A Perfect Salvador Week!

So, what does that mean? Certainly not that everything went perfectly, because that’s not consistent with my experiences here. No the perfect Salvador week is all of the good things about El Salvador wrapped up with those things that epitomize the true experience.

So for us, this last week has come pretty close to the perfect week. We had a despidida (goodbye party) with the school on Tuesday, school graduation on Wednesday, instituto graduation on Thursday, Friday to clean house, Saturday the new volunteer arriving, Sunday to show the volunteer around, and Monday the big despidida with my association. That was the plan anyway, and it mostly all happened that way, but it was in the details that Salvador showed through.

First the despidida with the school. It was in the afternoon, and Don Israel had told Katie that she didn’t really need to say anything, or prepare a speech because that was more for the graduation the next day. We went over to the school at 3, which was when they told us to be there, and of course they were all frantically still decorating and setting up for tomorrow. We joined in helping to make crepe paper dangly things and set the chairs up. Finally around four-thirty we broke for the meal. It was the usual chicken, rice and salad that is the ubiquitous choice for “special occasions”. We ate with all of the teachers, and the members of the ACE (parents who are in charge of the school, contracts ect…). There were also a fair number of students as well.

Don Israel got up and gave a nice speech thanking Katie for her time here, then the president of the ACE, Don Javier, also got up and thanked us both for our contributions to the community and especially the kids. Finally Don Israel asked if Katie wanted to say something. So of course we had to, though we hadn’t really prepared. I don’t remember what Katie said, but I know that I quoted my boss, Rolando, talking about how hard it is to say things from the heart, emotional things, in your non-native tongue. Bottom line is we got something out to them and thanked them for our time here as well. Then Don Israel asked if anyone else wanted to say something. Carmen’s mom got up and gave us a very nice blessing, followed by Belgi and several others recounting stories of our time here. There were several requests for us not to go, but to stay. The final one was the toughest, Yensi, a five year old, stood up and in front of all of those people told us how much she’d miss us, and that we hoped we be safe on our way home. It was just the start of the sad!

The next day was graduation. This time we knew we’d be talking, and had written a few things down. I won’t go into a lot of details. Just that Katie nearly couldn’t get through her speech due to tears. Plus when Don Israel gave us our plaques thanking us for our time spent in the school and in the community, Peluche, the chucho, followed us across the stage to get his own thanks as well! The people all thought it was hilarious. After we were invited to eat with both of the graduating classes. So first we had a good beef lunch with ninth grade, then immediately followed with the chicken meal in the Kinder class. We weren’t the only ones “aprovecharing” the two meals, Don Israel and several parents ate both too. We talked to lots of people who always had to mention that we were leaving and that they’d miss us, and we should just stay. Overall a nice , but emotionally trying day.

The next day we had the instituto graduation. Here our friends Magdalena, Karina and Claudia were all graduating. It was a kind of full circle thing because on one of the first days that we were in site, so long ago, we watched them graduate from ninth grade… didn’t even know who they were then! Now it is all different and we have to be sure to take photos for each of them. We don’t have to say anything though, which is a nice break. 

Afterwards we are invited to just about every house for food! We do indeed eat a ton of food, and have lots of sad conversations, but it is also very nice because everyone is so appreciative that we came, and they are glad we are taking pictures too. Lots of hugs all around!

The last thing I will mention in this blog is the time with our family. I’m saving the big final day despidida for it’s own blog, partly cause this one is already long, and partly because those photos are still on the camera. Our family was really great this last week. The girls (Carina and Rebeca) pretty much wouldn’t let Katie out of their sight! The just spent time with us, and us with them. Lots of sad, almost crying moments, lots of practice with the different forms you can use in Spanish to say how you miss someone, lots of just quiet closeness. Good stuff, 

but tough too. We went to church with them that last Sunday and I know they really appreciated it. It was freezing, because the zona alta decided to give us it’s own special despidida and have a good strong norte, with cold temperatures (like around 45F at night)! Brrr! So of course the bus didn’t come and we had to walk the 3K to church that day!

See the rest of the Perfect Week in the next blog. I want to get this one posted now. Cheers!