Cast of Characters

My “nuclear” host family:

– Tomasa (Castro), 77 years old

– Gilma (Ana Gilma Meléndez Cruz), 38 years old, Tomasa’s daughter-in-(common)-law

1. Paty (Elsy Patricia Meléndez Castro), Gilma’s daughter, 16 years old, in her second (out of three) year of high school studying administrative assistance.
2. Tomasita, Gilma’s daughter, 14 years old, in 8^th (?) grade
3. Rosi, Gilma’s daughter, 9 years old, in 4^th grade, likes to draw me little pictures
4. Mónica, Tomasa’s granddaughter but treated like Gilma’s daughter (her parents live in the U.S.), 4 years old

 

Tomasa’s extended family:

Children:

– Chendo, late 30s?, was Gilma’s common-law husband before he went to the U.S., lives in Houston and apparently has a new woman

1. Paty – see above
2. Tomasita – see above
3. Rosi – see above

– Lupe, early 40s?, lives in San Salvador but visits almost every weekend. I think she fought as a guerrillera in the war. Has a son in college in Uruguay.

– Berta, 50s?, lives in San Salvador

1. Iris, lives in San Marcos. Husband in the U.S.
   1. Manuelito (Wilber), about 11 years old, likes video games and fast food
   2. Astrid, about 10 years old, has beautiful long black hair
   3. Bea, turned 1 year old my first week here
2. Enrique, lives in Chalatenango
3. Laura “Chagua,” lives in San Marcos

– Mari – lives in Australia

– Ana María – Mónica’s mother, lives in the U.S.

 

 

Other:

– Don Moncho (Ramón?), Tomasa’s brother, 60s?, lives next door

– Daisy, Don Moncho’s wife

1. Mito (Guillermo), 20 years old

2. Gloria, Mito’s common-law wife

– María Inez, teenaged granddaughter of Don Moncho and Daisy

– María Paz, Don Moncho’s niece (?), 40s, lives in the other house next door

1. Gabi, Paz’s teenage daughter

 

 

Gilma’s extended family:

– Mario – dad, lives in La Papalota with Ventura

– Abel – brother, lives in La Papalota near Ventura

– Mario – brother, lives in La Papalota with Ventura (?)

– Ventura – sister, mid-30s, is a consultant for Avon and a few other similar companies. Single and technically childless, although she takes care of

1. Heidi, Ventura’s niece (Abel’s daughter), about 10 years old, lived in Manassas Virginia for about a year, spent a month in (illegal immigrant) prison, scares me a little bit.

2. Fabi – Ventura’s niece (Cande’s daughter?), 3 years old, very cute but very moody

– María – youngest sister, lives in La Noria

– Cande – sister, lives in Houston

– Memo – youngest brother, lives in Houston

– Dora – sister, lives in Houston (legally!)

People from work:

In the administrative office in San Nicolás:

– Don Luis – 60s, president of Asociación Mangle’s General Board, a bit of a windbag, Estela’s father

– Estela – 30s, member of the General Board, organizational strengthening, volunteers, big feminist, pretty awesome

– Carmen Argueta – late 30s?, General Board, in charge of the commercialization branch, hangs out with Don Luis a lot

– Rigo – General Board, not sure what he does

– Karina – early 20s, secretary

– Chepe – mid-20s, admin. and computer guy

– Erika – mid-30s, admin. and office manager, slightly intimidating

– Brendali – early 20s, admin., stares at me when I’m really sweaty

– David Marroquin – 20, works with youth programs and sort of took over his dad’s job of accompanying delegations after his dad died just before I got here, also in Robyn’s advanced theater group.

– Nohé – 29, President of Ciudad Romero, works with bits of organizational strengthening, youth programs, and some FMLN stuff. Pretty amazing guy (wrote a book about the history of Ciudad Romero, plays guitar, sings, etc.), but also has to be the center of attention, which can get annoying.

– Salomón – 50s?, admin., in charge of political school

– Robyn – 23, my fellow “gringa” volunteer, sponsored by ArtCorps, in charge of the youth theater program

– Scott – “gringo” business grad student intern

 

 

Usually in the Quiriguá office in San Salvador:

– Arístides – 40s, Asociación Mangle’s Executive Director (and also Departmental Director for the FMLN in Usulután), trained as an economist, gets stuff done. Also pretty awesome.

