#worldconnect

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There is really only one way I can sum up my 11th 

month in country: it is never ending. June has passed by at a glacial pace, I look up at my calendar everyday and think still June, how is it still June. I’ve been busy work wise, I went to the beach, but somehow this month seems as if it is never going to end. Maybe it is because I am right on the heels of July, a month that will bring MATT DELIMA and HILLARY CLINTON (well her latest memoir) to El Salvador. Navigating the down time has proven to quite a challenge, and when my fingers are too cramped from making endless friendship bracelets, I escape to the pueblo to take advantage of the wifi at my secret spot, Panaderia Yani. Before I bore you with talk of projects and attendance, let me first demonstrate what "free time" in Casa de Canas-Serrano-Lampi looks like:

Playing dress up with my girl Estefany. 

Hanging out with these little frogs 

Helping Fatima perfect her super model moves. 

Night time picnics,Hamburguesas de piedras anyone?

Along with my babysitting duties, I have been busy planning my Empowered Kitchen workshop. The project is a series of gender empowerment workshops combined with international cooking classes that will last for six weeks in my community. The workshop will highlight the cultures of India, Italy, El Salvador, China, Mexico and Morocco. Yes, that's right, the girl who burned french toast and was part of the team that made a pizza the street dogs wouldn't eat, is going to coach the women in her community through cooking classes. Luckily, I will be filling the role of Suu Chef, and another PCV, who excels in the art of slicing and dicing, has kindly offered to help me out with all of the food prep. We haven't worked out all the details, but i'm sure his services are going to cost me a few Pilsners.

For most of June I have been running all over the community, re-visiting all of the 300 + houses to chat with the women about participating. I have fallen into a routine here, have developed a circle of friends, and find that I spend most of my time in the center of the community. Visiting the houses at the top and bottom of the community served as a much needed reminder, as I realized how many wonderful people live in my community. My first round of house visits, back in November, were stressful and filled with broken Spanish (on my part) and shyness (on their part). This time around, each house visit was enjoyable and pain free. Conversation flowed, coffee was prepared and the women and girl's seemed interested in the workshops. 

Views from the other side of the community, not too shabby! 

The truck can't make it up the road, but this super gringa can! 

A week after house visits, general assembly's and a presentation at the Iglesia de Dios, our community welcomed the World Connect team, who casually stopped in during their tour of El Salvador to check in on our progress.

https://www.worldconnect-us.org/discoverprojects/empowered-kitchen/  

I pulled together the best representatives of our little group and together we showed off what our little community has to offer. It was such a fun day for everyone, but I have to give props to my ladies- THEY KILLED IT! They were outgoing, open and shed their pena right away. They talked about their goals, their lives and families; how being apart of a group has made them realize that they, as women, matter. I was shocked, I was impressed and I had to hide my tears of joy. I have spent months getting to know these ladies, developing relationships and have had a few "heart to hearts" with them, and was so amazed at how much they had changed in such a short time. In the beginning questions about their dreams, their goals were met with blank stares, or simple answers. Now, they were talking about making their own money, teaching their daughters, and helping themselves! They also mentioned that I was going to get married and stay with them forever, somethings will never change. I wanted to hug each and everyone of them, this was the only "thank you" I need. There isn't a lot of validation in our work, but in this moment I was filled with pride, I finally felt like I had done something right! 

  Del Mira getting ready for her close up

Lights, cameras, bromas? 

After the visit, we got down to business and started cooking. Our first pre-workshop class was a lesson on Pizza. Since I can't even cook campo pizza, I called up Flora, a community member who studied in at a culinary institute in San Miguel, to come and lead the group. I like to think that my lack luster cooking skills are helping to develop local leaders. Flora and I decided to make our pizza's a little loco and strayed from the traditional cheese and pepperoni, instead choosing to make one Hawaiian and one Supreme. I assure you that the women though I was crazy when I told them the ingredients. While most had eaten pizza once or twice in their life, they had never heard of the pineapple ham combo. Needless to say it was a hit. We expected to have between 10-15 women show up, the average number of attendees at any meeting or activity, so when my house was packed with 30 participants we were over the moon! Turns out food from foreign lands is the key to their hearts! 

Chef Flora prepping the dough 

Look at that crowd. Two pizza's were not enough! 

Some of the women pitching in, still not sold on the idea of pineapple pizza