Look at my pics!! There aren´t many, but it took a long time to upload them. Hope they give you a better idea of where I am and who I´m with!

I wanted to explain how we wash clothes here because it´s so cool, and I have a pic of me doing it. So there´s this large concrete basin full of water, and next to it is another concrete structure that slants slightly down. I use a plastic bowl to get the water and I pour it onto the first piece of clothing on the concrete structure and the extra water runs off onto the ground. After it´s wet, I use this green cylinder shaped soap and roll it all over the clothing, on both sides. I then pour water on it again and squish the shirt and rub it harshly onto the concrete to get it clean. After rinsing several times, I ring it and place it in a tub full of fabric softener. I repeat this with each piece of clothing, and then rinse it all again after it´s set in the bowl for a few minutes. Then, I hang each piece up on the wires outside of my family´s house until they dry. It´s really hard work, actually, and I feel like my clothes get cleaner here than the the washing machine!!! :) Props to the Salvadoran women who are masters at their full time jobs - housework!!
The way I bathe myself is I stand inside this little concrete room away from the casa, probably 8 feet tall and 4 feet wide, and there is another large concrete basin of water with a plastic bowl and a curtain to shield me from people´s viewing. I pour the water onto myself with each scoop of the cold cold water. I wash my hair last, and I have to brace myself for the shock of the frigid water on my head everytime. It definitely wakes me up!! It´s actually not all that bad, and daily it´s getting easier to adjust. Doésn´t all of it sound like fun?!?!
It´s an adventure that I´m enjoying and learning how to be flexible in more ways than one. I´m just hoping I don´t see a scorpion anytime soon, since I´ve heard stories today from other volunteers!!! Yikes!!! :}

By the way, I ate some sugar cane for the first time!!! Yummm!!!!

I´ve been in El Salvador for a week and a few days now, but it feels like a month!! I think the days are just going slower simply because they´re so packed with information, and the heat I´m sure has an impact. It´s already been a challenging experience, as well as very inspiring. I´m constantly learning, often frustrated, and always excited about the next step. So far, I see many needs around me healthwise. There is garbage everywhere from a lack of garbage cans, no trash or active recycling system, and I think just uneducation about the effects of trash regarding sanitation. So, if that´s the case in my site, that is a task I´m wanting to take on. I´m actually going to give a "charla" (talk/presentation) on March 12 to the 5th grade class at a local school on "limpieza" (cleanliness) and the effects of trash in their living spaces. We observed at that school (we is my community group - Natalie, Kevin, and I with our Spanish teacher, Maria Luisa) on Thursday, and I was quite impressed with the 5th grade. They paid attention and it seemed very similar to a U.S. school, unlike the other grades, according to my team. So, I´m pumped to have that grade for my charla. We also interviewed the director of the school. and I have to say that from interviews we´ve been doing, it´s difficult to get the truth out of people. Of course, they´re a bit defensive because we´re asking questions about health and sanitation issues...who wants to admit to having hygiene problems??? So, I understand, but it´s just proving that it will take much time at my own site to gain trust before I can be an agent of change. A problem is that there´s no potable water source at the school, nor at most homes. For bathrooms, they have latrines, which is fine, except that this school has a problem with them flooding in the rainy season. Plus, there´s no soap for washing hands...only water. As a health volunteer, this is something daunting since so many of the sicknesses here are passed so easily from person to person. It´s crazy because the day before, we interviewed the Unidad de Salud, (health clinic) about 15 minutes away from our cantone, and there was no soap there either. Crazy!
Sex Education and Reproductive Health are going to be topics to discuss. There´s definitely a need for this type of education, but it´s quite taboo to discuss the human body parts and how they work, and totally taboo to talk about sex or prevention or birth control. So, I have my work cut out for me, but it will be worth it when the people are educated and can make wise decisions regarding their health, both physically and mentally.
I´m having doubts as to my capabilities, but know Christ will give me daily strength and wisdom. It´s tough, but fun and envigorating at the same time. I´m staying sane by laughing a lot and listening to my ipod each night before I go to bed. I´m so thankful that I can communicate with people in Spanish, or it would be so much harder. It really is a large part to my happiness here...I can make friends because I can speak with people...that´s huge. Please pray for the volunteers who don´t have that luxury. It´s hard for them and I think they miss home a lot more because of that. Well, peace out and will write more soon!!!

I just love my G-Daddy! Seriously, I got to have 2 long breakfasts with Grandaddy over Jan., and I learned so much I never knew about my family! Don't you just love when that happens?!? He and my Nanny wrote songs and had them published...how cool! Also, I learned about what a mason is...but, the best thing was just sitting there talking...and not forced conversation - it was awesome! We could have talked for several more hours. I don't know why I'm so astonished by this. I think it's because I've been away and haven't had many conversations that lasted more than 5 minutes with him in a long time. To make it short because I've got to head out, He's just a good man. I'd be blessed to find someone like him someday.