Minna Levin

Project results and how to move on

2010-05-22T15:44:00.000-07:00

WHAT ARE THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST PILOT PHASE?

After almost two years of planning and four months of hard work in El Salvador, the first pilot phase has now come to an end. The evaluation process has just begun. All participants, their parents/caretakers, teachers, school principals and facilitators have been interviewed, and the final evaluation report will be published in July/August. However, I want to share some conclusions with you already now:

- All participants, their families, teachers, school principals and facilitators claim to be extremely happy with the project and want to continue with the second phase.

- All participants and their parents say that the kids are more interested in reading now than before the project started. Several of the kids told us that in the past, they only read if they had to as a part of their school assignments. Now, they vounteerily look for books to read in their spare time. "I remember what you said about books being our friends. Now, if I feel sad or if I'm bored, I grab a book and start reading", as one girl puts it. The facilitators have also observed a great advance regarding the reading level of the participants during the project.

- Teamwork, non-violence and value games and exercises seem to have paid off on a short term. All participants claim that the group environment has improved during the project, and many acknowledge a change in their own behaviour. That's also something that the facilitators have observed. As one boy says: "Yes, I have changed. Before, I used to hurt other kids physically, now I'm more respectful towards others". An older sister to one of the participants shares: "I've seen how the communication within our family has improved during this project. We almost never talked, and now she tells us a lot about what you've been doing in the workshops and she asks for help with her school assignments".

- Our "LIfe Plan" work has had an impact on the kids. One of the orphanage workers told me, regarding one of our orphan girls: "One day she started to ask me what I thought she would be doing in 20 years... When I came to the closing ceremony and saw her life plan I understood why!". Both parents and teachers also claim that they've seen a change in the participants when it comes to study motivation and completing school assignments.

- The participants have discovered talents no one ever acknowledged before the project. Some of the most "restless" kids have shown extraordinary talent in narrative writing, drawing and drama. One of the girls, who is an orphan, would have a good chance of entering in one of the Salvadoran schools for students talented in writing.

You find pics from the closing ceremonies here:

Group 1: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=426626&id=607940023&l=2e7b46dfef

Group 2: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=427612&id=607940023&l=e5991ac587

Group 3: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=428749&id=607940023&l=760cef1ecf

WILL THE PROJECT CONTINUE?

Yes, the project will continue and expand
even though I now leave El Salvador. Our new local project manager is the Savadoran Luis Alvarenga, who is responsible for the coordination of the project and for reporting to the Executive Committee in Sweden. During the first phase, we developed a strong team of dedicated, reliable local volonteers
who will continue with two of the three groups, every Friday as before. Furthermore, two more schools and two more groups will be added to the project. These new schools are situated in rural areas, which is a new challenge for the project. Up until now, we've only been working in urban areas. Altogether, four groups consisting of totally 40 children aged 11-13 will be receiving weekly workshops until the end of the Salvadoran academic year in October. After that, we have a lot of schools waiting for us to start working with them, too. Furthermore, we will start training teachers and more facilitators in our methodology in the future. Hopefully, the methodology will spread also to other parts of the world (including Sweden).

WHO SUPPORTS US?

The project is financed by donations from friends and members of Schools for the Future around the world. The cost of the first phase was approximately $1400 (about ten thousand SEK). All donations were spent on direct project costs such as books, material, snacks and bus transport for local facilitators. Flight tickets, food and accomodation for me as a project manager was financed privately. All people involved work as volunteers without any financial compensation. We believe that we've proven that a very small amount of money can make a significant difference and lead to sustainable project development.

Examples of local partners helping us with certain material, facilities, field trip transport, PR etc. are our co-operating schools, the Municipality of Santa Tecla, The Salvadoran Ministry of Education, the companies Grupo AGRISAL, Diszasa and Editorial TMR, Fundación Empresarial para el Desarrollo Educativo and Central American Foundation for Rural Education Development.

CAN I HELP?

Yes, of course you can! The more the project expand, the more funds we need. If you wish to support us in our work, do not hesitate to become a member of Schools for the Future, or to send us a donation. Or maybe you know of a school that would like to cooperate with us and support our work in El Salvador? You find all information here:

http://www.schoolsforthefuture.org/Howtosupportus.html

I kindly ask you all to write me any comments, ideas or doubts that might come to your mind. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT!!!

Media attention and field trip to volcano

2010-04-12T15:06:00.000-07:00

SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE IN THE MEDIA

The Santa Tecla newspaper De Primera published a full page article about the project in the latest issue, based on a visit to one of our workshops. We even covered the fontpage! Read the article here (in Spanish): http://www.deprimeraonline.com/index.php. Thank you Tony Carbonero for a great reportage!

The Uppsala student newspaper Ergo published an article by me about the project in the latest issue. Read it online here (in Swedish): http://www.ergo.nu/ny heter/20100331-ronja-star-upp-mot-valdet. Thank you Ergo!

FIELD TRIP TO EL BOQUERÓN

Last Saturday we went on a field trip with the kids and their families to volcán San Salvador and the crater and national park El Boquerón. The objective of the trip was to foment positive relations within and between families and to promote environmental consciousness. One appreciated activity was the reading of stories from “Cuentos de la selva” by Horacio Quiroga, right there on the top of the volcano! It was an amazing experience watching parents and children reading together, and at the same time admiring the scenic view of the crater in one direction, and that of San Salvador in the other.

See photos from the field trip here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=407933&id=607940023&l=2ad507f7e9

Video clips:
Bus ride with a great view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HraqBr2yPIc
Getting to the volcano: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdbupjXtoAQ
The crater: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkHbDeJMPHI
Families reading: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb8MbvMzrI8

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS

The parents of our participants have been a great help in making us understand the short-term impact of the project after just a couple of months of activities. As one dad told us: “Nowadays when my daughter has some spare time at home, she picks up a book and starts reading. That never happened before.”

LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY

The best news of them all: The local facilitators are very enthusiastic about continuing with the workshops, and even start new groups, during the rest of this academic year (until October). That means that the activities will go on even after I’ve gone back to Sweden, and I will keep supporting the team from there and at the same time work on the planning of the long-term continuation of the project. It’s absolutely fantastic that the project already now has the capacity to go on and develop without my presence, because that would mean that our most important principle of SUSTAINABILITY is being fulfilled.

BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP! IN ORDER TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE LOCAL FACILITATORS TO CONTINUE WITH THE ACTIVITIES, WE NEED MORE FUNDS. I ESTIMATE THAT WE NEED APPROXIMATELY $800 (6 000 SEK) IN ORDER TO GO ON SUCESSFULLY UNTIL OCTOBER 2010. ALL MONEY WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE MORE BOOKS, MATERIAL AND TO COVER LOCAL TRANSPORT COSTS.

