Quick Turnaround

(Aunt Judy, Aunt Diane and my mom with her sisters wearing aprons from El Sal)

After returning to La Loma, back out in the campo after eight days in the United States, It felt like a dream. Had I even left? Did I really fly to Phoenix, visit Los Angeles and return to El Salvador?

Before leaving, I attended and invited two of my health promoters from my community to go to Suchitoto (central part of the country) to learn to do health sessions on HIV/AIDS education. We spent the weekend doing various activities, including dinamics (ice breakers), conversations and games for them to do in their communities.

(Mom and I, proof I came and went)

I had to leave the last day of the training directly for my flight, but I was too excited to be in the La Osah (Uuusssaaa) to feel bad about leaving a tad bit early. I had a quick layover in Houston (but long enough for a Starbucks order). On the plane there, I ordered a Chinese chicken noodle thing, when did plane food turn so yummy? Maybe I was deprived (yes). Once arriving in Phoenix, I was greeted by Mom and Ron. I knew I had made the right decision to go home.

The few days spent in Phoenix was mostly taken up by seeing people…and eating. This part of the trip was glorious. It was hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk, but with air conditioning everywhere in the US, it did not bother me! I went swimming. I took numerous hot water-very-much-pressurized showers. Mom and I drank a good amount of wine. Needless to say, I had a good visit.

My 91 year old grandfather with his machete. Dangerous, I know.

In Los Angeles, it was wonderful to see more friends and family. Most of these people I had not seen since pre-Peace Corps. It was wonderful to catch up and just hang out. I love my Peace Corps friends, but my friends from High School, NFTY, CU-Boulder, and Semester at Sea, they know my past with its challenges and the successes. I wanted to thank everyone who made the effort to drive through traffic, meeting up late after work, and changed plans to see me for a slice of time.

But, man was I blown away on the things people are doing! Most of them have amazing jobs, some are studying to better themselves, and lots have dogs, condos, a house, and even steady boy/girlfriends. In many ways, I cannot relate to their lives, but I can indulge in their new “adult-like” experiences. The longest time I have lived in one place since high school has been in El Salvador. Most of things I value are locked up in storage. But, I am proud and impressed by their lives and could not be happier for all their accomplishments.

The return home was for a few reasons, but one was to attend my cousin, Josh Cohen’s wedding, which was a blast. Jaclyn (his now wife) had a tisch for woman, which was lovely. We danced, we ate, we drank and conversed; it was a beautiful event. It was tough to leave for the airport the next morning, but after briefly meeting one of the hotel staff who is from El Salvador, I remembered I still had time left to complete.

The day I returned back to site, my bed was soaked from a hard rain the day before and there hadn’t been electricity all day. I wanted to run back to the bus screaming, “Take me back!” But I bucked up and the next day, the day after that came a little easier (my bed is dry not after sitting in the sun for two days).

The few weeks ahead I have a few events going on and one large event which involves my “Close of Service” Conference where I get to nail down a specific date I finish my service and ring the bell in on my time in El Salvador. We get to have Returned PCV panels, job information, planning out last medical exam, and other “official” things. It’s a beautiful hotel on the beach which has limitless diet soda, so I will be happy to attend. Until then, happy father’s day, its Dia de Padre tomorrow in El Salvador and we had a lovely dinner tonight with the parents of my host mom and the kids. 

 Thinking of all the fathers, uncles, and grandfather’s back home!

Zucker girls reunited at last.