Reasons why I love my neighbors...and some other things

Reasons why I love my neighbors. I know I’ve probably mentioned them before, but let’s do a recap. We have the parents, Modesto and Sandra, who are in their mid-thirties…almost; then Milka who is thirteen; Madai who is eleven; Modestito who is three; and Kaley who is one. I adore them all. I mean, Madai has got a lot of personality, but keeps me laughing; and Modestito is about the cutest kid ever, but definitely knows how to push your buttons. Milka is thirteen, a little angst-y, but extremely polite; and Kaley is just adorable…just not as adorable as my niece, of course. Anyway, I spend lots of time at their house and the kids spend lots of time at mine, they’re really my la Chorrera family. They pretty much inherited me, but have treated me like their own.

Aside from all the mushy stuff, they feed me and take care of Coco and Jefe when I’m gone, and Sandra is my personal tailor. She has taken in a number of my pants and shirts (By the way, Peace Corps is also like fat camp) and recently made me a pencil skirt….all for free might I add. I mean, I try to pay her, but she refuses, so I usually just buy her something in return…mostly food items (baked goods or fruit) or bath products (she’s a big fan of facial moisturizer). Anyway, I don’t know if I’d make it here without them. Just thought I should let you know. I’ll try to start circulating a family photo soon…I’ll just need someone else’s camera for that…
Work, is busy, Midservice med starts in a few days. Can’t wait to tell you what diseases the Peace Corps doctors are about to find in me…

Speaking of diseases, I ate some broccoli the other day that I later found a worm living it. Uh oh. Also, I’ve discovered larvae in my water source. That is, not larvae thriving in my standing water, but larvae dispensing itself from running water coming out of my hose. Definitely sticking exclusively to the bottled water from here on out. Gross.

Work wise, I think you’re all pretty up to date from my last entry. There are few new items on the agenda. I’m attempting to start a First Aid Club for some of the older students at my school. They want to go on to study medicine, so they requested this club. Awesome initiative, I think. I’m working on getting some materials together for them. Additionally, I’m taking a group of students to the view the recycling project that has been started in Santa Rosa by some Japanese volunteers with Japanese funding. I’m taking them to see the landfill on the 15th and I’m soliciting for a recycling program at our school, also through the mayor’s office.

That’s all the updates I have for now. Feel free to ask questions and I’ll keep you all updated as time progresses.

WHAT’S HAPPENING (and what I hope to happen) BREAKDOWN

World Map: Draw and paint World, Central America, El Salvador

Recycling project: Visit landfill (March 15), Solicit recycling program for the school (plastic to start)

Youth Groups: Primera Auxilios (First Aid), Guardianes Ambientales (Environmental preservation group)

Classes: Como Planear Mi Vida (life skills), Reading Comprehension, Environmental Education, Sex Ed

Workshops: TEFL-teaching English as a foreign language (March 25-27), Scholarship
camp (April 29-May 1), HIV/STIs/Equality/DomesticViolence (April 8-10)

Funds needed: $320 fix/update computers, $80 world map supplies

Failed Projects: Women’s health group, HIV/AIDS day (Dec 1 2010)

Peace Corps: Midservice medical exams (March 9-11)