If you can and want, please send your donation to PG 48 84 49-0 (from Sweden) or to this PayPal account (from abroad): http://www.schoolsforthefuture.org/Howtosupportus.html. If you wish to become a member, you can find out how on that same page.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT!

www.schoolsforthefuture.org

Voices from the project

2010-03-08T11:38:00.000-08:00

DREAM TEAM

We're proud to announce that we´re now working actively with all three pilot groups! The team of facilitators consists of me and three excellent volonteering co-workers; Natalia, Cristabel and Luis. Natalia is 26 years old, and has relevant experience from working in an alphabetization project for women. Cristabel, 31, is a teacher and has also been working in the same alphabetization project. Luis is 21 years old and is studying communication at the university. It's a real dream team, and it's amazing how everyone's contributing with invaluable ideas, experiences and inspiration! Without them, we wouldn't see half of the success that we've achieved so far. To compensate at least a little bit for all their hard work, I've started to give them English lessons, which is good not only for them but also for the future of the project. I really can't express how much I appreciate these people, and all the other people (especially Roy and Enriqueta) helping out with this and that! Salvadorans ROCK!!!

VOICES FROM THE PROJECT

"I love books and they fascinate me, because they teach me things and they're like friends." - Monica, 12
"Books give me the sense of happiness, because when I read I get totally absorbed and I forget about all the problems that a teenager has to face daily." Kriscia, 15
"Do we have to get back already? Let´s stay here the rest of the day...and the night, too!" - María, 12
"What I want to do in the project is to read more in order to learn more and be somebody in life." - Gladys, 15
"Today I learned to keep on struggling, because outside this community there's an exciting life waiting for me." - Kriscia, 15

OUR THREE PILOT GROUPS

Group 1: Eleven girls aged 11-12, at the public school Centro Escolar Margarita Durán in Santa Tecla

Total number of workshops during the entire project period: 16

Number of executed workshops so far: 6

See pics from one of the workshops here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=384254&id=607940023&l=683d48029e

Group 2: Five girls and six boys aged 11-12, at the public school Centro Escolar Refugio de la Paz in Santa Tecla

Total number of workshops during the entire project period: 10

Number of executed workshops so far: 1

See pics from one of the workshops here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=391094&id=607940023&l=e9e8cf0a99

Group 3: Four girls and one boy aged 15-16 at the public school Complejo Educatico Católico Fe y Alegría in San Salvador

Total number of workshops during the entire project period: 5

Number of executed workshops so far: 1

See pics from one of the workshops here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=385814&id=607940023&l=7c1c51d97a

PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING WEEKS

- To keep on reading "Ronja, la hija del bandolero", "Alex Dogboy", "La hija del puma", "Cuentos de la selva" and "Colin y los monos" according to the stage of each group.

- To bring in expertise from the theatre community, in order to work with that creative art of expressing and reflecting.

- To take the two groups in Santa Tecla, and their parents, on an excursion to El Boquerón, the volcano of San Salvador, with it's important flora and fauna and amazing views over the city.

- To start working with the "Life Plan"; an individual map of the future that each participant will be developing during the project.

- To keep on bringing in foreigners to talk about their life and culture. One group recently had visitors from Denmark!

- To start planning a literature event with the book store La Ceiba.

- ...and more!!

Exciting progresses!

2010-02-21T21:17:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, we realized our fourth workshop with our first group of 5th graders in the Palacio tecleño de la cultura y las artes. We practiced the democratic process by suggesting and voting about a group name (the majority voted for “Las Chicas de la Lectura” = “The Reading girls”), and then we planted a seed as a symbol for the development of the group during the project. After that, we finished reading the book “Colin y los monos” by Monica Zak in smaller groups.

Last Saturday, we arranged a meeting for the parents/caretakers of the participants of this group, also at this beautiful place in Santa Tecla, in order to incorporate them into the project. Representatives for seven of the eleven girls showed up, which is a really good outcome. Three girls accompanied their parents to the meeting, and they helped us present the project activities, values and the books we’re reading. The meeting was very successful, and through group dynamics, chats in smaller groups and (of course!) coffee, an environment of mutual trust and communication was created between the parents and us as facilitators.

Good news is also that we have initiated cooperation with the Salvadoran Ministry of Education and with Grupo AGRISAL and Diszasa, two of the most successful companies in El Salvador and the region, among others. Our network is growing stronger every day!

Photos from the last two workshops with the kids are found here:
Workshop 4: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38 4254&id=607940023&l=683d48029e
Workshop 3: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=38 0531&id=607940023&l=a94ca5bd85

Some video clips are found here:
Reading “Colin y los monos”, workshop 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dTLweq-o
T0
Group dynamic, workshop 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBp3MQdZb 3s

This week, we will start working with a group of ten students in 9th grade at the school Fe y Alegría in La Chacra, San Salvador. La Chacra is one of the neighborhoods of San Salvador that suffers most from violence. Two of the biggest criminal gangs (so called “maras”), Mara Salvatrucha and Mara 18, are fighting for the same territory, and the school and the community are situated in the middle of this conflict. Living in a situation like that, everyone has some kind of relationship to either one of the gangs. We will visit La Chacra five times during the project, thus developing a different methodology adapted for that age group and social situation. We will also start working with a second group of 5th graders in Santa Tecla, with a mix of girls and boys. The aim of that pilot group is to compare it to the group of only girls that we already have. This means that we will have three pilot groups in total, representing two very different age groups and neighbourhoods.

If you wish to support us in our work, do not hesitate to become a member of Schools for the Future, or to give us a donation. You find all information here: http://www.schoolsforthefuture.org/Howto
supportus.html

I kindly ask you all to write me any comments, ideas or doubts that might come to your mind!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND SUPPORT!!!

First workshop successful!

2010-02-04T16:49:00.000-08:00

Our first workshop last Friday morning was a success! Nine girls aged ten to twelve attended the workshop at the Palacio tecleño de la cultura y las artes*, a beautiful, recently renovated cultural centre a couple of blocks from their school. The workshop was 1,5 hour long, during school hours, and consisted of various elements. Drinks and fruits were served. Two instructors (Natalia and I) were facilitating the activities, and a communication student, Luis, was filming and and taking photos.

