Day 6

January 9, 2009

Today is both an exciting and sad day. It is exciting because we are going to the small country village of Suchitoto and sad because we are leaving the friendly confines of our home away from home, Los Pinos and the city of San Salvador. One of the members of our group is a little under the weather, so we hope that she is back up and feeling well soon.

The drive to Suchitoto was about an hour long. We began by driving up the Pan American Highway and after turning off that fairly large freeway, we began to take ever smaller and smaller roads, made from asphalt then brick until we ended up on cobblestone streets similar to what we saw in the movie “Innocent Voices.” After we arrived we were very excited to see that our accommodations were much more wonderful than we could have imagined. Each room had air-conditioning, a TV that actually picked up English speaking channels (I doubt that we watch much), a large bathroom with hot water (our last one was so small and of course no hot water) beautiful decorations, and the best part of all, as you step out onto the back patio, you have one of the most beautiful views that I have ever seen.

One of our first tasks was to meet with Sister Peggy a wonderful Nun who has been living in El Salvador since the early to mid 80’s. After a wonderful meal, and a tour of the facility and school, we came back to our rooms and I decided to go sit in the pool and cool off for a little while. It was a bit gross with pine needle type things floating in it, but I found that if I sat on the side with the water jets, it forced them all over to the other side. We then washed up and walked into town to explore the markets and shops.

While I was there, I had my first experience with a Cyber Café, I was able to spend a little time on the computer and get a can of Pepsi all for around 50 cents, not a bad deal. There was a man who was obviously handicapped following me after I left the Cyber Café and it took me a little while to figure out what he wanted, actually it was Kate that figured it out, he wanted some of my Pepsi, ( am man after my own heart) so I poured some into the cup that he had and that seemed to make him happy, but he still followed us around.

We then went and had a very interesting session with Sister Peggy. She told us many stories about her work and experiences in El Salvador, but the ones that I found most fascinating were the ones that took place during the war years. She described her feelings when she first came to El Salvador, not knowing if she was going to stay or leave, but that all changed one night, she and two other women, one of which had a very small baby, had found themselves in the position of being chased by soldiers on a dark country road, and very much fearing for their lives. All of a sudden the pick-up truck they were riding in went over an embankment and they were stranded. Feeling that they were probably about as safe remaining with the truck, they decided to stay there for the night. Sometime in the middle of the night the baby got hungry and needed it’s diaper changed so as the mother beagn to take care of these duties, the other woman opened her purse and pulled out two tortillas and offered them to the mother telling her that she need to eat to keep up her strength for the baby. The mother looked at her and then at Sister Peggy took the tortillas and divided them between the other two women and said, “Tonight we all eat together, and tomorrow we all hunger together.” Sister Peggy was so moved by the graciousness, hospitality, and compassion of these women, that her words were, and I quote, “Shit, I’m staying here!” (Not exactly what I expected from a Nun, but I think that pretty well summed up her feelings)

Another story that she told really impacted me. During the conflict when someone died, the family and friends always came to the church and asked if the church would help them to claim the body. It wasn’t safe for the family to do this because once they showed up to claim the body, inevitably one or more would be detained and sometimes tortured by the soldiers. The church, however, could do it and the army wasn’t as likely to do anything about it. She described one morning that someone came to the church and said that there was a head in the town square. Sister Peggy went immediately and saw that it belonged to a young man that she knew, as well as knowing the boy’s mother. She recovered the head and went to inform his mother.

She then stopped the story there and went on talking about other things. A little while later she began talking about a picture that she had been given which showed Elizabeth (John the Baptists Mother) comforting Mary after the crucifixion of Jesus. She described how when she showed this picture to the woman who lost her son, she began to sob, “This woman knows my pain, this woman knows how I feel” She kept repeating over and over again louder and louder that Elizabeth knew what she was going through. (John the Baptist was also beheaded) The pain that these people have experienced goes far beyond what I can even begin to imagine, and I thank God for people like Sister Peggy who are on the front lines sharing the gospel story in words, images and deeds, sharing the light of Christ in a very dark world. Sister Peggy is a remarkable person doing a difficult job.

