Immersion Day

Tomorrow, my class of 40 trainees will travel to different parts of the country to stay with volunteers already serving. I will travel by bus to Ciudad Barrios, a city of 40, 000 in the North Eastern part of El Sal. This will be my opportunity to witness the life of a Municipal Government Development Voluenteer, and also consider what kind of site I might request. On the outset, i am excited to be traveling to a bigger city. Many of us will be working in small, rural towns, and i welcome the opportunity to first see what it will be like to work in a more urban area, especially since i have considered requesting a rural site.

that's it.

Love,
me.

Playing Tag under the half moon

I am sitting with my friend Isabel, watching her son Moises play on the playground with a friend from school. they are slowly joined by more and more children. it must be eighty degrees but it feels cool compared to this afternoon. this is my first time in the park, and i am slowly taking it all in. we are about a five minute walk from where i live. there are dogs running around, some trash scattered about, and in the distance, the volcano sits against the sky, lit by the half moon.
Out of nowhere Moises almosts runs into me, "Mica, William!"
Tag. Im it.
The children all gaze towards me. They have heard that there is a Gringo in town, but this is the first time they have seen me. They watch me, without expression. Slowly, I rise, and look at each of them. I let out a bellow and start at them like Godzilla, the biggest fucking Gringo they have ever seen.
Mayhem.
They all scream gleefully and run around the playground while i chase each of them in turn before tagging someone else. The parents are laughing. The thoughtful Gringo turns out to be a big kid.

This is not my first night here, but it is the first time that i am accepted; the first night that i am included by the community; the first night that i walk home.