El Salvador... The little country that could

The First Month and Change of El Salvador

First off, I’d like to share with you my thoughts about El Salvador before I actually arrived here. I feel like they are quite common with the average person’s mental picture.

1.       I imagined El Salvador to be a never ending jungle, much like Jurassic Park, except for tigers and gorillas instead of dinosaurs

2.       I thought the symbols of strife and war would be everywhere because the MS-13 gang is highly prevalent in El Salvador and the civil war ended within the past couple decades

3.       I had taken every El Salvadoran/ Central American movie literal as if they were documentaries... movies such as Innocent Voices and Sin Nombre

4.       I didn’t expect to see many cars, and definitely no trucks

5.       I didn’t expect to see a Wal- Mart nor any big buildings that would leave a small imprint of America nor heavy industrialization

6.       I didn’t expect to see anyone wearing Nike nor any name- brand clothing at all

7.       I expected poverty to be everywhere

8.       I expected to see a country lacking smiles for it is a country without many natural resources

Where are the cars?

Symbols of strife

   

The Infamous MS- 13 El Salvadoran Gang

  I was ignorant and far from correct.

It’s hard to gather your ideas about a place before you’re there, and you will never quite know what it’s like until you’re there and you walk the same footsteps as the locals. You can go to Paris to see the Ifle tower just about the same as google image shows it to be life is like. You will never know Paris if you don’t get the inside perspective. All you will have is your own gathered conceptions of what the romantic city of Paris is like from a tourist’s point of view, and you’ll label it ‘France.’ So even when you visit a country, you may not know the country. It is when you walk the steps, when you transport like the locals, when you grab a coffee and chat with them, exchange words for laughter, that you understand what the country may have. And then, you have a decent idea of what this country has to offer.

What I’ve seen in the past month or so

El Salvador is a loud, vibrant, and colorful country. The people here are warm, and I’ve encountered many people who have broken their back for me without any any other intentions than just being nice. I mean stuff like people who’ve helped push a car up a hill at night for over an hour, with absolutely no intentions other than to help. People who call me every day and do what they can to make sure I’m enjoying their country. People who invite me into their household and truly make their home and family feel like mine. In almost every aspect I was wrong about my initial imaginations in what this country holds. It goes to say, yes, a lot of El Salvador is very poor, but these people are happier than your average  business executive in Houston, TX. I’ve thought about this for a while and I came up with the understanding that the majority of the people have two choices:

1.       Be happy

2.       Try to be happy

I am generalizing here, but your stock business executive takes option two and practically chases his whole life for a bigger house, a nicer car, newer things and a desire for better family impressions with the hopes that they will reach their utopia. The people here are making understand that if you want to be in a state of option 1, where you’re just happy, you have to look past at what you have, look past a what more you want, and accept your situation, and simply smile because you can.

This adorable child was in Chalatenango... happy as can be

I know a lot of us like to think we are happy for the simple things. But in the back of our head we live off the big things and welcome the simple things as colorful… flavorful fore say. I compare it to a salad. Yes, we like our salad tasty. We like it with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, spinach, strawberries, Craisins, and avocados. However, it’s the simple dressing that makes the salad taste great. In retrospect, the vegetables are the big stuff in our American life. They are the base. They can be eaten without dressing, and still be filling. For us, the vegetables are a necessity. We add the dressing, and we love how that thin film of fluid really compliments the salad in such a way that it tastes completely different without the dressing. So we then say, ‘of course I like the simple things! I can’t live without them.’ But the question is can you feed yourself only off of dressing and still be happy? That, my friends, is what these people have done. They take what’s small and they don’t look for the big. They accept what little they have, smile, and continue smiling on.

Now, enough with philosophy, and in with the how it’s been.

1.       Colegio Ridvan

So, the reason I came to El Salvador is to do service. Like I have said before, The Baha’i commends service to humanity as one of the most precious gems in the world. All the Messengers of God served humanity in ways we can’t comprehend, and so we are forever thankful. That said, serving a part of my life for mankind became a necessity for me when I began to understand the impact it has. There are many ways in which service can be done, but I had just gotten my Mechanical Engineering degree and after learning in schools all my life, I wanted to help and spread that knowledge. I’m a firm believer that if we don’t educate those who need to be educated most, the world won’t develop as fast. If we’re all educated correctly, then we wouldn’t have many of the problems we are having today. That said, I wanted to teach a place that has no running water, where it was out in the middle of nowhere, and where you had to watch every step you took with caution. That brought me to Colegio Ridvan in Las Moras, where it is a private school that is trying to educate the children of harsh backgrounds to provide them a prosperous future.