For dinner that night we had cauliflower rolled in eggs and fried with a half an avocado. Thank goodness for the bread and rice or I might have gone to bed hungry. We also found out that we were originally supposed to stay in a different location than the beautiful hacienda that we are staying in. It wouldn’t have had air-conditioning or hot water, but they were full and couldn’t accommodate us. How sad for us that we are forced to stay in such luxury :)

Tomorrow we are going on a boat ride across the lake to visit the site of yet another massacre of innocent people. However, as Sister Peggy said, both sides did things that were regrettable, both sides forced people to fight including children. But, one side felt that they had no other choice but to defend their homes and families.

Day 5

Thursday January 8, 2009

This morning we had the opportunity to visit the Legislative Palace of El Salvador, which would be comparable to our House of Representative. In El Salvador the representatives are called Deputies. There are several political parties in El Salvador, but the two primary parties are the ARENA Party and the FMLN. This would be compared to the Republican and Democratic Parties in the United States except that these two parties were actually shooting at each other up until 1992.

The ARENA party began in 1984 and has held the presidency since 1989. It was quite interesting to see the difference between the upscale and nicely decorated offices of the ARENA Party and the much more modest decor of the FMLN. Another thing that I noted was the difference between the security procedures of the US Embassy as compared to the Legislative Palace. The only real security that we passed through at the Legislative Palace was to quickly open our bags and then to pass through a metal detector. At the Embassy we didn’t even take bags in due to the difficulty of getting them through security.

The ARENA Party Deputy who met with us seemed very much interested in simply staying on script and sharing the Party line with us. He spent a great deal of time talking about how their party was young, and how they have made such dramatic improvements in El Salvador. One fact about the ARENA Party that is difficult to get past is that the founder of the Party has been linked to the assassination of Monsignor Romero, and the first ARENA President, Alfredo Cristiani, was linked to the assassination of the 6 Jesuit Priests. It must be very difficult having to deal politically with people who were linked with such atrocities against the people. On the other hand there are a great number of people in El Salvador who think of these people as heroes. It is never as simple and uncomplicated as we would like for it to be.

The FMLN Deputy was most gracious and kind. I believe that I am beginning to get a consensus opinion that this country is in great need of health care, education, infrastructure, roads, water, electricity and security. I can see why the FMLN is popular with the people, but my challenges with the party are a little more ideological. They seem convinced that the only way to help the people is for the government to do it. The were upset when the banks were privatized, personally I think that privatization of banks is a good thing, and it worries me that right here in our own country, the government now has bought stakes in the banks with our tax dollars. They are also dead set against the privatization of the water system, and when I look at our water system as compared to theirs I have to wonder why it wouldn’t be a good idea for them as well. Before I get jumped on by my colleagues over these issues however, I am not so naive as to not understand that these people have a right to be fearful of companies that say that they want to help, but instead come in and rape the natural resources and steal from the people. On the other hand the United States way of holding the business responsible seems to work well for us and with some modification should work well for them. The problem is, who do you trust, and I personally don’t trust the government to solve ANY problems. (I think that I am alone in my view on that one with our group as well)

This afternoon we traveled to a beautiful park in central San Salvador which had a memorial to those who were killed or missing during the years of the armed conflict. 79,000 people in all were killed, there was not even enough room on the wall for all of the names. The wall itself was similar in nature to our Vietnam Memorial. One point of interest is that our guide, Cesar’s father is named on the wall. The fascinating and surreal aspect of this memorial and park is that all around there are families picnicking, children playing and young lovers, well, doing what young lovers do. The wounds for some will never heal, for others it is a time to move forward.

Our evening was concluded with our own private concert by Guillermo Cuellar who was the composer of the Salvadoran Popular Mass. Cuellar was also a composer who wrote songs and worked alongside Monsignor Romero. After Romero’s assassination he was forced to flee the country for his life. During his exile, he continued to write music and lift up the oppression of his people. His music was heartfelt and quite beautiful, we were truly blessed. After the concert we were given an opportunity to buy his CD, but since money was running low, I was concerned that I might not be able to afford what he was offering. However, his daughter who was functioning as his manager for the evening offered 1 CD, 1 Cassette tape and a book for $15.00. I thought that I couldn’t pass that deal up.

I finished the evening with a call home to Karen. I knew that I had a signal although it was a roaming signal, but I was hesitant to try calling. One member of our group said that the international code for the United States was 001 so I dialed 001 and Karen’s number and it worked and sounded better than some of the times I have called from across town. So far I think that I may be the only one who has reached home by phone. I have to give Verizon credit, well at least until I get the bill.