– Carmen de Arriola – mid 30s, sort of Arístides’ assistant, studying for a business degree, basically in charge of the community stores project and much of the cashew project

– Armando – 48, very short, was my (pretty annoying) boss until he almost severed his finger and had to spend a month and a half recuperating, now working on the fertilizer project. Has told both Gilma and Loli that he’s in love with them.

 

 

Around the office in San Nicolás:

– Luis Orellano – in charge of infrastructure projects (improved houses, stoves, and latrines)

– Eugenio – helps Luis sometimes, is in the theater group from La Canoa

– Leo – in charge of vehicle maintenance and general handyman.

– Don Sixto – gardener. Very quiet and mysterious.

– Colombia – housekeeper, in charge of odd jobs like making (and sometimes serving) the coffee. We give each other hugs every morning and often eat lunch together.

1. José Luis – Colombia’s teenage son, in Robyn’s theater group
2. Dago- Colombia’s little son, smart and adorable

 

 

Vigilantes (Security Guards) in San Nicolás:

– Ismael – has a messed-up eye and sort of stutters, so I almost never understand what he’s saying.

– Don Roberto – has a messed-up hand and about 6 bullet wounds from the war, married to one of the storekeepers.

– Vidal – also works in the cashew plant, good friends with Loli and Gilma

– René (Necho)

 

 

Environment office in San Nicolás:

– Don Carlos

– María Antonia (Toñita)

– Oscar

– Nathan – “gringo” grad student volunteer from California

 

 

 

Técnicos (agricultural technicians who usually work on the farm in Ciudad Romero but drop by the office in San Nicolás now and then):

– Malvin

– Álvaro

– Amílcar

– Juan Luna – head of the técnicos

– Leonisio

 

 

Cashew Ladies (San Nicolás):

– Loli – member of the General Board and in charge of the cashew project, Gilma’s best friend.

– Mabel

1. Félix, 25

2. Herbert, 28

– Yaneth

– Cecy

– Eduviges – Gilma’s “comadre”

– Marlene (daughter) & Carmen (mother)

 

 

Radio Boys (San Nicolás):

– Wil

– Ever

– Cleto

– Lisandro

– Mario

 

 

Stores:

– Gilma (my host mom) in San Nicolás

– Balbino, 23, formerly in charge of the San Nicolás store/warehouse. Not an especially hard worker, whistles at most of the females he sees and thinks nothing of having a few “friends” in addition to a girlfriend, but still somehow ended up being pretty much my only friend.

– Guillermo, 40s, Carmen de Arriola’s brother, has a semi-mullet and a pot belly, works as a “motorista” and sometimes drives the truck for purchasing or delivering products.

– Tacho, 23, was hired to help with the fertilizer project, was sort of my supervisor for a few days before they ran out of money to pay him. Is one of the few people here who got legally married, but is now separated from his wife and can’t afford a real divorce.

– Erika Romero, 18?, was in charge of the Ciudad Romero store until she quit (health problems or just not wanting to do it anymore?), also in Robyn’s advanced theater group.

– Sandra in El Mono, husband (Luis?) in the military (even though they’re a good FMLN family) and apparently served in Iraq. Is just a lovely woman – I always want to hug her.

1. Alfonso

2. Fátima

3. Jefferson

– María Santos in Nueva Esperanza, husband Don Roberto, short and talkative

1. Dania – likes to tickle me
2. Javier – high school age, also in Robyn’s theater group

– María Pilar in Las Mesas, husband Israel, calls me almost every day to ask when we’re going to bring new products, and we still manage to have lots of miscommunications. Used to have a hard time using decimals and doing basic math on her daily sales sheets, but has improved greatly.

1. Israel

2. Antonio

– Paula Cruz in La Solidaridad

– María Berta Pineda in La Amistad

– Telma Márquez in San Francisco Javier, her daily sales sheets almost always add up right to the cent, which by itself makes me love her, but she’s also just a lovely person.

 

 

Office/dorms in Ciudad Romero:

– Germán Reyes

– Germán ?

– Gonzalo

– Lorena

 

 

 

Neighbors:

– Niña Chunga

1. Cecy – works in the cashew plant
2. Sulma – tomboy, asks for help with English homework once in a while
3. Chando – sells bread from his bike
4. Omar – Juana, has a small store, Gilma buys “quesillo” from her to make pupusas
   1. Milagro
5. Fernando – Chunga’s grandson (parents in U.S.)