Upon arrival in El Salvador, I had absolutely no idea about how this was going to be. I did not know how many grades I would teach, how long school was, where I’d live, how much English they knew… nothing.

I arrived in El Salvador June 18^th and by June 19^th I had headed straight for the school to begin teaching . I was woed. As I attempted to walk down the hallways, I was stopped by a swarm of kids running at my feet to shower me with hugs  and kisses. This was nothing like I’d ever seen before, and definitely not what I was expecting. I didn’t understand it completely, well, because my elementary was way different and that’s about the only perspective I had. These kids were kids of love and they wanted no more than to show it.

About thirty minutes into the day I found out I would be teaching Kinder, Prep, 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, 6^th grade and the community class.. To describe what my schedule is like, from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm I only have a cumulative one hour break, of which 15 minutes of that is my lunch break. Also, I wake up 2 hours before and it takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to head back home. It is a complete 12 hour day, nonstop. Also, all my classes are in Spanish!!! I now sympathize my foreign TA’s who had to teach me classes in a language that wasn’t native to them. It’s quite interesting at times :0 This calls for a lot of work and though at times it feels like more than I can handle, I didn’t come to waste my time. I came to get dirty and to devote my time and effort in hopes that my energy will transfer to the children and make a difference in their life. I’m busy, but I didn’t come to walk the parks.

The community youth that comes daily for English classes

This  school is unbelievable, and I wish everyone could see it. It was started by a 13 year old Baha’i in the 80’s as children’s classes, but by the 90’s it grew to where the government accredited the school as a credited private school. The school is always growing, and now there are 8 different grade levels! It is a Baha’i inspired school meaning it is not only for Baha’is, but a school that teaches the values/ virtues we hold as imperative. There is a big difference because of that too. Whereas in the public schools here, some kids aren’t able to read up even until the 3^rd grade, these kids are learning to write and read by 5 years old. They are learning to speak English since 4 years old. They are learning to love people rather to hate. And where the students of public schools will attack a teacher, the children of Colegio Ridvan would never dream of doing so. The school is their safe-place and they are happy to be here. I have asked each one of them about their dreams, and they are filled with kids who want to be teachers, doctors, engineers, lawyers, businessmen. Their dreams are set high and I am here to do my best in making them understand how to pave that road from right now until their future.

It goes to say, yes, this is a lot of tough work. I’m not used to working with kids. Most people I have

worked with were either from drum corps background where instructions were rarely repeated twice, or engineers where everyone took notes and was aware at all times. Now here I am with kids, ages 4-13 years old, trying to understand how they take in information. It’s always a struggle. Every day, I try to flow energy into the class, but the days that they flow energy back into me are the days that make me feel like I’m making an impact.

I can’t describe enough how precious these kids are. They are kids of the community of Las Moras, and 98% have struggles you and I couldn’t comprehend. The city is rural, where there’s no flowing water, and well, gangs are prevalent, and the people there simply don’t have many resources nor opportunities. 

A few things there that have caught my attention... This school has changed a lot, even within the last month that I’ve been here. Where normally, elementary of the USA fill their playground with slides, jungles jims, basketball courts, soccer goals, kickball fields etc… these kids only have a concrete slab smaller than a basketball court as their playground. If that doesn’t paint the picture, they just recently finally completed the construction on it and made it flat. Yes, that’s right, it wasn’t even flat before. But with some funding from the Fundacion Baha’I organization of El Salvador, they were able to make this the concrete slab flat. The very next thing we did was we planted flowers throughout the parameter of the court. The kids value nature more than I did when I was kid. Much respect to that. Then, we were able to find a volleyball net and by God did the kids love that. Now, they were able to play soccer and volleyball on this new court. Then, we painted 10 squares for hopscotch and the kids lined up and waited nearly 5 minutes for their turn to jump the 10 squares!!! I never thought much of hopscotch, but verily, there is beauty in just about everything… it just depends on the angle in which you see it. So this past month has been a progressive month for these kids. There has been a lot of changes all to make them happier. The teachers here dedicate their life for these kids and it’s not walk in the park. 

PE

A few other teachers and myself

lunch

como se dice 'patience'?

I wanted to go to a place that really needed it, and By God they do. I created a Facebook page for them. If you would like to see it, facebook ‘Colegio Ridvan’ and like the page if it makes you smile.

Kinder

My other experiences

2.       Mi Familia

It goes to say, I feel my El Salvadoran family here should get all the credit first. I live with an El Salvadoran Baha’i family. A husband, wife, and 2 adorable daughters, of  9 & 4 years old. Within a few weeks, I already felt really attached to them, and I cannot imagine a better living experience. I often wonder how hard it would be to just let someone you don’t know into your house with your little daughters, but this sweet family did it for me and I’m forever thankful..