Day 4

Wednesday January 7, 2009

This morning’s trip to the University of Central America was the most disturbing aspect of our journey so far. I am not totally clear about all of the specific details, so I picked up a book which will help me fill in the blanks when I get back home. When we arrived we were met by a Jesuit priest, Dean Brackley, who talked briefly to us about the school and El Salvador and we were then placed in the very capable hands of two young people who talked to us about the school and what happened that night.

After midnight on Wednesday November 16th 1989 an elite force of the El Salvadorian Army entered the campus of The University of Central America, some scaled walls and other went directly through the front gate. When they arrived at the residence of the priests, they began pounding very hard on the doors. From inside the soldiers were told to stop trying to break down the door, they would simply let them in. (This is something that had happened before) The soldiers then dragged the 6 Jesuits outside into a garden area behind the residence and BRUTALLY executed them. They then went and destroyed the offices and the work of the priests. One of the slain priest’s bodies was dragged into the office of Jon Sobrino, the other Jesuit priest on Campus who was thankfully out of town on a lecture tour on that night. His office was then riddled with bullets. (I have read a couple of books by Jon Sobrino, and we actually saw him on our way into the campus) While the soldiers were destroying the offices, they heard a muffled cry and discovered two women Elba and Celina, a mother and daughter who were housekeepers on the campus. The only reason that they were there that night was because they were afraid for their safety going home and had asked the priests if they could remain on campus where it would be safe. The soldiers shot them in their room with the daughter clinging to her mother. After the attack was over and the troops began to withdraw, a sound was heard coming from the women’s room, soldiers re-entered the room and found the women still groaning and holding on to each other, they were then finished off in a very brutal fashion. The standing orders were to LEAVE NO WITNESSES.

The husband of the housekeeper was actually the one who found the bodies the next day when he came to the campus concerned that his wife and daughter had not returned home or contacted him. After discovering the scene he went to the Jesuit provincial house which was about a half a block from the school and told them the news: “They killed the padres and my wife and daughter!” After some time had passed, he returned to the campus and planted a rose garden at the site where the slain priest’s bodies were found. The garden is still there today.

The scenes from the photos that we witnessed were horrific, the pictures incredibly graphic. These priests weren’t simply killed because of their ideas, their heads were completely blown apart. There was a consious decision made to not only silence these men, but to utterly destroy the ideas that were in their minds. What was even more haunting for me was that in the museum, there was a display of the bullet torn and blood soaked clothes that the priests were wearing that night. Then, when I actually saw the photos of the crim scene and the priests wearing those same cloths, it was more than I could bear.

No greater love has any person than to give up their life for their brother or sister, and these priests died for only one reason, and that is because they were preaching a gospel of love, hope, forgiveness and resistance against all of the violence and oppression that they were witnessing. These priest’s did not die in vain, their death set off a firestorm around the world which is still being felt today. (Upon our return to the United States I saw that a Spanish Court is handing down indictments in this case, perhaps there will one day be justice for the priests, Elba and Celina) The action taken that night began to turn public opinion, even those who supported the government couldn’t support the murder of priests. This action signaled the beginning of the end of the war.

This morning will take a very long time to process and to get over. I asked our guide, Cesar, “How do you ever recover from such a tragedy?” I’m not sure that the El Salvadorian people have.

We returned back to Los Pinos, our home away from home for lunch and then this afternoon, I have no idea what we are going to do.

5:00 PM

This afternoon we had the opportunity to go to a museum which had a number of interesting displays on the history of El Salvador. The exhibit that I found most interesting was the explanation of the radio network, Radio Vencerenos, which broadcast on the side of the FMLN or Guerrilla Army during the armed conflict. It was interesting to see and understand the impact that this group had during the war. It was especially interesting after seeing the movie “Innocent Voices” and witnessing the roll that the radio station played in the movie. We would ultimately hear a great deal more about this radio station on our journey and ultimately take a tour of its “secure and secret” location maintained in the mountains of Morazan during the war. (The nearby giant crater created by a 1000 lb bomb testifies to the importance placed on this target by the Salvadorian government.) It really is quite a fascinating story of adaptation and ingenuity in the face of overwhelming odds.

We then went and listened to a presentation on HIV AIDS and its devastating effects in El Salvador.