Photos are available here:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=374938&id=607940023&l=6903f0c21b

Some vides clips are available here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBp3MQdZb3s (group dynamic)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhwORJn921s (saying goodbye)

This first workshop was dedicated to the welcoming the girls to the project and making them excited to participate these four months to come. Together with the girls, we listed all activities we will be doing (read, write, listen, draw, travel, play, enjoy, etc.), and the girls got to brainstorm "normas de convivencia", norms for the group atmosphere (respect each other, not fight, laugh, pay attention, etc.). We also did some group dynamics in order to create a playful atmosphere and get to know each other in new ways. Another exercise was "Guess what I am", in which the girls got three statements and were to guess what object these characteristics where describing (a book). I explained why books are my best friends.

Then, the four books that we are going to use in this group were presented (Cuentos de la selvaby Horacio Quiroga, Colin y los monos by Monica Zak, Ronja, la hija del bandolero by Astrid Lindgren and Alex Dogboy by Monica Zak. The main character of each book was presented in order to make them and their environment vivid and real to the girls. "Arpías", "gnomos culones" and "enanos grises" (vildvittror, rumpnissar, grådvärgar) from Ronja generated a lot of laughing in particular! The characters were all eager to tell their stories to the girls, and the girls were all eager to get to know more!

One story in Cuentos de la selva ("Las medias de los flamencos") was read in the end of the workshop, and then discussed. All participants were listening carefully, and they all seemed to really enjoy the story. The discussion afterwards focused on animals and the environment. "Why should we respect animals?" one of the girls asked. "Because animals have the same feelings as humans" another girl responded.

Lastly, the girls got paper and pencil and answered some evaluation questions. What did you like most today? What did you like less? Do you like reading books? Why/why not? What do you want to do next time? Most paticipants answered that they liked everything, disliked nothing, that they do like reading books because it is fun/they learn from it/books are like friends, and that they want to draw next time!

The written evaluations are, of course, extremely important to us, and will be a permanent element of each workshop. They reflect not only the thoughts and development in reflection of each participant, but also the level of writing and spelling skills etc.

Next Friday, we will start working with the book Colin y los monos, and we will also interview each girl individually in order to get to know them and the group profile better. Hopefully, we will also start working with the other group (13-15 years old, mixed boys and girls) next week. That other school is situated in a more remote urban area, with higher degrees of violence and the presence of criminal gangs, so it will be very interesting for the project but also a bit trickier for practical reasons.

*The Palacio tecleño de la cultura y las artes is sort of a town hall, governed by the mayor and the local government of Santa Tecla, where cutural events and workshops such as movie shows, concerts and guitar lessons are arranged. It is open to everyone from early morning to late at night, and the café offers really good capuccino which you can enjoy at a table outside at the pavement or inside just beside the open patio. This is a kind of place you rarely find in El Salvador. Culture, for most Salvadorans, means US American films and music, and those in power have done very little in order to promote a more varied cultural arena. However, there are positive examples, like that of Santa Tecla, and one can see that the general political discourse is prioritizing culture more now than ever before.

Towards a less polarized future?

2009-03-19T09:04:00.000-07:00

The historic election in El Salvador finally came to an end on the past Sunday 15th. After a year of campaigning, every single corner of the country covered in party colors, after all the fear, the lies, the accusations from both sides, the dirty battle is over and another kind of struggle is about to begin. Half of the population is now in a state of deep happiness and hope, whereas the other half is disappointed, worried and fearful. Both sides feel the way they do for perfectly rational reasons. As a foreign observer, what are my feelings this first week after the leftish FMLN leader Mauricio Funes won the presidency with just over 51 percent of the votes?

On election day, I was observing the process in the country’s biggest voting center, La Feria Internacional, in San Salvador. What I saw gave me so much hope and faith in the Salvadoran people, a people that I have admired from the first time I set foot in the country. The atmosphere at the voting tables, each group consisting of two ARENA representatives and two FMLN representatives with alternate members, showed a spirit of professionalism, mutual respect, dialogue and co-operation. I watched them working in favor of the process rather than of their respective party. I watched thousands of voters come and go, so proud and happy to participate. And when the result came, no revanchism, no acts of violence. I have never felt so safe walking the streets of San Salvador as I did when I left the voting center after counting the votes on Sunday night.

Of course, the election had its problems and irregularities. Sadly, some rumors of fraud showed to be true, like that of foreigners being brought to El Salvador to vote under the identity of dead citizens, and that of employers forcing their employees to take a photo of their ballot with the “correct” party flag marked. But many errors were also committed by the voting facilitators because of inadequate training rather than of bad intentions. The process, furthermore, had its flaws, like messy citizen registers and denying the millions of Salvadorans living abroad the right to vote.

Nonetheless, on the night after the election, it seemed that both parties had matured ages in just a couple of hours. I am thinking that five years from now, in the next presidential election, maybe the Salvadoran people will finally be represented by political parties worthy their confidence. By politicians who are able to match their intelligence, pragmatism and honesty. I truly hope so, because no matter the political affiliation in the election on the past March 15th, those are the outstanding characteristics of the Salvadoran citizen.

So, as an international observer and a Swede with many beloved happy, hopeful, disappointed, worried and fearful Salvadoran friends, I have come to the conclusion that the strength of this society is that complexity finally will win over polarization. The best of ARENA will make sure to drag out the worst of FMLN, and the best of FMLN will help forcing ARENA’s transformation. Because if there is one thing that the seemingly divided Salvadoran people would agree on, it is that both these transformations are indispensable for the welfare of their extraordinary “paísito”.

Mejor comer mierda...

2009-03-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

“Mejor comer mierda que hacer cola para comer mierda” (It’s better to eat shit than to line up to eat shit). This dry statement is a nice and clear description of the current situation in El Salvador. Impatience and pessimism, always accompanied by a good sense of humor.

The presidential elections are exactly two weeks away, and for the first time the left wing party FMLN (the former guerrilla, supported by Hugo Chávez in Venezuela) has a real chance of winning over the right wing party ARENA (founded during the civil war, supported by the US and the country’s richest) after one of the dirtiest campaigns ever. As an observer, leaving the country about a week after the elections, I find it extremely exciting. Salvadorans of all social groups, with friends, families and lives here, would probably prefer another word. Frightening. Insecure. Hopeless. No one really wants to vote for any of the candidates, but you choose the one you believe will make you eat less shit. As simple as that.

Last Sunday, I volunteered for an organization called Un Techo para mi País (“a shelter for my country”, http://www.untechoparamipais.org/). It’s a youth driven organization that operates in several Latin American countries, aiming to help families living in urban shanty towns. UTPMP mobilizes thousands of volunteers, analyzes the necessities of the communities and uses donations in order to build stable houses, irrigation systems and other basic necessities. Also, it aims to provide the communities with micro credits, educational support and other long-term projects. The idea is that young, privileged students get to meet and interact with the poorest people in the country, thus reducing the fear and promoting social consciousness and developmental co-operation.

