Who's teaching who?

Although my days can be filled on a daily basis by teaching English almost whenever I want (literally I have both students and teachers from the morning and afternoon asking when I might be stopping in their class), I have stuck to teaching in the afternoon with the middle/high school kids. It's been a lot of work I finished grading over 160 tests and compiling the final grades for all of those students (and that's just middle school). However I had asked to do that so I could begin to learn some of the names of the students and so that I could gain a better grasp on how the tests I created for the students went for them. I found several areas that I can help them with for the following tests and although excitement is there I am quite happy to have a little break. The system used here is different that what I am accustomed to as they use a scale of 5-10 for grading, 5 being failing (or just passing) and 10 being like an A.

It has also been an educational experience for me every day in the classroom, with consistent reminders from the teachers and students about my pronunciation or just complete bewilderment as to what I am trying to explain. Nonetheless I ask for the feedback to help both me and the students gain more understanding. Obviously my Spanish background is not that same as what they learned so we need to meet somewhere in-between. Daily frustration is common, although I generally look foreword to the obstacles I encounter with optimism and have found my patience growing. That said I have grown attached to the students for their effort, energy, and growth they have already shown during the first few months (the school year starts in January). While English is the subject we spend time with in class, I have told the students that what I am really trying to do is encourage independent thinking. Hopefully we can accomplish some of that and learn from each other during my time here.

Selling God?

While riding the bus here in El Salvador, one can experience many things: loud ranchera music (or english songs from the 80s) blasting in your ear; the regular beggars that tug at your heart-strings with their sad stories and appearances; people trying to sell you everything from food, toys for children, or vitamins that can ¨save your life¨ (along with every possible thing you can think of, in fact that could be a blog entry in itself); and finally what this entry is all about deeply zealous religious people trying to save your soul.

Recently we experienced a 2 hour bus ride to our community where 3 nuns and a minister boarded with a mission. Their mission, as they told us, was to use this time to share to us the Glory of God, Alleluia. The trip began with some brief speeches about why we needed saving and we are all sinners who have no hope without the belief of God in our lives. From there they mixed in some songs which were all sung with the support of an electric portable speaker, although none of them sung very well. Throughout this time the rest of the people on the bus went along their business not really paying to much attention those pleading with us to ¨connect to God¨ right now, and not let another moment pass us by.

I found myself interested with what they had to say, because as a non-Christian who has found much more of a spiritual connection with meditation and Buddhist teachings, I was curious how they would discuss other spiritual beliefs. Yet not surprisingly I found what they had to say limiting and pinpointing a one-dimensional directional path to God. The group may have sensed the disinterest on the bus and felt they needed to take a quite frequently practiced bad parenting approach… ¨If they don’t seem to hear you, TALK LOUDER!¨ When the bus started to fill up and people standing had no room to move the group, who had positioned themselves early on in the ride toward the middle of the bus, brought out a mega-phone or loudspeaker normally used outside at large gatherings. Only a few feet away from us and right next to some people on the bus they began to sing, preach, and cry out stories of pain and punishment they had received and how turning to God had saved them.

I really have endured many a loud music bus but the sound of a mega-phone on a stripped down bus (which really has nothing more than metal that the sound reverberates off) of was deafening. I had my fingers in my ears as did many of the Salvadorans (which I had never seen before). I told Melissa I think I need to tell them that if they don’t cover up the loudspeaker with a shirt or something to dull the sound, they might find many of God’s children deaf from their own message. However a older Salvadoran man beat me to the punch to ask them not to use the mega-phone, which is a big deal many Salvadorans are genuinely to polite at the cost of their ears or other discomforts. Nonetheless he was blown off by the group much to the chagrin of myself and other passengers who asked him of their response.

Our stop couldn’t come quick enough that day and we found ourselves talking with a Salvadoran along our walk about the frequency of these experiences. We have encountered evangelicals before, and in fact I have close evangelical friends both here in El Salvador and in the US, yet my concern is how religion was being ¨sold¨ on that bus much like other commercial items. People have also come house to house in our community selling everything from kitchen needs, towels, and pictures often in the name of God or some other religious sect. I have spoken to several evangelicals as they have passed by our community in large groups visiting each house talking to anyone who will listen about God. I experienced this before in the states but to me it seems even more connected to commercialism here in El Salvador.

Top 10 reasons outdoor showers are better

10. There’s no echo when you sing

9. The beautiful views

8. You can clean your flip-flops at the same time

7. You can talk to your neighbors while bathing

6. If you shower at night you can look at the stars

5. You can get a tan while you shower

4. You can clean dishes while you shower

3. Don’t waste as much water

2. The sun and the wind dry you off before you can grab your towel

1. If you need to go to the bathroom, you don’t have to go far

Getting back to simplicity

At many times in our lives we can feel ¨off¨ or unbalanced which often speaks of a need for refocusing in order to reenergize ourselves. Melissa and I had been feeling this way for quite some time now, at least dating back to sometime last October, for a variety of reasons. We had spent a good amount of time with family between November and January which was the good stuff, and we also have been sick on and off (most on for me) in addition with extending our temporary residency both of which have brought us back to the city more times than we would have liked. Interruptions in our routine as well as the inability to create new routines for ourselves have bubbled into feelings of ¨what am I doing here¨ and ¨am I valuable?¨. When we look at these questions through the lenses of accomplishments the answers can be pretty grim. Yet when we refocus and look at ourselves in terms of positive relationships developed and other non-measurable evolutions that have taken place within ourselves and the community we begin to see our place and our value.

It has gone without saying for me that I have tried for the last several years to simplify my life in terms of materialism and needs both with and without success. Melissa has also jumped onboard this journey with me and together we are proud to say that we feel the journey is worth more than the arrival. The fact is that we are continually ready to adjust our lifestyles so that we will improve our ability to support, help, and connect with the poor in this world. I had mentioned before that we have been keeping track of our daily spending because 1) we don’t receive a lot and need to spend it wisely and 2) we have felt it is important to feel what the struggle of families who are living on minimum wage or less. During this last month we cut down our spending to nearly 12 dollars a day between the two of us (That includes all spending: food, transportation, water, electricity, cleaning supplies, money to call home or in using computers, and other desired goods.) A smart person could say that we were just living off of all the food our parents had brought to fatten us up, yet one cannot live on peanut butter and chocolate alone… or can they?

Jokes aside how we spend our money is only a small part of simplicity, other areas really have do with practicing compassion both within ourselves and towards others. We have a tendency to complicate our lives even here in El Salvador, so I am reminded of the words from the Dhammapada, a collection of important teachings from the Buddha:

Live in Joy

Live in Joy, In love,
Even among those who hate.

Live in joy, In health,
Even among the afflicted.

Live in joy, In peace,
Even among the troubled.

Look within. Be still.
Free from fear and attachment,
Know the sweet joy of living in the way.

~

There is no fire like greed,
No crime like hatred,
No sorrow like separation,
No sickness like hunger of heart,
And no joy like the joy of freedom.

Health, contentment and trust
Are your greatest possessions,
And freedom your greatest joy.

Look within. Be still.
Free from fear and attachment,
Know the sweet joy of living in the way.