– Rigo

– Carlos & Elena

1. Jordan
2. new baby

– Yessica – Elena’s sister

 

– Loli & Andrés

1. Tito (Tomás)
2. Beatriz
3. Alicia
4. Natalie
5. José

 

– Niña Vicenta (‘Chentía’) – short hair, Fondo de Emergencia representative for El Mono (?), full of nervous energy, married to Santiago

1. Tomás

 

– Elly – often sings at church

1. Katia – has a Kim Kardashian butt
2. Verónica – Paty’s friend

 

Miscellaneous:

– Padre Dominic – the Belgian Catholic priest who doesn’t seem to like me very much (and visits my house whenever Lupe’s here)

– Iris and Evelyn – Mónica’s twin cousins

– Flor – lived in Ciudad Romero, made food for my meal group when I tagged along with the delegation of artists

– Virgilio – Nohé’s youngest brother, from Ciudad Romero but lives in San Salvador during the week to go to college

– Cristina – Nohé’s older sister in Ciudad Romero, Robyn’s host mom

– Luis – Paty’s boyfriend

– Martha – Loli’s sister (and Scott’s host mom), FMLN municipal councilwoman for Jiquilisco

1. Nelson
2. Karina (secretary from the office)

– Anabella – FSSCA employee in El Salvador, lives in San Salvador, leads delegations

– Antonio – brother of Chencho, founder of FSSCA, drives for delegations

– Noah – “gringo” who works for the Episcopal Church, lives in Jiquilisco

– Audrey – “gringa” who volunteered for a bit with La Coordinadora and now with the Episcopal Church, lives in Jiquilisco, has a sister who’s an Episcopal priest in San Salvador

– Caín – Salvadoran lay minister who lives/works with Noah in Jiquilisco

– Rosie Ramsey – “gringa” who works for Voices on the Border and lives in La Canoa

– Orquídea – 10-year-old girl customer at store

– Oswaldo – cute little boy who buys a lot of beans at the store (to resell?)

– Edith – Brendali’s sister and Cleto’s wife

– Maritza – pregnant girl who works at the ‘comedor’ down the street from the office and often buys 1.5 lbs. of “arroz precocido”

– Yamileth – customer at store, in 7^th grade, helped record sales and give change once

– Blanca – beautiful middle-aged lady, lives somewhere up the road and goes to the Catholic church

– Ermini – funny older-middle-aged Catholic lady

– Carmen – old Catholic lady with white hair (even eyelashes)

– Aminta – opened the new “chalet” in La Papalota, is the president of Papalota’s ‘junta directiva’

– Olvidio – sat at my table in the “pupusería” on blood donation day, lives in Amando López

– Don Julio – has something to do with the Fondo de Emergencia

– Freddy Perla – it somehow involved with Robyn’s project, studying social sciences

– Niña Tita (Martha) “La Profe” – a “people-mover” in Mata Piña, teacher at the school

1. José – goes to university on weekends, plays guitar in church and teaches guitar lessons

– Chave (Isabel) – Loli’s sister, lives in Mata Piña, son was killed in SS

1. Mariyita (María Isabel)

– Niña Julia – member of La Papalota’s “junta directiva,” heavily involved in women’s groups, came to the “Patrimonio Cultural” workshop

– Tania Molina – generally very artistic person who works with Robyn on the monthly Youth Leadership through theater workshops and is one of the 8 national directors of the Patrimonio Cultural project.

 

 

 

Animals:

Gilma’s cows

– Sombra

– Princesa

– Estrellita

– Bonito

 

Cats

– Mitch (belongs to Lupe/Tomasa)

– Chiquita and Mona (belong to Robyn)

 

Dogs

– Oso (died not too long after I got here)

– Tigre (Don Moncho)

– Rocky (Don Moncho)

– Escooby (Gabi)

– El Capitán (Don Moncho)

 

Raccoons

– Kiara (Martha)

Pigs

– Negrito (Rosi)

Other:

– Jenifer Yamileth “Princesita” – the bus that took us on the mine field trip and to donate blood and was made in Conway, Arkansas

– Félix Rodríguez – the bobble-leg turtle on Karina’s desk