La Asamblea

PUNCTUALITY...

Certainly an American virtue. I understand it, it does show a certain respect. But it is also an example of our rigidness, and something I´m learning to forget to expect here.

Bri, my APCD (Administrative Peace Corps Director- I believe.... essentially the boss of all the rural healthers), advised us that to begin the Asambleas at the prospective time, we shjould send invitations indicateing 30 minutes earlier. Sp 1 pm was written on my invitations, which I dispersed to the students at the school to give to their parents (much easier than going door to door), although some people who I liked and wanted to be there I delivered personally.

I imagined enough people would filter in by 1:30 to begin. Carlos, a Salvadoran and administrator who works with Bri, came around 11 to check up on how I´d been doing and help set up for the meeting. I was really happy to see him, although his presence didn´t calm my nerves.

Held last Thursday at the Casa Comunal, I had all the posters set up by 12:45, my sisters, especially Jesica, hugely helped me out with these. They were happy to help. A lot, I´d say most adults here can´t read that well or at all, so visuals are a must. I especially loved Jesica´s handy work on the illness section, symbolizing diarrhea by a drawing will always be funny.

1pm passes, about 35 chairs (all that were available) are set up, and maybe 5 of them are filled. 1:15, maybe 10, 1:25, 20. I try to keep my cool, pacing and studying my notecards, and greeting the gente I recognize. But my thoughts are occupied, I´m thinking¨Oh, man, no one´s coming. I handed out 150 invitations, and only 30 will show.¨ By 1:40 most of the seats are filled, so I figured it was a good time to start.

It was strange. I felt so ambivalent the whole time. I wanted to keep the tone breezy and comical, a tone that was received with mixed reactions.

Some parts, were very successful: with my family´s help, we opened with a skit re-enacting the hilarity of my arrival- laughs and applause. But other parts, not so successful: I found with the census that there are a lot more males than females in the 15-24 year old range (79 vs 58). wanting to use this as a platform for a joke, I said I´d like to keep these jovenes occupied, because having a bunch of young, energetic males without enough females could be trouble; ¨Because I know what they´re thinking¨- stony silence. GULP! I nervously laughed, and quickly continued, feeling the heat build and the sweat drip down my back.

I tried to break it up into different sections, pausing for questions and pop quizzes. I handed out pictures of family, friends, and San Diego, and after a certain section I would ask who had the pictures, then ask them an obvious question, and gave out cookies to correct responses (which were all of them). I also gave out cookies to anyone who attempted to pronunce my last name. And although the participation wasn´t jumping off the charts, enough were trying so that I didn´t make a complete fool of myself.

At the end, after presenting all my findings, I said something like, ¨I´m not sure of all the things I´ll do here, and I can´t promise that all of them will work. But one thing I can promise is that I will work very hard and try as hard as I can to support you with whatever you need.¨ I sighed a relief as the crowd applaided. And, as I finally really looked at the audience, I noticed something, it had greatly filled. Huge numbers were standing, gathering at the back and bursting at the sides. A lot of men showed up too (I was only really expecting mothers).

Carlos spoke to the audience after I had finished to clarify anything. He also pleaded, saying ¨Laura´s here to work for you- but one thing she needs is your support, your help, to get work done together.¨A lot of glances and nods were shot my way, it was very humbling. I wanted to run and hug Carlos.

Afterward, Carlos and I talked. He said he was very impressed by how many people showed- which ended up at I´d say aroung 100. He said the closest he had seen so far wat 60ish. That made me feel really good.

I told him how nervous I was and how I wasn´t really sure if any of the information I presented would be retained, but that I was happy to make a better impression in front of so many of the community.

However- to my delight- I actually may have raised a few brows. Later that day at the local tienda, the clerk and a neighbor talked to me about the HIV and Reproductive Health sections (no one here plans for children). They said that they usually talk about this stuff with the guys, but didn´t really know how to discuss it with women and children. They said they were happy to see a woman talk to the community about these things, and I was just as happy that 2 men were open to talk to me about it. And as for the periods of blank silence, Don Marvin (my counterpart)said that the people here are timid... so that opening up for jokes may take some time.

All in all, I was happy with the Asamblea, and even happier that it was over. After seemingly endless hiking for the census, hours of studying the results, and late nights preparing the presentation, I was completely exhausted. I slept 10 hours that night.

So- I´m optimistic, with maybe a hint of skepticism. It´s one thing to be able to identify all the problems in the community- but it is entirely another to actually begin work with the support of the gente. The next big step.

But first- I return to San Vicente this weekend for PSTII (pre service training dos). This time, it´s all about technical and logistical aspects of getting projects done- the practical matter. I´m there for 3 weeks, and then I return. And although now my official title bears the word ¨Volunteer¨I think I won´t really feel like one until I get back.