An interesting thing happened after we lift the AIDS presentation, we walked a couple of blocks to visit a Cathedral and upon arriving at the large steel door outside and ringing the bell, someone from the inside opened a little sliding hatch and informed us that the church was closed and that we must come back later. It was actually very similar to a scene right out of “The Wizard of Oz,” where Dorothy arrived at the door of the wizard only to be turned away. I guess we really aren’t in Indiana anymore :)

This evening I believe that the plan is to have dinner and then perhaps to watch the film Romero.

Oh, and one other thing, AHHHHHHHH Our quiet and peaceful Los Pinos has been invaded by 9 High School kids and their leaders. So much for peace and quiet in the evenings.

Day 3 PM

Tuesday January 6, 2009 PM

Visiting the home and place of assassination of Archbishop Romero was an incredibly moving experience. We went to the small community that consisted of a hospital/hospice care center, a chapel and a few other small buildings. We stopped first at the Divina Providencia Chapel where Romero was assassinated, and met with a Sister Teresa Cuellar, a Nun who shared with us about his life and also about the assassination of Oscar Romero. He was killed in 1980 by a single assassins bullet fired from a car through the open door of the church while he was celebrating Communion. It was amazing to listen to this little Nun as she described the relationship that Romero had with the Sisters who lived in this compound. Unfortunately, there is only one Nun left alive at the convent who actually knew Romero.

We were taken behind the altar to a very small room (the Sacristy) where the sisters provided a place for Romero to live. It was hard to believe that a Bishop, let alone and Archbishop, would live in such a humble surrounding. His quarters consisted of one small room with a small bathroom attached.

We then walked down the hill about one block to a small cement block house that the Sisters had built for Monsignor Romero. Sister Cuellar explained that the Sisters thought that someone of his position deserved something a little bit bigger than where he had been staying. The Nun described that when the time came to present him with the keys to his new home, they decided that the best approach would be to ask the hospice patients to give them to him. Afterwards, he called the nuns over and told them that he thought that they were very sneaky because they knew that there would be no way that he could ever turn the hospice patients down. (These Nuns knew him very well and they knew exactly what they were doing:)

He was such a humble and caring man. His new house was a little larger, with three rooms and a bathroom. It has now been turned into a museum with mementos of his life and pictures that were taken right after the assassination and during his funeral. One of the most remarkable artifacts was the white robe that he was wearing at the time of the assassination stained with his blood. They also had his 1972 Toyota Corona sitting in the driveway right where he had left it. Everything seemed just as it was when he left for the chapel that morning. One other story, told by the Nun, was that even though he had this new place to live, whenever he felt lonely or afraid, they would find him back up in his room behind the Altar, he always considered that his home.

The time spent hearing about the assassination was very difficult and we were glad to hear that our next stop would be a little less emotionally draining. (or at least I thought) Our next stop was at an Artisan Market place. That was truly an awesome place and a great experience. This was one place that Karen would have loved. The only problem was that we only had 45 minutes which wasn’t enough time. My understanding was that this would probably be our only opportunity to go shopping, so I wanted to take full advantage. I didn’t do any haggling with the people, I did well to just find out what the price was, but I did find out that if I said, “let me think about it.” They would always immediately lower the price. I emailed Terri and told her that I had good news and bad news. The bad news was that I spent most of my money, and it was only the 3rd day. The good news was that I had lots of presents for everyone!

For dinner we went to a traditional El Salvadorian restaurant which was a great experience. We then went back home, talked for an hour or so and then went to bed early. I might mention that this has been a totally vegetarian day, but everything has been great! Tomorrow we go to the University of Central America the sight of the assassination of 6 Jesuit priests, a housekeeper of the University and her daughter. It sounds like another emotionally draining day.

Day 3 Morning

Tuesday January 6, 2009 AM

This morning we had the opportunity to visit the US Embassy. We were up and going early after a breakfast of all fresh fruit which was extremely good. Our Embassy in El Salvador is the third largest in the world after Israel and Egypt. My first impression was that it was a very intimidating place with very heavy security.

While we were waiting in line to go in I was approached by a man probably in his 20’s who spoke very good English. He had in his hand a Power of Attorney and he asked me if I could help him to understand how to fill it out. I thought for a moment and debated in my mind all of the possible ramifications and whether or not I was doing something wrong and then I looked at him and said, "sure." I told him that the date went first, then his name went on the first line, his wife’s name went on the second line and on so forth. He explained to me that he had been living in Virginia with his wife and daughter when he was deported. He then asked if I would be willing to help fill out the form. He explained to me that even though he spoke English very well, he wasn’t able to write very well and that the Embassy simply handed him the form and told him to come back when it was filled out.

