Below are the 7 most recent journal entries recorded in sipsue's LiveJournal:

Friday, October 15th, 2004
9:11 am	School, the Election, and El Salvador Hey everybody, Another update. School has been pretty tough. I am just trying to stay above the rising tide of things to do, papers to write and forms to fill out. I have managed to get my act together enough to fill out the 27-page moral character form for the California Bar. I have sent in my registration to be a certified law student (which allows me to represent someone in court). I have filled out my forms for the Public Interest/Social Justice Certificate here at school and have sent it to my former supervisor in Vermont for his signature. I finally got my loan money...boy was that a relief! On top of all this, last Thursday I filed my first brief ever with the Immigration Court in San Francisco for my client from Guatemala. This was pretty huge because I spent about 100 hours in the past month putting together everything in the brief (along with help from my atty supervisor.) We go to the hearing on October 26th and my client gets to tell his story and hopefully he will be granted asylum status. I have been volunteering with FLY - my normal volunteer job - in the middle schools teaching kids about juvenile laws. That has been fun but time consuming. We only have one week left though so that is good. Then I just signed up to help out with Catholic Charities and their immigration project. I am hoping that this will lead to an internship next semester and possibly a job in the future. Wow, I think that I have caught you up on all that I am doing school and volunteer-wise. I watched the debates on Thursday night and I was specifically watching what they would say about immigration. Bush talked about his temporary worker program - which has stalled in Congress, by the way - and the pundits thought that he was so strong on this issue. Kerry, however, recognizes that the temporary worker program is not enough and mentioned 3 other programs that needed to be implemented. I find Kerry's view much more comprehensive and much more than a stop-gap. Bush doesn't have his eye on the larger issue - isn't that always the case? Anyway, just interesting to watch the two candidates and it was nice to reassure myself that I will vote for the correct candidate. Let's see what happens on Nov. 2. I have been writing, phoning and keeping in touch with my friends and family in El Salvador. Ana and Rina called me one day and then I was able to call Rina back and talk to her for a while. She is excited to be finishing up school on Nov. 12. I talked with Carmen and Gudelia. Gudelia tells me that she has a cell phone! Wonder! I think this is so funny because they were so adament about the fact that they were the only family in Monsenor to not have a cell phone. So proud! I haven't called her on it yet but hope to next Monday. They supposedly wrote me two letters but I haven't received them yet. I am wondering if they have the corred address for me. I am going up to San Francisco this Sunday to hang out with Hector. I think that he likes it when I go up and I have started taking them cookies or bread when I go. I hope to bring up blankets this time because the room that they live in is so cold - in the basement and has no heat. Hazel, the lady I live with, says she has extra blankets I could take. I am going to take him to see "The Motorcycle Diaries." I urge, strongly urge everyone to see this movie. It is so good. I saw it last Saturday with my friend Christine and while we are totally in love with the actor that plays Che - it was also a really powerful movie for me, especially at the end where he says, I am no longer me, I have changed. Wow. Go see it! So, over all things are going well. Tomorrow nightI am going to visit with the Lutheran churches that are going to El Salvador in January. Me and my sister are heading down to El Salvador in December also so that will be fun. More later. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 8th, 2004
1:32 pm	The real life?? So I have officially been back in the United States for 2 weeks and 5 days. It has been a tough transition back to school. I missed a week of classes (that actually wasn't that tough to miss) and had to jump back into things like my on-campus job and putting hours in at the clinic. I started off in a big way by collecting items for Gudelia and Carmen's families. That was a little tough to organize but everything came together last Wednesday and the backpacks were in El Salvador by Friday. Gudelia and Carmen picked them up this past Monday and when I called that night, the families were so excited about the things. I was really happy that they were happy and we ended up talking for about an hour. The best part was that I had wrapped up a present for Miguel for his birthday on September 18 and he begged me on the phone to let him open it. I wonder if he will be able to wait to open it. When I was 18...I don't know if I would have been able to wait. I have also visited Hector and Jose in San Francisco. They are family members of people in Monsenor and related through marriage to Gudelia's family. They live in a room