You ready? I have my site. It's AWESOME. Do not try to google map it, I already tried, and it doesn't work. Becca Varon said she found it, so if you want to look it up, talk to her.
I am in the Department of Ahuachapan (pronounced ah -who (who as in who are you?) cha (like the cha cha song)-pun). Specifically I am in Jujulta (ho-hoool-tah) municipio, in Canton Los Amates (sounds like its spelled) in a specific area of Caserio La Loma.
For me here it's, I live in El Salvador, in Ahuachapan region, in Jujulta, in Canton Los Amates, which has several smaller caserios, I am assigned to La Loma.
Hope that helps a bit. So this is what I know (which is a lot in comparison to others): I will be working with and am assigned to a school. There are roughly 500 people in my Caserio. I have two community counterparts or "guides" who I will meet next Saturday for Counterpart day. One is a woman named Maria Julia Ramos and one is a guy named Alfredo de Jesus Perez Arriaza. I have a photo of them, but besides that I know nothing else. The man looks sort of scary looking, but I was assured he is very funny and a nice guy.
I will also be working with the principal of the school and the teachers. I was told she is super motivated person and is always starting and working on projects. I am in the mountains, where it's very cool, rains a lot and is usually green year round (WHICH EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED), and it's a rural site. It has beautiful views and I can see the beach from my site. My region, Ahuachapan is supposed to be the most beautiful in the country. It's very spread out town and I will have to walk sometimes from the top of one hill down and over another to get to a house (very excited about walking a lot), there are two health promoters in the area that look forward to working with me and a ADESCO (community organization), a nearby volunteer Sarah (I spoke with her on fb several times before coming to El Salvador about packing, etc) actually developed this site and has done projects here. She said there are two waterfalls near my site as well. Out of my entire group of 14 people, only 3 are in brand new sites, including me! :-)
My host family for the beginning is one woman; she's never been married as has no kids, but is looking for a companion and will treat me like her daughter. Sarah’s told me she is a super sweet woman. I will have my own room and access to her kitchen (she has an oven so I can bake!!); she works full time, so she will only be around in the evenings and on the weekends. I don't have a door to my room; I was told they will have electricity set up when I get there. There’s a pila with running water in the backyard (a pila is a concrete structure that holds water for laundry, washing, etc, it’s in all Salvadoran homes) and a shower was built for me too (not with a faucet, but a plastic like bamboo structure where I can take bucket showers).
The photos look very hilly, green and beautiful. I may have to buy warmer clothes, but I will definitely be able to use my sleeping bag!
It sounds like an absolutely beautiful and cool place. It's exactly what I wanted. I am SO SO SOS SO SO HAPPY. It sounds like I am very close to a lot of hostels, touristy sites and I am about an hour from a small beach town.
The only downside, which really is minor is that I on the opposite side of the country as most of my group. We are all pretty spread out. Out of the 14 regions in El Salvador, we are in 10. But, I am about an hour and a half from a girl named Ashley in our group and there are other current volunteers in my region, so I will make new friends. Plus, it gives me the opportunity to visit people!
I AM SO SO SO excited and SO HAPPY. My region sounds beautiful and a wonderful place to visit, which means you, (yes you!) should start looking at plane tickets, I’m just saying…
Oh and here's some photos of the family fiesta we had on Saturday!
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