By: Laura Castañeda
Published: Saturday, August 9, 2014
El Salvador - The Beauty and the Beast
Standing on one of the world's most noted surfing spots in the world, "El Tunco", I felt a bit of sadness for the people who live in El Salvador. People who just like the rest of us, want a better life, and want to make an honest living.
I watched the surfers ride those waves, as tourists in the distance snapped photos and danced to the music in the restaurants and bars along the beach.
But even among the scenic beauty there was the beast. Armed security guards and police keeping an eye out for the gangs which plague this small but beautiful country.
In my short time spent in the thriving city of San Salvador, I had the opportunity to talk with everyday townspeople and the law enforcement officers who are trying to protect them.
Everything American is appealing to the people here. Everything from Levis, to McDonald's. This despite the raw actions of our U.S. Congress and everyday Americans who protested the arrival of women and children fleeing the violence in El Salvador and other Central American countries.
The passion, the people, the culture, and the food are something magical, and I will carry that inside me for quite some time. El Salvador is unique in its will to survive.
I watched the surfers ride those waves, as tourists in the distance snapped photos and danced to the music in the restaurants and bars along the beach.
But even among the scenic beauty there was the beast. Armed security guards and police keeping an eye out for the gangs which plague this small but beautiful country.
In my short time spent in the thriving city of San Salvador, I had the opportunity to talk with everyday townspeople and the law enforcement officers who are trying to protect them.
Everything American is appealing to the people here. Everything from Levis, to McDonald's. This despite the raw actions of our U.S. Congress and everyday Americans who protested the arrival of women and children fleeing the violence in El Salvador and other Central American countries.
The passion, the people, the culture, and the food are something magical, and I will carry that inside me for quite some time. El Salvador is unique in its will to survive.
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