August 8, Day 48: The Little Things Pt. 3

This is my final installment of The Little Things. I am both anticipating and dreading my return to the States; there is so much I miss from the States and so much I will miss from here. Here are the final things that I have been meaning to talk about, the last alien sensations in this great country that have struck me as unique.

Stars - I have seen no stars in El Salvador. Gabriel always excitedly points out when a few lonely stars are blinking out to us, which seems pathetic to me since I have been spoiled on beautiful starry skies. Stargazing used to be one of my favorite time killers, though it's been a long time since I've truly enjoyed it. That needs to change.

Allergies - In the 48 days I have been in El Salvador, I have only had to deal with allergies one day. Anyone who knows my track record in the States can testify what a glorious relief that has been for me. The only day I had allergies was when we were up in the mountains in an area that greatly resembled Arkansas to me. From that, Gerardo deduced that my allergies come from dirt, contrary to my belief that I was allergic to pollen, since El Salvador has more flowers than Arkansas, but far less dust floating around.

Air - There is no getting around it: most of El Salvador's air is probably toxic. There is always a strange smell in the air that although I have gotten used to, I expect the fresh air of small-town Arkansas will be a blast of unexpected relief. Still, toxic air feels like a welcome tradeoff from the crap that sets off my allergies so badly that most people believe I've contracted the flu.

Children - When I first came here, I pointed out that Gabriel and Andrea were more well-behaved than most children in the States. I stand by that statement and also apply it to Lore, Gaby's sister. However, the fact that they are children automatically seems to point towards a universal truth that they can be annoying. Unnecessary noises, constantly repeating the same word over and over, making stupid sounds, etc. Nonetheless, they have already established boundaries and know how to act like a family which is more than I can say about most siblings in the States.

Gas - I don't see a lot of regular gas being sold; most of it is Plus or Premium, and sells for around $4.40 per gallon. I think that is about a dollar more expensive than in the States, but nonetheless, I was expecting it to be far more expensive. Maybe I was thinking of Europe...

Fruity Drinks - The closest equivalent I can find in the States are the Real Fruit Smoothies at Sonic. The problem is they completely pale in comparison to the fresa frozen (frozen strawberry) drink that nearly every Salvadorian restaurant offers. If that fails, I turn to Miranda and Fanta, orange-flavored carbonated drinks that I have also grown especially attached to, though they are many times unhealthier.

I'm not sure how many people actually read this blog, though I know I have almost touched a thousand views since starting, which makes me pretty happy. If anyone has any questions at all about something I have forgotten to mention or that I did not consider noteworthy, send me a message or comment so I can address your concerns and provide even more insight over El Salvador from the perspective of a gringo.

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July 17, Day 25: The Little Things Pt. 2

It's time for another segment of The Little Things! More differences between my culture and Gerardo's have become evident to me, so here's what I've learned (or remembered).

• Seasons - In the US, there is a winter, spring, summer, and fall. In Spanish, the exact translations for these would be invierno, primavera, verano, and otoño. I had been under the impression that all four of these seasons existed in El Salvador, but I was mistaken. Here, there is only invierno and verano, and rather than translating to winter and summer, it is more accurate to say that they translate to "rainy season" and "dry season." Right now, we are in the middle of the "rainy season" and we have been experiencing intense tropical storms nearly every day, fortunately usually during the night. That means that the summer I left behind in the US has been replaced by what is normally translated in Spanish as winter!
• Music - Obviously, in a Spanish speaking country, there is a much greater popularity with Spanish music. What surprised me, however, is how frequently English songs are played. Particularly rap songs. I have heard quite a few of my favorite rap songs played and memorized by many. Macklemore, Pitbull, and Eminem are a few, and Gerardo's little brother Gabriel even sings to Bob Marley with me!
• Money - Both countries make use of the US dollar, which extends to so many countries around the world that it has become the world's principal reserve currency (economics fun fact). However, in El Salvador, I don't recall having seen someone pay with a debit or credit card yet. Most people pay with physical dollars and coins. Additionally, I have seen a ton of $1 coins here in El Salvador, which was a pretty rare sight for me in the US. I'm trying to collect as many as I can; if the dollar crashes, I have more faith in the value of coins than paper.
• Police - In the US, cops only ever seem to be around when you are driving five miles over the speed limit...not that I have had any issues with them yet. In El Salvador though, they are everywhere. Literally, I encounter at least three or four just walking to the local track for a run. Furthermore, they are packing heat, strapping machine guns in broad daylight. It would be intimidating, but somehow, I doubt I have ever felt safer. On the other hand, I know that militaristic force was used against civilians during the Civil War in El Salvador, so I'm scared to try imagining the advantage the cops would have if history ever repeated itself...
• Ages of consent and drinking - Yup, I'm going there. In the US, the drinking age is 21 and the age of consent is 18. In El Salvador, the drinking age is 18 and the age of consent is 16. Why does this matter? Perhaps it does not; I have not and will not be in El Salvador long enough to get a true grasp of how this difference in legal acceptability affects people, but here's the blunt truth of what I know about the US: Sex and getting wasted are what high school students find cool. Would lowering the ages have a positive psychological effect on people or would it just make it worse?
• Goods and Services - I would say that many of the goods I have seen in El Salvador are more expensive than in the US, probably because many of these goods are imported from the US to begin with! Who would have imagined that? On the other hand, I have never seen such a cheap service industry! It's fantastic! Let's compare a few! These are the prices I have experienced, so don't have a hissy fit if what I am used to doesn't match what you are used to.