The problem was that he lived 3 ½ hours away and that the only people he knew who could help him lived 3 hours away. The reason that he needed the Power of Attorney was that his wife was unable to get the title of the car transferred into her name for DMV purposes unless she had the Power of Attorney. So, once again after debating how this could adversely affect me and the group, and running all of the possible scenarios in my mind, I said, "sure." After filling out the form, I wished him well and left to go into the Embassy with the group. I would have loved to ask him why he was deported, but I thought that perhaps that was more than I really needed to know. When we came out later, he was gone, so I hope that he was able to get the problem handled. One question that I had, however, was that if all that was required was to simply help him fill out this form, wasn’t there someone in the Embassy that could have taken 3 minutes and helped him? The people of El Salvador, who are in need of help, seem to run into these bureaucratic road blocks all the time.

After helping him, I thought about something else that I witnessed on our way into the Embassy. We saw this little boy dressed up in a shirt and tie and jacket and a little girl, I presume was his sister, dressed in a beautiful dress and what I assumed was their mother also all dressed up. I wondered when I saw them what they might be doing at the Embassy today, then I saw a line of another 100 people and then another line and I began to wonder what the stories of all of these people were, then I was given the opportunity, with the man with the power of attorney, to not only hear one of those stories, but to help someone in need. I felt blessed by the experience.

The Embassy itself was a very secure place with high walls, guards all around the perimeter and extensive security inside. We were escorted into a small “auditorium” with another group that was from Minneapolis. The presentation by the Embassy officials was very informative and they actually confirmed some of the issues that we had been hearing from the other side, but they also painted a much different light on what the US role is and has been over the past few years than we had heard previously.

I took the opportunity to ask the question: “As students, our world is centered on receiving grades based on our efforts, what grade should the US government get for our efforts in El Salvador over the past 25 years?” I have to admit that it was a bit amusing to watch as they stumbled around trying to answer the question. Ultimately, they seemed to agree that our grade depended on what time period over the past 25 years that we wanted to talk about and that perhaps we have been doing a better job more recently than we did during the war years for instance. All in all, I would say that we as Americans can be very proud of the people who are representing us in our Embassy.

We left the Embassy and stopped at a coffee shop. I got a dish of chocolate ice cream with hazel nuts. Karen would have loved it. We then went back to the house for lunch and waited to leave to see the place where Archbishop Romero was assassinated.

Day 2

Monday January 5, 2009

This morning we went on a tour of downtown San Salvador. We began the day with a breakfast of scrambled eggs and refried beans. We then piled into two vans and began our tour. The first stop was a city market. I have never seen such a place before; it was very large and had most anything that one would or could need. There were fresh flowers, plastic flowers, craft making supplies, as well as massive amounts of fresh fruits, and vegetables. One thing that was quite fascinating was the amount of fresh meat that was simply lying out with no refrigeration, I understand that there is a high percentage of gastrointestinal ailments in El Salvador, and along with the bad water, this could be a factor.

At one booth we were given a sample of a fresh picked tangerine which was incredibly sweet. I am not much of a fruit expert, but it really was quite exceptional and I had to wonder if the sweetness was the difference between fresh picked fruit and fruit that I usually eat that has been picked and then shipped halfway across the country or even from around the world. Perhaps it is like our home gardens, it just tastes better when it is locally grown. One other observation was that our trip through the city market was a whirlwind fast moving trip. Was this because we weren’t really welcome? Was it because there was a fear for our safety? Was Cesar concerned about our getting in the way of people who really were there to shop? Or perhaps we were just on a tight time schedule? There are questions that I will ask and some that I won’t, this one I will probably just leave alone.

We then traveled to the National Cathedral. This is a very large Cathedral right in the heart of downtown and directly across from the old Legislative Palace. The Cathedral is the site of the funeral and tomb of Monsignor Romero. Archbishop Romero took office in 1977 and after witnessing ongoing violations of the basic human rights of the poor of El Salvador became an outspoken critic of the El Salvadorian Government, and a hero to the people of El Salvador. While celebrating Mass in 1980, he was assassinated as he held the consecrated host. The fallout which ensued spread across the world, and the El Salvadorian people lost all hope that a peaceful resolution could be attained. The ultimate result was the beginning of a long and bitter civil war which ultimately claimed 79,000 lives. The Cathedral was a beautiful and incredibly moving place.

