Dengue and a Birthday

Here´s one way to have a memorable birthday – contract the viral disease dengue and land yourself in quarantine for a week in the capital. Dengue is a disease that is becoming more and more commonplace in El Salvador (and the world at that) and is caused by the bite of a virus-carrying mosquito during the daytime hours. Nighttime mosquitos carry malaria, which we have pills to prevent, but with dengue you just have to wear the “espray” and hope you don´t get bit by the wrong bug. I noticed a few days before the 10th that I was feeling pretty crappy, much more tired than usual and achy from head to toe. Walking home at noon for lunch one day I found that I was shivering, which really was the biggest tip-off that something wasn´t right – you simply don´t get cold mid-day in San Miguel, El Salvador. After more sporadic fevers I broke down and called Irma, our PC nurse, and she sent me to the cap to get looked at. Blood tests revealed positive for dengue the next day, much to my disbelief (and Maria´s – I owe you a beer for not making it to the beach like I promised). So I was quarantined to the Happy House (read: Dengue House, where PCVs with a privilege stay in their air-conditioned, cable TV prison for a week and avoid spreading the dengue love). It wasn´t so horrible – watching CNN and Southpark in Spanish can be pretty entertaining and the AC was a birthday present in and of itself. I was able to leave on occasion to get out and Karina (fellow PCV dengue survivor) saved me from boredom by hanging out for the few days we overlapped in San Salvador. Seeing as her birthday was September 29th, we both decided that turning 23 with dengue was a birthday we would never forget and, one day, look back and laugh about.

I returned to my site a week later, feeling pretty guilty for being gone so long and missing out on commitments. Everyone was great about welcoming me back though – the ladies in the Alcaldia even gave me ice cream and new shoes as a bday present (although the shoes are a ploy – they don´t approve of the dusty blue Reefs I wear daily and would rather me in the 2 inch heels they sport everyday. I remind them of the unfortunate park incident and the fact that I can´t even walk in sneakers around here, let alone vixen heels). On top of this, when I walked into my English class Tuesday night, I was greeted by all the adult students with cake, pupusas (typical Salvo food) and presents. They had thrown a surprise party for me! These guys have all become my friends and they´re pretty awesome – they´d planned out games like musical chairs and a rifa where you had to act out whatever was on the paper you chose (I had to dance), we ate til we popped and sat around telling jokes and laughing for an hour. I didn´t catch most of the jokes but from what I could gather from their reactions, especially from the “pepinos” or dirty jokes, I need to learn them in English. I don´t know any jokes in Spanish, so I just told them a funny story about my first week in Chapeltique. To make a long story short, I´d been walking around, shaking everyone´s hand and introducing myself as “Erin, the PCV, who is ‘abierta’ to work with any and all persons/institutions.” Clivia, one of my good friends and attendee of the party, let me go on like this for a few days until she finally took me aside and explained that “available” is “estoy disponible” in Spanish, while “abierta” means, literally, open… as in physically open… Trust me to be walking around my first week at site with a smile on my face telling men, women and children alike that I´m easy. The people at the party loved that one – really, what stupid thing will the gringa be caught doing next. All in all I was blown away by my friends and their efforts – it´s amazing to me how kind and welcoming they are, and it makes me feel incredibly lucky to have a site such as this. It may be hotter than hell here but the people are very chill.

As far as other in-site news goes, we´ve almost completed the world map at the school. I was weary of it for a while, especially after we drew on the countries and Europe looked as though someone had projectile vomited on the wall. The kids were great though – they didn´t get discouraged, rather just enjoyed painting and now it´s looking pretty good. With the leftover paint I´m hoping to ask some of the same kids to paint a mural about the importance of caring for the environment on the wall of our Casa de la Cultura. I´ve also started getting the ball rolling on looking into infrastructure projects for our rural communities and schools. Emails and phone calls are out to a few NGOs here in country to see who could contribute what, and I´m starting the process of seeking out international NGOs. It´s an interesting process and I know it´s going to take a while, but the communities are ready for it and so I am as well.

I´m also settled into my new place, which is working out great so far. The family I live behind is almost American in how busy they are – the husband and wife doctors work around the clock and their kids attend a school in San Miguel that requires them to be out of the house 6am to 6pm, so I don´t see them for more than an hour a day. Having more privacy is excellent, although the time I spend with the family is great too. The kids are sweet – Arturo is 6, Frangie 5 and Janelly 2. They have an affinity for playing with water both in and outdoors, like to show me their parrot Manolo and enjoying not wearing any clothing. The turkey and I haven´t come to any sort of understanding yet, but I´m getting better at aiming sticks at its head. If things don´t shape up by next month I´m going to make it “disappear” and hopefully a few of my friends and I will be eating good for Thanksgiving. Now that I have a fridge and a gas stove I can cook for myself, although I still eat a lot of cereal and peanut butter sandwiches. Instead of the rats in the old house I have lightening bugs, and it´s quickly becoming one of my favorite things when, at twilight, I can lay outside in the hammock and enjoy the first cool air of the day.

I´ll have more to write in November – there´s a lot going on that month, between the Shakira concert, more trainings/charlas at site, and Thanksgiving dinner with an Embassy family. For now, I want to say thanks to everyone for all the emails, letters and phone calls as of late, especially for the birthday wishes! Thank you to my family and Lisa for the packages, they were a great surprise and I´ve been enjoying everything you sent! Aaron, the 3 minute phone call from Morocco was the best – the $1.00/min price it cost to call you back was worth it (just not everyday ;)) A huge thanks to Mom for sending the softballs and to Sister Dorothy for the box of donated items – the people of my community are ever so appreciative of it! Congratulations to Nicole on your wedding! I heard it went well and I wish you the best – Sarah, Sarah and Kadee, I only wish I had been around to get your calls on Saturday. Sarah, your pictures with Dana kind of make me ill. It´s great to hear you sound so happy – don´t get married before I get home! A big hug to all my loved ones, especially my family – I miss you all and can´t wait to see you soon.

Cuidense mucho!