July 5, Day 13: Food Overview Pt. 1

Today for lunch, I had a truly amazing meal, and I decided immediately that even though this blog will cover many important aspects of my time here, it is definitely relevant to devote several posts to nothing but food. So here it is: my top five favorite foods that I have eaten in El Salvador (so far). Drumroll please!

5. Sopa de frijoles (Bean Soup): I hate beans in the States, but ever since I tried a pupusa offered to me by my friends Gerardo and Mario, I began to open my mind a little. When Gerardo's mother made bean soup, I was still somewhat skeptical, but I went ahead and tried it, and I am very glad I did. The soup combined with duro-blando queso (hard-soft cheese), portions of tortilla, and a little bit of salt created a utopia of flavor in my mouth. It was impossible to narrow down the taste, but the cheese stood out the most along with the various textures.

4. Platanos con leche de crema (Plantains with Milk Cream): Plantains are somewhat similar to bananas, though they have a unique texture to them. Boiled plantains, fried plantains, and even raw plantains have all made plantains one of my favorite fruits, despite having never tried it in the US. When Carla brought out milk cream for dinner one night and Gerardo advised me to try it, I discovered I was instantly in love. It is a very light and soft cream that tastes like milk but is also a bit sweeter, making a healthy snack on par with many delicious but unhealthy desserts.

3. Carne de cerdo con puré de papas (Pork with Mashed Potatoes): As someone who resides in the South, it is almost sad including this, but there is not getting around it; Gerardo's mom cooks up the best pork and mashed potatoes I have ever had in my life. The potatoes were extremely creamy, almost like a gravy, and the pork was so tender that it could be sliced up with merely a fork. It almost melted in my mouth, but most of it was meat, rather than fat. Needless to say, the parts that were fat were even tastier. This was my lunch today.

2. Pizza: As stated in a previous post, the best pizza I have ever had was at the restaurant "La Tarteleta" in San Miguel. I could taste every single ingredient: the thin crust, the perfectly melted cheese, the tomato sauce, and the raw tomatoes on top. It sounds largely like your average pizza, but it was so much more. I ate it on three different occasions during the four days we were in San Miguel.

1. Crêpe: Though more well-known in France, I tried my first crêpe at a mall in El Salvador shortly before going to the movies with Gerardo and Connie to watch The Great Gatsby. My sweet tooth was kicking in so I was going to buy an éclair, but Gerardo dragged me to a food stand called Crêpe Lovers. I had never tried one before and the pictures that looked like tortillas made me sure that it was going to be a typical Salvadorian food, but I was way off. The crêpe I had was sweet, rolled up and stuffed with slices of bananas and strawberries with a double layer of white and milk chocolate. Of all the desserts I have ever enjoyed, this one is definitely at the top of the list, and anyone who knows me can testify that I am a sugar junkie. There are different types of crêpes; apparently salty ones are more akin to a meal (Gerardo had his with cheese and ham), but the sweet ones are undoubtedly desserts.

That's it for this food post! I hope to experience more savory delights that I can discuss and ultimately compile at the end of my trip into a "The Best Foods of El Salvador" post. And by the way, today is Gerardo's birthday. Happy birthday, Gerardo!

One.

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.

One.

July 1, Day 9: San Miguel and Playa el Cuco

 As it may have been rightly speculated due to the lapse of time since my last entry, I have been extremely busy as of late. Gerardo's dad, being the important man that he is, was asked to assist a hospital in San Miguel for a few days and he decided to take us along for the ride. It was conveniently located right across from our hotel, so he didn't even need to drive or take a bus to work!

According to Gerardo, San Miguel is the second largest city in El Salvador, surpassed only by the capital San Salvador. When I look around the web, it was identified as the third most populated city, directly behind Santa Ana. It was slightly more tame in San Miguel than in San Salvador, but still wild and crazy for someone accustomed to rural America. Fortunately, Ernesto didn't have to work for an exceedingly long time and we were able to make several enjoyable outings together.