We wanted to go downstairs to visit the tomb of Romero, but it wasn’t open yet, so we then walked across the street to visit a park that was the site of a massacre where 200 people were killed or wounded during a civil war protest against the El Salvadorian government. The government troops opened fire on the demonstrators as they were attempting to remove them from the park. Twenty-one people were shot and killed as they attempted to flea across the street to a church for sanctuary. They were buried in a tomb just inside the door where they fell. This cathedral was very dark and stark, but yet quite beautiful. It was built in the shape of a large arch or dome and all across the arch were the colors of the rainbow in stained glass. Another interesting aspect was the Stations of the Cross made from wrought iron and concrete. These were very haunting, especially one where it appeared that two hands were reaching out to touch each other but couldn’t quite reach as if they were imprisoned.

We walked back through the park and then visited the Tomb of Romero. Our guide described that the people of El Salvador felt that Romero was sent by God to walk among them and to lead them. It is interesting the way that Romero is perceived and revered in El Salvador. He was Archbishop for only three years from 1977 to his assassination in 1980 and then to contrast that to someone else that was sent by God to walk among the people whose ministry lasted only three years as well (Jesus). Trust me, if you were to see how Romero is thought of in El Salvador, this comparison is not too much of a stretch.

We then left the downtown area and went to visit an upper scale part of town and it was remarkable to see the difference. One of our stops was at a high end mall. Cesar asked us to go in and check the prices and see what we thought. I wasn’t all that interested in shopping, but I went to a Nautica store which is one of Karen’s and my favorites, so I would have some idea of what the prices were back home. I found that a shirt that I would probably pay $15 for back home (on sale, I don’t buy them unless they are on sale) cost between $55-60 which was high even if they weren’t on sale. These prices and this atmosphere were much different than the City Market that we saw earlier this morning. We then concluded the morning by driving by the US Embassy which was quite an impressive compound. We will visit there tomorrow. Before I move on, however, I must mention something about both the high end mall and the US Embassy. From both of these places, you could throw a rock and hit one of those “shanty villages” that I first noticed yesterday. The difference between the haves and the have not’s is quite profound.

For the afternoon we met with Leslie Schuld from the Center for Exchange and Solidarity with El Salvador for a presentation on the current situation in El Salvador. Her presentation was quite informative and we were also briefed on their role in ensuring a fair and impartial election in the upcoming Parliamentary and presidential voting.

We then met with Carlos Garcia who gave us a very informative presentation on the history of El Salvador. Although his presentation was extremely good, I couldn’t help but think that we were getting only one side of the history of this country. A comparative example would be that our history classes in the United States would be quite different if the were taught by a Native American as opposed to what we might tend to learn in our normal history classes, and his presentation seemed to come from the perspective of one who had a distinct feeling about the armed conflict that the nation had been though. It was good, but I perceived it as perhaps biased. I also understood from his presentation that the people of El Salvador had been oppressed for 500 years. It is truly sad to think of the slavery and oppression which these people endured, and it is good to see that perhaps they are beginning to overcome this oppression for the first time in 500 years.

In the evening, we gathered as a group to watch the movie “Innocent Voices” which was an excellent movie and very powerful. It was about a young boy who was caught up in the war and his efforts to come to grips with the suffering. I understood that the movie was a true story and although true, I could see that it was also told from only one perspective. I have to admit that my entire thought process is being challenged. I refuse to form any preconceived notions or be swayed by an emotional movie or the unanimous views of my fellow travelers. I am here to experience these things for myself, and to ask the questions that I need to ask, and although I seem to be the only one that is even remotely interested in considering what the issues on the other side of this conflict might be, I am very much looking forward to meeting with the representatives from the US Embassy and getting a feel for what our nations official position is and was as well as hearing from the representatives of the Arena party who basically were the government at the time of the armed conflict. I feel pretty alone right now, but I am also determined to seek the truth and not simply be swayed by what my fellow travelers think and the views of the few people that we have met without hearing the other side.

Day 1 Sunday Evening

Sunday January 4, 2009 7:00 PM

Words can not describe this day. I have to admit that I don’t really even know where to begin. Perhaps the beginning would be a good place to start and we can just go forward from there.

Kate and her husband arrived on campus right at the appointed time of 3:15 AM. Within minutes we were loaded and on our way to the airport. Upon arrival, as we were getting out of the van, John, our professor and leader pulled up behind us. So far so good. The check in procedure went very smoothly and while we waited for our flight, we were entertained by a 2 year old deaf girl. It’s amazing how a two year old can keep a room full of adults entertained.

