Day by Day in El Salvador - A Discussion

Day Two in El Salvador

Day Two in El salvador looks like this:

AM: Workshop with Equipo Maíz on socio-political history of El Salvador
PM: “Contrasts Tour” of San Salvador to witness the geographical distribution of social
inequity and exclusion among some of San Salvador’s neighbourhoods

We are starting our discussion with Day Two because we will only get into San Salvador around 8:30 PM - too late to do anything but get settled and sleep - the travel days are long!

We start Day Two by visiting with Equipo Maiz.  This is the best way to start.  On past trips we have had a terrific introduction to the history of El Salvador from this group.

They have a very interesting way of teaching using popular education techniques.  Equipo Maiz has conducted workshops throughout Latin America and the United States.  They use great illustrations like the one above to build a picture of how the current struggles in this country have evolved over time.

This is really important - how can people expect to understand the current dynamic in this country unless they have some understanding of its history?

Here is an excerpt from one of my journals detailing my first visit with Equipo Maiz in 2005:

We went to a lot of meetings in the first two days in El Salvador. On our second full day 

we met with Equipo Maiz, the Corn Team, who gave us an alternative history of El 

Salvador. History is so important if we want to get a true measure of the character of a 

country. This is the specialty of Equipo Maiz. They have worked since 1983 with small 

communities to develop a greater understanding of the people’s situation. Through 

workshops on gender issues, civil participation, privatization and leadership, they hope to 

equip people with the knowledge to better understand their current situation. They also 

specialize in telling the story of El Salvador’s past.

A key point in the story. In 1932, the government exterminated over 30,000 indigenous 

people after a failed revolt. This has resulted in the total denial of the native heritage of 

the Salvadorans. Unlike Mexico and Guatemala, there is no talk of an indigenous culture 

in El Salvador. There are really only two indigenous communities now in El Salvador. 

You can see the native heritage in the faces of the people, but the culture is kept in check. 

People fear a return to the 1930’s. They have good reason for their fears. Other 

countries like Haiti and Guatemala have suffered from similar disasters. 

Our history lesson included the FMLN, still a strong presence in the country. The 

FMLN, named after Farabundo Marti, the leader of the indigenous insurrection of the 

1930’s is a coalition of leftwing groups that formed in 1980 to present an armed front to 

the military government of the country. Most of the areas we visited are controlled by 

the FMLN, now a legitimate political party. Many of the people we worked with, 

including Miguel and Damian are ex-FMLN fighters. 

The afternoon activity is new to me - I will ask Rene our trip coordinator for information about this and add this to our blog.

What questions do you have for Equipo Maiz?

Related articles

• Ex-Guerrilla Declared El Salvador President

Porque eso quiero volver a Bajo Lempa

Español: Departamentos de El Salvador (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The best way to describe the work of CORDES is to talk about Rio Lempe.  CORDES is very active in this former insurgent enclave.  This was the site of our first visit into the country.  We visited a small community that is located on the site of a former cotton plantation.  The previous owners deserted the area during the war.  The present community located on the plantation after the Peace Accords in 1992. 

This was the story wherever we went.  Relocated communities are trying to make a go of it with little government support.  Most of these communities have very dramatic stories of the conflict.  This on was no exception.

We visited a small community museum where captured arms are stored in a room with bullet-pocked walls.  The local commander gave us a tour of the facility.  His picture, from earlier days, with military uniform and black beret, were part of the display.  We also visited the site where 28 insurgents are buried after a battle with the military in the community.

This is a country of graves.

One of the captured guns from the community museum.  Note the holes in the walls.

The past and the future are so close here.  We were on our way to see a community that is growing and developing, but we had to pay homage to the past first.  You can’t understand El Salvador without listening to the stories of the struggle.  In Rio Lempe, I would like to think that the people are beginning to turn the corner on this long battle.

Funding has provided support for the development of local products including gourmet cheese, organic fruits, cashews and sugar.  Community supports include an eye clinic, a water purification plant that provides good drinking water to the community, biological pesticide control and a biogenerator that provides methane gas for cooking. 

The community has also developed a fishing co-op that seeks to return a greater share of the profits to local fishermen.  Training has also been provided on filleting and salting processes.  CORDES has also supported the development of an eco-tourism facility -  Hostal Lempa Mar.

Hostal Lempa Mar consists of four cabins that can sleep three persons each.  The hostal is located on the Lempa River and offers and excellent restaurant where visitors can enjoy local produce including red snapper taken from the Lempa.  Apart from the peace and serenity of the Lempa, this facility also offers kayaking and boat rides on the Lempa.  During the week, these same boats are used by the fishing co-op.

Profits from the Hostal stay in the community and all employees of the Hostal are members of the local community.  Plans are in place to develop hiking trails in the area and it is hoped that Hostal Lempa Mar will soon be able to promote to the international community through the Internet.

Hostal Lempa Mar.  Great fish and an afternoon ride on the Lempa

my Spanish for this week on Bajo Lempa

Porque eso quiero volver a Bajo Lempa

Yo he escrito de Bajo Lempa antes. Yo tengo un diario para cada viaje de El Salvador y Guatemala.    En 2005 y 2009, yo fui a Bajo Lema con los grupos Canadienses.  Yo no conozco la comunidad de Bajo Lempa y San Vicente como yo conozco la comunidad de San José las Flores.  Esto es porque este es el grupo CRIPDES quien decide a dónde íbamos.  Durante la guerra, San Vicente y Chalatenango fueron lugares que fueron controlados por los grupos militares afiliados a CRIPDES.  Yo no sé el nombre de los grupos, pero los afiliados existen hoy en El Salvador.