This Sunday, we were about 150 volunteers (the majority between 18 and 23 years old approximately) going to the community Las Victorias in Soyapango, 15 minutes from San Salvador by bus. Las Victorias consists of approximately 800 families, all living in “houses” made of carton, plastic, laminate and all kinds of waste. They lack running water, most households don’t have electricity and formal employment is the exception. They’re waiting for legal right to the property they inhabit. They suffer from bad health because of dusty lungs, the impossibility of keeping a good hygiene and the constant stress provoked by extreme poverty. Our mission was to go from house to house (800 in one day!) filling out detailed questionnaires about the families’ housing conditions, number of children, costs and incomes, occupations, health status of all family members, etc. In the next step, UTPMP will evaluate the questionnaires and then implement a health care project in the community.

Meeting and talking to Salvadorans living under conditions like these wasn’t exactly new to me. I met a lot of poor children and their parents at urban, public schools during my field study almost a year ago, but this was the first time I got the opportunity to actually visit their homes. The first time I got to see how the absolutely poorest people in urban El Salvador live. I also clearly saw the differences between extreme poverty in urban and rural areas. The people I meet regularly when I help Enriqueta’s NGO in the countryside, in La Barra the Santiago and El Zapote, are as poor as the people in urban shanty towns like Las Victorias, and they seem to be as invisible to the rest of the population. However, many children in the countryside at least have more space, natural playgrounds, fresh air and the sea. Are they happier? Impossible to say. My point is that it is important to understand that one has to handle urban and rural poverty differently. Every community is unique, and so are the conditions of every family and individual. Poverty has as many faces as the number of people suffering from it. That’s why you have to go there and listen to them, hear what they have to say. Reforms on the institutional level, looking good on the paper, are never going to work as long as the people inventing them just sit on their asses making assumptions without any real connections to reality.

I think that in this country, one has to find a better balance between political strategy and strategies based on unbiased research. The problem is that the political system is way too polarized to make real co-operation between parties, thus obtain long-term initiatives to fight poverty, possible. You are either a friend or an enemy. The only hope right now, as I see it, are independent organizations like UTPMP, Schools for the Future and other NGO's without political affiliation. We have the potential to gain confidence with people at all levels and to promote truly sustainable co-operation and long-term projects. Our plans will not change, no matter who turns out to be the winner on the 15th of March.

And in the end, in spite of all the differences, between the city and the countryside, rich and poor, there’s one thing most Salvadorans have in common; When it comes to politics, they all see themselves lining up to eat some more shit.

Please visit http://www.schoolsforthefuture.org/ to learn more about my work in El Salvador, and how you can help.

Battered kids - the hope for the future?

2009-02-24T12:28:00.000-08:00

Please, go ahead and hit your child! The authorities won’t care. It’s more; they think it’s a great idea that parents punish their kids with their bare hands!! To legalize it is a step forward. This is true development, folks! Battered citizens are the hope for the future of El Salvador.

The new law, Ley de Protección de la Niñez, declares that “…children shall not be victims of corporal or psychological punishment, however, the parents’ right to direct, orient and correct them moderately and adequately is not restrained” (article 35). In tiny El Salvador, with a population of 5,6 million, 3 984 cases of child maltreatment were reported in 2007. And then there’s the number of unknown cases. Furthermore, millions of Salvadoran children suffer from less physically, still psychologically, harmful forms of corporal punishment. The kinds of punishment that the new law is permitting. The kinds of punishment that open up for more and more violence in society.

Many of the advocates of the new law use conservative arguments like “prohibiting corporal punishment would be discordant and against our culture” (Juán Pablo Durán, Partido Cambio Democrático) and “we cannot obviate what’s written in the Bible” (Jeremías Bolaños Anaya, la Conferencia Evengélica de las Asambleas de Dios). Some underline the importance of first explaining pedagogically to the child why it will be punished, before carrying out the act. So to speak; spontaneous, uncontrolled violence is not accepted, but calculated, systematic violence is.

Everyone in El Salvador is well aware of the serious problems of violence in the country. How can anyone, at anytime sustain that using violence against a child benefits development? That fear is better than reasoning? That, if other forms of child education was to be preferred, the result would be “lost generations” (Antonio Almendáriz, Partido de Conciliacion Nacional)? And who decides what is a “moderate and adequate” corporal punishment? Who protects the child, when not even the law does?

If there’s anything that could be called protective safe havens in El Salvador, I sustain that schools have the biggest potential. Of course, a lot of children suffer from violence at school, too. They are victims of maltreatment from other children and sometimes from teachers. However, I have met so many teachers at public schools struggling daily to teach the children how to solve conflicts through dialogue instead of violence. They claim that, when handling a student who misbehaves, one cannot get to the roots of the problem by yelling or hitting, since the child’s conduct in school originates from that kind of violent treatment she or he suffers at home. Violence feeds violence. The school, the teachers underline, has to be a place where vicious circles are broken, not reinforced.

But when the teacher explains to the bruised student that her mother’s treatment is wrong, that it is against the rights of the child, how is she going to explain the fact that according to national law, chastise is totally acceptable? As long as the punishment was “moderate and adequate”: “Mr National Law here says that maybe you deserved that slap. You see, kids who grow up without bruises become criminals. They never get to learn things like love and respect… Be grateful of the values that slap taught you!”

I am more convinced than ever that organizations like Schools for the Future and projects like ours have an important role to play in El Salvador. And that Salvadoran teachers are the hope of a less violent future where battered kids is the exception rather than the rule.

Please, visit http://www.schoolsforthefuture.org/ for more information about my work in El Salvador, and how you can help!

The bulletproof surfer

2009-02-18T09:22:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful afternoon, around five a clock, waves were perfect. Just like any other day, Ricardo grabbed his board and headed for the break.

On weekends the beach had its visitors, and every now and then dead bodies arrived at the shore. Corpses of men, women and children, marked by torture; badly burned, with their nails pulled out. But not today. The beach was empty and the waves belonged to Ricardo alone.

He stepped into the water and started to paddle. In the very moment he was diving through a wave, he felt a fierce pain in his left arm. He got his head over the water and saw blood pumping from a deep wound just above the bend of the arm. Chocked, he pressed his hand against the wound and started to head back to the shore. He felt weaker and weaker by the minute, but made it to the beach where a lonely vendor was still lingering in the soft late afternoon sunlight. Ricardo lay down in the sand, blood still pumping from his arm, and passed out. He didn’t know yet that the wound was caused by a bullet, probably fired from some random drunk who’d seen Ricardo from a viewpoint along the highway, encouraged by his friends to play a little game. The bullet had hit a central vein and Ricardo was dying.

