Today I had to go to the airport to get a package that Daisy, Kez, and Yem had sent me via FedEx (never send via FedEx) and I was in a great mood because 1)I didn't get lost on the bus, 2)the weather was really nice, and 3) I just had a really nice weekend. I got to the airport and headed straight to customs. There they sent me back to the main entrance of the airport for a pass. At the information desk the attendant tells me that I have to go to the cargo terminal because that's where the FedEx office is. When he asked me anda carrito? (are you driving?) I knew that putting on 3" platform shoes this morning was a bad idea (hey sometimes I need to dress it up a little bit). The cargo terminal was really far from where I was and of course me tocó caminar, I had to walk. I arrived at the FedEx office and they asked me for the tracking number. OOOPS! I forgot to get that number from Daisy. So, I texted Daisy and she sends the number. The FedEx guy put the number in and then he started shaking his head. Oh NO! He explains that some information is missing and that the form that is needed to correct the mistake is in San Salvador! What??!! He told me that I would either have to go to San Sal (which is about an hour away on the bus), get the form, and then return to the airport OR I could wait until noon when they receive their deliveries from the San Sal office (it was already 10:30). Have you guys ever heard of a fax machine?! So I waited. And I knew that noon would in fact not be noon. The form arrived at 1 (dont you just love Salvo time?). So what did I do for those 2.5 hours? I sat in a chair pissed off at the world.
So I got the form. I then had to take it over to the customs office and handle all the paper work. Then I had to wait for them to locate the package, while filling out tons of paper work. While they were locating the package I started asking the other people that were waiting how long they'd been there. On average I'd be waiting for three hours. It was already 1:45 and being on the bus to San Sal in the evening is not recommended. I started to panic. Where would I stay if I had to wait for more than three hours? How can I afford a hotel near the airport on a volunteer's stipend (especially since I had spent $$$ in San Sal over the weekend)? As these things were running through my head i got even angrier. This is where the angel comes in. When I first arrived at the customs terminal there was this man (Rafael) that helped me with the paper work. He was also picking up a package . He was there with me throughout the entire process, telling me not to look so mean and that everything would work out in the end. He knew EVERYONE that worked in the administrative offices and in the warehouse where the packages were stored. He talked to the officer there and had him go and get my package right away. The officer moved me up in the line and I didn't wait for more that 20 minutes!! I could NOT believe that things were moving so fast until I remembered the prayer that I had sent up to my Father. I prayed, "Father, please show me favor so that I am not here all day long". Did He deliver or did He deliver? Rafael was the person that turned my day around for the better. He took time out of his schedule to help me and he made everything so much easier. I'm so grateful for the blessings that He throws my way...even when I don't deserve them.
THE PACKAGE
Once I was called into the warehouse to open the package I was so nervous that something bad would happen and they wouldn't allow me to take it home. We did the necessary paperwork and then the official opened the package to review the contents. I burst into tears as he took everything out of the box! I was so touched that my friends sent me a box full of goodies...noodles, mac n cheese, PEANUT BUTTER, shampoo, candy, cheetos and tons of other things. At that point I really began missing my friends and the tears wouldn't stop falling. I kept repeating las extraño tanto, I miss them so much. The official looked at me and in order to make me feel better, he pulled out a tampon from the box and asked me if it was a jumbo size Qtip. From tears to laughter in a matter of seconds! So long story short, after about another hour of paperwork, I left the airport with my 12 lb LOVE PACKAGE in my hand...thinking about what to eat first (I just finished a bag cheetos).
Today, inspite of the blisters that are now forming on my feet, was a really good day. I am truly blessed to have friends that care so much about me and a Father that knows EXACTLY what I need and when I need it. Rafael was a true blessing today.
