Reflecting on Lovely Things

I didn't really tell anyone in my community I was leaving on September 1, except for the women's group and my host family. I did it partly because I'd rather the new PCV have a seamless transition, and mostly because I don't like goodbyes. My idea of a good goodbye is a strong hug and a promise to see each other again. My women's group knew I was leaving, though, so they gave me a goodbye that was equal parts uncomfortable and wonderful. For the uncomfortable, they all went around in a circle thanking me for coming to the community, forming the group, and sticking with them for the two years, to which all I could do was awkwardly thank each one of them and try not to make awkward eye contact while they were spilling their hearts out. For the wonderful, though, they all told anecdotes about their experiences over the past two years with the group. They followed by presenting me with a giant tablecloth with hand-embroidered designs by every member, then a GIANT pot of chicken and potato pasteles, which is without a doubt my favorite salvadoran food.

One of the stories went something like this:
"I was perhaps the least prepared of anyone for the sewing workshop," she said. "I signed up and I was excited, but when I got there I couldn't even make the sewing machine run forward (these are pedal machines, not electric). It kept spinning backwards on me. That happened for the whole first day, and the second day too. The teacher had me change machines, but the same thing happened - it was me, not the machine. I told my friend that I wouldn't come back the next day. I couldn't. The teacher overheard me and took me aside. 'You must come back tomorrow,' she said. 'A woman never says 'I can't.' She can do anything. If you don't try or fight for yourself, who will?' I said I would come back, but if I still had trouble the next day, I promised myself I would leave the workshop. I came back the third day, and thank God I finally made a line with the sewing machine." She worked incredibly hard during the workshop to learn the techniques, and tried as best she could to practice at home with a semi-functional pedal machine for the year we were doing business trainings before we got the grant that made it possible to buy electric sewing machines. Once we bought the machines, she bought as much extra cloth as she could afford to try to make skirts, shirts and dresses for herself, her daughter and her neighbors. "I ruined a few yards of cloth, and it hurt to see my hours of work and the money I spent on that cloth go to waste. I had to keep going, though, because I had to get better." And she did. Norma has become a very good seamstress, an integral member of the women's group (she's the secretary), and a responsible businesswoman. She helps out other members when they struggle with technique, and recently brought some examples of clothes she made to give the group ideas for new designs to try.

The group still has a long way to go, especially since they aren't legalized yet, most don't have clients outside of family members, and don't yet keep real records of business transactions, but I appreciate how far they've come since the beginning.

After women's group, a solid group of at least twenty people of all ages showed up to break in the new baseball gear we got donated from Pitch In For Baseball. We had an awesome game that lasted until nightfall and got everyone amped about sports again. There's nothing like leaving everything literally until the last day to get started, but that's why I have a replacement. They say they will play pick-up games every Saturday, which I sincerely hope the new PCV follows through with.

The little crew that was willing to have their picture taken after baseball

Another lovely thing was spending my last few days with Alfonso making apple pies, sharing music, and doing gender equality training with young men in site. The fact that this "kid" went from self-loathing zero self-confidence to my best facilitator and leader of the baseball group in the two years I have known him is truly a beautiful thing to behold. He's helping the new PCV give a long series of Men As Partners trainings in site, which is something I always hoped would happen because machismo is out of control here, but could never make a reality on my own because I wasn't friends with any of the male youth population. I made Alfonso watch all the Pentatonix music videos because YES, and transferred him all of Beyoncé that would fit onto his tablet. We're kindred spirits - he tells me that Pentatonix is an awesome group to listen to because they enunciate, so he can use their music to improve his English (and because a capella is just awesome). I spent the entire week going home long after dark just to chat longer about every random thing on our minds. He's the only one I wrote a letter to, and it was this long, rambling, half-nostalgic half-encouraging thing that I hope accurately expressed how blessed I feel to have become friends with this beautiful, pure-hearted person.

We made a final batch of cupcakes and what amounts to chocolate milk duds the weekend before I left with one of my PCV friends after a morning at the Morro Festival watching awesome traditional dancing (check out the video) and an afternoon at the river. It was a fitting end to my service. My host family was in tears when I gave them all a hug goodbye after our final little photo shoot on Tuesday. I do love them all and I'll miss them and their lovely clean house, good food and wonderful company. I'm really ready for change, but I can't thank them enough for taking me in as a daughter and sister, loving me dearly, supporting my dessert obsessions, and generally just being wonderful people.

trying new things until the end - this is a prickly pear cactus fruit

I promise they are actually happy. It's just the serious salvi picture face.

I'm back in my training community until my flight out on Saturday morning, which brings me to my last lovely thing. My training host dad is the most loving and awesome father to his five-year-old daughter. He adores her, teaches her constantly, and treats her like a mini adult, which is totally endearing. She tells him she's ready to head off to kindergarten, and he's putting her in a local bilingual school to get her fluent in English. Every time I come back he has made some improvement on the restaurant, and he's always dreaming about ways to improve. Next up, grilled shrimp on the menu. I adore him and Nuevo Cuscatlan and the restaurant. He's going to be my puppy's new master, and I couldn't think of anyone better. My final meal in country will be pupusas and burritos that I make from the restaurant. I'm SO EXCITED.