Independence Day

Tomorrow, the 15th of September, marks Independence Day for El Salvador. Today, I finished celebration #2, and am awaiting #3 tomorrow. As much as I am enjoying this time, seeing my community have pride in their country, I can´t help but think back on my past celebrations of Independence Day in the US. Sitting on the front of the boat with high school friends and my Dad up at the wheel, the Macy´s fireworks sprinking down upon us.

My days pass as usual. Moments of ¨what in the hell am I doing here¨ and moments of gratitude for this opportunity. I quickly looked away as we passed a dead horse, splayed in the middle of the road on our way back from town. I thought about how precious life is. I ignored the graffiti´d walls of the nearby canton and acted oblivious to the whistles from the men lurking in front.

But I turned and smiled at Naun as he yelled ¨Salu Nina Jaime!¨, as I hopped off the back of the pickup, passing a quarter to the driver and grabbing my basket off the dirt road. As the truck left me in the dust, I hesitated upon opening the fence to my little farmhouse. ¨I am so lucky.¨ I thought with a smile as I looked out at the view of the mountains and a trace of a waterfall in the distance. What a beautiful world.

I find myself having numerous moments like this. Moments that make me take a deep breathe and inhale all that is wonderful around me. Moments that make me close my eyelids and take a moment to appreciate everything before me. Moments where I smile from the beautiful thoughts that come to my mind from my precious community in the mountains. Even moments that brings tears to my eyes, but I´m not quite sure why.

I open my tiny square window in the morning to let in some light. I watch silently as Lesli and cousin Kilmer, my 6 year old nieghbors, splash happily through the giant puddles the nighttime rain has left. Their giggles make it impossible for me not to crack a grin and the buckets of ground corn they wear on their back seem weightless. This country holds so many stories...

With the news of a flight available to send me home for Christmas, I find myself spending most waking hours thinking about it. What will I do? What am I going to wear? What should I bring home? Will I remember to throw the toilet paper INSIDE the bowl? I actually started convince myself that this trip was going to be next week, instead of about 4 months away. I am more than ecstatic to see my family and friends, to shower with hot water, to eat a toasted bagel and new york pizza, to curl up on a couch with a blanket, to go running with Sam, to watch a tv...in English...and a show NOT being a soap opera...but mostly, to see my family and friends. I miss everyone so much.

And all the pride that is being spread this week in the name of El Salvador´s Independence Day, makes me all the more homesick. I am so proud to be here during this time and I am also really proud to be an American.

Some other more light-hearted news:

I believe I have acquired myself a new dog. A mangy street hound, also known here as a chucho, has set up shop on my patio-like-area. One day I was doing some cleaning and came across what used to be (before some insect munched it to pieces) a bag of Barro´s dog food. I threw it into the yard, where my new chucho came-a-running. Terribly ugly, I thought, he´s kinda cute, and threw him some more of Barro´s old junk I found. He hung out for awhile, but as the day passed he set out to look for Tramp and the junkyard dogs. Last night, I walked out to find chucho curled in a ball in the only spot my patio roof wasn´t leaking from a massive storm that hit us last night. I smiled. I kinda like my new dog.