Finally I have had the time to get some photos up of my time so far in El Salvador. My mom recently came for the weekend to spend Easter with me. We had a great time, even though it was quite short. Seeing her has made me miss home and I begin to realize that I have been away for the longest amount of time ever in my life. Here we are in front of the iglesia in Panchi Malco, a small town outside of the main city of San Salvador. Here we met an indigenous man named Chac, who showed us this instrument he made to imitate bird calls. Later on we at pupusas at the top of the hill that overlooks the valley that Panchi Malco sits in.

A common practice during la semanna santa (holy week) is the creation of these alfombras which are made with colored salt, seeds and flowers. They are only made during this time of year and many children, youth and adults participate in the creation process. First they are created and then a procession is held where the people actually walk over these impermanet pieces of art. They are seen as devotional works to god, and many depict Jesus in some form. I love the colors that are used in this country, many bright pastels and bold colors.

This billboard was quite common a few weeks leading up to the presidential elections in March. It reads, VOTE WITH WISDOM, DON'T VOTE FOR THE EX-POLICE. This was a satire on the propaganda posters that the right wing (ARENA) candidate used which just said, VOTE WITH WISDOM, VOTE FOR ARENA. Ávila was the ex-chief of police, so as a joke, some left wing advocates used this phrase to make fun of him in a very clever way. I love the Simpsons and I think its great that they used the image of police chief Wiggum, however they slightly changed his appearance to look a little more like Ávila. GENIUS!

On March 21st there was the annual march in honor of the life of Monseñor Romero, who was assassinated on March 24 1980 wihile consecrating the host. His dedication to the poor of El Salvador inspire people to this day. He was killed because he used his authority, his voice to speak for those who were voiceless and he defied the notion that the archbishop had to just sit back and watch his people suffer. Romero is not just a martyr and a hero, he is more than this, an entity that continues to flow through the spirits and minds of the people here. The walk to the centro was peaceful, and a clam stillness was in the air. It had only been a week after the victory of the FMLN. I expected that the march would be wild and with a lot of celebrating. But instead, it was tranquil, as if the people here were finally taking that deep breath of relief that they had wanted to inhale for so long. Romero's words have come true, of the liberation of the people, and like he said, he has ressurected within them.

This was my last day in Perquín, before I headed back to the capital. I am standing with some of the most incredible women I have ever met. I worked with them during my time there, helping out with thier art classes in town. The joy and passion that run through them have continued to recharge my spirit with a sense of positivity and hope. I learned a lot from all of them and will never forget the times we shared in Perquín. Thank you Claudia Verenice, Dina and Claudia!

So, as I mentioned, I worked on a mural with a group of women from Mary Baldwin College, Virginia. We collaborated on this project, after we met several times with a community leader and my host father, Don Quique. After recording all of the elements that he wanted in the mural, we designed the scene and got to work. Four days later, we had this to show for our hard work. In the foreground is Monseñor Romero and a woman named Doña Carmen who is a Slavadoran who has contributed much to the development of the community of 10 de enero. The scene depicts the bounty of the land, the beautiful mountains of Perquín and the significance that these two people have had on the community.

Here are some of the children that lived in 10 de enero. While we worked on the mural that was outside of the town's biblioteca, the kids worked inside on a mural of thier own. We also got them to paint some of the lamp posts outside as well as draw chalk designs on the pavement. Spending time with the youth was one of the most rewarding parts of my time in the campo.

This is the home that I lived in for nearly a month. In this house lived, Don Quique, Doña Celedoña, Delmy, Orlando, Cristian and Yaneta. For the time that I stayed there, I felt a part of that family and was well taken care of. I hope to go back to visit in the next few months, I will forever be greatful for the time I was able to spend with them.

This is one of the first murals that were painted by the art school, several years ago, in the main part of town. Asside from being one of the best murals I have seen in this country, I am also amazed by the subtile aspects of this work. The notion of productive land, indigenous practices, education and the liberation of the Salvadoran people are written all throughout this mural. I absolutely love it for this as well as the elements of design, and the use of bold colors. ¡Que increible!

This is the mural that the youths worked on while we were painting outside. We took no part in the actual painting and design of this mural. Instead we just asked the kids, what do you want to paint? Soon after, they were drawing designs and images on the mural, and within 2 days, they were done with thier masterpiece. I was amazed at how focused they were and how it seemed so effortless for them to work together and create such an amazing and powerful piece of art. I continue to be amazed at the ingenuity of children, we can learn much from them.