Praxis Site

Early last week I received information about my service site. To say the least, I’m overjoyed with my placement! I will be spending my Mondays and Wednesdays of every week at Centro de Capacitacion San Vincente de Paul y Comedor la Casa del Cipote (Located in Canton el Cedro, Panchimalco). The other Casa student who will be working with me is from Northwestern University in Chicago.

Here is a description of the site courtesy of the program coordinators:

Canton el Cedro is located 25 kilometers from San Salvador. It is a very rural area, surrounded by fincas (coffee farms). 5 years ago, work in the fincas was the main source of work and income for the community. Now, however, with the fall of coffee prices, few people are working in this industry as many fincas have been sold or are no longer producing coffee.
The people of Canton el Cedro are very poor and face many challenges, especially now because there is little work to offer in the area. Now many people travel to San Salvador, costing them money in transportation and time to travel. The farmers of the area find it difficult to encounter work in the city because many do not know how to read or write. The families in Canton el Cedro are organized with a community directiva. Houses are located far from one another, which makes it challenging for people to organize and work collaboratively.
The objective of Centro de Capacitacoin San Vincente de Paul y Comedor la Casa del Cipote is to welcome, accompany, and educate children, youth and adults. There are five projects offered at the Center. First, there is a comedor (soup kitchen) for 105 children between the ages of 1 and 12. They receive a glass of milk in the morning and lunch Monday through Friday. Second is a pre-school for children between the ages of 4 and 6. Pre-school is offered Monday through Friday from 8-11:30. Third is a sewing workshop with 30 students. Forth is a group of women who make artesanìa such as bags, jewelry, and a product called "Perlas de Esperanza". They sell their crafts in their community and in San Salvador. Lastly, is a computer workshop for 17 youth that is offered in the afternoons. Through these projects offered, those involved hope to improve their economic, social, and educational situation.


Besides getting excited about my service site, I have also been spending these last few weeks trying to get in as much time with family and friends. Below is a picture of my last goodbyes with good friends. I wasn’t able to see everyone I wanted to before leaving, but this will just make for extra, extra excitement when I see them second semester. I’ve spent most of my time these last few days babysitting two lively little girls. Yesterday I had a conversation with Juliet (3) who recommended I do the following while I’m in El Salvador, “Go sledding, plant flowers and visit the dinosaurs!” She also asked if she could come with me. I then inquired, “But Juliet, what would you do all day while I’m in school?” She replied, “Well, I would hold your hand.” Very cute. But then she continued, “And then I would flush you down the toilet!” She is obviously unaware of El Salvador’s sensitive plumbing.


Well, that’s enough for now. It’s almost time for me to head on over to the airport. I will write again once I’m settled in San Salvador.

Hasta Luego,
Chandler

It's almost time to go??

Wow! I can’t believe that in just over a week I will be on a plane headed for San Salvador. What happened to all of my prep time?!?! Working and babysitting have filled my days, and now that everything is wrapping up, I’m finding myself very overwhelmed with the realization that I will actually be leaving, and that I should probably start putting various items into a suitcase. I hate packing…it means planning for every possible situation. But then of course this is impossible because the unexpected is bound to happen. And if I pack for this trip like I have for every other trip I’ve been on, I’ll over-pack a certain item like pants, but completely forget the underwear.

As of now, I have made various lists on napkins and post-it notes in hopes that I can piece together a packing list that will cover all possible wardrobe and health circumstances/malfunctions. I have experienced a fair share of unexpected ailments and complications abroad, and have learned that it is best to be prepared!!! But, there’s a problem…I’m also trying to pack lightly. I’ll be hand-washing all of my clothing so the fewer items the better! The weather in San Salvador will be in the 80s and 90s with occasional afternoon rains, which means I won’t have to pack too many bulky items. Light cotton t-shirts and skirts are looking like the easiest and coolest options for everyday wear.

And it's a good thing clothing won’t take up too much room in my suitcase because I have to bring down half of my books required for my classes at UCA. I will be able to purchase the remaining books when I arrive. I haven’t really opened any of the books as of now, but am excited about each course just from the class descriptions. I will be taking 15 credit hours: Immersion through Praxis/Field Placement, Perspective’s on El Salvador’s Civil War, Latin American Theology, Advanced Spanish and Sociology of Public Communication in El Salvador. Two of my classes will be taught in English and the other three in Spanish.

I think what excites and scares me the most about this trip is the immersion I will experience through my classes, the living environment and field placement. It is a little overwhelming to think of all of the information and experiences I will have to integrate throughout the course of four months. How will I react to it all? Will I be able to handle everything that comes my way? Will I completely break down without access to the food network? (I’m only partially kidding about that last one.) Oh well, I guess it will all come with time and adjustment. I really can’t worry about it. It’s time to just dive in!

Hasta luego,
Chandler