Friday, August 06, 2004

The joys of impulsive traveling....

I booked a ticket to San Salvador today. Then I read the confirmation and realized I booked the wrong return date for September instead of august...I'm a winner. Then I realize I haven't traveled internationally since I got married last year so I still have a passport under my maiden name. Again...I'm a winner. Looks like I'll have my work cut out for me this next week trying to rectify all this.

I am very grateful to be working in a small yet effective non profit that is very laidback in nature. I was hesitant to ask for a week off so short notice--especially since I took a week off in July. I talked with my boss today who is such an amazing individual to begin with and she was completely supportive. I really appreciate my job and the atmosphere to explore life without being confined to strict scheduling. I am even more indebted to my husband who goes through all the headaches of working a 9-5er when that is even less his style than mine.

I feel a twinge of guilt knowing I'll be visiting David's country and his family which he longs to be with and yet can't at this point in time. Life is far more complicated right now when it comes to traveling for him.

It has been two years since I have been to El Salvador. Last time I was there for 3 months. This time I will be there a short week. Returning to Central America will be returning to many unique and deep friendships I made during my first trip. I look forward to the reunions with people that inevitably changed my life while I was there. When I was last there I was only David's girlfriend, now I'm the wife. I wonder if that'll make me somehow more accepted as "family" or if I'll just be that white girl that will always keep David from returning to El Salvador in their minds. (In reality, we'd move back in a moment if we were called by God and all the details regarding Ke'ano worked out here...But that is unlikely...I should know better than to say something like that now. God has a way of showing me how "likely" he can make things.)

I'm excited to have more conversations with my friends. When I was there last I'd only begun my endeavors with the Spanish language. Now, two years later, I use it almost daily in my job and feel confident to survive on my own.

Lastly, I hope to return to Archbishop Oscar Romero's grave at the national cathedral. I have never been one to be obsessed with the dead, or paying respects--however you want to call it, but Romero changed El Salvador. Romero went through a radical personal transformation. Romero strived to create a bridge between the Salvadoran Armies and the rebels during the long bloody civil war and he stood up for human life above all else. His body lies entombed in the basement of the cathedral. There is a small monument, but it is nothing gaudy or exorbitant. I remember it being peacefully quiet when i was there. I was alone. Just me and this spiritual leader.

I have begun to reminisce. more to follow i am sure.

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home