The night that we arrived (June 28), we dropped our stuff in our hotel rooms and immediately went out to eat. The restaurant is called "La Tarteleta" (lit. "The Tart") and it has a surprisingly classy atmosphere. During a sequential trip, we would even see the mayor of San Miguel there! On Gabriel's suggestion, I ordered a Neapolitan marguerite pizza (and I pray I am not butchering the name of this amazing pizza). Pizza is one of my favorite foods. I have eaten pizza in Italy. I know what it should taste like. This was, THE most delicious pizza I have had to date, and you can quote me on that. Remember, if you are in El Salvador for some reason, try to visit "La Tartaleta" in San Miguel and order their pizza. It is right across from the hotel Villa de San Miguel and the sign on the building says Café & Bistro. You won't regret it. Their desserts are nothing to scoff at either...Here's a link with some information, including the address and phone number, if anyone decides to check it out one day. La Tartaleta

On June 29, after Ernesto got off work, we ate lunch at "La Tartaleta" (I couldn't resist getting the pizza again) and headed for Playa el Cuco. It was perhaps an hour away from our hotel and the first beach I have been to since Belice last summer (which had been my first time at a beach since I was a lil squirt). Waiting to go swimming was almost unbearable. I LOVE the ocean. Freshwater is only good for drinking; the sea is an absolute must for swimming in my opinion. In a less advanced time, I definitely would have been a sailor or fisherman. Surfing and swimming sounds more fun nowadays...

Lamentably, as El Salvador is closer to the equator, it is much more dangerous to be running around in nothing but shorts, even for a gringo lathered in sunscreen. Swimming would have to be pushed back for a few hours. Fortunately, those few hours passed by very quickly in the face of the delicious...err...second lunch (?) we had. They just went out and caught me a fish after I ordered. I'm an incredibly picky eater so I didn't really have high hopes when I agreed to join Gerardo for the summer, but the food in El Salvador has pleased me to no end. Delicious, cheaper, more natural, less saturated in grease. Why can't the US have food like this??

Gah, distracted thinking about food. Maybe that should have been the sole focus of this blog, but there are still many other things that I do not wish to forget about. After we ate, some time passed before we decided to go swimming anyway. I would still keep the sea waiting as Andrea and Gabriel were more eager to swim in Tropiclub's swimming pool. I can't say I blame them; the waterslide was bogus. It was undoubtedly a safety hazard when Gerardo and I were going down; our size granted us greater speed that nearly caused us to slide up and out of the slide on more than one occasion! Not to mention the bruised knees and elbows...worth it. We did that for a long time, taking pictures at Ernesto's request and circulating back around until Carla and Ernesto joined us in the pool. Then we spent another hour or so volleying a ball around until finally, it was time to swim in the sea.


I truly pity anyone that has never gone swimming in the sea before. This next bit might sound a little bit poetic, so feel free to skip over it if sentimental feelings make you nauseous. I won't blame you, but I feel obligated to myself not to forget how it feels; I had nearly forgotten for the decade and something odd years that I was away from one.

When you first know that you will be swimming in the ocean, your first reaction is to run your toes through the moist sand. To really experience it, however disgusting it may appear. As you look around, you realize with a hint of obvious delight that there are seashells, crabs, and all manner of crustaceous ocean life that has been brought to shore by the tide. You curiously begin to survey the area, ignoring the water for a moment to search for any treasures she may have brought in. Pocketing a few items of no monetary worth, you finally feel the tide brush against your feet. You wade in deeper until finally, a wave pushes you back slightly. Excited, you quickly trot further out until you are a little over waist-deep. At this point, the waves are potentially knocking you down. You crash into the waves head on, equalizing the balance that would otherwise be taken away from you. You fall back on them, allowing the waves to absorb the impact and even push you back up. You try to swim into them, only for the current to prove overwhelmingly superior. You try sitting in the water and get pleasantly pushed over each and every time, regardless of the wave's size. As the sun sets, it gets a little more dangerous and you know that you need to leave, but you can hardly fathom it, and that makes you want to leave even less. The waves, so powerful, so glorious...the most powerful being in the world is a mere ant to the might of nature that could only be justly attributed to a higher being that I define as YHWH.

Again, personal feelings that I don't wish to forget, so sorry if that was a little off topic. Swimming in the ocean is by far the main part of the trip that stands out in my mind, though it was by no means all that happened. June 30 was our final full day that we spent in San Miguel. We went shopping for clothes since I was currently limited. After picking out some nice clothes that I definitely would have a difficult time finding in Arkansas, we went to the movies. My first movie in Spanish without subtitles ended up being...Monsters University! Despite not having seen Monsters Inc. since it first came out, I was truly amazed how much of it I was able to understand. I understood the story completely and was even in on a few jokes, though I definitely missed my fair share. Regardless, it was awesome. I'm not cocky enough to believe that I can understand most of what people say in Spanish at this point, but I can honestly say that I am able to easily comprehend the "intent" of what is being said. It might sound insignificant, but it is vitally important to my growth. At least, that's what I believe.