Love you all,
Mya
Monday, July 26, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Package from Mommy and Kim
I'm so happy to have received a care package from my Mommy and sister Kim. Thank you guys for the lovely underwear (washing your panties on a concrete rock causes a lot of stretching), the shaving cream (now my legs will be nice and smoothe), the febreeze (now when my clothes can't dry because of the rain, they'll atleast smell good) and the clothes!! I love you guys!!
Salu,
Mya
Salu,
Mya
Friday, July 23, 2010
Food!
Hey all!
Right now it’s 5:55 (1 hour til bedtime, but who’s counting?) and I just ate “dinner”. Dinner is in quotations marks because ever since I’ve moved on my own my eating habits have been…poor. I usually get around to eating three times a day, so that’s not the problem. The problem lies with what I’m eating. I usually go to the grocery store and spend anywhere from $50-70 every two weeks on food, which is a HUGE chunk of my living allowance. Usually I buy comfort foods like peanut butter, Doritos, mashed potatoes, Ragu spaghetti sauce, etc. which cost me an arm and a leg. Ok, so I usually go into the store with a list and I try my best to stick to it. Then I get home and realize that most of what I purchased doesn’t really combine nicely into meals. Yes, I’m usually able to make some kind of soup and then there’s always spaghetti (I’ve already had it 4 times this week), but besides these dishes I’m usually stuck, staring into my fridge wondering what the heck to do with these items.
So dinner tonight was butter and herbs mashed potatoes. This box of potatoes (breakfast and dinner) and a can of sweet kernel corn (lunch) were the only things left in my fridge that I could eat. There’s a bag of pasta that I could’ve boiled, but I woke up this morning and found that the pasta sauce had molded…lol. Back to the potatoes…while reading the instructions I realized that I lacked half of the ingredients needed to make them. I had the water and the pouch of potatoes and seasoning but I didn’t have the milk or the butter (why I needed butter when the box clearly stated that real Land o’ Lakes butter was already mixed in is beyond me). Facing starvation (yup I’m dramatic) I decided that the potatoes would be just as good with only water. Oh my dear friends and family I was SO wrong! These potatoes tasted like warm grass. I ate as much as I could stomach and fed the rest (not much because I WAS really hungry) to the dog that has decided to live with me.
I wish I could tell you guys that this doesn’t happen very often but the sad truth is that my life has become filled with meals that sometimes even the dog won’t eat. This brings me to my latest culinary disaster. During my recent trip to the store I decided to buy soy protein. Why? Because it comes in a bag and I don’t have to worry about putting it in the fridge until after I cook it and because it’s loaded with folic acid and protein…two things I’m sure I could use more of. I was really excited about cooking for the first time, but when I opened the bag and saw the little pebbles I couldn’t help but to think of dog food. It even SMELLED like dog food. Anyways…I decided to give it a chance, after all it did cost me a whopping $0.50 a bag (foolishly I bought 2 bags). I make a soup and put the soy protein in the soup after I had seasoned it and stir fried it. That soup was the worst thing that I’ve ever made IN MY LIFE, mainly because it wasn’t REALLY a soup…more like scalding water with chunks of soy protein, bell peppers and onions. I really did have more veggies but somehow my knife disappeared and I couldn’t cut them up. I ended up ripping up the bell pepper with my hands and I just put the whole onion in the pot. It was so pathetic yet hilarious. I’m not one to waste food so I had to eat every drop of it. The texture of the soy protein made me gag…and I still have another bag waiting to be consumed. After that I made spaghetti and tried to roll the soy protein in to little meatballs, which didn’t work. I gave up and fried it and smothered it with garlic, black pepper and curry. Mixed with the spaghetti and sauce the soy protein was HALF bad…you just had to swallow it down really fast without chewing. I’m relieved to say that it’s all gone and I will never buy it again.
This weekend I’m going shopping again and I will make sure to buy things that I can turn into meals. Also, my friend Lindsey is coming to visit my site. Her best friend is visiting from the States and they’re gonna come hang out with me at my beach. Should be fun….hopefully my water will be running. Three girls, one bathroom, and no water? DIOS GUARDE! Love you all! Pray without ceasing and take good care!
