Starting to close up shop....

This past week I started to get things organized.

I went into Sonsonate with another volunteer to take pictures of the market. No, I didn’t take my beautiful digital camera there, I’m not that foolish. I had bought a disposable camera for just this reason. It felt kinda weird taking pictures like a tourist, but also kinda fun.

I spent Thursday in the capital to start the process of COSing (close of service). This entailed printing reports, interviews and overall signature hunts. I have to get about 8 – 10 signatures from various people saying I completed various things in order to leave PC. I will finish up the process on Tuesday.

I also spent time buying my last ‘recuerdos’ or souvenirs of El Salvador.

I can’t quite remember what I spent the rest of the week doing – I think I spent time with Vilma while making some pottery. I hope the pieces dry in time.

And then I also think I helped Heidy make tickets for the rodeo we had on Sunday.

Saturday I headed back to the market with Jessica and Mayra to do some shopping. Mayra went to buy jeans and I went to get various things. I got a ‘grisa’ (not sure of the spelling of it) for the carrera de cintas on this coming Sunday. A grisa is a specific type of rope they use for cattle and I bought it cause I’m a madrina (Godmother). I also picked up another cesta – I have quite the collection I’m brining home.

Saturday afternoon we went to the cancha (soccer field) to watch Ricardo’s team in the semi finals. They won! They ran over the allotted time, so it came down to penalty kicks. The others overshot a kick (right over the top of the goal) and our guys put one in and thus it ended. The finals are on this coming Sunday as well. If they win, I’m going to say it was because I was there madrina. (Are you sensing a trend of me and madrina-ness?)

Sunday rolled around and I aprovechared a free morning to go play on the pottery wheel. Mayra came with me to take some pics. After about an hour and a half on the wheel, I had successfully made one item…hopefully it will dry in time to be fired.

Around 11am on Sunday, I moseyed on down to the cancha for the rodeo. This is a different cancha then the one previously mentioned. I prefer the other one because this one has no trees and no natural shade. Thankfully, Mayra thought to bring an umbrella and we all huddled beneath it during the rodeo or else I would be all sorts of red at this moment in time. The rodeo was fun, if not a little hot. I got home around 5:30ish and took a nice cold shower.

Now it’s Monday morning and I’m working to get things organized. This week is when I have to start putting things up for sale, packing and overall getting ready to go…..