Family in The Savior.

People- I had a Dr Pepper with my bean soup last night. Think about the magic of that. Dr Pepper does not exist in 99% of this country. (Although my boss magically found it in San Sal once, but that is beside the point.) How did I come across this magical beverage you ask? My family. THEY WERE HERE! Yep the rents and my brother made the trek to The Savior for a whole week. It was glorious. Besides the fact that they brought me a teflon frying pan (I know I am a freak for requesting this), a real pillow, new non-stretched shirts,  and the third Girl With the Dragon Tattoo book (just to name a few things),  we had a stellar time traveling the whole country.

Bro breaking in my new hammock

We took a couple days in San Sal perusing the museums and hitting up a huge fair that was going on. I spent most of the time seriously worried that my family was going to get mugged. They were not nearly as concerned as I thought they should be. I mean we did get patted down before entering the fair grounds, but who knows. We made it out of the capital unscathed, and headed up to my site. We spent some time in my pueblo, buying super cool hammocks and a cowboy hat for my brother (which he maybe had off his head for a total of 20min after it was purchased).  We took a walking tour of my community. My fam tried all of the exotic food I have been talking about on here. They ate enchiladas, pupusas, and atole de elote.

Atole de elote is a corn, milk and sugar soup or drink. It can be had hot or cold. Readers, my family are champs. This stuff is not normal food. Especially when a huge, steaming hot bowl is served at lunch time, and I have threatened them that I will be outcast in my community if they do not eat everything they are given. Solid job family.

Pop-sicle

After my community, we headed to Ataco to celebrate my mom's birthday. Ataco is a small artisan town set in the mountains. They have the best goat cheese. Ever. We stayed in some beautiful cabins, and probably could have stayed a week. We then took the beach road along the south and headed east and eventually north to the department of Morazan. We stayed in a small town called Perquin that was the head quarters for the guerrilla movement of the El Salvadorian civil war back in the '80s and '90s. If you do not know about the war that took place down here, you should go do some reading, it is crazy. Way to go US government for giving $7 billion in support to the wrong side, solid job.

On our way back to San Sal, we hit up San Vicente where I had my first two months of training. We visited my host family, the training center, the terrific taco place and of course the pan dulce shop. No trip to San Vicente is complete with out a trip to the pan dulce shop.

We then headed back to the capital for one more night before my family se fue a Los Estados. We went back to the same restaurant we ate at when we were in San Sal before. I ordered the same dish as it was so good the first time, I cleaned my plate. I was not super hungry this time around so it was not shocking to me that I did not finish my meal. Around 2am that night, I woke up with terrible stomach cramps and spent a significant amount of time in the bathroom.

As my family got up and was ready to depart for the airport, things had not quite worked them selves out in the stomach department. I know they felt huge amounts of guilt leaving me in such a state, but who could have known the road I was headed down. I tried to fall back asleep, but by 10 when there was no sign of improvement and my stomach cramps were leaving me immobile and in tears, I called the PC med office. I was told to go to the lab for some tests and come back to the office to await the results. The lab tests were, of course, inconclusive. So the PC doctor decided to give me some meds for the symptoms I was experiencing and wait it out a little more. As soon as I took the meds, I threw them up and the PC doc decided the correct course of action was to admit me to one of the hospitals in San Sal.

Despite being in a developing country, the hospital I was taken to was very modern and I received great care. They dealt with my hysterics, as well as anyone ever has, as they drew my blood and put in an IV. (For those of you who are unaware, I have a very strong distaste for needles, especially the kind that stay put in my veins for more than .5 seconds.) I was in the hospital for just over 24 hrs. They decided that I had food bourn illness, and it had passed by the next afternoon, so I was released.

I feel totally better now, except that my family has gone and I wish they were still here. Or I wish I was there. Or something. (Not tryin to live in Florida though, sorry.) We had a great trip but, unfortunately, I only took about 3 pictures. My Mom has all of the photos. So if you know her, I am sure she would be glad to show you. If you don't know her, well you are out of luck, and she might be super weirded out if you contacted her. Careful there.

I will post again soon and update you all on the rest of my life. Teaser: new chicks, Hoja is crazy, PC projects? I know you will be waiting on the edge of your seats, so I will try to post it quickly.