Salu,
Mya
Right now it’s 5:55 (1 hour til bedtime, but who’s counting?) and I just ate “dinner”. Dinner is in quotations marks because ever since I’ve moved on my own my eating habits have been…poor. I usually get around to eating three times a day, so that’s not the problem. The problem lies with what I’m eating. I usually go to the grocery store and spend anywhere from $50-70 every two weeks on food, which is a HUGE chunk of my living allowance. Usually I buy comfort foods like peanut butter, Doritos, mashed potatoes, Ragu spaghetti sauce, etc. which cost me an arm and a leg. Ok, so I usually go into the store with a list and I try my best to stick to it. Then I get home and realize that most of what I purchased doesn’t really combine nicely into meals. Yes, I’m usually able to make some kind of soup and then there’s always spaghetti (I’ve already had it 4 times this week), but besides these dishes I’m usually stuck, staring into my fridge wondering what the heck to do with these items.
So dinner tonight was butter and herbs mashed potatoes. This box of potatoes (breakfast and dinner) and a can of sweet kernel corn (lunch) were the only things left in my fridge that I could eat. There’s a bag of pasta that I could’ve boiled, but I woke up this morning and found that the pasta sauce had molded…lol. Back to the potatoes…while reading the instructions I realized that I lacked half of the ingredients needed to make them. I had the water and the pouch of potatoes and seasoning but I didn’t have the milk or the butter (why I needed butter when the box clearly stated that real Land o’ Lakes butter was already mixed in is beyond me). Facing starvation (yup I’m dramatic) I decided that the potatoes would be just as good with only water. Oh my dear friends and family I was SO wrong! These potatoes tasted like warm grass. I ate as much as I could stomach and fed the rest (not much because I WAS really hungry) to the dog that has decided to live with me.
I wish I could tell you guys that this doesn’t happen very often but the sad truth is that my life has become filled with meals that sometimes even the dog won’t eat. This brings me to my latest culinary disaster. During my recent trip to the store I decided to buy soy protein. Why? Because it comes in a bag and I don’t have to worry about putting it in the fridge until after I cook it and because it’s loaded with folic acid and protein…two things I’m sure I could use more of. I was really excited about cooking for the first time, but when I opened the bag and saw the little pebbles I couldn’t help but to think of dog food. It even SMELLED like dog food. Anyways…I decided to give it a chance, after all it did cost me a whopping $0.50 a bag (foolishly I bought 2 bags). I make a soup and put the soy protein in the soup after I had seasoned it and stir fried it. That soup was the worst thing that I’ve ever made IN MY LIFE, mainly because it wasn’t REALLY a soup…more like scalding water with chunks of soy protein, bell peppers and onions. I really did have more veggies but somehow my knife disappeared and I couldn’t cut them up. I ended up ripping up the bell pepper with my hands and I just put the whole onion in the pot. It was so pathetic yet hilarious. I’m not one to waste food so I had to eat every drop of it. The texture of the soy protein made me gag…and I still have another bag waiting to be consumed. After that I made spaghetti and tried to roll the soy protein in to little meatballs, which didn’t work. I gave up and fried it and smothered it with garlic, black pepper and curry. Mixed with the spaghetti and sauce the soy protein was HALF bad…you just had to swallow it down really fast without chewing. I’m relieved to say that it’s all gone and I will never buy it again.
This weekend I’m going shopping again and I will make sure to buy things that I can turn into meals. Also, my friend Lindsey is coming to visit my site. Her best friend is visiting from the States and they’re gonna come hang out with me at my beach. Should be fun….hopefully my water will be running. Three girls, one bathroom, and no water? DIOS GUARDE! Love you all! Pray without ceasing and take good care!