This is a story told by a child of the war (“niño de la guerra”), a Salvadoran who experienced the civil war first through the eyes of a child, later through those of an adolescent growing up and becoming an adult. During the war, which was fought between 1981 and 1992, random violence like that in Ricardo’s story threatened the Salvadoran people on a daily basis. On buses, in the streets, everywhere. The same Ricardo was almost killed by gang members (“mareros”) in a bus hijack earlier during the war. At the same time, organized political violence constantly haunted the population. The tortured bodies that sometimes floated ashore at Ricardo’s beach were testimonies of the numerous massacres carried out by the para-militarian death squads sent out by the Government. Whole villages were wiped out. The same para-military used to wait outside public schools and by force pick up young boys, sending a note to the parents saying that their son was now serving in the army. Of course, the guerrilla got a lot of blood on its hands, too.

Ricardo didn’t die that day on the beach. He was transported to a public clinic, where the doctor saw no other solution than to amputate the arm. However, thanks to his upper class surfer friends, he got access to the best medical care and got to keep his arm. In a segregated class society like that of El Salvador, there are few forums where people from different social groups actually get to mingle, and the surf community is one of those.

They say that the presidential election on the 15th of March is historic. For the first time, the left wing party FMLN (founded by the guerrilla after the war) has good chances of winning. The right-wing party ARENA (founded in 1982 by the leader of the death squads) currently running the country has a lot to fear. Indeed, fear is the result of political polarization, and whoever wins the elections the legacies of the war cannot be forgotten. Ricardo surfs the waves as he’s been doing every day since he was a kid, but the memories remain and so does the broad scar on his left arm.

The land of many fears

2009-02-10T09:27:00.000-08:00

On our way back from Suchitoto this weekend, I experienced Salvadoran corruption for the first time when a policeman along the highway demanded 60 dollars in bribe for not confiscating our car. The powerlessness, anger and frustration you feel when you’re in the hands of a (or actually two, one of them the boss) corrupted police officer is overwhelming. As a Swede you want to head to the nearest police station and announce it, but you never really know what will happen if you do. To fear the police is nothing strange here, and the incident once again made me think about how fear in many ways shapes the Salvadoran society.

Fear puts limits on people’s lives and is used by those in power as a tool for attracting and keeping the loyalty and trust of the people. It sounds dramatic, I know, but I’m certainly not the first one to draw this conclusion about the situation in many Latin American countries. I will try to explain better.

For example, I know people who have never went anywhere by bus. Those who can afford to have cars or have friends with cars simply never set foot on a local bus. Why? Do you get killed the minute you enter one of those? Do you get kidnapped? Robbed? Abused? The answer is: It might happen. Of course it might happen, and the risk is higher in El Salvador than in almost all other countries in the world. But still, ordinary people take the bus every day, and ordinary people are more honest than the policeman that used his power to bribe us on the highway. In the end, the probability that you end up without money in your pocket on a given day is equal whether you take the bus or stay in your “safe” car. When it comes to the aspect of physical violence, buses are probably less safe since drugged robbers with arms have better chances to enter. And it happens. However, the risk that you will end up dead or wounded walking down the street or in a car accident is higher than that a bus hijacker shoots you down.

This exaggerated fear is a perfect tool for anyone seeking power in the country. Scared people (NOT being the same as stupid or naïve!!) are easier to manipulate, they are desperately seeking a feeling of security and find comfort in anyone who can prove that measures are taken to fight the threats. The media, indirectly controlled by politicians, gladly inform the Salvadorans about the violent crimes committed during the past 24 hours, accompanied by happy news about the police arresting ten gang members (and pictures of the not yet formally judged criminals). The same strategy is used in order to increase people’s fear of an economic and societal disaster after the elections, would not the party currently in power win the presidency. I don’t prefer any of the two candidates, and I don’t say that El Salvador definitely won’t end up like Venezuela if the left-wing party FMLN would win the elections, but I believe that the Salvadoran people has the right to get proper and unbiased information. When I read the newspaper, I don’t know if I should cry or laugh at the obvious subjectivity. I actually don’t read the newspapers anymore, I’m tired of becoming upset about the propaganda. I’m asking myself how I’m going to survive as an election observer…

That’s all for the pessimism! Luckily, there are many reasons to feel hopeful about the future of El Salvador. Why? Because people may be scared, but they deserve the best and they will get it in the end.

Want to kiss an endangered baby turtle?

2009-02-02T16:33:00.000-08:00

I am now back in El Salvador, for the third time! My first time was in the summer of 2003, as a young girl visiting my volunteering parents for a couple of months, looking forward to my first year at Uppsala university. My second time was in April 2008, arriving as a Development Studies student doing a field study on school violence. Much older and more experienced than the first time, and even more so when I returned to Sweden after 2,5 months.

And here I am again, this time as the president of the young non-profit organization Schools for the Future (http://www.schoolsforthefuture.org/) that I founded together with four friends after my last stay in El Salvador. Also, I am going to spend one week as observer in the presidential elections in March (in which the result, who ever ends up as winner, will be "una mierda", shit, as one of my Salvadoran friends put it). How will these completely new roles shape my experiences in the country this time?

For me, El Salvador with its extraordinary landscape, endlessly generous people and committment to social improvement as well as its countless political, cultural and social problems concerning poverty, inequality, environmental decay, political polarization and violence is a country worth telling about. It is interesting, sad, fantastic, horrific, amazing, crazy, spectacular... It is a country worth knowing about and, not least, worth visiting.

This first week, apart from kicking off the literature project preparations and accompanying ny friend and her NGO to La Barra de Santiago/El Zapote as usual, I visited the amazingly blue crater lake Coatepeque and got close to vulcán Izalco and vulcán Santa Ana (two of El Salvador's 25 volcanoes) in Parque Nacional Cerro Verde. The environment in El Salvador is threatened in every possible way, so every time you get to know about preservation projects and meet people dedicated to the environment you become rediculously happy! This was also the feeling I got when I met Samuel, or "papá tortuga" (father turtle) as they call him, in playa El Zonte this weekend. El Zonte is my favourite place in El Salvador, my escape from the urban traffic, noise and stress. Here, you get your deserved share of sun and sea and can recharge the batteries until next weekend.

