Dancin in the moonlight/strobe light/traffic light.

Roe and I dancing on the bus.

Ryan and I....self-explanatory

Feliz dia de amistad (Happy friendship day) a tod@s. First and foremost.

Yesterday was a real day. Troubling. Great. Lively. Let´s start....

Troubling...
Yesterday on the drive on the microbus to praxis, we saw an accident. Ironic because Amy and I were talking the day before about how we had to yet see a car accident in El Salvador - rare thought to have because they all drive like maniacs. Massachusetts driving is a warm up to this. So we are on the autopista and see a few cars stopped, one old blue sedan flipped up on its side. Worse, two women laying in the road amongst a few male onlookers just STANDING THERE. One of the women was laying in a fetal position on her side in the middle of the road. Not moving, breathing, living. The other woman was face up in the median - blood flowing out of the side of her head, splattered on her shirt. My heart is ripping open all over again as I type this. I find myself with this instinct to stop, go back, help, CPR, anything. But I couldn´t, and that was the hardest thing to accept. We just kept driving, living amongst ourselves. All during the rest of the day yesterday it really haunted me. I saw Salvadoran women all over the place and thought ¨It could have been you. You´re alive, though.¨ How horrible.

But life goes on in El Salvador. Life after the war. Memories are hard to tell sometimes, but the work ethic goes on, the family life goes on amidst parents leaving their children for the states, amongst domestic abuse and gang violence. I can´t keep repeating myself, because then it becomes less real and more of a statement. Who wants to live through words anyway?
Great....
From the trip on the bus ride we went straight into Los Sitios and to Neto´s house with his beautiful family. We laughed and joked and taught each other slang. Neto is studying English at the national university - and loves to repeat. Taught him ¨baller¨and ¨ballin out of control¨. Monday night he started saying ¨No you didnt¨like that attitude-filled woman you see in a cat fight. Fantastic. He´s wicked smaht. After a delicious lunch of noodle soup, beans, rice, tortillas, and chicken (always fresh...) we went back to the cooperative. Oh, and Neto´s grandfather is an evangelist. We visited the church earlier in the day and he read us the bible and told us the story about how after buying the land for the church, one member made 3 trips to the states to save up enough money to build the church, nothing else for himself. Even if you don´t believe in evangelism, you can´t help but have the utmost admiration for someone who gives everything they have into something they believe in.

Lively.....
The bus ride home after the day was something else. A dance party really. It started with Nedly, the driver, playing a sweet latin love song - and me asking Ryan to dance on the moving bus. He, Roe and I rotated as dancing partners. Then Nedly put on some reggaeton and it just turned into an all out shake-fest. The crew from Las Delicias, Tepecoyo, and Colon were astounded when they got on the bus and saw us but then they just joined in. Some becari@s were on the bus and dancing too.

Last night eight of us went out to a club for some reggaeton and salsa dancing. The night started with a somba drum line out of no where and ended up with some crazy "elevated" dancing....aka maybe dancing on some railings with Tita and Beth. No worries, nothing like "those videos", just some good ole salsa dancing with good friends and fufurufo salvadorans on the side (fufurufo - high life/snotty/lots of hair gel and European clothed men). I'll post pictures so you believe me and don't lose respect for me as soon as I get them from Jessica.

Again, feliz dia de amistad. Treasure and enjoy your friends and the love they give you, it's not all about flowers and candy today/yesterday/tomorrow.

Enjoy life to the Max.

I´m running late for lunch, thats why the writing of this entry has progressively gotten more vague and less interesting. But pictures will help to explain.

Ryan, Paty, and Patricio. After Paty was like "Hey Ryan! Come over here!" Girl knows what she wants.

The Ignacio "Nacho" Martin Baro Cooperative in Jayaque

Zac, myself and Patricio. Bus is still moving.

Making our own reggaeton beats... to "Total Eclipse of the Heart"...

Last night at dinner. Heart eating contest. Look at the looks of disgust.