preparations!

There are a lot more things to do before the trip than I thought. I've been trying to figure out where to leave all my things before I go. I finally found a place big enough to leave my bed and other furniture. The best thing that happened this week was confirming with my contact about staying at her house! This will make my shadowing of her organization a lot easier. I was figuring out how I was going to be transporting myself while down there. This way I can avoid trying to drive myself or take the dangerous bus. I am leaving to El Salvador tomorrow and will be staying with her for a week, setting up the things I will need for my longer stay this summer. Even though I will mostly be shadowing her, lately I've been thinking--maybe I can do more than that.
She basically teaches the people in rural communities about staying healthy. I want to talk with her while I am there this week and get her insight about a possible topic that I could prepare and teach about.
I wan to practice my public health skills. Maybe we can set up a workshop where she teaches one half and I teach the other. Or maybe I can plan an activity that has to do with what we are talking about. And if we are going to teach children (which I would love) then maybe I can come up with some games to keep them engaged in what we are presenting to them. There really are a lot of things I can do to prepare.
I am very fortunate that we opportunity came up to be able to plan ahead with her. Also, I want to ask her if there are any materials that the organization needs, or that she needs for the workshop. Materials such as; color pencils, paint, boards, glue, etc. are much easier to get here rather than there. If I can fundraise and get them here before I go that would be great!
I haven't seen this lady since I was ten years old. So, I am also concerned about our relationship. I want to be helpful to her. I am still thinking of ways in which I can show her my commitment and appreciation for what she is doing to help me out. At the end of all this I don't want to just buy her some card... I will be thinking of this...

Good news, better news, and things I'm thinking about!

I've been doing some research... (source documents) and this is something that caught my attention:


"A pyrethroid is an organic compound similar to the natural pyrethrins produced by the flowers of pyrethrums. Pyrethroids now constitute a major commercial household insecticides In the concentrations used in such products, they may also have insect repellent properties and are generally harmless to human beings." 


Science is very advanced...we can definitely try to find a way to get rid of mosquitos without utilizing harming chemicals. these are good news.


Better news is the fact that I will be partnering with an organization called FUNDAMUNI. They deal with everything that I am very interested in doing. AND I have arranged to stay with their nutritionist while I am there. This is another aspect of health that I am very interested in!
This is their webpage fundamuni.org I am not sure if the page can translate--but there at least some cool images of their projects. 


Also, I've been reading this very interesting book by William Easterly. I will expand further on this later since its a very rich and relevant topic. 

science can beat it!

So, ive been reading... and there are these two types of mosquitos that carry the dengue fever. researchers are trying to find a way to eliminate them individually. which is good! but also it made me think about how this would affect the ecosystem.
The idea is to introduce this one insect that feeds on these mosquitos, that way avoiding pesticides and other harmful chemicals. my question is--how will this affect the rest of "the circle of life?"

WHY?

"The major source of surface water contamination is from untreated domestic and industrial waste disposal, as most effluent is released into the rivers and coastal areas without any treatment." 

And it matters because this can be stopped. 

Two years ago my own sister fell ill due to a water related problem. The community where we live (and most of El Salvador) try to cure the water with poison for mosquitos, however some of these practices are not the most efficient. My young sister was bit by a dengue infected mosquito. She was hospitalized. I feared for her life, we all did. This is inexcusable. I refuse to lose one of my loved ones to the mere fact that noting is being done to prevent this issue.

My sister was strong and made it through. But what about those children who are malnourished or cannot afford to go to the hospital? For the sake of them and my two other sisters currently living in El Salvador--something needs to be done. 

I need to help.

 Because I love them.

things are going well

ive been thinking a lot about what i want to do while i am back in my native el salvador. and what keeps jumping at me is WATER!!
how can we have so much of it and yet thousands of children die every year from water related issues. something can be done!
last week i read an article about a family that struggled to obtain water because the well they had always used was contaminated by the 2001 earth quake. the children of the family fell very ill and nearly died. at the end of the article the family along with 23 others received helped to dig a new well. the family thrived after this. its not starting a huge aid organization, just digging a well...thats all this family needed.
el salvador must be in trouble right now since this past summer it suffered through horrible floods. all i could think about were all the wells that must have been destroyed...
i need to plan plan plan!

I love El Salvador

While thinking about going abroad I began to ask myself, "Who can I help?"
I wanted to go find a community and try to make my part to improve it somehow. I was trying to think of problems I knew of.
Lack of sanitation, poor diet, water contamination, etc. All of which I remembered from El Salvador. And then it occurred to me. Here I was thinking where to go to help, when my own country needs me! I know the language and the culture... why not use this to the people's advantage when trying to help. So now I am going back! Helping out my own. Going back to the communities where I grew up and addressing the pressing issues that bothered me when I walked those streets.