Skipping a week/Off to San Salvador

I decided to deal with the fact that I am a week behind in postings....hope you all forgive me. The reality is, I am off to Salvador tomorrow morning and the real deal begins after Yom Kippur.

Sadly, these past few weeks have been a nightmare for Salvador with an earthquake, mudslides, floods, and an erupting volcano completing the horrific picture. The US Embassy and my family in San Salvador have kept me up to date and hopefully things will be OK for Continental Airlines to drop me off around noon on Monday.

Yom Kippur is this week and I will be attending my first high holy day services in El Salvador. After the natural disasters subside and the holiday bustle has ended, I will start making the rounds. At the same time, I'll need to take care of some other business such as finding a way to get around town, a briefing with contacts at the Embassy, meeting fellow Fulbrights, and introducing myself to 60-65 (what is the latest count Sr. Presidente?) Jewish families plus one new Rabbi and Rebbetzin. At least there are other people who are also new on the block.

Thanks for your enormous support during these weeks of preliminary research. I hope you will continue to follow my stories as I get to know the beating pulse of this phenomenally diverse, fascinating, and ever-growing community.