I grew up with two brothers and no sisters. We were a family of 4 dudes and my poor mother. I know she would have loved at least one daughter to equilibrate the testosterone level, but with all the differences set aside, I now feel like I have those sisters that my mom always dreamed of giving me. Haha. Unfortunately, my mother isn’t here to enjoy it :/

3.      

  The Aunt and Uncle’s Family.

Before I describe how blessed I am to have met such a beautiful family, I’m going to step back and tell you what my uncle back told me back in the states. He told me that when I get here, I would find people that were so hospitable that it would seem foreign to me. He told me people here would be as warm as his neighbors in Iran. I’ve met nice people all over the world. I thought I understood him, but now I know what he is talking about.

This family has taught me more than they know. There is a difference with being nice and bending your back for people no matter what. This is that family. Since the first day I spent time with them, they have been at my side nearly every day.

It all started with playing soccer weeknights with the uncle. I quickly found a group of people outside my norm to hang out with and play soccer. I do this about 2-4 times a week at night. There is something beautiful about playing soccer that other sports don’t quite have, and it’s that soccer is very international. You can go around the world and make friends just about anywhere if you play soccer. Every corner of the world plays it and I highly recommend learning how to play if you don’t already know how to.

Jose Juan and myself

My little brothers and sisters

Back to the family though, I started playing soccer with the uncle, and so he began invite me every night to see to play. Then he started to call me just to make sure I wasn’t lost. If I didn’t know what bus to take, he would go out of his way to pick me up and drop me off. Soon, he was taking me with his family all over San Salvador, showing me the center, the black market, the plazas, their food, and how to truly enjoy his favorite country. Jose Juan, the uncle, literally called me just about every day whether it was to play soccer, try food, hang out with his family, pick me up if I was lost, or just to say he hoped I had a great day. This sincerity was fed through his wife and kids as well. It’s quite remarkable how loving these people are. The interesting thing about their family is that they have 3 boys, 9 years old, 6 years old, and a baby now 2 months old. If anyone knows anything about my family it’s that I have two brothers, and we are exactly spaced out with those years. Their oldest son is very calm and gentle, his hair is smooth, and a smile that reminds me of my older brother. Their middle is a little bit more hyper with thicker hair and reminds me a little bit more of myself. Well, the little one… I’m sure he’s going to be quite the star like my younger brother.
This family is a family that I will truly and deeply miss when I leave. I know I will be in contact with them forever.  I’m looking forward to come back to El Salvador in the future and play soccer with the kids. I am in every way blessed to have known this family.

4.     

    De Verdad, Como es El Salvador? “What’s El Salvador really like?”

El Salvador is a country of color. If the tropical forests don’t show it, then the houses show it. If you don’t see the houses, then you see people’s inner beauty. If you don’t see the people’s inner beauty, then for sure you must see their colorful clothes. If that doesn’t lighten up your eyes, then you will see the volcanoes, mountains, and ocean within a far distance. If you’re nearsighted, then you will see the colorful buses painted for the American 60’s hippie. And if you can’t see any of that, then you’re blind.

Paseo de Carmen

Each day I make my way to Las Moras, I am very tired, but I am fascinated by the landscape, even in the poor town of Las Moras. Now, I am a traveler, and I have learned to love just about everything that is foreign to me. If you show me a mule lodging a caravan fool of goods in a narrow street, that mental image will make my day. There are many people who look at such a thing and will think it’s disgusting, but these people tend to be distracted with the bad over the good. Keyhan, the president of the Fundacion is a big philosopher, and one day he explained to me what Abdul’Baha had said. To paraphrase it, he told me some people tend to have eyes that are that of bees and those of flies. When there is a beautiful garden with a spec of rotten trash, the fly will fly past the past beauty and head for the dirty trash, however, a junkyard with a single flower will cause a bee to fly past the trash with all intentions to see the flower. The question is what pairs of eyes do you want. Nearly everyone is surrounded by things of unexplainable beauty, but to what degree do we call it beauty. Eyes of perfection seek perfection. The truth about this country is that I could imagine some people not enjoying it as much because they are scared of what they have been told about the dangers of this country. But in every way, they are distracted by the trash as they look past the treasure. I find this country to be proud, warm- hearted, as well as literally and figuratively colorful in nearly every way, it just depends on how you see it.