Some Pics for Last Entry...

Sideways view of my front view.... That's the main road... and that is the casa comunal where I'll have my Asamblea General.
Mi Casa. One of the nicer one's in town. That blanket is the comforter to my bed, and those toilety looking seats are latrines to be installed in some neighbor's homes.
Me and one of my neighbor's Marta. She's 17.... can you believe how tiny a they are here!
Me Mom Maribel, and Sulma, decked out for the dance.

What I've Been Up To

"Cockadoodle!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Dios Mio...." I think "Ques horas son... it's gotta be at least 4am." And after I scramble for my watch... I see that no.... it's only1:30.
These roosters never stop. I guess I've grown a bit more accustomed to them- but still- without fail- cada noche- they're crowing away. It really isn't a morning ritual... unless they mean moUrning, as in the death of sleep.
Good thing when I finally do wake up aroun 6ish, my mornings are nice and realaxed. Maribel (my mom) usually has the coffee ready, I pour a cup and get back into bed for some reading. After a chapter or so, maybe a journal entry, and oftentimes some yoga, there's a tap on my door. "Laura, aqui esta la desayuna preparada." Aaaaah... how nice, breakfast's ready. Usually some form of rice, beans, eggs, papas, pasta, or green beans.... and always, ALWAYS, a tortilla.
Before leaving each morning, I prepare the census papers for that day, which takes a while. Then... the census. The longer I've done it, the harder it's gotten as I've had to treck farther and farther down winding paths into the abyss. I've gotten so lost. It amazes me how wll these people know each and every trail and exactly who lives where. It also makes me realize how sign dependent I am. My house is right off the main road right next to the Casa Comunal, the huge public office. But most homes are tucked away in the wilderness, it takes some a good hour or more to hike up or down to the main road. Well... at best, exercise is abundantly easy and obesity sure isn't a problem.
I usually census for 3-4 hours in the morning and 2-3 more in the afternoon. Lunch is always a cup of noodles with a tortilla. It's a good thing I didn't stock up on them in college, because I know I'm going to get sick of them. I bucket bath midday when it's hottest, it's actually quite refreshing, and I don't miss indoor plumbing as much as I thought I would.
For the hours in between "working" (if that's what you want to call it), I usually am reading or writing, flute playing, exercising, visiting the gente, dancing with my sisters, or watching a telenovela with fam and friends. Not a lot of houses have electricity, let alone a TV- we have both, so watching a favorite show becomes a public and bonding experience, the way I like to watch TV. Most of the shows are almost unwatchably awful, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy some of them... including the original Ugly Betty (Soy Betti La Fea) and another whose plot is similar to Trading Places (Nuevo Rico, Nuevo Pobre).
Dinner's usually at 7:30 ish and is similar to breakfast. I'm okay for now, but I know that some day I'll be pining for cereal and cold milk (the milk of choice here is powdered and warm).
And Bedtime. My mom and sisters usually crawl into bed pre-9pm. I can typically make it later, but not much. Save for the damn roosters- I do get a lot of sleep here. And yep... that sums up what a typical day has been like lately.
With a few exceptions...
Last Wednesday was the Dia de Las Madres Baile at the school. I felt, as usual here, very special... too special really. Don Marvin, the school principal and one of my counterparts made an announcement upon my arrival, and lead the crowd to receive me with applause. And when the dancing began- ¡Pu Chica! I just felt like the prettiest belle at the ball. I've never been fought over like that. Guys were literally lining up to dance with the blonde gringa in town. Which is certainly a nice change from the distant staring that they usually do.
It was too much attention. I'm not used to this. I left early, tired and overwhelmed. And while sometimes I do yearn for anonimity in a big crowd, most others I embrace and enjoy the celebrity I have here.
Today is Sulma (my Sis's) 12th birthday. I bought her a sketchbook and colored pencils (she's quite an artist). Tonight, we'll celebrate with Papusas (the National Salvadoran food, tortilla filled with beans, cheese, or carne) and cake (yes- cake). And I hope some dancing too.
Tomorrow, I've giving my Asamblea General, showing all the info I collected from the census. I'm excited, it's a chance to make a good impression more independantly in front of the community. But nervous too- giving a presentation entirely in Spanish in front of everyone about some delicate subject matter. I'm not quite sure how they'll react to the section showing their HIV/AIDS knowledge (or lack thereof). I don't want to offend anyone as the know-it-all American whose relishing in all of this poor town's problems.
¡Ba Pues! I'll just keep it simple, sweet, and hopefully funny... and keep my fingers crossed!