of a house that has ten other families living in it. They have three beds in the room. They all work in the city and don't earn a lot of money. They also pay about $500 a month for that room. I have a really tough time with the fact that they pay so much for that room and I am not really sure who to contact in the city. There has to be a fair housing project for immigrants, it is just whether they want to jeopardize their status in the United States to bring a claim. I went over for a visit last Sunday and had shrimp, rice and tortillas. It was a nice visit and hopefully when I come back in a couple of weeks, they will feel like going out and exploring a little of the city. I think that they feel trapped by their lives here, just like they did in El Salvador and while they don't have much money or status here in the United States, there are things to see and do that are free and they need a distraction from the hard work they face every other day of the week. I am going to visit the sister church of the Ciudadela this Saturday and show my slides of my trip. There are so many good pictures of the family and of Monsenor and the kinder. I am happy that so many of them came out so well. I read my journal to Hazel, my house mate, last week and it brought back such vivid memories for me. It was amazing to explain some of the things that I now take for granted too. It was ironic because I was thinking about how when I first got to Gudelia's house and some things weren't explained to me...and how uncomfortable that made me. But it was the fact that it was so ordinary to them that they didn't realize they had to explain it. This is the way it was for me when I was reading to Hazel and she didn't understand it. That made me feel peaceful because it reminded me of how much I learned and how much I was a part of whatever really great thing was happening this summer. Gudelia told me on the phone on Monday, she said, Now we can never forget you. I took this not just to mean that because I sent them gifts, that now they couldn't forget me. I took this to mean, that they had doubts whether I would write or forget them when I came back to my busy life. I had tried to reassure them that this wouldn't happen. But I could tell that they didn't believe me. Now they believe. This makes me happy. (Comment on this)
Monday, August 23rd, 2004
8:59 pm	Back, in the USA Hi everyone, I am back in the US. So, I wasn't able to get to a computer for the last month and a half. When I did get to a computer it was imperative to figure out school worries. So my last month was incredibly awesome. I had such a feeling of love from my family that leaving last Monday was really difficult. I hope to have time to sit down with my real journal and transpose some of the really funny, sweet and memorable moments for everyone who reads. The good news is that I met up with my Salvadoran friend's husband who lives here in San Francisco yesterday. It was really affirming to talk to him in Spanish about Monsenor and everyone that we knew collectively. I think that we are good friends now and I immediately felt a good sense of community with him. That was really awesome. I wrote a card for Sury's birthday today in Spanish and am looking for specific items to send down with some teachers going to El Salvador on Thursday. This will be really awesome for my family and the town. How exciting! Well, that is it for now because I need to go study. Hopefully I will be able to update you more on the past month soon. peace, susi (Comment on this)
Monday, July 12th, 2004
3:51 pm	Back in San Salvador Hi everyone. I am back in San Salvador for a reunion with the group. This week has been tremendous for me. I have really come a long way with my Spanish and my communicating skills! Of course, by no means is my Spanish correct even 50% of the time but people understand me and that is rewarding. We got back into the community on Friday morning, last week. Most of the weekend is uneventful if nothing is planned in the town and that is how last weekend was. On July 4th I got to eat watermelon and listen to fireworks, just like probably most of you did! How, you ask? Well, every Sunday we get fresh watermelon so that was no big deal. And there is a Peace Corps worker in the community where Alice lives and he got fireworks and set them off. So, I had a mini-4th of July. In a country that has strong anti-Bush and anti-dependency feelings, it is a little strange to have a celebration of independence for the United States. On Monday, I did the school-thing with the Kinder in the morning, at lunch-time spread fertilizer for the milpa (the growing corn) and then in the afternoon taught English to the 6th grade. On Tuesday, I went to work with the men and women from Monseñor Romero on the water project and we were able to lay quite a bit of the pipe and cover the trenches back up. We had a lot of rain the past few days so it was extremely muddy and everyone was commenting on my nice orange boots (it was really mud because I had no shoes on!)It was good to see the results of my hard work with the ground covered back up again and feel that I had accomplished something. I taught English in