First Entry

This evening brings to an end my first full day in El Salvador. I have now moved in with my host family in the “canto,” or village, of Molineros situated just west of the city San Vicente. The village is quite interesting. With nearly 200 homes most neighbors are family who have lived here all there lives, and as they grow older and their families expand, depend on each other for their living. Its funny really, I have spent literally a lifetime studying about such people, yet I had never met any before nor seen the way they live.
It is rustic to say the least. However, there is running water and electricity, though both are limited. There is one main water faucet which provides for all the families needs. This faucet is out on the patio, just to one side of the front entrance of the home with a large rectangular cement basin and two smaller and more shallow basins which cover either side of the lager one. This effectively separates the larger basin into thirds, the middle open to the faucet above it. With this basin the family uses it for all cleaning: dishes, clothes, and anything else that might need attention. The two smaller basins are used for the collection and first rinsing of the items to be cleaned in the right, and a final rinse in the left.
The kitchen is housed in a separate building from the home itself, composed of three walls in rectangular shape with the fourth exposed and facing the house. Within it are a refrigerator on the left and stone stove with an iron cooking skillet for the preparation of the food, tortillas in particular, on the right. There are also shelves with an assortment of grains, vegetables, fruits and canned goods at the back wall and in the left rear corner. Taking up only a small section to the left of the room is a small table with one side against the wall and can comfortably seat four.
For a bathroom there is a latrine to the left and near the rear of the house, which has been kept in good condition. Just before the latrine is the washroom, also with three walls though tight enough to allow only one person in at a time, perhaps two. At the foot of the entrance there is a large plastic bucket, complete with a red hose leading from the faucet to lend it water when needed, and to be used to wet and rinse you when bathing. When in use the fourth wall can be covered with a curtain suspended by a clothes line.
Finally there is a small room roughly ten by six, with a box spring and mattress against the far wall, a small table just inside and to the right corner of the door, and a plastic chair. In the corner and above the desk as a wooden pole with some plastic hangers which I have since used, and converted the entire area into my Salvadoran dresser. This room is just inside the main door of the house and to the right, passing through a common room, very much like a family-room, containing a few wooden chairs and a wooden love chair facing a TV screen situated in top of a narrow table. (I haven't been able to explore the rest of the house as I'm concerned about invaving the privacy of my family, but I'm sure to find out soon enough!)
All and all, I’m very happy with my living quarters and am quite fortunate to have a large and welcoming family here to help me along with my Spanish. This will be certain to provide quite and adventure! I now endeavor to live amongst them, a Salvadoran in kind…