5.       The Food

Just so you all know, this is my time to feel like Anthony Bourdain. For the first month I tried new food just about every day. It did not stop. The soups, the desserts, the juices, fruits, pupusas, sandwiches. 1 month and a half in, I am still asked if I have tried some food I have never even heard of. I don’t know how this little country managed to make custom so many different types of foods, but it sure makes my stomach happy. I was brought up in what I consider to be rich food. Persian food has forever set the standard of delicious… rica… ‘khoshmazeh.’ I compare each and every country to this standard and it goes to say the small country of El Salvador is definitely putting up a fight.
Their national and most famous food is the infamous “Pupusa.’ It’s simple, delicious, and cheap… Three factors of food that make the left eyebrow bow. For approximately $0.50 or less, you can get a pupusa, which is basically a five inch diameter thick tortilla with goodies in the middle. By goodies, I mean beans, cheese, pork, loroco, spinach, jalapenos, or all mixed. If you’re thinking of a burrito as I did because the description fits, it’s far from one. The picture below shows a lady making pupusas. Pupuserias (the place where they make pupusas) are on nearly every corner of the city. I believe many mental wars have been made with the neighboring countries in terms of who made the pupusas, and since I’m living here, I choose to believe they are native to the Salvadorans. 

A huge plate of Pupusas at Los Planes

3.   Another dish I think is important to mention is the ‘Pan Migueleno,’ It’s a sandwich that is from San Miguel, El Salvador. I am used to eating sandwiches and any 6” sub from end to end, but if you attempt to eat this sandwich like so, you will be dumbfounded as you find there is no possible way to make this sandwich enter your mouth. Nay, you must pick this sandwich piece by piece with your hands. The Salvadorans eat much of their food (like the pupusas) with their hands. So you have the pleasure of dumping sauce, sour veggies, jalapenos, cream, and eating this sandwich in the sentimental style you feel necessary. It is not a romantic dish, but as someone once described me, there is an intimate feeling when you eat your food with your hands… haven’t quite found that yet, but I’m searching. Until then, it’s just delicious and two less utensils to clean.

   The fruit here is a must. If you want to taste the most flavorful papaya in your life, this is the place to be. God gave fruit to this country as a gift, and I am now havingthe pleasure to thoroughly enjoy it. This country has passed my expectations of tasty fruit in just about every way possible. I have eaten an apple a day since I was a kid. I don’t know if it was because the saying ‘An apple a day keeps the doctor away,’ or if it was because I admired my childhood hero Aladin who always had an apple at hand, but nevertheless, I love my fruit and so I’m quick to judge. The fruit made its way to the world of juice, and verily, if you are traveling here, you are to try as many juices as possible. All that sad, I try not to think about the future because I feel like this may be the peak of delicious fruits in my life, but like any person should do in my situation, they should take advantage of it and gain a few pounds if they have to.

6.       The Baha’i Community

    The Baha’i community here is strong and vibrant. Many people haven’t heard of the Baha’i Faith because it is a rather young religion. Its overall message is unity of religions as one, and peace for the future. Baha’u’allah (Arabic title for Glory of God) suffered his life in utter humility for the betterment of the world. There are Baha’is all over the world as it is the second- most demographically distributed religion over the world after Christianity. They are everywhere, even in the small town of Dumas, TX (pop: 15,000) where I lived one summer up in the Panhandle. The religion made its way to El Salvador, capturing the hearts of people all over here with one intention, unity. The Baha’is here have over 100 children’s classes every week. They are active with Ruhi books, with devotionals, community projects, and simply, having fun. I’ve had the grand opportunity to get to know a lot of them well, and I’ve already spent my time at from the country’s lowest point of elevation (the beach) to the highest peak (El Pital), pass the volcanoes and through the jungles. They’re a lively bunch filled with music and adventure. I will write more about them in my future blog posts.

Children's classes

I'm not too old for bunny ears.. just too tall

On the way to Pital, the highest peak in El Salvador

To end off this post, I want to mention Colegio Ridvan again. I am here for this school. This school is in my thoughts day in and day out. I don’t necessarily feel at ease until I know my students are learning and having fun. The matter of the fact is that it is a very straining job. I am fully aware that the 6 months I took off after graduation could have been spent in pure selfish- pleasure, but this is a whole different feeling of enlightenment. I encourage everyone to take a portion out of their life to help serve others. When you serve others, you’re ready to give. When you’re ready to give, you accept others easier. If you accept others, you are open- minded and can walk the streets amidst a war and see the light. It is a spiritual journey. Not every person’s journey will be equal, but what I do guarantee is a journey in which you will progress as a person.

If you'd like... take a look at my first photos an compare them to my last. If words don't explain how different it really is, pictures should do the trick.