It's been a while

I don't think I could ever be a professional blogger.  My readers would riot if I posted so irregularly ... Oh, wait. I post irregularly anyway.  Thank you for not rioting, faithful readers.

March was, well, fast.  Pretty uneventful up until the end of the month.  On the 19th I went with my host mom and her two boys to a patron saint festival out in the country.  Fact: many towns and villages are named for Catholic saints, so on or around the particular saint's day for which the town is named, they throw a huge fiesta.  For those of you in PA / "the Cove", think Martinsburg's July 4th festival, but on a smaller scale.  There is junk food (read: fried yucca, French fries, STEAK, pupusas), fireworks, music, a procession, and dancing.  Oh, and cheap beer for those who choose to partake.  I had a lovely time away from the city, meeting Claudia's family and friends, and making new friends.  And the dance was a blast, even though it was less merengue and salsa and more reggaeton.

The church in San Jose.

Only the bell tower and entrance are original.  The rest was destroyed in the civil war, but has been rebuild by the residents of the village.

Processional

Patron Saint of San Jose ... Jose

The next day was like a family reunion.  Everyone hanging around Claudia's cousin's house, eating fresh mangoes, visiting, relaxing in hammocks.  And did I remember to take photos?  Nope.  Too busy trying not to get up and thus lose my hammock!