My first Lutheran church service then off to Santa Ana

This trip is already many firsts for me; my first time in Central America, my first time on an international volunteer trip, and my first time with a Thrivent Builds project. Now I have added another item to my list; my first time attending a Lutheran service.

Under most circumstances, there really isn't much of a difference between a Lutheran service and a Catholic mass... however... today the Lutheran church just happened to be celebrating the Reformation, that moment in history when Martin Luther did his whole theses thing and separated from the Catholic Church. Really? Of all the services to attend, it's the one where they celebrate NOT liking Catholics. Great.

The church building was very run down and in need of repair. It was a drastic comparison to the Catholic churches and cathedral(s) we drove by on the way there (and I'm solely basing that on the views from the outside). After the service, we were invited into the Bishop's office as he shared his insight on the community and his teachings. He said sometimes the rich are really the ones in more need of God's help and guidance than the poor. After taking group pictures around the alter, and shopping with a local artisan selling jewelry in the back of the church, we piled back into the van and headed back to the hotel to check out.

For lunch, we enjoyed the popular fried chicken chain, Pollo Campero (YAY!!!). We have these in the states too, especially in Northern Virginia, but this was a first for many of those in our group. We stood out and caused stares as the 18 of us white Americans sat together at a long row of tables in the middle of the restaurant. A few kids gathered behind us and I kept looking back and smiling at them until they'd giggle and hide. Eventually, one of them tapped me on the shoulder and asked me my name and where I'm from. I think he was excited to practice his English. The 3 others that were with him were younger and just giggled shyly as he briefly chatted with me. It was pretty darn adorable.

Back into the van we went as we left the big city to head out west on the hour and a half drive to Santa Ana, where we would be calling Hotel Sahara "home" for the rest of the week.

Iglesia Luterana La Resurreccion

Example of the comparison to the Catholic cathedral right down the street.

Houses tightly packed together on the hills in San Salvador.

Downtown Santa Ana

We celebrated team member Sue's birthday later that night at dinner.

The teams have arrived!

I finally had my true sight-seeing experience of San Salvador during the morning ride back to the airport to meet up with the team. I have to admit, in emails to friends and family, I couldn't help but make a comparison to the movie Slumdog Millionaire. It's a very densely populated city with lots of very aged/weathered/worn down buildings, homes made out of recycled trash and scraps, loads of billboard and poster advertisements, street vendors everywhere, barbed wire fencing around every nice building, and guards with shotguns at every business entrance. The area I had staying in prior to the team's arrival was much nicer and safer than the surrounding parts of the city.

After the teams gathered at the airport, we headed to the hotel then to lunch at an outdoor cafe with a great view of the city. We were all very careful with what we ordered, but some of us still ended up with lettuce and tomato on our sandwiches. Surely I thought to myself that this was going to be the start of some terrible stomach ailments. As it turned out, I was fine.

We returned to the hotel for our orientation with our Habitat representative Luis. He went into a detailed history of El Salvador and the social and economic effects of their civil war. He also explained the breakdown of average income, minimum wage, basic basket, etc. It was a lot to take in all at once. Then, of course, he went into the details of how families apply for and pay for the homes built by Habitat, and explained our roles for the upcoming week.

As if much of the day wasn't already a culture shock to me and some of the members of the team, Luis gives us one piece of very important information: Flushing toilet paper in El Salvador is a "no-no." There were many things I was prepared for on this trip; not drinking the water, preventing malaria, and having an antibiotic ready for the moment my stomach starts to rumble. Not being able to flush toilet paper? All I could think was "But what if I need to... you know...?" Ugh.

We then headed out to enjoy a dinner full of traditional Salvadoran dishes, including the expected pupusas and horchata. We mixed and mingled with the other team after dinner as we sat around in the hotel's courtyard until the long day of traveling finally got to us and we headed to bed.

Monumento al Divino Salvador del Mundo

View from the lunch cafe

Jilleen, Tom, Larry, Laura, Lianne at dinner

Our traditional Salvadoran dinner including pupusas, enchilada, yucca, etc.

Carol and Jim

First few days

So, I arrived late Wednesday night without any problems. I only wish I had a day time arrival because I'm sure the 45 minute cab ride to the hotel was probably very scenic. I've spent the last two days relaxing at the Sheraton Presidente. I ate my first pupusas (traditional Salvadoran dish) and explored the nearby Museo de Arte de El Salvador.

