Payton Philips, lecturer in USC College’s Department of Spanish and Portuguese, is blogging from El Salvador this week! An independent non-partisan election observer, both during and after the March 15 presidential election, Philips is participating as a member of the Los Angeles contingency that is sponsored by The Salvadoran-American leadership and Educational Fund (SALEF).

The organization is sending the delegation "to observe and document key aspects of the administration of the election to ensure that it is conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner that accurately reflects the vote of the Salvadoran people." Philip's contingency is one of several from all over the world that will observe the more than 150 poll sights.

Read her blog: Los Angeles/San Salvador: Sister Cities Bound by Blood and Sanctuary