Las comunidades de Bajo Lempa no están bien organizadas como las comunidades en Chalatenango.  Cuando visitábamos las escuelas en esta área, los maestros no tenían los recursos necesarios para realizar su trabajo.  Yo espero que cuando visitemos este año,  haya cierta mejora. 

Bajo lempa es un área amenazada por el calentamiento global.  El océano pacifico está creciendo e inundando la tierra.  Cuando hay una tormenta, la tierra y la gente se ven afectados.  Cada vez, hay mucho daño.

Cuando yo regrese a Bajo Lempa, quiero ver que las cosas han cambiado.  Como están las escuelas?  Como están los proyectos de CRIPDES, CORDES y las otras organizaciones? 

También, fue un pequeño hostal, se llama Hostal Lempa Mar.  Este hay un gran

hostal.  La   comida en el hostal fue maravilloso.  La cocinera era un excombatiente que aprendía como a cocinar en San Diego mientras él se recuperaba de sus heridas.  

Nuestra cena en hostal Lempa Mar

Creo que hay muchas oportunidades para aprender en Bajo Lempa.  Yo voy a ver pronto lo que ha cambiado.  Ojalá, yo espero que las personas no cambien.

Why I like Celas Maya

I have just returned from two weeks at Celas Maya in Xela.

My street in Xela

This was my second visit to the school and I loved it! There are three components that make the experience unique. First, wonderful, structured instruction for five hours a day. We start at 8:00 am every day and at the beginning of each week we make a plan for the entire week. The plan is filed with the office and we stick to it throughout the week.

Bird in flight in the nature preserve

Second, the home stay. Both times I have chosen to stay with a family in Xela. We ate three meals a day with them and I learned a lot of my Spanish sitting around the table talking during and after meals. My family was really wonderful and they made me feel at home throughout my stay.

 

Our visit to the hot springs above Xela

Finally, Celas Maya takes real care to offer activities throughout the week. One of my favorites was movie day - every Tuesday afternoon many of us would gather to watch a movie in Spanish and drink hot chocolate. It was great to spend time with the other students and sip ally good hot chocolate while learning Spanish in a different way! I also took part in one of the weekend trips - these are fabulous. I went with a great group of students to Monte Rico on the Pacific coast. We spent three wonderful days on a beautiful beach. We all enjoyed the lovely scenery and great food. We also took part in a predawn boat ride in a water nature reserve - a real highlight of my stay.

Street on the way to school

I really recommend Celas Maya. You will meet great teachers and interesting students from around the world. I had a great time and I look forward now to continuing my lessons with my teachers Ronnaldo through Skype!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The courtyard of Celas Maya where we have our lessons

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The central square of Xela

In all the small towns and cities I have visited in Latin America, it is the central squares that I like the most. Always, this is where you will find the people, talking, walking meeting up. I can spend hours in the central square in Xela just watching the people.

Lots of times I will do my homework there as well. It is great to outside and have so many people around you. There is a great sense of community in these public squares and it is easy to feel part of the community as one strolls around the square.

This is something I think we have lost as we plan communities. We need to find spaces where people can collect just to 'be'. Nothing to buy, nothing really to do except to relate to other people.

I think this is truly good for the soul and we in North America need to find ways to do this in our communities.

 

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The beach at Monterico

One of the things I really wanted to do this time in Guatemala was see more of the country. We certainly did this over the past few days. We took a trip to Monterico, a beautiful spot on the ocean, a good five-hour drive from Xela.

Bird in flight before dawn at Monterico

We stayed at 'Johnny's Place', a very loud collection of rooms with a wonderful restaurant and a place on the ocean. The highlight of the trip was certainly the predawn boat ride we took through the mangrove forests that make up the local nature preserve.

We left at 5:00 am and were taken out in a large canoe-type boat that was poled through the channel by our guide.

 

The intense heat had not yet set in so we had an hour and a half of the most wonderful ride through the mangroves. Beautiful birds were everywhere. Fishermen were making their early morning catch and the world was beautiful and silent. It was a wonderful experience. It is great to know that there are still areas like this that remain untouched and tranquil.

Later we returned to Johnny's for a full day of lying in hammocks and battling the huge waves here on this coast. The music was loud and grinding. Both nights it kept up till 1:30 am. It will be nice to return to the relative quiet of Xela!

 

 

This is a beautiful beach, but a dangerous one too. We were cautioned to keep well away from the waves, the undertow here can pull you out to sea very quickly. Several times I was knocked right off my feet into the waves. Fun, but a little scary.

We returned to Xela today and I am very happy to be out of the heat. The climate of Xela is one of the best in the world and I love the cool days and nights we have here.

Tomorrow starts week two of classes. Ronaldo my instructor says I should be ready for new work - that is if I finish my homework tonight!

 

Our adventurous group at breakfast at Johnny's place

 

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Guatemalan Journey

In two weeks I will be leaving for Guatemala. This will be a great opportunity to work on my Spanish in preparation for the next Compadres trip planned for the summer of 2013.

I plan to blog every day on life in Xela Guatemala. Lots to write about, lots to take pictures of. I hope you are able to follow me on this great journey!

Xela is a great place to learn Spanish. Hope you are able to follow!!