This time, although the sea turtle season is in Agust-September, a couple of newly born sea turtles were released into the sea, rescued from rich peoples' dinner tables. The sea turtle is an endangered species, because of its delicious, expensive eggs. The eggs are collected right efter they are laid in the sand, under the moonlight, always at the exact same beach where the mother herself was born, and are then sold as a delicacy. However, numerous local projects have developed in order to save the sea turtle, and the eggs are then collected directly or bought from collectors and guarded until hatched. The baby turtles are then released into the sea, often in a ceremony to mark the importance of the project.

Samuel is one of these dedicated souls, spending a lot of time and effort (and money he does not have) on rescuing about 500 turtles every season. He spoke enthusiastically about the importance of information spreading, not least to younger generations. Since we in Schools for the Future, as a part of our project at urban schools, are planning to organize field trips to the countryside (poor kids in urban areas never get to see the countryside, even less so the sea), I asked Samuel if he thought it would be a good idea to bring the children there during the sea turtle season, in order for them to get to know about the problem, to actually see and touch real baby turtles and take part in the release ceremony. How can children be supposed to care about the environment if they never in their lives get the chance to actually experience it? Samuel was optimistic about the idea, it is exactly what he believe is needed, and we decided to stay in touch continuously.

The project preparations continue! Thank you for showing interest, and do not forget to visit http://www.schoolsforthefuture.org/ for more detailed information about the project. Hasta pronto!

What four months can do with you

2008-11-12T15:01:00.000-08:00

Four and a half months since I left El Salvador. Two and a half months until I go there again. November rain in Sweden is suddenly so much easier to cope with.

These four months back in Sweden have been some of the most important months of my life. The organization Schools for the Future was founded. The project Reading for the Future developed from being just an idea in my head to becoming a real plan. This is actually going to happen! It is happening right now. The support we have gained so far keep strengthening our conviction that we are special. That this is important and that our dedication means everything. Dedication creates trust, which is both scary and fruitful at the same time. Scary because our promises means so much to so many, fruitful because people's trust in us forces us to constantly reach beyond limits and exceed these promises.

And during the next four months, what will happen? In mid March my next stay in El Salvador is coming to an end. The preparatory stages of the project have been successfully executed and we are ready to initiate the next phase which will take off for real in August 2009. I have also had the honour to serve as observer during the presidential elections in El Salvador. So, if the past four months have been some of the most important of my life, the next four will become even more important.

Please, visit our homepage: http://www.schoolsforthefuture.org/.

Bookless land

2008-05-26T16:49:00.000-07:00

As a Swede, you normally develop a close relationship to literature. As a child, your parents read to you every night before you fall asleep and the nursery school teachers constantly encourage you to browse books, point out different animals and spell out the words loud. One can say that Swedish children learn to speak partly through reading books. In El Salvador, this is not the case.

In Sweden, the reading habit is further enhanced in elementary, middle and high school, where literature is a mandatory part of the education. Children and young persons read a certain amount of books, learn to analyze and criticize them. Some read more in their free time than others, but everyone reads. All Swedish families I know, regardless of social class or educational level, have a collection of at least a hundred books, the great majority much more. You never see a home without a bookshelf. Again, some read more than others, and the kind of literature also varies a lot between individuals and social groups, but you see people reading everywhere. At the bus stop. On the bus. In waiting halls. In cafés. In the park. When a Swede is waiting or travelling, reading is a popular activity. But we also create space in our busy schedules just for the purpose of reading, like going to bed an hour earlier to read before falling asleep, or turning off the cell phone a couple of hours on a Sunday to relax in the bathtub with a good book.

In El Salvador, on the other hand, you never see people reading books. And I mean NEVER. People read what they have to read in school and they read newspapers, but I have honestly never seen a Salvadoran reading a novel (except my friend Enriqueta, but she is really a special case). Parents don't read to their children and litarature is not taught in school, so the people don't get used to reading books, and so the vicious circle is closed.

What does this "booklessness" imply? In my D thesis in Sociology, it was shown that regardless of other factors such as the educational level of the parents, gender and economical situation, the number of books in the home was the most important factor influencing the achievement in both mathematics and language among 9th grade students in El Salvador. Why is this? First of all, reading books implies developing and training of concentration capabilities important in all kinds of subjects in school. It also developes analytical skills, abstract thinking and creativity. I also believe that reading books can prevent a lot of aggression and violence, since it encourages identification with other people and to learn to understand different perspectives. Reading also teaches you things about the society and the world around you, through literature you experience social and cultural exchange. It's a treasure to which you can escpape a couple of hours to relax and to reflect. Reading books encourages many children to write stories themselves, and to learn how to express and handle their feelings with words instead of keeping them hidden through out their lives.

For most Swedes, reading books is a natural part of life and we don't reflect on all the benefits it implies for our living quality and for our society as a whole. Maybe some of you consider my praise to literature as a bit exaggerated? Maybe you're right. But I honestly don't think so. After spending more then a month here I'm even more convinced that reading books is one of many keys to escape poverty and to prevent violence at all levels in society. Not the only one, but one that could help.

The picture above shows a scene that touched me a lot. It's taken at a school who is running many excellent projects, one of them is an open air mini library. Seeing these Salvadoran children voluntarily read books during their break is something I will honestly never forget. It may seem silly, but in that moment I came to a decision that I think will have a lot of consequences for me as a person and hopefully for at least some children somewhere in the world.

¡Qué chivo va' vos!

2008-05-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

When adapting to a new culture, some things are easier to get used to than others. I talk to strangers in the streets with joy. I don’t mind kissing on the cheek. I’m totally okay with crappy buses and traffic jams. I use a lot of vulgar words back home in Sweden, too. So, what has been most difficult for me to adapt to since I arrived in El Salvador almost three weeks ago?

Perception of time. For a Swedish, Uppsala student like myself, “4 a clock” means 4.15. If you know you’ll arrive later than that, you call or send a message. Here, “4 a clock” means everything between 4.20 and 5.00. “Two minutes” means at least fifteen. And when you’re waiting for someone to make a decision, “Monday” may very well mean Wednesday or the week after. It’s frustrating, not least when you depend on someone else to get a ride or give you a permit.

Local expressions. The “Salvadoreño” is quite different from the “Madrileño” or other accents of the Spanish language. It took me about two weeks to begin to understand everyday talk over lunch between locals. I still have to concentrate quite hard, and I guess I will never get it all. But at least, I’ve gotten used to saying “vos” instead of “tú” (both means you, and it’s a bit hard because the verb is also changed with vos), I’ve learned that “mara” is not only a criminal gang but also means “people” and I use “chivo” (cool or great) frecuently myself. When someone calls you a “bitcha”, don’t feel insulted, because here it simply means “girl” (or in Swedish “tjej” more properly). "Perro" (dog) is substituted bye "chuchu", and when you’re drunk you’re usually "bolo" and not "borracho". Another difficult thing for me as a Swede is knowing exactly when to use "Usted" (formally You/Ni) and when it’s okay to switch to "vos" (you). The distance I feel when using "Usted" is also very strange to me.

