Religion: Physical Challenge

Before I start this blog entry, I just want to make a quick comment. I have read over my previous entries, and I just want to let everyone know that the sarcastic or humorous stuff is in no way a cheap shot at El Salvador or the amazing people here that have done nothing but accept me so far. The jokes and sarcastic comments are just ways for me to vent out my frustrations of adapting to a new culture, being the outsider, being far away from home, and leaving many things behind cold-turkey… if they had a nicorette gum for leaving great friendships and family behind, I would be hooked.

OK – so after doing all that is “La Semana Santa”, man do I have a lot of information to process and translate. If there is one thing I have learned, Catholicism as a whole is without a doubt taken a lot more serious here. This is a solid comparison – let’s say Catholicism back home is an average professional baseball player. Solid arm, good foot speed, can hit the ball and makes some great plays every now and then (lets not forget he looks great in a uniform). In Monileros, Catholicism is Barry Bonds. Crushing homeruns, stealing bases, hopped up on steroids and just owning the record books. Religion is on steroids here. I realize that is a funny or unusual comparison, but I really do not mean anything negative about back home or hear with all of the above. It is just very obvious that there are major differences. I tell people that I am a Catholic here and they laugh at me as if I am a lightweight. This brings out my competitive side and leads to the following: In the last four days I went to over 8 masses, spent hours at the church cleaning and preparing, and also participated in a procession in which I was one of six guys that helped carry a 250 pound tomb of Jesus throughout the canton for an hour and a half – I did this on three separate occasions. I have bruises on my hombres (shoulders) to prove it. Last night I went to mass at 8 pm, and got home by 12:30am just in time to get to sleep so that I could wake up by 6 am to get to mass. Other Peace Corps Volunteers have told me that everyone in the community has been talking about the Gringo that was very involved in the events – which honestly is a pretty cool feeling because I am really trying to find my way here. I finally know what rushing a frat is like… Lambi Si Phi Salvador for life!!!!
After some serious thought I am beginning to realize why religion is so different here. I am surrounded by amazing, kind hearted, all around great people back home – and I am not placing judgement on the way we live. However, in comparison to the people here – we have so many amenities, privileges and over all benefits of living in the United States that take up a considerable large amount of our time. Middle class in the Untitled State is absolutely WEALTHY compared to life here. The people in Monileros work hard all day, have their families, and have religion. It is simple, pure, and a lot of effort is poured into all three. It is very humbling to live among people that thank God everyday for the absolute essentials, when I know for a fact that I have complained about not having all the little extras that I absolutely do not need. I guess with all those comforts it is kind of easy to loose sight of what is really important. (I am not trying to preach to all of you, this is purely some self-reflection at the end of a long day). It is going to be a hard, yet amazing experience living in such conditions for an extended period of time.

Other then that, the Spanish has kind of taken a turn for the worst. I feel like I am not learning anything right now. I have a very hard time understanding my house family. It is either young kids talking, very fast and quiet; or my house parents, who are older and mumble. I hope things pick up, I have been studying and am not seeing any great results just yet. I still have a ton of time to get back at it though.