Exploring El Salvador
We got to sleep in until 7:30 today. It is Sunday and a day fo rest. What that means is a rest from clinics but instead a full day of exploring and activities.
Breakfast first and we were ready to hit the road at 9am. Our first stop was a bank machine to get a bit more cash. It work for my debit card and another one but a couple people had a problem so we needed to find a different one. My problem was that it charged me $4.50USD service fee! I was even more frustrated when the next machine we found was actually a Scotiabank which would have had NO fee for me. I HATE wasting money like that...but nothing I could do now.
There was a Starbucks in the plaza at the bank machine but everyone said we didn’t have time for that. Well, until the van’s tire got flat and we needed to get it fixed. Then people needed a bathroom and it seemed rude to use it without purchasing. I got my usual Vanilla Bean Frap but honestly, the milk tastes different so it was a bit of a let down.
Our next stop was a local market where there were more lovely things to bring home. I stuck close to Pastor Melvin who did some serious negotiations for my purchases. Apparently the vendors were none to happy about it though. Aren’t you Salvadorian? Why are you helping these people and not your own people. These are my people, they are like family, he replied. He is amazing.
We were supposed to stay in groups of 4 but well, we’re not good at that even on day 10. Mary and Liz wandered off with our driver Giovanni and we had to go hunting for them.
Back in the van, it was off to ALASKA. Seriously, it is the name of an adventure park and resort. We had a delightful hibachi lunch with traditional sides with a view of the coffee plantation covered mountains around us. Coffee is the main source of income and employment. There is no good way to automate the harvest as the plants continue to produce beans and they ripen at different times. A good picker will work a 12hr day and make $4 for every 25lbs they pick. At the end of a good day that’s about $30/day. This is what a family will live on.
At the Parc de Alaska there were lots of adventure activities like quad rides, horseback riding, ziplining and a ropes course. I asked if many locals came here and Melvin said that it was too expensive for them. It makes you realize that they would spend day after day, year after year pick coffee beside a place that they couldn’t earn enought to go and enjoy. That is their reality.
We had one more stop to make and that was the Mayan ruins. We met up with a guy, Dean from San Fransico who was travelling. He ask us to take his photo, we said sure but could he take ours too? He agreed and when we handed him a dozen cameras I think he realised it wasn’t his best deal.
It’s sobering and amazing at the same time to walk on grounds several 100 of years old. It made me think of my day in Portugal with Mohamed walking the ancient wall in Sinto.
Next door to the ruins was a cemetery with fascinating head stones made of tile and cement. I wanted to look closer but we didn’t have time. It was late in the afternoon so it was a dash back to the accommodations to quickly change and back to the church for the evening service.
It was so awesome to see so many people come in wearing their new glasses. They all came us to hugs and thank us for giving them a new clear view of the world.
It service was filled with amazing music and it was fantastic to see Melvin inspire us all with his teaching and passion.
Finally, we had a quick dinner of Dina’s chicken soup and it was a race to get back to our beds. It’s been a wonderful weekend. Tomorrow we are back to optical duties with clinics both tomorrow and the next day. It will be busy but good. There are more people who need to see their world.
Breakfast first and we were ready to hit the road at 9am. Our first stop was a bank machine to get a bit more cash. It work for my debit card and another one but a couple people had a problem so we needed to find a different one. My problem was that it charged me $4.50USD service fee! I was even more frustrated when the next machine we found was actually a Scotiabank which would have had NO fee for me. I HATE wasting money like that...but nothing I could do now.
There was a Starbucks in the plaza at the bank machine but everyone said we didn’t have time for that. Well, until the van’s tire got flat and we needed to get it fixed. Then people needed a bathroom and it seemed rude to use it without purchasing. I got my usual Vanilla Bean Frap but honestly, the milk tastes different so it was a bit of a let down.
Our next stop was a local market where there were more lovely things to bring home. I stuck close to Pastor Melvin who did some serious negotiations for my purchases. Apparently the vendors were none to happy about it though. Aren’t you Salvadorian? Why are you helping these people and not your own people. These are my people, they are like family, he replied. He is amazing.
We were supposed to stay in groups of 4 but well, we’re not good at that even on day 10. Mary and Liz wandered off with our driver Giovanni and we had to go hunting for them.
Back in the van, it was off to ALASKA. Seriously, it is the name of an adventure park and resort. We had a delightful hibachi lunch with traditional sides with a view of the coffee plantation covered mountains around us. Coffee is the main source of income and employment. There is no good way to automate the harvest as the plants continue to produce beans and they ripen at different times. A good picker will work a 12hr day and make $4 for every 25lbs they pick. At the end of a good day that’s about $30/day. This is what a family will live on.
At the Parc de Alaska there were lots of adventure activities like quad rides, horseback riding, ziplining and a ropes course. I asked if many locals came here and Melvin said that it was too expensive for them. It makes you realize that they would spend day after day, year after year pick coffee beside a place that they couldn’t earn enought to go and enjoy. That is their reality.
We had one more stop to make and that was the Mayan ruins. We met up with a guy, Dean from San Fransico who was travelling. He ask us to take his photo, we said sure but could he take ours too? He agreed and when we handed him a dozen cameras I think he realised it wasn’t his best deal.
It’s sobering and amazing at the same time to walk on grounds several 100 of years old. It made me think of my day in Portugal with Mohamed walking the ancient wall in Sinto.
Next door to the ruins was a cemetery with fascinating head stones made of tile and cement. I wanted to look closer but we didn’t have time. It was late in the afternoon so it was a dash back to the accommodations to quickly change and back to the church for the evening service.
It was so awesome to see so many people come in wearing their new glasses. They all came us to hugs and thank us for giving them a new clear view of the world.
It service was filled with amazing music and it was fantastic to see Melvin inspire us all with his teaching and passion.
Finally, we had a quick dinner of Dina’s chicken soup and it was a race to get back to our beds. It’s been a wonderful weekend. Tomorrow we are back to optical duties with clinics both tomorrow and the next day. It will be busy but good. There are more people who need to see their world.
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