Class society. In El Salvador, everybody is simply not equally treated. Of course, that goes for all societies in the world, but here it’s more visible than in Sweden. All families from lower middle class and upwards have servants. Either the servants come cleaning and cooking etc. regularly, or they live together with the family. It´s very hard for me to accept the fact that some people don’t have lives on their own but live to serve others, and that a vast majority of the grown up population never cracked an egg in their whole life. Also, respect for authority is extremely important in El Salvador. You don't get into an argument with your boss. You don't become friends with him or her, either. Powerful people are called "don" or "doña". For a Swede, this is a tricky part of social life. Whatever you do, remember that in El Salvador money and education means everything and everybody is NOT equal!

Religion. Catholicism is everywhere. In ads. On the walls inside buses. On cars (as on the one in the photo, quoting the Bible). In newspapers articles. In the language. Sometimes a bit annoying for me as an atheist, but most of the time I choose not to comment on it. If I do, I know I will get into a discussion. However, Salvadorans are in many ways quite liberal when it comes to religion, more liberal than many Americans (or “gringos” as you say here, since “American” is in fact everyone from the American continent). Furthermore, people have very different opinions regarding religion. Some go to church everyday, some don't. Some are in favor of abortion, some are not. Some want to marry, some don't.

Drink and drive. In this country, it’s simply not possible to avoid being in a car with a drunk driver. Refusing that would mean isolating yourself from your social life. Here, when I ask the driver to “please drive more carefully because you’ve been drinking”, he answers “don’t worry, there’s no police in this area at the moment”. And I feel so much safer…

Being socially limited. I’m used to being around a lot of friends, talking a lot and being able to express myself completely. Here, the language puts limits on me. My Spanish is good, but in a group of Salvadorans chatting away with each other, I obviously need to put a lot of effort in understanding all the details and being able to contribute to the discussion. Also, I’m more or less dependent on friends with cars to get around, since the bus system basically sucks. Another issue is that, because of lack of security, you cannot walk the streets or catch a bus at night, and some areas are best avoided all together. All this means a huge difference in lifestyle for me, and has been the biggest challenge so far.

In my opinion...

... Salvadoran "winter" is totally ok.
... no one should live more than an hour from the sea.
... Sweden have far too few ice cream shops.

Why not El Salvador?

2008-04-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

Endless, white beaches. And endless, black beaches. And not one human being in sight except yourself. About 25 vulcanos, some of them active. Some of the best surf spots of the continent. Excellent roads. Sea turtle projects and loads of other local development projects. This country has a world of possibilities for different kinds of tourism, and still the tourists shine with their absence. How come?

A regular question when I told people I was going to El Salvador was "Why El Salvador?". Since I'm here not as a tourist but as a student doing a minor field study, my answers were usually accepted without further confusion. However, if you intend to visit this country as a backpacker or a regular tourist, you'll find it hard to convince your friends back home that El Salvador is THE place to visit. You will probably hear things like: "Aah, you're going to Salvador, Brazil? No??", and; "Aren't people getting killed there all day long??", or; "Isn't there a war going on there?", or; "What does El Salvador have that other countries don't?", or; "Why not go to Guatemala instead, I heard they have indigenous people and Spanish courses there", and most likely; "Bye the way, where the hell is El Salvador located??".

The most serious obstacles to international tourism in El Salvador seem to be its small size and its bad reputation. Basically, Europeans don't know that El Salvador exists, and if they know something about it, they know about THE VIOLENCE PROBLEM. And yes, El Salvador has problems with high criminality rates and scores about second place in the world regarding the number of murders per capita (about 40-50 per 100 000 inhabitants). However, there are some zones that are insecure and others that are not. The killing is mostly gang members killing each other. There are things you just don't do, like taking the bus at night, wearing jewlery for everyone to see or flashing your lap top. You avoid zones controlled by the maras (criminal gangs). And something you might not know is that Guatemala, too, has problems with maras. But that country has no problems at all attracting tourists. Guatemala has managed to put itself on the map and spread its reputation as an awesome place to visit. Guatemala has indigenous people and Maya temples, and they know to market these particularities. El Salvador, too, needs to understand its unique features and spread the word about itself in order to attract tourists.

A friend, who works at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, said that before there can be any success in tourism in El Salvador, the Salvadorans themselves need to travel the country more and get to know the place. The internal tourism has yet to be developed. Considering its small size and the almost flawless roads connecting all parts of the country, it's quite strange that Salvadorans don't travel more. It's a cultural problem, my friend said. No tradition of exploring new sites, to leave the familiar for the unknown. I don't know if he's right. But I agree that the Salvadorans should appreciate the beauty of their country more, and take better care of the environment. Poverty is not the biggest obstacle, the middle class is big and the people relatively well educated. But in order to develop love and care for the nature, integrated education about the topic is needed. However, I think that increasing tourism could have good implications for this kind of counciousness in the people, and not only the other way around. It depends on what kind of tourism we're talking about, of course. I think that El Salvador could offer something unique to more alternative tourims, such as eco- and adventure tourism. Climb a vulcano by day, save a turtle by night. Visit Barra de Santiago to learn more about some of the country's excellent local development projects. Surf in Punta Roca, one out of many famous surf spots. Meet the faboluos Salvadoran people and anjoy their hospitality and creativity. Enjoy Salvadoran theatre. And if you're into history, visit the university and learn more about the cruel civil war that ended just 16 years ago. El Salvador offers something for everyone who is open minded enough to embrace it. For everyone who is curious enough to overcome the myth of the rule of violence. Get over it!!

Welcome to El Salvador!

In my opinion...

... cheap theatre is THE BEST.
... political polarization sucks.
... Swedish weddings should adopt some Latino elements.

How political are you?

2008-04-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

Today I started to chat with a teacher at a rural school in Barra de Santiago. After about two minutes of conversation he asked me:

- So, how's the situation in Sweden at the moment?

- The situation concerning...?

- Well, the political situation?

Situations like this is what almost makes me consider moving to El Salvador for good. Imagine a regular Swede asking a foreigner the same question, after just knowing the person for a couple of minutes! Suddenly, the teacher and I got into a conversation about Swedish social security and the need for sex education in El Salvador. One reason for bringing up sex education is the fact that El Salvador is 20 times smaller than Sweden but has a population of almost the same size. While in Sweden the big proportion of elders will become a serious problem in the near future, in El Salvador the situation is reversed. The Salvadoran people is a young one.

