The Highlights (In No Particular Order)

So below is my version of Letterman's Top 10 List, but instead of funny one-liners, it's chock-full-o the most surprising, most impressive and mas chivo (coolest) things that have happened so far in El Salvador.

10.) Every day I have an awesome view of Volcan Chichontepec. It never fails to impress. (Pictures to follow, I promise.)
9.) My Spanish skills are getting better all the time and I am starting to use correct verb tenses without needing to think of which to use when. Finally! It's all coming back!
8.) I went to the Fiesta of Santo Domingo with my host family. The whole event consists of a five hour procession down the Panamerican Highway carrying holy images of the Saint to the town named after him. More than 1000 people participated in the procession with more and more people joining as the procession passed various towns on its route to Santo Domingo. Once at the final destination, the fiesta commenced complete with food, music, carney rides, games and craft sales. For Tonawandans, think Canal Fest. Also, at the festival my host sister, Monica, linked arms with me as we walked around- we are starting to get closer!
7.) I made carrot cake, banana bread and corn bread with a current PCV and her women's bakery called Panaderia Yaneth, named in her honor. It was a super fun activity to get acquainted with the women and also an awesome way to empower them by selling the breads and maintaining a small business.
6.) Whenever I miss America, I get a wonderful reminder of home by the constant playing of Michael Jackson songs, Total Eclipse of the Heart, Lady in Red, and an abundance of American movies dubbed in Spanish. Also I have the option of hitting up Tony Roma's, KFC, Pizza Hut, the BK Lounge, Wendy's or Mickey D's in the capital city of San Salvador if I need my fix of artery clogging delicacies. It's just a two hour bus ride away.
5.) I never need an alarm clock. The cows, roosters and dogs make sure I am up without fail by 5:30AM. Speaking of cows, my host family celebrated the birth of a new baby cow 11 days ago. He is brown and white in color and absolutelty adorable. (I will also take his picture.)
4.) During our first full week here in our host town, we were invited to help build an altar for the town's Corpus Cristi celebration. We not only got to participate in the celebration, we helped to make it happen by spending over 5 hours constructing the very elaborate altar, complete with three tiers of draping, fresh flowers and a table with 13 placesettings representing the last supper. (I do have photos of this!)
3.) In our host town, the other PCTs and I formed a youth group with which we will be doing a few different community service projects. We consistently work with 20 very awesome kids who want to make their community a better place, mostly by focusing on littering and other environmental concerns facing the community. We will be having a community limpieza (clean-up) next week and then making recycled art out of the trash we collect.
2.) My work is going to be awesome! Having the ability to determine the direction of my program and the responsibility to begin a new program here in El Salvador is more than a thrill, it's an awesome privilege. Not to mention I will get to work closely with another PCV on this endeavor.
1.) The people I am here with are top notch. I am lucky to be in such an awesome class with 32 other very talented, ambitious and dedicated people. I have already made some awesome friends including those in my host site and those living elsewhere. I have to give a special shout out to my newly appointed PC best friend, Dana. She is a Masters International student from Montana, the person who responds most calmly to being told a scorpion is crawling on her arm, and the one who made good friends with the amoebas she contracted. Honestly, I am very lucky to be serving with all those who I am with- goodness knows I wouldn't be able to handle all these new experiences if I didn't have anyone to share poop stories with.

The longer I am hear the more I realize that service in the Peace Corps is a privilege and an honor. Not everyone can leave their lives in America on hold for two years to serve others. Thanks for all your support back at home that enables and empowers me to experience all these wonderful things and to serve. I hope this post gives you a little more insight into the things I have been doing. No worries, pictures should be included by next Tuesday:)

Also, I have to give a special thank you to Aunt Lynn, Uncle Randy and Aunt Gail (I LOVED the singing card) for the birthday cards and Marsha, Reggie and my parents for my second round of birthday cards. I can't help but grin ear to ear when I read them!