Do you see the effects of the war in today's San Salvador?
Of course; it would be impossible for any country to have a 12-year long civil war and not feel the effects for many years afterwards. San Salvador itself was relatively isolated from the country's conflict until the very end, so it never suffered much physical damage. There is part of a generation that grew up with the war, which creates its own social challenges. Today's San Salvador is a busy, capital city in every way. In many ways, the country seems to recognize how damaging the war was to their culture and no one seems interested in going back to that environment.

What would my daily life be like?
Like in the U.S., your life would be what you make of it. San Salvador has good restaurants, grocery stores, movie theatres, health clubs, Blockbuster Video, and every other convenience of normal day to day living. The outward culture is very "pro-U.S." and the U.S. has exported much of its culture, good and bad, to the area. The easy access to beaches and lakes makes outdoor activity a primary social and recreational pastime. Social interaction is more "people oriented" than in the U.S.; visiting at houses is normal and expected, and having social contact with people you work with is common. San Salvador has full access to goods and services, so there is no difficulty to get key consumption items.

So how is living there different than the U.S.?
In general the same caveats apply: be aware of your surroundings avoid certain parts of the city at night, etc. Life in El Salvador can be very comfortable and convenient, and learning a new culture and having an "international experience" is one of the advantages in work with Escuela Americana.

What are the most noticeable differences?
There are two things. First, during the war walls were built around most of the housing for either actual or psychological protection. As such, the concept of "curb appeal" is non-existent in San Salvador, since the most you see from the street is a wall and a door. However, behind those walls are some very nice properties.

Second, security is more visible than in the U.S. In reality, it is probably not greater, but it is less "high tech." For example, in the U.S. at an ATM there is a camera recording you. In San Salvador, an armed guard stands next to the machine. It is not uncommon to see armed security guards at gas stations, fast-food drive-throughs, and grocery stores, or to see security fences and barbed-wire surrounding houses and buildings. This sounds daunting at first, but in day to day life it becomes invisible and the statistics back this up. San Salvador has crime, just like any large city, but there is a lower violent crime rate than Atlanta, Detroit, or Dallas. Smaller crimes happen, but with the same precautions one would use in any metropolitan environment this risk can be minimized.