Reflective Posting

I think blogging as a major activity for a college writing assignment is a whole lot better than writing a tradition paper because out of all of my writing projects this is the one I have enjoyed and learned from at the same time. It was most definitely helpful because I learned how to be more creative with my writing, and I also learned how to open and post on my blog. It also made me want to do a better job because I know more than just the teacher had access to my postings.I think this is the best writing assignment I have accomplished.

Our Flag

The flag of El Salvador was adopted on September 27, 1972 

The El Salvador flag is described as follows:Three equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, and blue.The national coat of arms is centered in the white band.The coat of arms features a round emblem encircled by the words Republica De El Salvador En La America Central.

The colors on the El Salvador flag represent the following: White - peace and honesty; Blue - the sea and the sky- vigilance, truth and loyalty, perseverance & justice.

The El Salvador Coat of Arms emblem depicts

1. The five flags five fraternal Central American countries  - El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica
2. 14 laurel leaves the number of States
3. The phrygian cap of liberty
4. 5 volcanos represent the five nations in the Central American isthmus ( isthmus - a narrow strip of land connecting two larger masses of land )
5. The two oceans - Pacific & Atlantic
6. Equilateral triangle representing the equality of individuals
7. Rainbow representing Hope
8. The knot represents Unity  

I love my flag, and I think it is one of the most beautiful flags in the world. My flags colors are all of my favorite colors as well. The meaning of the flag is just as powerful as it is peaceful. Also the El Salvadorian flags coat of arms is a one of the the most meaningful coat of arms, and it is the best representation of my country.

National flag of El Salvador.(n.d.).World Flags 101. Retrived December 9,2010,from http://www.worldflags101.com/e/elsalvador-flag.aspx

Culture Report

Culture Name 

salvadoreño

Alternative Names

Salvadoran,Guanaco

Identification. El Salvador "the Savior," was named by Spanish conquistadors. Guanaco, a type of bird, is a slightly derogative nickname used by other Central Americans and some Salvadorans.

Spoken language.Almost all residents speak Spanish, which was brought in by the conquistadors. Before the Spanish, the area was inhabited by the Pipil’s. Very few Salvadorans now speak the indigenous language, which virtually disappeared after 1932, when General Maximilio Hernández Martínez suppressed rural resistance by massacring 30,000 mostly Pipil’s. Those who survived la Matanza ("the massacre") hid their Indian identity by changing their dress and speaking only Spanish. Some remnants of the Pipil language remain in everyday Salvadoran Spanish.

Religious Beliefs. El Salvador is 75 percent Roman Catholic but has a growing Protestant movement. The Catholic Church returned to its traditional conservative stance after the end of the civil war. Among Protestant denominations such as Pentecostal have had the largest growth. 

But what I think that it is horrible that  El Salvador's spoken language is Spanish. The Spanish came to our country to kill our people and they pushed us to speak their language. They also forced their  culture on us, and they made us lose our indigenous ways. But the past is in the past now, but it still upsets me how the Spanish took our indigenous people.

Culture.(n.d.).El Salvador N. America. Travel Documents Systems. Retrived December 9,2010,fromhttp://www.traveldocs.com/sv/culture.htm

Salvadorian Music

Cumbia

The Rhythm of El Salvador

        Cumbia is the national music listened too and is one most popular music listened to by the El Salvadorians. This music can be heard every where in El Salvador, It is used in El Salvador for times of parties, get togethers, and for person pleasure. Cumbia is a music that has and fast or slow pace it rhythm also has origins that are both central american natives and african influence. The  instrument used to make the rhythm are accordion, electric bass, conga, guira, trombone, guitar and occasional keyboard.

 

El Salvador has many famous groups that sing Cumbia such as Los Hermanos Flores, Aniceto Molina, Orchestra San Vicente, Groupo Bravo, and Sangre Morena. The music is every where in El Salvador. It’s like a bakery baking fresh bread and the smell that travels through the streets. It can be heard for restaurants, vehicles, street corners, markets, and homes. This music is said to lift the spirit of people when they are feeling down. 

Music of El Salvador. (2010, october14) Wikipedia. Retrieved November 4,2010, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_El_Salvador.

Signature El salvadorian Dishes

The Flavor Of Central America

These pictures are of some of my favorite El Salvadorian dishes. The big picture is a picture of riguas, the top picture is a picture of sopa de mariscada, and the last picture is a picture of Pupusas. El salvador food is different from the surrounding countries, it is like El Salvador has its own different flavor. We have a lot of things that set us apart like our famous pupusas they are a El salvadorian original we are the only country that eats them. Even our tortillas are different from Guatemala's, and Nicaragua's tortillas. Our tortillas are thicker and are made of corn flour and the surrounding countries tortillas are small and paper thin.

The pupusa is a corn flour tortilla with an inner layer that has cheese, meat and cheese, or beans and cheese.  They are The pupusa is every where in El salvador they are sold in every you go at the market, road corners, even they are sold on push carts. the pupusa are sold in their own special restaurants called pupusarias. The sopa de mariscada is a soup that is usually ate that the beach or on special occasions. The sopa de mariscada (seafood soup) is a soup is a soup that is made of seafood it consist of 

shrimp,crab,clams,and lobster. It also has vegetable such as green peppers, tomato,onions and cilantro. The soup also comes in a cream based soup as well and this is my favorite version of the soup. It is served with a piece of lime and fresh pico de gallo. These side are to be added riguas are my personal favor a rigua is a food that is sold every where in El Salvador just like the pupusa. The rigua is like a fresh corn tamale that is flat with fresh cheese that is similar to mozzarella but not as salty. the rigua is served with fresh cream that is similar to sour cream. 

El Salvador:cuisine and recipes.what4eats(n.d.). Retrievied November 4,2010, from http://what4eats.com

La Union

Climate Report 

 

I love El Salvador’s climate because it is a beautiful tropical country. I love how it is never cold and when it is hot it is a dry heat so it doesn't feel sticky.The winter is full of green grass and blooming trees and flowers everywhere with showers in the evening time. I also love the summer time climate even though it is dry and not as green as winter, but the hot heat makes it perfect for vacations. 

El Salvador has a tropical climate which means that it has a very pronounced dry and wet season. El Salvador is a small country, but it has a very diverse tropical climate. In the Pacific low lands it is more hot, and in the more central mountainous areas it is moderate. The rainy season is called Invierno (winter) that starts in May and ends in October. Almost all of the yearly rainfall occurs in this season. The dry season Verano (summer) is the hot and windy season. So La Union is the most dry and windiest during the summer time. The summer time is very hot in La Union ; it is one of the hottest departments during the summer period.During the winter time it rains a lot but not as much as the more central areas. 

Haggarty R.A. (1988). Climate. El Salvador: A Country Study.Retrieved September 2010 http://countrystudies.us/el-salvador/19.htm 1

My Home Town

In my blog spot I will be talking about all of the things I love about my home town in El Salvador in the Department(state) La Union. I will be talking about the climate, culture, music, food, and life of the people in my home town.