The new international (typically from the United States) teachers of Escuela Americana arrived last weekend - and so this week they have been doing some of the things we have been doing (paperwork, banking, shopping for the house, settling in, being shown around/welcomed...) as well as school-orientation trainings, lesson planning and a few fun outings. As part of this new crew, Cole and I have been joining in on the fun. As I mentioned in the last posting, we went to the coast and had a good time walking along the beach, picking up abolone-type shells (or as Cole says "shiney shells") and sea glass and watching hermit crabs. There was also a kid pool with a slide that Cole enjoyed playing/splashing-around-in. We have all enjoyed getting to know those in our same cohort and also the "welcome committee" who are the more experienced teachers to answer questions and guide us around living/working in El Salvador (so helpful and generous with their time as well as many others at EA). Rich and I agree that the U.S. teachers remind us of Peace Corps Volunteers (and some are RPCVs) and we are looking forward to getting to know everyone better and living in this community.
Saturday, July 31 - Rich, Cole and I went on a trip to the west of San Salvador with the group of new teachers. We visited three different towns ~ Nahuizalco (markets of arts and crafts, produce, foods and a church); Juayua (visited markets with clothes/shoes/etc..., crafts, food and a town square wtih horses and church); and Ataco (shops with arts and crafts, weavers, and produce market) - each with their own special something. We enjoyed exploring the markets especially - including the arts and crafts, food (fruits, vegies, live and dead seafood, tortoise eggs...), clothing/local items, etc... Cole had a good time looking at different items and tasting a few items --- and the vendors enjoyed him as well. Cole tried a lychee fruit (a bit smaller than a lime; soft, spikey and red on the outside; a white, soft fruit on the inside) that was given by one of the vendors - it was quite good; and then sugar cane - in Kenya kids (typically) would chew off bits and chew them to get the sweet juices (the fiber would be spit out). I haven't seen the same in El Salvador so I cannot say for sure - they may only use it for cooking. In the pictures you will see him carrying around a wooden snake that we got from the market - that's Cole! (He loves snakes/reptiles, but also is typically finding something to carry around with him be it a stick, piece of red cloth, rock, etc...).
It is interesting to have lived for 5 years in a different part of the world (Kenya and Uganda) with a similar economic development status and climate to El Salvador. There are similarities and differences I see as I scratch the surface...such as the food items grown and how they are used; public transportation (bus drivers are crazy and skilled throughout the world and matatu-like public transportation); markets (produce, food, clothing, arts/crafts...); towns/infrastructure and businesses; churches; clothing/dress; music and celebrations; etc...
One of the last places we visited was a very nice restaurant between two of the towns (Apaneca and Ataco). It is beautiful as the name El Jardin de Celeste suggests http://www.eljardindeceleste.com/ - and we enjoyed eating the gourmet and authentic foods of El Salvador to the sound of classical music and view of their beautiful gardens. As you walked in there were large stone containers where they put water and flowers...so lovely. Cole enjoyed a playground and a tree house as well as the pathways through the gardens and various animals in pens (goats, geese, ducks, etc...). The first picture below is not in the gardens/restaurant, but at a church in Juayua - and is the only one with the three of us.
Saturday, July 31 - Rich, Cole and I went on a trip to the west of San Salvador with the group of new teachers. We visited three different towns ~ Nahuizalco (markets of arts and crafts, produce, foods and a church); Juayua (visited markets with clothes/shoes/etc..., crafts, food and a town square wtih horses and church); and Ataco (shops with arts and crafts, weavers, and produce market) - each with their own special something. We enjoyed exploring the markets especially - including the arts and crafts, food (fruits, vegies, live and dead seafood, tortoise eggs...), clothing/local items, etc... Cole had a good time looking at different items and tasting a few items --- and the vendors enjoyed him as well. Cole tried a lychee fruit (a bit smaller than a lime; soft, spikey and red on the outside; a white, soft fruit on the inside) that was given by one of the vendors - it was quite good; and then sugar cane - in Kenya kids (typically) would chew off bits and chew them to get the sweet juices (the fiber would be spit out). I haven't seen the same in El Salvador so I cannot say for sure - they may only use it for cooking. In the pictures you will see him carrying around a wooden snake that we got from the market - that's Cole! (He loves snakes/reptiles, but also is typically finding something to carry around with him be it a stick, piece of red cloth, rock, etc...).
It is interesting to have lived for 5 years in a different part of the world (Kenya and Uganda) with a similar economic development status and climate to El Salvador. There are similarities and differences I see as I scratch the surface...such as the food items grown and how they are used; public transportation (bus drivers are crazy and skilled throughout the world and matatu-like public transportation); markets (produce, food, clothing, arts/crafts...); towns/infrastructure and businesses; churches; clothing/dress; music and celebrations; etc...
One of the last places we visited was a very nice restaurant between two of the towns (Apaneca and Ataco). It is beautiful as the name El Jardin de Celeste suggests http://www.eljardindeceleste.com/ - and we enjoyed eating the gourmet and authentic foods of El Salvador to the sound of classical music and view of their beautiful gardens. As you walked in there were large stone containers where they put water and flowers...so lovely. Cole enjoyed a playground and a tree house as well as the pathways through the gardens and various animals in pens (goats, geese, ducks, etc...). The first picture below is not in the gardens/restaurant, but at a church in Juayua - and is the only one with the three of us.
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