Hey all,

Sorry it's taken me so long to get another post up. Training has been busy, and responding to emails is sooo tempting when I get to a computer with internet.

Training ends next week, and I'll finally get to head out to my permenant site. I've been placed in a tiny community a stone's throw away from Honduras in the North East corner of El Salvador. Word has it that my site, due to its altitude, is actually cold sometimes! Don't doubt that I'm looking forward to that. I'll be a 7 hour bus ride from the capital city, which may be inconvenient from time to time, but I'm looking forward to being in such a gorgeous place.

Due to some trouble in my training community, I was moved by to a different town about 1 month ago. I now live with a different family in a different town in the department of San Vicente.

My new family, in my opinion, is the bomb. Given the opportunity, I expect us to be friends for a long time. I live with a young couple and their 6 yearold daughter. Aside from being incredibly hospitable, they have made me a part of the family. They often test me on just how "Salvadoran" I am by giving me coconuts to cut with machetes or bowls of corn meal to make tortillas with. So far I've passed every test. If for some reason I don't pass a test, they'll find out I'm a gringo (american) and send me packing. I hope it doesn't come to that. :-)

We farm 1.7 acres of peppers, tomato, and corn. That, along with a good factory job supports my family. Both my host brother and sister are incredibly hard working. My sister is in law school. It's a humble set-up, but it does the job.

The country is experiencing a bit of turmoil right now, but everyone involved, including Peace Corps, is doing they're best to make sure everybody stays in good shape. The goverment passed an anit gang law, prohibiting anyone from being associated with a gang. The two biggest gangs in E.S. teamed up and issued a public petition asking for the law to be repealed. Weird right? A local preist is acting as their quasi spokesman.

The gangs put out pamphlets threatening all kinds of stuff, and have successfully scared good portions of the country into staying put. Some schools are shut down, busses aren't running, and many of the markets are closed. The army is all over the roads making sure nothing happens. things are already simmering down, and the busses are starting to run again. Thank goodness.

I need to take off for my community, so I'm going to cut this short without editing. forgive the errors. But I hope this post finds all of you well!

Take Care!

-Jesse