What Happened to “the True North Strong and Free?” Part III
How El Salvador captured our amiga’s heart
Hola, amigos 😍
Our family just spent the weekend in the coldest part of El Salvador, El Pital. Before you laugh and say, “There’s no cold parts in that country!”…let me tell you, it was around 7*C with the icy cold wind on Monday morning 🥶 Buildings up there aren’t heated either! In my next post, I’ll write about our adventure to the highest mountain in the country.
For now, enjoy the final part of our friend’s incredible story! Thanks for coming along for the ride in these posts, as I share Hadasa’s adventure of escaping Canada (link here), her time in Florida (link here)…and finally coming to El Salvador. 🇸🇻
What made you decide to come to El Salvador?
Hadasa: When I first told my friends and family that I was going to El Salvador, their reactions were divided into two groups. One group immediately went on Google Maps and looked to see where El Salvador actually is located—they had never heard of a country called El Salvador.
The second group was terrified! They were like, “Oh my God—are you sure?! It’s so dangerous out there, and if you do decide to go, then put your purse in front of you, and hide it under your shirt. There’s a lot of robbers and murderers out there, and I can’t believe you’re actually going there!!”
And to be completely honest, I didn’t know where El Salvador was either, when I decided to go there! So, I actually had to Google Map it for myself. I’d heard about El Salvador from social media that spoke about Bitcoin country, Bitcoin Beach, Bukele, and his famous quote…
That “haven for freedom” country was what I wanted to see!
What was it like to first be in El Salvador?
Hadasa: When I decided to go, I didn’t know anybody from El Salvador, or that lived in El Salvador. I didn’t even know anybody who had gone there. Three days before I boarded the plane, a friend of mine gave me a contact of her friend who is Salvadorian, but other than that, I had no clue what I was getting myself into. I rented an Airbnb for a month—in a gated community not too far from Bitcoin Beach—taking into consideration that I might not stay the full month if things got really bad or if I didn’t feel safe. I also arranged a rental car so I wouldn’t have to go on public transportation or be subject to sketchy taxi drivers.
As soon as I landed in El Salvador, the majority of my fears dissolved because the airport was so modern and beautiful and clean, and people were so kind and helpful. I had arranged for the hotel that I booked for the first night to send a driver to pick me up from the airport.
During the ride to the hotel, the driver and I had a broken English-Spanish conversation. There were two main questions that I wanted answers for: Can I feel safe in El Salvador, or do I really have to wear my purse under my shirt in front of me? He assured me that there is no danger and no one will rob me. My second question was: Can I trust the police? Because it’s a well-known fact that in third world or developing countries most police cannot be trusted and they often stop you and expect bribery. He said that it used to be like that but it’s no longer so, ever since President Nayib Bukele cleaned up the gangs in El Salvador. My personal experience certainly proved him right.
What was it about El Salvador that made you decide to stay?
Hadasa: On day three of my arrival to El Salvador, I went to see Bitcoin Beach with my own eyes. I was walking up and down the shore, and at some point I saw a family that were definitely not locals 😉 I heard the father talking to another guy, who he seemed to have just met, about Bitcoin, and I eavesdropped for a while. When he mentioned Canada, I jumped in the conversation and asked, “Where from in Canada?” He said, “B.C. And you?” I smiled and said, “Ontario,” and we started talking and exchanged contact info.
A few days later, I contacted them and asked if I could come for a visit, and they were more than happy to have me come by. They were preparing dinner in the kitchen, and we started a very cautious conversation…until we realized that we actually had all left Canada on the same date, and for the same reasons!! Emily, Tom, and I fell into each others arms almost crying with excitement! They became my best friends here. We have so much in common, and we share the same mindset.
My first month in El Salvador was full of excitement. The owner of my Airbnb often took me to visit different places around the area to show me the beauty of El Salvador. We went to Santa Ana Volcano, the historic part of the city in San Salvador (photo below), different local places, and restaurants—he was very hospitable!
I also went to various expat meet ups and events, and met a lot of similar-minded people who had decided to call El Salvador their home.
By the end of the first month, I had made more friends in El Salvador than I made in a year in Florida. Five days into my arrival, a stray kitten adopted me, and I knew then that I had to stay!
My friend’s Salvadorian friend also turned out to be an awesome person and we became great friends. Emily, Tom, and so many of the expat community here are amazing people and I thank God every day that he got me here and connected me with them.
What challenges have you faced since arriving in El Salvador?
Hadasa: There were definitely some challenges along the way—getting used to not having hot water in the shower was one of the major obstacles I needed to overcome. It took time to get used to the local cuisine, and not having the luxury of having all kinds of food and necessities close by (living at the beach). Another thing here is the occasional electricity or water outage that can last hours, sometimes even days, so that’s not pleasant. Also, El Salvador, to my surprise, is not as cheap as one would expect coming from a developed country—the prices here are very similar to the United States.
How has your life been since settling here 16 months ago?
Remember that I felt that the Floridians didn’t quite get what I had experienced in Canada? Well here it was the opposite—everybody had the same story from all over the world—New Zealand, Australia, England, Netherlands, Canada, you name it—they all felt they had to leave and move to a more freedom-seeking country. It felt and still does feel like we are the pioneers coming to build a new culture in a new country—where our values and beliefs matter, where we can speak freely, where we feel safe, physically and financially.
Looking back at the past 16 months of living in El Salvador, I can say it was one of the best decisions of my life to come here. The people of El Salvador are kind, they have family values, they’re warm-hearted, and generally happy, even if they don’t have a lot of money.
Our not-so-small expat community consists of some of the most beautiful people I’ve ever met, from all over the world, who want to create something special here—something that we can no longer have in our original countries! 🇸🇻
Thanks for reading!
If this story has inspired any of you to come and check out El Salvador, we’d be happy to have you come! 😊
If you’re new to my blog, and haven’t read our “leaving Canada” story, here it is.
Nos vemos pronto 💙
Interesting that a number of you w/ similar challenges and journeys are finding each other and connecting. That sounds like the best kind of divine serendipity. I'm happy for you all!
Is there a place in the expat community that hosts people for a week, so they can become acquainted with the area and people ?