Days 1-5

I made it safely to El Salvador! I have been too busy to post anything until now.  It is thunder storming right now (It is the start of rainy season.) and I am typing next to a flashlight since the power is out.  I arrived with Mom on Friday in time to have lunch with the children and play in the nursery.  The children's home is nicer than I expected and is a very welcoming environment.  There are about 50 children who live at the home.  The children's home has separate homes for the babies, toddlers, special needs students, boys, and girls.  I have spent a lot of time in the nursery holding and playing with the sweet babies. 

Sweet Ana Ruth

Holding Rodrigo

I am living in an apartment by myself (with a lizard who has become my pet) until the next missionaries arrive in about a week.  

My bedroom

Living Room

On Friday, I met with the principal and assistant principal of the elementary school (AMILAT Christian School).  I am working with the English teacher who travels classroom to classroom teaching 1st through 9th grades.  I will be at the school on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.  On Tuesdays, I will be working in the nursery to cover for another woman while she takes a little boy to therapy.

Also, I learned how to play a game called Pikachu.  It is almost the same as Rock, Paper, Scissors.  The younger girls love that I now know how to play this and are constantly asking to play another round.

On Saturday, we went sight seeing.  First, we ate lunch on top of a volcano!  

Nohelia, Teresita (Mrs. Teri's baby), and me

View overlooking San Salvador pre-storm

View overlooking San Salvador post-storm

Plaza in San Salvador

Street market in San Salvador

Brand new Denny's being built

Pizza Hut - serves breakfast too

Then, we went to Jungle Snow for ice cream.  I have never had this much ice cream.  I ordered a Pina Colada dish with pineapple sorbet and coconut ice cream.

Served in a frozen pineapple

After, we ran errands and went to the Salvadorian version of Costco, Price Smart.  They even had samples just like the American Costco!!

Saturday night, a mission team from Canada arrived.  The four of them are very nice and I have enjoyed getting to know them.  However, they leave tomorrow.

On Sunday, we all went to church in the city.  Thankfully, the church provided headphones and translated the service for us.  After church, we went to a famous hotel and restaurant for lunch near Lake Suchitoto.  It was delicious!! After lunch, we did a little souvenir shopping.

Mom and I by a fountain at the hotel

Old oven used at the restaurant

Painting of the two owners and the hotel's dog

Yesterday, I went to school for my first day.  When I arrived, I found out that the teacher I am supposed to work with was absent.  I shadowed the kindergarten English teacher.  He teaches three classes a day so I was able to assist with teaching the 4, 5, and 6 year olds.  They had never seen blonde hair and wanted to touch it and ask questions about it the whole day.  I am excited to meet the teacher I will be shadowing tomorrow!  

After school, Mom and I taught the older teenagers how to bake cupcakes.  We made 86 cupcakes from scratch along with homemade butter cream frosting!  The teenagers want to learn how to make cupcakes to sell them at school and start a business.  This was just the first of many cupcake baking adventures I have ahead of me this trip!  I think it is safe to say that their favorite part was licking the bowl!

Everyone pitching in to help mix the batter

Rebekah licking the bowl

Teamwork to measure the flour

Less than 1/4th of the finished product

Last night, we went into town for papusas (a Salvadorian favorite).  Papusas are tortillas (rice or corn) with a variety of toppings inside.  You order the papusas similar to how you order sushi rolls.  Most people eat their papusas with hot chocolate or coffee.  The papusas are only served as breakfast and dinner foods.  In this small town, there are around 100 businesses that sell papusas! 

Making the papusas

Today, I spent my morning in the nursery.  Mom left today and has now made it safely back to the States.  This afternoon, I helped one of the girls who is a sophomore in high school with her English homework.  We spent about 2 hours together and she told me all about her story and when she arrived at the children's home.  She thinks English is a very difficult subject and doesn't understand why we have all the silly grammar rules that we do.  

Sorry for the long post! Hopefully I can keep this updated enough that I won't have to write one post to cover 5 days.  Adios!
 

Psalm 121