The "Just Do It" Approach

I used to be a big fan of all things Nike, but then I found myself unable to afford such products and didn't care for providing free advertising by having the logo plastered on everything I owned. Nike's promo tag, "Just Do It", on the other hand has proved useful for adjusting to life here in El Salvador.

1. Cold pila baths are rough in the morning and I usually try to acclimate my body little by little to the cold water I'm pouring over myself by doing one leg, then the other and then one arm and then the second one. The "Just Do It" approach involves holding my breath, squating and pouring one guacal (little bucket or tub) or freezing cold water over my back. Holding my breath keeps me from feeling like I'm about to have a heart attack.

2. Being somewhat of a spend-2-hours-in-the-kitchen-and-create-something-new-and-tasty afficionado, the lack of variety in the Salvadoran diet is something that is stretching my last nerve. My new approach: pupusas again for the third meal in a row? Just eat 'em. Beans and rice for the 3 day in a row? Suck it up and eat 'em. I'm getting accustomed to having the fun sucked out of things that I once enjoyed.

3. There are heaps of bugs here in El Salvador and I think about 78% of the country's population of flies lives in our host family's kitchen. Flies on your bread? Flies on your head? Just swat 'em. Just do it (lest you want to acquire som sort of fly-bourne stomach illness).

4. The pets here are apparently not house-trained. The pee and poo wherever they please. Sometimes they pee on our bedroom door. Sometimes they poo on the path that takes you to the toilet area. Just cover the pee with newspaper and jump over the poo.

5. The flesh-eating mosquitos are sometimes difficult to put up with, even with repellent, even with long sleeves on. Just slop on the repellent and slop on the anti-itch cream. Just slop it.

Just eat it. Just swat it. Just do it.