Last Friday

People here have a hard time with the name Bruce. They spell it Brush, Bruuz, Brooke. Some folks know Bruce Lee, that’s my best bet. A few have mentioned Springsteen or Willis. Sadly, Batman’s Bruce Wayne is Bruno is Spanish, so that doesn’t help. However, the Jim Carrey film Bruce Almighty (Spanish title Todo Poderoso, which means All Powerful) is quite popular. We work with a man named Gerardo (the bearded fellow in many of our blog pics). Every time he sees me, Gerardo yells, “Bruce Nolan! Todo Poderoso!”… sometimes even “Todo Poderosísimo!” (Very All Powerful). I saw the movie with my fraternity when it first came out, but tragically, Kelly had never seen it. So we were sure to aprovechar (take advantage) when we saw it on the street for a dollar.


new ceiling, same lovable geckos


during Kelly’s charla on endangered animals


With five-cent milk popsicles (or small plastic bags filled with frozen Coke), it’s possible to bribe your eco club into yet another tree planting. Note the small black dog on the lap of the boy with the green shirt. It is a ten-day old puppy of the girl standing behind him.


hackey sack


No one is safe from bunny ears.


Look out!


He urinated in my Phillies hat.


the dirtiest Phillies hat since that of John Kruk


After planting about forty trees (Palm and Nim) outside the new polideportivo (multi-sport facility), we played some soccer.

---

NOTES

There are five new posts with some swell pictures, so be sure to keep scrolling down.

Michael Jackson’s death was huge here. The little neighbor kids have taken to MJ dance parties. We Are the World seems to follow us everywhere we go.

Bruce met the national soccer team at the airport food court in San Salvador.

We recently visited the States. We had a really enjoyable ten days with the family. It was nice to be there for the 4th of July. It was far too brief a visit, but well worth it. Thanks to y’all for making our trip home awesome.

Honduras had a coup d’etat that, among other negative consequences, impedes our planned travels to Nicaragua.

Classes were cancelled for three weeks on account of gripe porcina, swine flu. Schools are now extending the normal schedule to recuperate lost time.

El Salvador, sadly, will not be in the World Cup next year, in spite of a promising start.

Some of the pupuserías seem to be using less queso.

Bruce got a nasty blood blister playing in an ultimate frisbee tournament with other Volunteers at a local beach.

Our host mother turned 85 on our two year anniversary. We shared a belated, but special, dinner.

School marching bands are prepping for the Independence Day parade on 15 de septiembre. Interestingly enough, these practices often take place during precious, swine-shortened class hours.

Thoughts and prayers go out to Bruce’s grandmother and Kelly’s grandfather who are both recuperating from major medical problems.