This past month, I had the pleasure of staying in Playa El Tunco, El Salvador for one month. Yes, this is one of the countries that the US warns people not to go to due to high crime and their murder per capita rate. However, just like with anything, you have to do your own research. There are dangerous and fantastic parts in all cities and countries. Formally, I was there for a mentorship and to assist a 200 hour yoga teacher training program (YTT). I had just finished my 200hr yoga teacher training program, and I wanted to continue to learn more about pretty much everything. My original goal was to travel to El Salvador and then to continue traveling to see more and connect to my native, Latina roots.
While I was there, I met numerous incredible people who were kind, smart, and very fun. The culture of Central and South America is very different than the American culture. Everything is “no te preocupes. Mañana,” which means “don’t worry, it’ll happen tomorrow.” Essentially, the people prioritize relaxation, no stress, and siestas, or mid-day breaks, of which is something most Americans need more of. El Tunco also had a special party scene, where people would drink and dance to reggaeton in all the clubs. Sometimes the bars would have to compete with each other for who had the loudest music. It was incredibly fun to dance all night, even if you don’t understand all of the words.
When we first arrived, we all noticed that since we were in the rainy season/winter for the southern hemisphere, the beach was covered in rocks. All the sand was under the water, even during low tide. We learned that this is the season that a lot of experienced surfers come to visit because the waves are huge (6-7 ft in some areas!!), and most of the tourists are gone.
Every morning, I said good morning to the people that I saw, especially this warm hearted, old man who sat on the side of the road every day, all day. Since El Tunco is a small, surf town, everyone knows everyone and a lot of tourists come and go. They are there for the swells and the waves, and to party a little bit too. Since the women in the YTT and I were there for a month, we easily made friends and created a mini routine. While we were in class Monday through Friday from 6am to 6pm with a 3.5-hour break for breakfast/lunch, we were working more than we were playing. Sometimes on the weekends, we explored a bit or relaxed.
On one of our adventures, we visited the mountainous coffee region, near Apaneca, and other mountain towns in the region. Personally, this was my favorite area because it was lush rainforest in 70 degree Fahrenheit weather! It was 10-20 degrees cooler than the beach, and the flowers were blooming everywhere. I think I was the only one in our group who loves the mountains more than the beach. The reason I loved the mountain towns, other than just the mountains, is the culture. The streets became quiet at night, and there wasn’t the booming of the music. The silence, for me, was definitely needed after long and hard weeks. Walking through the older mountain towns allowed for the more authentic culture of El Salvador to shine through, I think. The next morning, my best friend and roommate, Taryn and I flowed in the grass of the hostel/house that we stayed at, took time to meditate, and soaked in the cooler, humid air. It felt like we had danced all night.
Part of our mountain adventure was visiting the most amazing coffee plantation, Lechuza Cafe (Google them and then plan to visit them. For real, they are incredible!). Completely organic and eco-friendly, they showed us how they created mini ecosystems on the plantation, so that the coffee trees would thrive. There was diversity among their ecosystem, with wind-preventing bushes, tall trees for shade, and orange and avocado trees for experimentation. Our guide explained to us all the different components and work that goes into making a pound of roasted coffee. In the end, we roasted our own beans, and tasted them with an espresso shot, as well as multiple coffee drinks. Seriously, the BEST cappuccino I have EVER had. Hands down.
My only regrets are not seeing more of the surrounding area of El Tunco and not taking as many photos as I wanted. Like I mentioned earlier, I wanted to continue to travel after the YTT and mentorship, but I ran out of money a lot faster than I thought. I don’t really regret the decisions I made because I had a lot of fun in the short month, and I can continue to travel for the rest of my life! Plus, the best gifts were that I made even more fantastic friends who are like-minded, support and love me, and are some of the funnest, most inspiring humans as well.
I believe that people, places, things (insert whatever) come into your life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. And sometimes you get the awesome option to have ⅔ for one person, place, or thing. I believe that I needed to be in El Salvador for that month, so that I could have the option to grow, love, connect, and experience something new. And for that, I am forever grateful to El Salvador, the people that I met, the friends I gained, and the experiences that I had.
PS: Photos coming soon!
xx