Salu,
Mya
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Ok, So I'm an Emotional Wreck
I received this email from Keisha this morning while I was having coffee at the local café. I broke down and the tears wouldn't stop falling. I felt like an idiot because everyone was staring at me, but THEY didn't just get an email like this so they can KICK ROCKS!
encontre que hubo un maratón de Golden Girls [A Golden Girls marathon was on]. Have you ever watched that show? I watched it when I was little, but never understood what it was about. But watching it today made me realize what a good show it is. It made me think that when I get old, if for some reason I had to have some room mates, it would be nice to be roomies with you again. Okay I'm on a rant, I really wanted to just sing you the theme song to the show, because every time I hear it I think of you. Here I go (I know you hate me cause I'm singing to you in an email) :
Thank you for being a friend,
Travel down the road and back again,
You're heart is true
You're a pal and a confidante
And if you threw a party, invited everyone you knew,
You would see, the biggest gift would be from me and the card attached would say,
Thank you for being a friend!
To my dear Keisha, I love you more than you know! You have always been there for me, without passing judgement (but keeping it real), and I am blessed to have you in my life! Count on me to be your pal, your sister and your confidant for as long as I live!!
In other news, I've been crying a lot lately. The smallest things make me cry. I'm not sad or depressed...I'm just overly sensitive right now.
Love you all,
Salu
encontre que hubo un maratón de Golden Girls [A Golden Girls marathon was on]. Have you ever watched that show? I watched it when I was little, but never understood what it was about. But watching it today made me realize what a good show it is. It made me think that when I get old, if for some reason I had to have some room mates, it would be nice to be roomies with you again. Okay I'm on a rant, I really wanted to just sing you the theme song to the show, because every time I hear it I think of you. Here I go (I know you hate me cause I'm singing to you in an email) :
Thank you for being a friend,
Travel down the road and back again,
You're heart is true
You're a pal and a confidante
And if you threw a party, invited everyone you knew,
You would see, the biggest gift would be from me and the card attached would say,
Thank you for being a friend!
To my dear Keisha, I love you more than you know! You have always been there for me, without passing judgement (but keeping it real), and I am blessed to have you in my life! Count on me to be your pal, your sister and your confidant for as long as I live!!
In other news, I've been crying a lot lately. The smallest things make me cry. I'm not sad or depressed...I'm just overly sensitive right now.
Love you all,
Salu
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Update
Heeeeeeeeeey Everybody!
I know it's been awhile since I updated my blog, but seriously you guys aren't even following so it doesn't matter. YES, I SAID IT!!
Anyways...I'm sitting at the mall in Wendy's watching the World Cup. uruguay just elminated Korea. Soon the US will take on Ghana...I'm not sure if I should support my country or the last African team in the Cup...hmmm decisions. Who would've ever thought that I'd be this interested in soccer? I think it interests me so much because it gives my Daddy and I something to talk about...lol.
So what have I been up to you ask? Well I went back to San Vicente for 3 weeks of "technical" training. I don't really feel like I learned a lot of technical things, but oh well. I did learn how to make shampoo and I almost burst into laughter when Gabe, a volunteer and the mastermind behind the whole shampoo thing, told my group that "shampoo is shampoo" and that everyone could wash their hair with what we made! Clearly he doesn't know about Black people's hair...better said...he doesnt know about MY hair! We also killed some rabbits at his house and grilled them up. I dont think I will have a rabbit project simply because I'm not willing to kill them. After training it was time to head back to my site. It was really hard to be back the first nite and after talking to my Mommy, I cried like a baby, fell asleep, woke up the next morning and went to the beach with some other volunteers. I stayed at El Espino for two days, dreading going back to my site. So, I went back moved into my new place and have been trying to decide what my next move should be.
Ok, so maybe I'm going to fast. Why was it so hard to be back in site? After spending almost a month with your friends...speaking English...complaining (not too much) about things in site it's really hard to leave them. You know that when you leave you're gonna be alone, you're gonna have to readjust to being back in the middle of nowhere, etc. So THAT, my friends, is why it was so hard to go back. Thankfully God keeps me from going crazy...and things are going well in site. Monday I plan on going to the school to see what I can do there.