There is an old Simpsons episode when Bart somehow ends up lost in France for two months. In one scene, he is walking down the street, frustrated because no one understands him, then suddenly it hits him; since he has been surrounded by the French, he knows how to speak fluent French. Well... I'm pretty sure I was expecting the same thing to happen to me... but with Spanish.

I took Spanish for 9 years in school. Yes, it has been almost a decade since then, and I am pretty rusty, but I figured surely when I am immersed in it, I'll be just fine. I can't believe how many times I've already wimped out and asked "Uhhh... Habla usted ingles?" I got so nervous when someone said something to me in Spanish and I didn't respond right away. I need a shirt that says "Please disregard my deer-in-the-headlights appearance. It's not that I can't understand you, it's just that I'm slowly repeating what you just said and translating it in my head. A response will be with you momentarily."

I even tried chatting with the cab driver and when I couldn't think of what else to say, I told him I work with a lot of people from El Salvador. His response was "Oh... Si." I felt like Baby from Dirty Dancing... "I carried a watermelon?!"

Today, I head back to the airport to meet up with the team. Due to all the rain and flooding that has taken place in El Salvador during the last two weeks, a lot of our building plans are up in the air. Habitat is planning alternative tasks in case we aren't able to get to the work sites. I guess I'll find out soon!

Thrivent Builds Worldwide, El Salvador Community

This week, I'll be joining a team of 9 volunteers in San Salvador, El Salvador, as we head to the western city of Ahuachapan. This project supports the Getsemani Community:

Strengthening the Getsemaní Community is a three-year project that aims to improve the living conditions of 138 families in a low-income community through a holistic development project.  In collaboration with community leaders and other partners, Habitat will build 90 houses and develop programs in community leadership, values education, community health, cultural exchange and microentrepreneurship. (read more)

So, just a few more days to brush up on my Spanish and start my preventative dose of malaria medicine then we're off! Looking forward to sharing my stories!

Back in Action!

Three years ago, I started this blog during an amazing trip through Croatia, Bosnia, and France. Sadly, once internet became unavailable, the momentum of my blog-postings came to a screeching halt. Now a new chapter begins with a new exciting international destination: El Salvador!

The blog that stopped time.

With the limited internet use, and my end-of-the-day exhaustion, I was forced to take a pause in my story. But no worries! More is on the way, as I hope to fill in the 2nd week of the trip, and post many more photos!

Stay tuned!

Thursday and Friday afternoon

Both Thursday afternoon and Friday morning/afternoon were spent traveling between cities.

Thursday morning, we joined Doris as she ran errands in the city of Hvar to buy supplies for the restaurant. We walked around the harbor and took photos and browsed thru the local vendors that lined the sidewalks with olive oil, lavender oil, embroidered linens, and a variety of typical knick knacks; magnets, jewelry, coasters, and all the other stuff you can write "Hvar" on and sell to tourists.

Our plan was to catch the 1:00 car ferry back to the mainland, but that sold out quickly, so we spent a few more hours in Milna, then headed to the Stari Grad port to catch the 4:00pm ferry instead. The blue sky and dry air made for yet another lovely ride back to Split. We headed to the next hotel to check in then went back over to the Meridien for more cash. We stayed for dinner (which was awesome; I had veal wrapped in prosciutto with polenta and stuff onion) then called it a day.

Friday morning, we overslept and missed out on free breakfast. We made a pit stop at the grocery store, picked up some pastries and drinks then started the trek to Medjugorje.

Wow.

WOW.

What a beautiful drive. For the first 40-50 miles, the road wrapped around the side of the mountain and overlooked the sea and neighboring islands. Every town that we came upon was built up from the beach and the houses were stacked up the hill to the highway. One bad move off the road, and any car could fall off the cliff and thru the roof of some random house. With my dad's need-for-speed driving skills, I didn't think we were far from doing just that. Some time after we passed by the town of Igrane, the road curved away from the shore and in between the mountains. The valley was just as picturesque. Forests, lakes, farmland, and the occasional house. My finger was permanently glued to my camera the whole time.

Photos:

Outside of the hotel Friday morning.


Driving along the coast on the way to Medjugorje.


Passing by the city of Igrane.


An example of the distance from the highway above the cities.


More scenery as we head away from the coast into the mountain valleys.


Leaving regular civilization.


In the valley.


At the border. Leaving Croatia, entering Bosnia & Herzegovina.


Welcome to Herzegovina!


Approaching intersection to Medjugorje.


Grafitti


First glimpse of the church in Medjugorje. We've finally made it!