After we left the mall, the trip wrapped up relatively peacefully. I went swimming at the hotel's pool for a little while after I played three games of chess with Ernesto. He's some kind of chess Jedi...I have never in my life had as much trouble with a player as I have had with him. That said, I was able to get one game down to nothing but our Kings and Pawns before he crowned a pawn, blocked off my remaining pawns, and pincer attacked my king into a corner with his king and queen. I'll beat him before I leave El Salvador...for sure!

Anyway, that's my story up until now. I had a great weekend with some great people and now I'm facing forward once again. I will try to ensure that updates are frequent, but no telling when the next adventure will sweep me off my feet.

One.

June 26, Day 4: Mi Primera Pupuseria!

 

Anyone who knows anything about Salvadorian culture will most likely be able to point out the preferred dish that has earned international recognition as being the food of choice in El Salvador. They are called pupusas, and they are pretty amazing, particularly considering how cheap they are. They are usually made of either a corn or rice tortilla and stuffed primarily with cheese and beans, though this is by no means the limit. Pork, chicken, shrimp, vegetables, a lot can be done to pupusas in accordance with the customer's preferences.




Today, I went to my first pupuseria with Gerardo, Connie, and my new friends (their old friends) Diana, Sara, and Rodrigo (a.k.a. Mr. Worldwide). Though not relevant, I'm going to also mention that this was my first encounter with a drunk in El Salvador. Friendly guy. Perhaps too friendly...but I digress.

Though this was not my first time eating pupusas, this was my first time eating fresh pupusas from a pupuseria and I've got to say, it was a highly enjoyable experience. Sort of makes me think of how a ramen stand in Japan is portrayed in pop culture. We ate at La Paciencia, Antiguo Cuscatlán, part of a strip of pupuserias that is apparently well-known in El Salvador. They were 80 cents a piece, and I was completely filled up after three. Plus, I had a Salvadorian drink that Gerardo simply refers to as chocolate. It is very similar to hot chocolate, though instead of putting a pack of chocolate powder into a cup of hot water, real and natural cacao bars are melted down. It is a more bitter drink, but satisfying nonetheless. The excellent company added with this tasty and affordable meal has easily been enough to make me realize what all the hype is about. No wonder Gerardo missed pupusas so much! And as Connie said, "If you don't eat pupusas with your hands, you aren't a real Salvadorian!" Guess I passed the initiation!

One.

June 25, Day 3: Life in the Fast Lane and Graffiti

There has not been too much going on. I have still been getting adjusted to El Salvador so far. For those wondering, I am residing in Santa Tecla for the summer, a municipality close to San Salvador. I can already feel my Spanish improving slightly, though there is still a world of difference between me and a native speaker. Verb conjugation and adjectives kill me, but since Gerardo is the only fluent English speaker I am around frequently, I have ample opportunity to learn. In some ways, El Salvador is a lot like urban areas in the United States, but in other ways, it is extremely different. For example, the traffic is crazy here. I mean, completely freaking bogus. Gerardo has been to New York City, I have been to Rome, and both of us would say that San Salvador is crazier to drive in due to the lack of ample space and the overabundant amount of people. It is not at all uncommon to see lanes that are intended for two lanes of cars to have three lines crammed in. Plus, people tend to slow down only when they are coming to a complete stop. They switch lanes and cut other cars off at full speed with a skill that I doubt I've ever seen in the United States. That said, the people know what they are doing as I have yet to see a single accident or causality, though from my perspective, it feels like there have been many close calls. I'm getting used to the fast life on the road though.

Gerardo and I have been running at a local park every day. Joe Hoing would be proud of me (inside joke for U of O students and alums). I enjoy simply running to the park in the first place. Gerardo finds it rather distasteful, but there is graffiti all over the city. Of course, a lot of it is just terrible and outright vandalism, but some of it is really cool to look at. I'm a fan of graffiti art myself, and I have never been to a town or city that's had anything more than untalented scribbles and names. I have even seen some portraits and images on the highway walls, though we were going to fast for me to take a good picture. Regardless, it is pretty interesting to be in a place where there are so many attempts at free expression, though there is no telling at what risk the graffiti artist undergoes.

