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The COAR Children's Village has guest houses. You will wake when you hear the children wake (5:00 am!) Just like the children's houses, they are simple but comfortable buildings, with three or four large bed rooms, a large common room and a kitchen. There is running water (usually), toilettes, and electricty - but with limits, read on . . .
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Visitors usually need to exercise extreme caution with food and water in El Salvador. |
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COAR requires lots of walking up steep hills. |
| Food - Meals are planned in your group's itinerary. The options are: |
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COAR Cafeteria:
serves a variety of hot and cold meals and snack foods at very reasonable prices (cash only). The cafeteria is open from 7:00 am - 1:00 pm, Monday - Saturday. Food is prepared to high sanitary standard and should be acceptable to group members. |
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Guesthouse kitchen:
the group can prepare meals or snacks in the kitchen from food bought at grocery stores (e.g.: spaghetti, sandwiches, peanut butter, yogurt, milk and cereal, fruit, etc.) A trip(s) to the grocery store will be built into the group itinerary. There are no stores near COAR. |
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Store-bought food:
Packaged food bought in stores is safe only if it was packaged safely. Some foods in water that were packaged in El Salvador or surrounding countries should be avoided. Foods such as brand-name bread, peanut butter, yogurt, and milk are generally safe. Check with your guide before buying. |
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Restaurants:
Eating in restaurants is generally safe. Avoid ice or raw foods. There are many restaurants in and around most touring destinations. Many of the cheaper franchised restaurants (Campero Chicken or Margo's Cafeteria) are highly recommended. There are also a variety of nicer restaurants in San Salvador and other large cities and suburbs such as La Libertad and Santa Tecla.
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Pre-packed meal:
The cafeteria can prepare meals for the road if given enough notice. |
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Special Section – Table Manners – “Buen Provecho” |
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Salvadorans have excellent table manners:
 They chew with their mouths closed.
They NEVER blow their noses at the table and NEVER into the table napkin. They excuse themselves to another room.
Salvadorans never leave food on their plates:
If you aren’t sure if you will like it, don’t take much onto your plate or order it in a restaurant.
Do not disparage the food. It will offend the cooks and Salvadorans who take pride in their national cuisine.
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If you are eating, Salvadorans will greet you with the phrase, “Buen provecho,” both approaching the table and leaving. Loosely translated it means, “Take advantage.”
In severe poverty food is not taken for granted, thrown out, or criticized.
They always thank God for what they have. |
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| Accommodations - Things to know about your COAR guesthouse: |
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water:
There is running water in every guest house. Drinking water is provided in water bottles or by filter in each guest house. |
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electricity:
All guesthouses have electricity, lights, a few fans. Brief power failures are common (sometimes daily) and prolonged failures of 24+ hours happen occasionally.
Circuits cannot withstand hairdryers or other high-voltage equipment. If you have special needs in this area, check with your guide or the COAR office in Cleveland. |
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showers and washing:
There is no hot water at COAR (OK most times because it is HOT.) Running water for showers and washing occasionally gets shut-off due to the general shortage of water in El Salvador. Salvadorans (and your group) store water in buckets, drums, and concrete tubs and use small basins for all washing when the water in the tap is off. You will love a bucket shower! |
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bathroom:
Each house has at least one toilette; when water is shut off, you must flush "manually" by pouring water from a bucket into the bowl of the toilette. Plumbing in most developing countries is fragile - do NOT flush the toilette paper. Please place it in a receptacle provided. |
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kitchen:
Each guesthouse has a well-appointed, small, kitchen: stove (propane), microwave, refrigerator, dishes and silverware, food storage containers, sink and drain board (sorry - no dishwasher!) |
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hygiene:
Leaving food around will draw bugs; please store food in the kitchen and sweep-up crumbs and wrappers and clean dishes promptly. |
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beds and bedding:
Sheets and towels (one per guest) are provided. Twin and bunk beds are comfortable but not luxurious and there is little privacy. If you have special needs regarding sleeping accommodations, talk to your guide or the COAR Peace Mission office in Cleveland. |
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storage:
There is a small closet for EVERYONE's hanging clothes, there are a few hooks, and a small table or two. Clothes storage is primarily your suitcase, so plan accordingly. |
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there is an iron and ironing board in the guest house - Salvadorans are always clean and pressed |
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Laundry:
Washing machines and dryers are not available. Laundry must be done by hand, the traditional Salvadoran way using a pila - you'll love it! A pila is a large concrete tub with side counters (outside the guesthouse), used to store water for a variety of washing purposes. Drying in the rainy season can take more than 24 hours - plan accordingly. |
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