Why do gringos like to read so much?

I’ve been reading a lot lately. More than I ever did in the states. Work type stuff is kind of slow down here. Even defining what is or isn’t work is a bit blurry. I’ve been explicitly told that for my first few months here, my main focus should be getting to know people, becoming a part of the community, and gaining trust so that I can actually get some people organized and make some things happen here. I’m working with a group that functions as the local community board to set up a water committee to be in charge of administration and maintenance of the water project under construction in the village right now. I’m not quite quick enough with my Spanish to participate much in the meetings yet; there are usually somewhere between two and four people talking at any given minute. Instead of jumping into the arguments, I participate more by talking to people individually before and after the meetings. They have a running joke that I’m Jimmy Carter’s nephew, and that the former president is going to attend one of our weekly meetings sometime soon. I was pleasantly surprised that this group of middle aged Salvadoran men knew their US history so well.

Somehow my taste buds know when it’s Friday and they beg me to feed them a delicious, cold beer. Drinking is a part of life in rural El Salvador, but only for those who get trashed at 8 in the morning and beg for quarters the rest of the day to keep the buzz going. Social drinking doesn’t exist from what I can tell. It’s all or nothing. Different story in the capital, of course. Just like in the states, rural and urban lifestyles are wildly different.

At first I swore I was going to find my own house here in the village as soon as possible. I’m starting to re-think that a bit as I realize how good I have it where I’m living now. They’re not always mouth watering, but I get three meals a day prepared for me by Niña Blanca. I always have someone to hang out with, between Lucho and his cousin 18 year old cousin Alex, who also lives there. I have a hammock in my room and mango trees out back. There is a TV with cable, which I’m really looking forward to for when the World Cup starts. Also, they have a washing machine. I kind of wanted to leave that last part out in case any of my Peace Corps friends are reading this, because I know they will hate me for it. Washing clothes sucks here. It takes hours to wash everything by hand, and the clothes get worn and stretched out quickly. Who would have thought that there would be a washing machine in a house without running water? Anyways, I’m not sure exactly how long I’m going to stay with the family, but it’s definitely going to be longer than the mandatory two months. For the very least, until the World Cup is over.

I got sick for the second time since arriving in El Salvador last Friday. Another bout of what is formally known as Gastrointestinal Illness. No amount of anti-diarrheal medicine could help me and I was horribly dehydrated. I could barely summon the energy to get out of bed and walk to the latrine at the end of the first day, and on my 11th trip (yes, I counted) I got dizzy, stumbled into a wall and threw up four times in a row. My vision got blurry and I felt cold in the midday sun although I was sweating, and I heard Rosa wonder aloud if they needed to take me to the hospital. I mumbled that the hospital wasn’t necessary, but a cup of water would be nice. I felt a bit stronger after chugging a couple powerades, got some antibiotics a bit later after a trip to the city by bus during which I successfully avoided pooping in the aisle, and felt significantly better each following day as the medicine did its thing to fight what was diagnosed as a bacterial infection in my stomach. My apologies to anyone who is disturbed by such frank discussion of bowel movements. It’s so common amoung Peace Corps volunteers here that we no longer have any filter when it comes to talking about it.

As I said earlier, I have been reading a lot lately. This fascinates Lucho and Alex. Why do gringos like to read so much, they ask me? It’s boring, they say, gives you a headache. I haven’t come up with an answer that satisfies them yet, so they keep asking me every few days when they catch me sprawled out in my hammock with a book.

Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve read lately. I brought a couple books, inherited a bunch from volunteers who finished their two year service and headed home, and I’ll probably ask some of you to send me more eventually.

The Idiot by Dostoevsky - didn’t like it at all, it was my first shot at one of the great Russian authors and I was bored with it the whole way through. The main character was pitiful and impotent.

Shogun by James Clavell - Over 1,100 pages and I wanted it to be longer. I’ll definitely read more by him at some point. Interesting historical fiction based in Japan. It has love, fighting and culture clash. Good enough that I had a dream about it the night I finished it.

An End to Vandalism by Tom Drury - Based in small town Iowa. Reminded me a lot of visiting my Grandparents in Paullina when they lived there. Didn’t really seem to have a point but it was compelling anyways. Mom, I think you would like this one.

City of Thieves by David Benioff - Really quick read. Great characters and dialogue. I read this one in just a few hours. Based during WWII in Russia.

Rebel Radio: The Story of El Salvador’s Radio Venceremos - A history of the underground radio station of the rebel forces during El Salvador’s civil war of the 80’s and early 90’s. Told by a shifting group of narrators. It’s hard to know what is true and what is propoganda, but it felt authentic nonetheless.

What is the What by Dave Eggers - Sudanese refugees treck across three countries, live in refugee camps and some eventually are moved to the United States. The refugee parts were the heart of the book, but my favorite parts of the book were the descriptions of the awkwardness of their lives in America.

The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos - Crime fiction about cops and criminals in NYC. By the guy who wrote The Wire. Definitely going to read more by him.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - Not my favorite book ever, but it was alright. Doesn't exactly inspire the urge to visit Afghanistan.

Hasta la proxima, mis amigos. Cuidense.