One.

 

 

June 23, Day 1: El Tunco

Thanks to a flight delay, we were an hour late getting to El Salvador, but I didn't really mind. Flight delays are much more bearable when you have several friends to goof around with. Other than that, there were no inconveniences at all. Luggage arrived safely, passport and valuables are still safe, and there was no racial profiling even against the gringo. I wish I could say the US is the same.

Gerardo's parents were eagerly waiting for us, as was his girlfriend Connie and her mother. There is a slight language divide, as I had expected, but only slight. In reality, his parents are very warm people and I don't need to understand each and every word to understand that. His brother and sister are surprisingly young, but they behave just as, if not more, well as children in the States do. Before I had arrived in El Salvador, I had read a book my grandparents had given me about Central America, and according to the section on El Salvador, the people are extremely friendly in general and happy to help. This contradicts the United States' Salvadorian stereotype, and it looks to be the case so far.

We went to the mall to eat at Pizza Hut, presumably because they were unsure what I would want to eat. The food tasted different, but not in a bad way. I had come to expect this from the Waltons' attitudes in the cafeteria at school, but Salvadorians are extremely lax when it comes to eating. Eating in many other cultures is a time for conversation, socializing, and enjoyment. In the United States, it tends to be a momentary break from the stress of our lives, but lasting beyond the hour for a meal is a very rare occurrence. I get caught up in that fast-paced lifestyle as well, but I think I enjoy this alternative way of doing things. Gerardo's mother and I had our first major miscommunication during that dinner in which I was trying to say "I wouldn't like living in solitude" and she interpreted it as "I wouldn't like living in celibacy." I look forward to many more such errors in communication.

Today, we woke up around ten and headed for El Tunco, a beach in the province La Libertad. Regrettably, the tide was too strong to go swimming, so we decided to eat at the restaurant Punta Roca, owned by a gringo and surveying the beautiful beach. People were surfing, a mariachi band was playing in the background, and fresh seafood was prepared. Because the seafood was freshly harvested locally from the sea, they tend to have more natural flavoring than what I am accustomed to. Below are a few of the delicious seafood that made their way to my belly.

After we finished, we went to a fish market that was originally a port. There was a lot of interesting stuff, but I didn't bring any money so for now, I'm just sight seeing. I don't want to blow all of my money anyway. I am still pretty tired from the trip down here, not to mention the filling lunch I had, but I am going to try to work on my Spanish with the free time I have left today so I will be nice and tired tonight.

One.


 

 

June 22: Scrambling & Procrastination! And so, it begins...

 

Gerardo and I still are not in El Salvador yet, but we're getting there! It has been an intense few days getting prepared. We had to get all of our possessions stored which was a royal pain in the culo since we are both avid readers with boxes of books. We threw things around beforehand, but the adrenaline really kicked in at 2 pm after I finished my last day of work at the fitness center. We had the boxes, we had the time, and we had an objective (not getting fined for being slobs). As you can see in the picture below, this was a monumental task, but somehow, we were able to successfully get everything boxed, moved, and stored by 10:50 pm, just ten minutes before the inspection. God probably has better things to do than help college students clean up after themselves, but he surely pitched in with the miracle of our success.

At 2 am, the internationals and I boarded a bus that had been kindly provided to us by the school. Some heartfelt words were exchanged, particularly towards Mr. Eric Leon, an amazing man who has obtained an almost deified status among the Waltons as the Assistant Director of the Walton Program. His shoes will be difficult to fill, but optimism is crucial in the face of change.

We all arrived at Little Rock National Airport, and gradually, we went our separate ways as my peers boarded earlier flights or other airlines. Gerardo and I were stuck with an 11 am flight to Dallas/Fort Worth with some fellow Salvadorians Mario Lopez and Adri Beltran. Since we arrived early enough for the 5 o'clock flights to board, we mostly enjoyed a well-earned nap until we were finally allowed to board. An hour later, we arrived at our layover, and continue to wait for our final plane trip. We are set to arrive in San Salvador at 6:35 pm. Hopefully everyone else has made it to their destination safely as well.

One.