Ecological Stoves

We organized an ecological stove project with the NGO Stoveteam International, as well as our pueblo's church and mayor's office.  The eco stove uses 70% less wood and produces 90% less smoke than an open cooking fire.  Respiratory disease is the leading cause of death among Salvadoran kids.  Deforestation is also a huge environmental concern [in fact, during this demonstration, a Stoveteam representative discussed the correlation between deforestation and landslides...unfortunately, several days later there was a terrible landslide in El Salvador that killed more than 200 people].  These stoves tackle those health and environmental issues; after an initial investment in the stove, the family can also save money on firewood.  This picture is from Stoveteam's first demonstration in our town.

Stoveteam came back to give a second demonstration.  Town residents cooked pupusas, pasteles,

plátanos, etc.  We brought in over 60 stoves with this campaign.  The mayor's office is continuing to promote the stoves and keeping a list for another order.  This makes us very happy because sustainable development is an all-too-elusive goal.

puppets

Josecito took this picture.

After the terrible landslides, the whole town rallied to provide relief for the displaced survivors.  We collected money, food, and clothes for the community of Verapaz.

We were celebrating one year in site out west (went ziplining!) with our training group when the landslides occurred.  Our friend here was unable to return to her site (close to Verapaz) for weeks.  She spent a few days with us in Chinameca; she happened to be there during our relief campaign.

These pupusas are cooked on a comal (black clay skillet).  This is the old school way of cooking (delicious) pupusas.

Kelly, Estefani, Norma

Estefani and Bruce

Chinameca, our beloved pueblo

Making Tamales

Some friends had us over to make tamales de elote (corn).  It took practically all day, but was a good time.

snack time

Kelly cut corn and I don't care.

Bruce grinding corn at the mill

Ana and Kelly take the ground corn back to the house

Walk like a Salvadoran.

Los Fox form the tamales by filling the husks with the ground corn.

Orbelina and Baltazar, tamale experts

Kelly mixes atol, a hot, thick corn drink.

Tamales, ready to be steamed on the fire.  Mission accomplished.

Day of the Dead

Bruce buys plastic flowers from friends on the Day of the Dead

Kelly with our host mother (Doña Lydia) at her husband's grave.

The rest of this chapter is a collection of random pictures.  Here you can see the two of us on the welcome sign to the mayor's office--not something we would have consented to, given Peace Corps' apolitical stance.  But of course, we were never asked for consent.

In 1951, an earthquake destroyed the church in our town.  It's said that the church was one of the most beautiful in all of Central America.  This statue is one of the only features that survived the earthquake.

iguana on our roof

Reformed gang members from a nearby jail came to our town and put on a moving play aimed at deterring youth from gang life.

U2 is big in El Salvador.  You probably know the U2 song "Pride (In the Name of Love)."  Well, there is a campaign from a local radio station to bring U2 to El Salvador.  Newspaper ads, billboards, and grocery store charity stickers (pictured) beg "U2, Come! [give a concert] In the name of El Salvador."

Winnie Pooh y Jesucristo

Volcano Hike

A goal of our eco clubs was to raise money and carry out an excursion to a national park at the end of the school year (November).  We organized a bus trip from our town to Volcanoes National Park, about four hours west.  Approximately 60 people went on the trip and half of those embarked on the climb up Volcán Izalco (pictured).  The park is located in a cloud forest.  It was a great day.

Kelly, on the way up Izalco

nubes (clouds)

Kelly and Monica, on the final stretch

at the summit

Bruce and Wiliam Geovani.  The skies were clear in one direction, but menacing in the other.

views of western El Salvador's coffee farms

in front of the crater

Shortly after this picture was taken, a thunderstorm rolled in.  Everyone practically ran down the volcano.

The kids in the back of the bus sang for most of the ride home.  We sang a well-received rendition of one of El Salvador's favorite songs: Lady in Red.

Bruce's Birthday

Kelly and the neighborhood kids threw a "surprise" party for Bruce on his 26th birthday.

Brush! Brush! Brush! Brush!

Candy!

Piñatas make kids crazy!

We bought a cake from the ice cream store and put it in the freezer.  But it actually wasn't an ice cream cake, so we all ate frozen solid regular cake.

Beto and Josecito flying a kite

Kevin and his kite

Beto thought we were taking a video.

He put on quite a dramatic performance.  At least we got these two shots.

some of our favorite vecinas (neighbors)

El Gueguecho

Our October hike was to El Gueguecho (Adam's Apple), an abrupt hill covered with trees.  Here you can see coffee beans preparing for a December harvest.

We spotted several butterflies (mariposas) at a small church.

In the U.S. we take private property very seriously.  In El Salvador the idea of private property is rather lax.  For example, this kitten was thieved by a girl on the hike.  The two of us demanded she return the kitten to its owner.  However, the other adults on the hike insisted it was no big deal.  Fijese que, this girl doesn't have a cat.

El Gueguecho

kids enjoy views of the San Miguel Volcano from El Gueguecho

the post-lunch discussions

El Salvador has the highest rate of teen pregnancy in Latin America.  This activity, in which every hike participant carried an egg as if it were his/her baby, addressed the demands of parenthood.  Oh, the irony.

Kelly eats the ugly but delcious zuncuya

disinfecting fruit and vegetables

Philly Cheese Steak