I miss you and love you all! Keep me in your prayers so that I won't go loca!
just 6 more months til Xmas break!!!
I know it's been awhile since I updated my blog, but seriously you guys aren't even following so it doesn't matter. YES, I SAID IT!!
Anyways...I'm sitting at the mall in Wendy's watching the World Cup. uruguay just elminated Korea. Soon the US will take on Ghana...I'm not sure if I should support my country or the last African team in the Cup...hmmm decisions. Who would've ever thought that I'd be this interested in soccer? I think it interests me so much because it gives my Daddy and I something to talk about...lol.
So what have I been up to you ask? Well I went back to San Vicente for 3 weeks of "technical" training. I don't really feel like I learned a lot of technical things, but oh well. I did learn how to make shampoo and I almost burst into laughter when Gabe, a volunteer and the mastermind behind the whole shampoo thing, told my group that "shampoo is shampoo" and that everyone could wash their hair with what we made! Clearly he doesn't know about Black people's hair...better said...he doesnt know about MY hair! We also killed some rabbits at his house and grilled them up. I dont think I will have a rabbit project simply because I'm not willing to kill them. After training it was time to head back to my site. It was really hard to be back the first nite and after talking to my Mommy, I cried like a baby, fell asleep, woke up the next morning and went to the beach with some other volunteers. I stayed at El Espino for two days, dreading going back to my site. So, I went back moved into my new place and have been trying to decide what my next move should be.
Ok, so maybe I'm going to fast. Why was it so hard to be back in site? After spending almost a month with your friends...speaking English...complaining (not too much) about things in site it's really hard to leave them. You know that when you leave you're gonna be alone, you're gonna have to readjust to being back in the middle of nowhere, etc. So THAT, my friends, is why it was so hard to go back. Thankfully God keeps me from going crazy...and things are going well in site. Monday I plan on going to the school to see what I can do there.
I miss you and love you all! Keep me in your prayers so that I won't go loca!
just 6 more months til Xmas break!!!
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Support Me!!!!
I am not coming home until I feel that there’s a real reason to leave El Sal (i.e. natural disaster, sick family member). I know that I scare some people when I update my status on Facebook, but I assure you guys that I am fine. Instead of telling me to come home, SUPPORT ME!!Yes, I have very bad days, but I also have really good days. I’ve been tested both physically and mentally and there were PLENTY of times when I wanted to throw in the towel, but then I have to remember that I prayed for this. I asked to be tested. I asked to be here (well maybe not in this particular country, but you get the point). It would be easy to say, “I can’t live like this. I miss my family. I’m going home”, but I know that there’s a reason that I am here. I’m not a quitter and I won’t give up without a fight. But if I see another rat anywhere near my suitcase…I’ll be on the first flight home! Hahaha…just kidding…I think.
Love you all,
Salu (this is the Salvo way of saying goodbye)
p.s. My Daddy is the best man in this world! I'll be asking him to run a background check on my future boyfriend ;-)
Love you all,
Salu (this is the Salvo way of saying goodbye)
p.s. My Daddy is the best man in this world! I'll be asking him to run a background check on my future boyfriend ;-)
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The Truth
I'd rather be hurt by the truth than protected by a lie.
Now that I got that off my chest I guess I'll let you guys know what's been going on in my life. I recently had my heart broken by someone that I thought was incapable of hurting me. I wanted to hate him but I prayed that God would take away those negative feelings and today...I'm learning to work through the pain.
Love you all,
Salu
Now that I got that off my chest I guess I'll let you guys know what's been going on in my life. I recently had my heart broken by someone that I thought was incapable of hurting me. I wanted to hate him but I prayed that God would take away those negative feelings and today...I'm learning to work through the pain.
Love you all,
Salu
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