Today, I just love it here. I guess leaving the city and going to the countryside is good for my well-being. I got back to the office a couple of hours ago, but tomorrow morning at 5 (!!) I'll be leaving for the beaches of La Unión, a department situated quite far from Santa Tecla (by car though, not in a bus like the one in the picture). And in the evening, a cool party awaits. Forget about feeling homesick, Valborg is nothing compared to chasing waves in El Salvador!

In my opinion...

... El Salvador has the coolest buses ever.

... there's nothing like a cold milkshake when you're sweating like a monster.

... I will definitely show the Salvadorans that Swedes sure know how to dance!

The curse of the daily routine

2008-04-23T16:26:00.000-07:00

What is it that makes you start romantisizing your home country wildly about a week after setting foot in another country?

Yes, right now in this very moment I miss Sweden! I miss the spring that had not yet arrived when I left. I miss my friends, my family. I want to be home for Valborg! I know I have no right whatsoever to complain. Here I am, enjoying 35 degrees, an extraordinary landscape and amazing people. And I've only been here for a week! I guess this is what happens when the daily routine makes its presence. I'm not here on vacation, I'm here to do a case study for my thesis, remember?? I guess what's bothering me the most right now is that I'm waiting for the school I want to either accept or deny my request. I'm waiting for plan A to work out or for plan B to be put in its place. And I have not yet decided exactly what plan B would be. I'll just have to wait and hope. And accept that I cannot control everything. On Monday I'll know.

One thing is for sure, however. The agenda for the rest of the week is more than promising! Visits to Barra de Santiago, to la Unión, and three different parties are on the schedule. I already have a lot of friends here who are taking care of me, and somehow I start feeling like home. But of course, it's difficult to be so dependent on other people. I will never learn how the bus system works (does it even deserve to be called a "system"??). I rely on others to tell me which streets are safe and which are not. I need people with cars to take me wherever I need to go, and to bring me back home at night. It's a good experience, I know, but changing your life overnight is challenging.

But I'll tell you what I love with this country: I love that it's mango and avocado season, my two favourite fruits in the world! I love that the sun is always there (even though I haven't seen it so much since I'm mostly in the city right now). I love the sea and to watch the wild waves (will surf soon!). I love my friends here and the hospitality of the people. And that they know how to party like we party in Uppsala! Also, I know that I'll feel better as soon as I can start working on my study for real. Right now, I'm tired of just reading articles and formulating theories. Let me out on the field!!

That's all for now. Tomorrow, I'm off to the sea. It's time to get that tan, you know.

In my opinion...

...the grass is always greener on the other side.
...air pollution is f****ng annoying.
...Latin American theatre rocks!

Where's the bus?

2008-04-18T09:47:00.000-07:00

Increasing food prices, bus strike, elections and the pope visiting the U.S. That's what's on the front pages of the newspapers in El Salvador at the moment. What's on the front page of my life?

I arrived here two days ago, but as they always say; it feels like so much longer. I guess the reason I already feel like home in this country is not only because it's my second visit, but mostly thanks to the genuine kindness of all people I've met so far. I guess you've heard that one before. Our own people are cold and boring, people far away are warm and welcoming. Sometimes it might not be true, but in the case of El Salvador it is definitely the case. I believe that being a stranger here is much easier than being a stranger in many other parts of the world. Right now, I don't care about non-existing bus schedules, dirty streets or the threat of armed robbery. What matters are the conversations I have, the knowledge I gain from each moment, the creativity and the political counsciousness of the people. The fields are unbelievably green. The waves are both tempting and intimidating. The vulcanos are asleep. I go for the principle "The more smiles you give, the more smiles you get". I try to listen carefully, I try to learn before I act. I'm a pupil in this country, I'm asking, observing and I want to understand. It's sometimes a tiring role. But it's a role everyone in the world should try, especially those of us who think we know it all.

So that's the news in my life. What about the newspaper news?

Rapidly increasing food prices is a serious problem in El Salvador, and probably the single issue concerning people the most. The currency used is the dollar, and when the US is going down, El Salvador goes down with it. In fact, not only food but all kinds of goods and services are more expensive by the day. Increasing fuel prices have resulted in more expensive bus tickets, a disaster for common people who are dependent on buses to get to their jobs. For a person earning minimum salary (about 160 dollars/month), about 26 percent is now spent on public transport! This situation has resulted in some bus companies (there are a lot of them in every city) all around the country simply taking their buses out of service, while others increase the ticket price even more. Some more chaos in an already chaotic public transport system...

Elections are held every fifth year in El Salvador. The next ones will not happen until early next year, and according to law, campaigning is not allowed as early as 9 months before elections. However, more or less discrete, the game has already begun. According to the newspapers, the ruling right-wing party ARENA is loosing support. Almost 38 percent says that they would vote for Mauricio Funes, presidential candidate for the left-wing party FMLN, if the elections were today. 27 percent says they would vote for the ARENA candidate Rodrigo Ávila. Part of the explanation might be that Mauricio Funes, who worked as a journalist for many years and quite recently got formally involved in politics, is a very popular person with a reputation of being transparent and honest. Also, ARENA elected their candidate very late, which might also be a disadvantage. Well, the least one can say is that a lot can and will happen until the actual elections next year.

And lastly: El Salvador is a catholic country, no doubt… The pope’s visit to America is a big thing in the newspapers, and one article proudly declares that a Salvadorian boy assisted in the welcoming ceremony. Remember that 2 millions out of 10 millions Salvadorians live in the U.S., so no wonder that big news there are big news here.

In my opinion…
…the two men who just recently raped a 1 year old baby should be sent to the Rapist Planet and there rape each other and other rapists the rest of their lives.
…there should be more organizations like Asociación Barra de Santiago.
…traditional Salvadorian breakfast is just lovely!

Taking off...

2008-03-04T05:18:00.001-08:00

Leaving for El Salvador on the 15th of April! If you're interested in the trip and the minor field study I'm there to realize, check out this blog on a regular basis.

I am a blogger. Why? This blog serves three purposes. On the one hand, it's a way of updating family and friends on what I'm up to. On the other hand, the blog could be valuable to those interested in matters related to Latin America in general and Central America and El Salvador in particular. The third focus of this blog is leadership and personal development. Based on my very limited experience within these fields, I will share some ideas and inspiration and also refer to other far more experienced people than myself.

Because of privacy, security and research reasons, all personal names as well as some place names in this blog will be fictitious, and all delicate information left out.