This week

(If you already read this in an email, feel free to disregard)

Monday--researched microfinance in the cibercafe...ate at our favorite little pupuseria (la pupuseria paciencia--and it is called that because it takes FOREVER sometimes. but if I were to do an ad campaign for them, their slogan would definitely be (worth the wait).

Tuesday--Mother's Day in El Salvador. So naturally we went to Hiper Paiz (i.e. Walmart's name in El Salvador). I know, I know. But I was looking for PowerBars and sports bras. And then I remembered that women in El Salvador don't really go to the gym...oh well. We got flowers for our cook, Estela, and the boys sang her a mother's day song in Spanish.

Wednesday--Spent the whole day with an organization called FUDEM, doing preliminary eye screenings for kids at a school in Ahuachapan. And when I say the whole day I mean, of course, that we took a 3 hour break to go to the beach..in our clothes..and mosy around until we went back to the school at 1. Gotta love it. Tony and Andrea were the FUDEM employees we went with and they were great.

Thursday--We went to an organization called CIPI, which is like a transitional school for girls that have been abused or have had pretty rough circumstances so far. It was really fun to get to know the girls and see the school that they live and study at. They are all so fun and just seem like normal girls, so it will be really interesting to get to know them better and work with them this summer.

Friday--Visited an NGO called ASEI that works with microfinance and ate at a fabulous little place called Cafe con Sazon. I got this chicken filled with cheese (think cordon bleu) with rice and tortillas. YUM.

Lessons I've learned so far--
You need two free hands to ride the bus.
Coke can kill anything that might make you sick.
Pupusas are way more filling than you would expect.
Don't tell BYU, but...living with boys can be pretty entertaining...especially when one of them brings his own shower in a bag...and decides to shower but also contribute to the meeting in the living room by yelling across the house. Oh brother. (he kept it decent, no worries).
I eat way more yogurt than I realized (we didn't get a fridge until yesterday and I about died from withdrawals of all things cold and refreshing)
Bags of water for 10 cents...interesting.
My hair is about 2.3 times curlier here. Cool.
Doing all your laundry by hand is pretty satisfying.
I've definitely caught the travel bug. and the packing light when you travel bug. I'm very proud to say that of all the people in our house, I may have packed the least.

Okay...and the important stuff I'm learning--
Life is so much slower here, and I really love it. Everything I'm doing is so focused and I love not having the distractions of cell phones and constant gmail updates.
I really really care about people. I think they are so fascinating.
Spanish is harder than I expected..but I'm getting there. My progress is what I make it though.

I already feel at home, and that just makes everything better.

The first 24 hours

I can't believe it has only been 24 hours since we landed in El Salvador last night.

A few updates-
-The food here is incredible. The only problem is that they give us SO much of it. I feel bad leaving -anything on my plate, so I'm trying to stuff as much as possible. It's so delicious though. (chile rellenos, the most amazing rice, and all sorts of baked treats)
-The traffic is pretty crazy..but we're learning the bus system and looking both ways.
-I took lots of pictures, but I haven't had a chance to download them from my camera yet. But be excited.
-Today, the driver of the microbus we took to the Habitat site was playing a CD full of classic 80s love songs. It was fantastic.

I'm realizing how much Spanish I can't actually understand. I can understand the other members of my group when they speak Spanish, but when locals talk to me...sometimes I end up just smiling and laughing. But I'm learning.

The house we are renting is really nice. It has a spectacular view and a sunrise that I woke up to at approximately 4am.

We spent most of the day today working with Habitat for Humanity (something I've always wanted to do), and it was so satisfying to do some serious hard labor. The area we went to is called Ahuachapan and it is beautiful (it's in the country and I was reminded a lot of Oregon on the drive out there. It's really green and full of trees).

I'll write more about today when I'm able to add pictures.

I think I must have some natural ability to feel at home most anywhere I go, and for that I am very grateful. I don't quite have my bearings yet, but I will soon, I'm sure.

I'm going to stop by SuperSelectos (the grocery store--yesterday, I bought a mango, banana, water bottle and some pan for 97 cents. yessss.) and then head home to wash off the dirt and grime.

Tomorrow--Eye Camp initiation training, and meetings about teaching English classes. Can't wait.

On my way

I'm currently sitting in the Houston international airport, killing time before our plane leaves for El Salvador at 5:45.

A few highlights from the past 24 hours:

-Hot tubbing with friends

-Watching "The Adjustment Bureau" (meh, it was alright. Not bad, but it was a good thing we saw it in the dollar theatre)

-Starting my serious packing at about 12:30 (don't worry, I definitely put a load of laundry in at the same time)

-Hanging out/Girl talking with the roommates until the wee hours of the morning.

-Surviving on 30 minutes of sleep.

-Gorging myself on fried rice and orange chicken from Panda Express and splitting what may pass as the thickest, densest slice of chocolate cake I've ever consumed.

Anyway, in less than 7 hours I'll be in San Salvador!

Here's to:

-eating all the pupusas I want

-packing light

-new places and facing fears

-a whole set of new friends

T-24 Hours

I leave for El Salvador bright and early tomorrow morning and I can barely wait!

After all the months of preparation, fundraising letters, packing lists and shopping trips, I feel about as ready as I'll ever be, so I really just want to get there and get used to it.

Last night I dreamed that I was there, using my Spanish. Oh boy, oh boy.

Tomorrow is a rite of passage: I get a stamp in my passport.*

As a side note, I'll be getting an international phone, but since my minutes will be very limited, email is probably the best way to get in contact with me. {lauracoalwell@gmail.com}

(I'll be getting a Skype account, too, but probably won't be on the computer a whole lot.)


*The passport that I got over 2 years ago for that one time when I was going to go to Scotland, but then didn't go.

image via

5 Days

I leave for El Salvador in 5 days and I'm nervous, excited, optimistic, cautious, (un)prepared..wondering what to think.

This is going to be completely new for me, and this whole week all that has been on my mind is that I just want to get there already and adjust and face the bugs and the new food, and realize that it's all going to be fine.

I'm really excited. I can't wait to get to know the city of San Salvador like I was born there, and fall in love with the people I meet, and actually come back with some street Spanish and some great stories.

Our country directors and the whole crew at Help International has been encouraging us to make goals for our experiences.

Here is what I want:

-Be less intimidated to speak Spanish

-Come back with a stronger passion to be involved in international development my whole life

-Make every person I come in contact with feel important and loved

and some more...but I don't want to have too many expectations before I leave, because I'm sure my perspective will change after I'm there.

image via

Two weeks

Two weeks from today, I'll be on a plane headed to El Salvador!

I can barely believe it and can hardly wait!

Fly away

I OFFICIALLY have a plane ticket leaving for El Sal on May 4th!

I'm getting really excited, and also a little nervous. I looked at the list of vaccinations I need to get before I go, and it's pretty hefty, but once I get those over with, I'll be a little relieved.

I think in my naive, never been out of the country, self I've underestimated a little just how much of a culture shock this will probably be.

But it will be good for me.

And I can't wait.