the afternoon to the 5th grade. On Wednesday, it was back in the Kinder for me and then in the afternoon I got to observe a computer class for the high school with Alice, another Crispaz volunteer in the community. They were learning Excel and Alice and I got to help out a bit with the class. Alice and I have split the English and Computer classes so that we only overlap once. In the beginning it was really helpful to have Alice in the classes because she speaks much better Spanish than I do, but now that I am a little more comfortable, we have split up so that we can feel a little more accomplished in what we are doing. Friday was a huge day for me. In the morning we went to Suchitoto with the Kinder and the Prep (the class that Alice helps with in the mornings) and it was like a state-wide field day for the 4 and 5 year olds from all of the schools. I saw the school from Copapyo (where we went in January) and I saw the man that talked to us with the really curly long hair (don´t know if any of you other El Salvador people will remember). We had a great time and the kids won 2 soccer games. It was really fun. When I got back to Monseñor, we headed to San Martin, to buy gifts for the next day´s activities and to do a little shopping for the family. I had a great walk down to the bus stop with the ladies in my family and we talked about quite a bit. I felt really comfortable because for me, joking around is natural and it has been pretty difficult for me to joke around in Spanish! So I was able to make some jokes and make the ladies smile. It made me feel really good. Saturday was also pretty big because I attended a fundraiser in the field in Ungo for the 9th grade. I don´t know the official name of the game but basically men on horseback make the horses run back and forth under this rope with little rings attached to it with tape. The object is to spear a ring with a pen-shaped object and get a gift from the "god-mothers" (all the ladies in the town get dressed up and have gifts for the men on horses who manage to snag a ring). Well there were eight horses and thirty-five women! It was pretty funny. Alicia was number thirteen and it was great because the cousin of my family, who had only gotten on the horse moments before, won her gift! Miguel was the only person that I knew on the horses so it was really fitting that he would get Alicia´s gift. I was number twenty-three and I didn´t know the guy who got my gift but was told later that his name was Francisco (sort of fitting too!) Anyway, it was funny because everyone in the town was yelling our names because we are practically famous in the town and when it was my turn, they were all yelling, SUSIE!!!! Also, some of the men got hugs from the women, others got kisses from the little girls who were participating. So I went for the safe hug when I handed Cisco my gift and he stole a kiss on my neck! I had asked Alice to take a picture of me with the horse and I am pretty sure that she clicked it just as I turned around with a funny face because I was embarassed that he kissed me! It was a pretty hilarious situation and I feel like I lack the words to describe how mortifying and embarassing it was! Next was the dance, where no one danced! What happens is, is that they have a dance in a building of the school. The school doesn´t have proper windows, just fencing from halfway up to the ceiling. So everyone can hear the music and see the dancers without paying to get in...and the dancers don´t dance because everyone is staring at them! So, it is kind of weird being like one of ten dancers because everyone is staring at you. But it is really nothing new, we get stared at everywhere we go! Another really good thing that happened to me on Saturday was that my family and I talked in the night about what would happen when I left. They told me how sad they would be because I am really part of the family and how Guidelia, the mother, wanted to come to the airport with me to wish me off. This was a huge thing for me because up until this point, I had thought that she didn´t like me. It has been a little strange in my household, being from the US with a family that is strong in the FMLN. There are some tensions when we talk about politics, for sure! But I came away from the conversation with such a warmth for the family because they had verbalized their feelings for me in such a frank, honest way, that I felt really a part of their family. Things have gone so well and I can´t wait to see what the next week will bring. It is a little strange because I am going to be leaving the country for my brother´s wedding and that puts a little divide between us. But I am excited to return tomorrow, teach English and Computers and hopefully work more with the Water Project. Peace, sue (Comment on this)
Saturday, June 26th, 2004
