My two years of Peace Corps service have concluded and I am leaving my humble home in the campo for an equally humble home in the city. I am fortunate enough to have lived in such a wonderful and safe community. I will never forget my time in Cabañas. I will always carry with me the memories of: the stores of my two neighbors, the amazing sounds of the night, dogs barking and roosters crowing, the evangelicals screaming and crying, the early mornings when my neighbors blasted their music, time moving slowly, the sunsetting on giant hills, eating at my Padrinos, talking for hours in the street every night with Chele and Padre and Pacheca, Rio Lempa, and what my girlfriend likes to call "la buena". The good life.
What I won't miss is the machismo. That is pretty much it. And I still live here and it is still the only thing that I cannot accept about this country. The trash burning is not that bad to me, I actually don't mind how it smells, and there is no other option so that is just how it has to be.
Now I live in Sonsonate, the valley of the Holy Trinity. I love it here. The weather is hot and perfect, I am 20 minutes from the beach, and I have a really great job. I am working with this program called Superate (better yourself) where they specialize in teaching English, Computers, and Life Skills to high school students. I work with the Life Skills teachers providing resources for HIV/AIDS/Sex education, leadership classes, and I also have a poetry club. It is a really incredible group of people that work here, and the students here are so hungry to change and be successful.
It is very different being here. I have the internet everyday, I get to speak in English if I want because all the teachers can speak it, and I live in one of the largest cities besides San Salvador. Sometimes I still can't believe that I am still here and I still get to do this.
