarming around me in a big group hug! I have a small desk in the library/computer room. The computers are old and without internet. The school itself is colorful and lively, made of modest materials and a simple metal roof. There are 5 classrooms. Between kinder and first grade is a level called prepa. In the mornings the other two rooms host 2nd and 3rd, and in the afternoon 4th and 5th grades.

Oh, and I've been meaning to say that Oscar is a common boys name here. At first, with my Sesame Street up-bringing I couldn't get the image of a garbage can out of my mind. And those with that name have all been very charming and nice :) Rene is also a boys name, took me a few weeks to get used to that.
All for now! Ciao!

4 Months...wow

The short of the story is that yes, I'm finally teaching English classes at Colegio Ridvan. I have 7 classes each day and 131 students My service there is exhausting, but so rewarding. My teaching helps me delve into my creativity more as well. Most everyday I have Itsy Bitsy Spider or a similar song in my head after classes!

I've moved, again. Now living in a very nice community called Santa Elena, near the capital. I've enjoyed my travels, but being back to a daily schedule has its perks as well. The school is about a 40 minute bus ride away and in a poor area. The contrast doesn't shock me as much as before. I'm glad to be able to educate some children there, I believe learning brings its own wealth and prosperity.

Tried a new fruit today called marañon japones. They look like chili pepper-shaped apples. The seed inside looks like a brain and I'm glad it's not customary to eat it! Can't shake my addiction to the pupusas here, at the school I get to eat them as a snack every morning! More about the kids and food later.

La Escuela de Verano and Mourning

I walked through the gates of the Baha'i Institute to find large groups of people sitting in lawnchairs. The sun was brilliant and welcoming as I reuinted with my roommate and sat with one group of adults. For the children, the ¨summer school¨ was a time of learning about virtues through the arts. Youth and adults participated in what was more of a conference-style series of workshops and discussions.

A highlight of the 3-day summer school, for me, was being able to see the friends I had met from Chalatenango and San Salvador again. In that short time period, 273 people were in attendance. Some who lived close commuted in the morning and night. Others visited for only a day. There was a dormitory for girls, one for guys or the various tents set up about the lawn for those who could stay the whole weekend.

On the closing day, we watched a video about the 41 Baha'i conferences that had taken place around the world last year. Anyone interested can see the video here - http://www.bahai.org/arising/. Some of the locations were familiar, like LA in the US, Sydney in Australia, and Madrid in Spain. Other cities I had never heard of before such as Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, Padua in Italy, and Lusaka in Zambia.

Needless to say, I arrived back in the town of Olocuilta inspired and joyful. However, an emergency had occurred. The father of my host family lost his nephew in what was a tragic situation. I won't go into details, but I do want to share the tremendous spirit of the family and the culture of funerals here.

Some of the young man's family had been visiting for the holidays, but it seemed like all the aunts, uncles, brothers and relatives arrived for the funeral. While the members of the extended family are from different faiths, the process of burial is Catholic. In the house of the grandmother, the furniture was moved and the walls of the livingroom were made bare. The day I learned to make tamales, the casket arrived and mourners came to say prayers. The large gathering sat in the room with the body the entire night, til dawn. The 200 tamales, sweet bread and coffee were served to all.

The following day, I was in the crowd of at least 100 people who walked, en masse, to the cemetary. I can't explain how that felt. Even those who were working in the shops along the way stepped out to show their respect. The cemetary, like the one I saw in Guatemala, was filled with colors. Definitely nothing dark or gloomy.

Now, and until 9 days after the body was laid to rest, people come to the house in the afternoon to say the rosary. Along one wall is set the nephew's photograph encircled by flowers, reaching from the floor to eye level. There are also several tall candles that burn almost continuously. While I've seen many pained faces and tears, the atmosphere consists more of love and a quiet acceptance.

The new news of my service is that I'm moving on Tuesday to live near the capital. I'll travel in the mornings to teach English classes at Colegio Ridvan. The word ¨ridvan¨ means paradise and it is a Baha'i-inspired school with about 100 students from kinder to fifth year. I'm excited and hopeful for this opportunity, but sad to leave this community just when I felt such a part of the life here. The good thing is I can always visit here on weekends. El Salvador is a small country; travel is no 7 hour drive to Anchorage!

Feliz Año Nuevo

Happy New Year!!! (I have to say, however, that this is only my first new year of 2010. Baha'is have another calendar which begins each year on March 21.) Last night, I was awoken from my dinnertime nap by the noises of fireworks. I don't think I could have slept past 12:00am if I tried! The streets were filled with smoke and the laughter of children. People set off fireworks, sprinklers, etc. on the roads near their houses. There is definitely a different culture of safety here, but I've only seen 2 slightly burnt fingers. Oh, and I've got a slight cold. So I'm resting before I travel to the Baha'i summer school, which started today and will continue to the 3rd.

I've recently moved to another family's house here in Olocuilta. Their last name is Salvador, which is actually a common name here. My roommate is elsewhere preparing for her trip back home to Australia, so I'm more or less by myself now. But it's a great opportunity to learn more Spanish!

Recently, I met two other girls who where visiting the country. They had completed their year of service at the Baha'i school, Colegio Ridvan, some time ago. One was from Canada and the other from the US. Both had been planning their return to El Salvador before they even left! It was a nice glimpse of what it will be like for me in the future; the friendships I make here will last a long time.

Diversity is something very important to me and I know we could all do more to embrace our differences. Here, I've been exposed to situations my life at home hadn't yet educated me about. Frequently, I'm in the company of two children, one is autistic and the other mute. Right now, I'm at a loss of words to describe how harmonious the kids play and interact together. Even during times when the ugliness of the world appears in their lives, they take it with a rare maturity. Yet, I know the children I'm talking about have been blessed with loving families and this is not the case for many children here.

On a lighter note, we were watching the History Channel and it was talking about Fairbanks! In Spanish! That was a nice little treat. Okay, que te vaya bien, hope all goes well for you guys!