      Service                                                    United States                              El Salvador
Movie Theater (Night)                                    $9                                                $3
Haircut                                                          $12                                              $2.5
Dentist Cleaning (no insurance)                      $120                                            $10
Gym Membership (1 month)                           $25                                              $10

I know there are a ton of other services I'm forgetting about; medical expenses alone are all cheaper, so I will probably take full advantage of that while I'm here. Anyway, that's all I've got for today!

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July 3, Day 11: The Little Things Pt. I

As El Salvador has been and will be my first extended stay in another country, I have time to really delve into the little things that most people don't really think about that divide their lifestyle and culture from those in the States.

• Mosquitos - They are everywhere, and they are hungry for gringo blood. I sprayed myself multiple times every day when I first came here and still got covered with bites. I never thought that even after a shower, it would be necessary to spray. By now, I've gotten so used to them that I don't even bother.
• Driving - I have already mentioned it in a previous post, but the driving here is completely different than anywhere I have been in the states. I could try to describe it, but you really have to be in El Salvador to fully understand just how different it is.
• Common knowledge - Some things that we see as common knowledge differ greatly. For example, two of my friends in college, one from the States and one from Guatemala, were arguing about continents. The American claimed there was a North and South America (as I myself had been educated in my youth) while the Guatemalan claimed there was a North, Central, and South America. The sense of common knowledge I had developed collapsed since no one in the States really knows which continent to identify Central America in, despite it not being its own continent. Just today, Connie described her hair as being brown while mine was blond, while I identified hers as black while mine is brown. Darkness and lightness seem to have a slightly different scheme here...or maybe I'm just in denial.

• Food - Salvadorians have a diet centered around corn. Economy and location play a heavy role in determining how the citizens of respective countries live. El Salvador is poor, generally speaking, but the produce and seafood are abundant and freshly harvested, meaning that many meals are healthier and thematic than in the US, one of the wealthier countries in the world with the trendy focus on convenience at the cost of quality. It is truly amazing for me to finally understand this; I didn't believe the quality was lacking because it was all I had ever known.
• Religion - In the States, though a majority of people would identify themselves as Christians, the US nonetheless opts to keep religion a fairly private matter, primarily an issue reserved for churches, youth groups, and private schools. Traces of religion are more evident in El Salvador; being a small country, much more of the country's history is steeped in it.
• Minorities - In the States, whites are undoubtedly the dominant race. In El Salvador, I am an extreme oddity as only about 12% of Salvadorians are white, but most of them are still native Spanish speakers. It is a very strange feeling, transitioning from the majority to the minority. At the moment, it hasn't resulted in any serious problems, and I am uncertain if I will be here long enough to really understand the difficulties presented to the minorities of the US, but I have had a taste of it. Little children stare at me, elderly women scowl at me, one man even yelled, "Ayy, gringo!" and flashed me a sideways thumbs-up. Apparently, that meant that he was not going to kill me. That was very sweet of him.
• School - The hours always seemed so simple in the States. Elementary school was approximately 8 - 3. Naturally, there are variations across the regions, but in general, it was the same. In El Salvador, schools seem to operate from 7 - 12:30 (for morning classes). Gerardo told me that those hours extended to 4 for juniors and seniors going to a private school, but for the most part, those hours apply to everyone. There is a need to squeeze in afternoon classes for students and/or parents who prefer later hours, and adults who were unable to receive an education as children are granted the ability to enroll in school as well.

That's all I can think of for now, but there are many more differences hidden under the surface. Differences a lot of people would probably rather not think about, including myself. Still, I will do my best to bring these differences to the light, if for no other reason than for my own personal enlightenment.

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