Once we were on the plane, I realized how long it has been since I have flown. The plane was equipped with television screens which magically came down from the ceiling in the area where the oxygen masks would come down (in the event of sudden loss of cabin pressure) I believe that the excitement of this discovery was best summed up by the young child several rows in front of me who exclaimed, “How did they do that?” (my thoughts as well)

The change of planes in Houston went smoothly, we met the last member of our group, Melissa, who came in from Detroit and we were on our way to El Salvador. I would have to say that the Cross Cultural aspect of the experience actually began at the Houston Airport. The terminal we boarded from, as well as our flight, was probably 80% or more El Salvadorian. At that point I knew that we weren’t in Indiana anymore.

Our arrival in El Salvador was also a very smooth transition. We got off the plane, got our baggage and went through customs without any issues whatsoever. We made our way out of the terminal and met our guide Cesar Acevedo. He was a relatively young man who seemed to be very warm and friendly. After a moment or two of waiting, our bus arrived to take us to our lodging. While waiting, however, the questions began to pile up in my mind. First of all, I noticed the razor wire wrapped around the tops of all the fences and the buildings. This was something that we would see everywhere in the city of San Salvador. Whoever sold barbed wire and razor wire in El Salvador must be very rich.

I also noticed that the trees all around the airport were covered in white from the base up about four feet. This was also evident thoughout El Salvador. I learned later that this was done to protect the trees from insects, although this was also done in other parts of the country as decoration and also painted red, white and blue in other parts of the country to show support to the Arena political party.

As we began the drive from the airport to the capital city of San Salvador, our first destination, I saw many unique things such as very large trucks hauling what looked like sticks. Actually, it turned out to be sugar cane. (I must have asked Cesar a hundred questions) There was also a man standing in the middle of the road with a torch, it turned out that he was a fire-eater who was performing in the road for money. The landscape was quite beautiful, perhaps a combination of the Appalachian Mountains and the desert of Arizona. It was very harsh but also beautiful, I especially loved the palm trees, they certainly don’t have those in Indiana.

However, I experienced something on the way to San Salvador that I believe will frame the way that I will perceive this entire trip. I started noticing “shanty villages” made up of concrete block, corrugated tin and wood. I didn’t know what they were until I saw children playing and clothes hanging out on clothes lines, then it dawned on me that there were people living in those villages. Then I saw another and another and another. There must have been thousands of people living in those conditions. I’m definitely not in Indiana anymore.

When we arrived at our residence house/hotel, I first noticed that the entry door was a humongous steel gate with razor wire all around the perimeter of the gate and of the roof of the house. Cesar rang the bell and we went inside. It was truly a beautiful house with an awesome patio and garden. We were shown to our rooms, and I am staying in a room with Soon Won and Dong. It is small but nice, and we do have our own bathroom which was also nice. (no hot water) Some points of interest in the house would be the fact that there is an AK 47 Assault rifle mounted on a board under the stairway, and there is a picture of Fidel Castro hanging in a prominent position on the wall. I’m not in Indiana anymore.

We were then treated to a wonderful lunch prepared by the ladies of the house which consisted of rice, beans, beef, bread, watermelon and a wonderful vanilla rice pudding made with real vanilla beans. I thought that vanilla came out of a bottle. Soon Won took an immediate interest in taking pictures, so I let him have my camera and after that we couldn’t stop him. I know that we will all appreciate the pictures when we get home, and I am so thankful to Ben and Crystal for the memory card for the camera.

After lunch we sat around and talked for about an hour and then Cesar returned to brief us on the adventure that was before us. He gave each of us a slip of paper with different facts about El Salvador, and one that I read was truly astounding to me. “Per Capita, El Salvador is the 3rd most violent country in the world behind Iraq and Columbia.” Wow that was both scary and astounding to me.

We then went for a walk around the neighborhood and saw some of the bustling activity, had some ice cream thanks to Cesar, and ended back at our hotel which is called "Los Pinos," or "The Pines." (I don’t think that there are any pine trees around here) I beleive that the plan is to turn in fairly early, we have a busy day ahead of us tomorrow.

I am looking forward to hearing about this country, the violence as well as the hope for the future. Today has been a good day. But I am definitely feeling troubled by what I have seen.