This will be a little more uplifting post than the previous one.
During PST 2 we did some really awesome stuff too. We learned about so many different projects that we can do in our community and how to write grants, how to do youth camps, stove projects, you name it.
We took a field trip to an awesome waterfall in Ataco, Ahuahcapan. It was really wide and had a great swimming hole at the bottom. Very refreshing after weeks of sitting in the training center. The monkey that I am, I found a way to climb to a section on the waterfall and throw myself into the swimming hole at the bottom. It was a great opportunity to let loose and blow off some steam. We stayed in this amazing hotel that was settled in the wilderness. They had these cabins that slept 3-5 people that were all separated with their own private path that winded further into the woods. Don’t even get me started on the food they had there. Best food I have had in El Salvador. So fresh and healthy. Green salad with pine nuts!!! Are you kidding me? Endless bread with home made garlic butter. If anyone visits me, this is where we will stay to relax.
Secluded bungalows at Jardin de Celeste...
After PST 2, the volunteers all had the chance to spend thanksgiving with an Embassy family. I planned ahead for this one. I met Special Agent Cooke in PST 1 when he briefed us on the security of El Salvador. I knew he was a surfer because he only used surfing terms like ´stoked´ and ´awesome´. I befriended him and told him I am going to request his house for turkey day. I ended up going a day early to his house in order to get 2 surf sessions in. And am so glad I did. I had the two best surf sessions of my life. It was another great opportunity to relax and do something I love.
Thanksgiving was by far the biggest spread of food I have ever had on thanksgiving, and things that I have never had. We ate around 3pm giving us enough time to take a nap, booze a little, play some poker and have a second thanksgiving feast around 10pm. And I got a leg. The thanksgiving spread included green bean casserole with crunchy things on top, sweat potato thing with marshmallows on top, giant turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, stuffing cooked in the turkey, sautéed onions from inside the turkey, salad, various dinner rolls, wine, beer, and of course the gravy train.
After the first dinner we hung out and played Wii and wrestled with their kids. Reminded me of all the good thanksgivings in Carlsbad wrestling around with my cousins (miss you guys). It was a truly wonderful experience with the Cooke family. And I will definitely be hitting him up next thanksgiving, maybe even Easter, who knows?
Tyler wrestling with the ferocious Jackie (age 6 and she is bilingual)...
So many things happened in the last month, really hard to capture it all in a couple posts, but those were some highs and lows I experienced. Hopefully now that I am all settled in I can blog regularly and convey my life a little more accurately. Take care in the states everyone.
Love you all,
Chusito
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