11:05 pm	Update Hi everyone, again! I am in Suchitoto for the day and going to eat at the restaurant where we went in January, if I can find it. This weekend has been good but the occurrances of sickness between the three girls in the same area are increasing and I am afraid my turn is next! Yesterday, instead of helping with the water project I worked in the corn field bringing water for the herbicide they spray to get rid of the grass growing and cutting off water and sunlight from the corn. It was hard work with the water on my head and my neck hurts today but it was nice to actually do some labor and experience. We have been walking around more of the villages and talking to more people, which is always fun and different. I have been to many soccer games, played with the children constantly, eaten a variety of foods. I had to swear off beans for a day...I just couldnt take any more! Things are going well and I look forward to each new experience. Nothing major to report this week, except working in the fields and having much conversation with people. It is a funny experience I think to wake up in the morning and forget that the people you are with dont speak English. Most mornings I speak to them in English before remembering! Hope that there is more to report next time. The water project is moving along and now they think that it will be done in July but I think that is a little generous. I found out that it will actually bring water to each house, which is nice but that each house will have a limit of 2 barrels of water a day. Now how are they going to regulate that, I wonder. There are no meters or anything. It will be interesting and I really cant wait to see it complete. The other major thing in our household is that we got a new puppy called Shakira. She looks a little like a Rotwieler and is cute but keeps leaving me presents in my room at night, if you know what I mean. It is kind of embarassing picking up after her! She is really fun and I hope that my family treats her better than the other dogs in the area. They are so skinny and lifeless. That is all for now. Sue (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2004
8:50 am	heading back out today Hola again. We head back out today to the community. It rained here in San Salvador last night and that makes me happy because I am hoping that it rained in Monseñor Romero last night too. On Sunday there was no water at the faucet that is on the road to Los Enriques. That is pretty bad in the rainy season, to not have any water. Because of the rain that hopefully fell last night, there should be water in the faucet. Right now it works by gravity, coming from a stream half way up the volcano that is close by. The communities are working together to finish the "water project" which is of a grand size and will connect all the faucets in 5 communities and provide water all year round. This will be so beneficial for the town but there will be a cost to the project. Unfortunately now the water will be pumped electrically and the electic bills for the water will cost each household $10 a month. This is super exorbiant for El Salvador given that their normal electrical bill is $3 a month. It is really difficult to reconcile the project in my mind and I am sure more difficult for the people in the 5 communities. I have been helping dig the ditches so that is diverting and hard work compared to teaching English. Until next time, Susie (as I am known here in El Salvador) (Comment on this)
Sunday, June 20th, 2004
7:00 pm	my first entry Hola everyone, Welcome to my first journal entry. I have just completed a full week in the campo! I live in Monseñor Romero, a little village outside of the Ciudella Guillermo Unga. My family is very nice and I am feeling very comfortable. I am learning a lot of Spanish, really fast. I have now learned how to catch, kill and clean a chicken and then eat it for lunch! I have also helped out by working on their water project which will allow for a pipeline to run to each faucet, located in various places through out the community, to provide water all year long (right now, it is just in the rainy season). I have also been helping out in the Kindergarten classroom and teaching English to 4-6th grades at the school. We teach an English class twice a week in my village. Most of the adults who attend are from my family, which is kind of funny! The food has been great and a real treat is to get fresh juices at every lunch time. I dont have a television in my house so every evening we have a discussion or play cards. I have taught them Crazy Eights, Secret and Gin. They taught me one game which I dont know the name for. I have found out many things such as when a woman is pregnant and is ready to deliver, she has to walk the one mile into the Ciudadella in order to get to the road where a bus or a car will take her to the hospital, which is another 20 minutes up the road. I cant imagine walking the path, struggling with labor pains. The Ministry of Health does not allow mid-wives to practice here, although it would be cheaper and probably safer, given the lengths the women go to to get to the hospital. It has been a very educational time for me in the campo and I am certainly glad to have a break where I can think to myself, not have to translate Spanish and not have people staring at me! The kids in the town are so fun, the books are a hit and I have really had a great time playing frisbee with my family. Thanks for reading my e-journal and I will write more soon. (1 Comment |Comment on this)