So... I was on the gua gua (which is the bus here but its not really a bus, its a van type thing that has 12 seats yet somehow no less than 24 people will fit in it) going into the city when all of a sudden this horrid noise echoed
throughout the entire gua gua. I jumped and turned to see what it was... and what did I find?
A guy with 4 goats tied up sitting behind me. Yes. Goats. On public
transportation. Going into the city. Do you know what a goat sounds like,
because I surely did not and it scared me. It is a terrible cry. But no one else saw
anything wrong with this so I just passed it off as just another interesting
experience in the DR .
I spent the weekend in Sabana de la Mar visiting Robyn. This is where I had my CBT for 5 weeks. It was so good to go back and visit. I saw some old friends, stayed with my old host family (where Robyn is actually living now), and saw 2 other volunteers. It was an awesome weekend. Sabana I think is my favorite town in the DR. Its such a friendly and comfortable place to be. And the people there are so nice. Plus, when you have a hostess like Robyn, you know its going to be great. (Thank you Robyn! You are the best!)
Thats it for now... I dont have anything profound. Just goats, people, and gua guas. Im still in shock that I experienced it. A very profound thought for the day. Public transportation in the states gets better by the minute.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Friday, June 15, 2007
Stars in my room
Ive always been afraid of all the insects and bugs here. I sleep under my mosquiterro religiously and wear bug spray 24 hours a day. They are huge and scary and bit. Not to mention I do not want The Big D! (Dengue). But last night I was up, unable to sleep because its so HOT and humid, and I saw little flickers of light going on and off on the roof my house. Now I say roof of the house because no walls meet the roof so there are huge gaps between the walls and ceiling. Anyway, all over the roof there were these little flickers of light and for a moment I thought I was seeing the sky, but it was the flier flies. It felt like stars flickering so close to me, and I had a front row seat. It was pretty cool and for some reason at that moment it was very relaxing. I think those types of bugs I can deal with.
Its been a good week... well, its been entertaining. I went to visit Lori out in Luperon and had a fabulous time! She lives in a beautiful town on the ocean with mountains surrounding 3 sides and the water on one. People in her town are so nice. Shes got the life. Anyway... I arrived in her town and we visited a friend of hers who has internet and I was able to use some FREE internet! You all don't understand that importance of this. Internet and free in the same sentence is amazing. I surprised Keith and was able to talk to him for almost an hour! Even if our connection wasn't the best, it was amazing to talk to him for so long and really have a conversation that lasted for more than 2 minutes. He sounded great. After talking to him Lori and I met up with a friend of hers and we went horseback riding for 4 hours all along the mountains on either side of her town and through her town. It was sooo beautiful! But I think that I am still a bit sore from it. It had drizzled a bit on one of the climbs up a mountain, but it was so worth it. When we got to the top there was a rainbow over her town. It was beautiful. We also got in some beach time, which I am burnt from. But over all it was a relaxing and much needed trip. (Thanks Lori!)
School is out. No students. No work. No nothing. I am reading books like crazy. My family thinks that reading will make you go crazy, so they are always saying something to me as i sit out front in my rocking chair reading. But I love it. My family is crazy as ever. I dont even know where to begin with more Dominicanisms... Ill make a list later on. I just found out that the coffee that I am obsessed with is made by my Dona! They have land out in the mountains and coffee plants. Every so often the beans are collected and she dries them, roasts them, then mashes them up into coffee grinds and makes it in her crazy little coffee maker thing... which I cant even begin to explain. Ill have to post a picture. Im eating Mangos like crazy. i think there is a good chance that i will turn into one. Everyday someone is bring me a bag of mangoes. They are just so good and sweet. I love it. Plus its the only fruit I am eating. My diet here consists of: rice, beans, and every manner of cooking bananas and plantains (boiled, fried, or ripe). Its such a deliciously bland diet.
Im off with a friend now to eat some lunch and what not... anything besides rice and beans. Im thinking some American fast food will be great.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Long Over Due....
Hello! Its been awhile... I guess the lack of a post kinda signifies whats been going on and how Im feeling here... which isnt too much. So on with the updates.
Sabana-Yes, of course Im going to start with her. She is definitely Dominican. She eats more rice and beans and fried salami than I do. She is a begger and my Doñas little girl. My doña feeds her nonstop and I am always getting yelled at for not feeding her, even though I have cat food out for her. She needs real food according to my doña. My doña also talks to her like shes a little girl. I was in the kitchen the other day and my doña was telling my cat that thats not how little girls behave and she needs to stop. If you have a cat, you need to buy a mosquito net. It is the best toy I have ever seen. Besides the massive holes I can foresee... Sabana is loving it. I woke up the other day to her sound asleep on top of the net hanging down just over my face. She is always climbing and playing into... usually getting so tangled up I have to get her out. And speaking of climbing... she loves tress. She climbed up a tree the other dya and onto the roof of the house and got stuck. Some of the neighborhood boys went to rescue her. Besides that she is always getting into trouble and running into things and falling off of things. Not quite cat like, but always entertaining.
Me- Where to begin. I was on the phone with mom the other day and it was barely raining. I mean a few sprinkles here and there. My doña comes out from the house and puts a shower cap on my head and walks away. Yes, a shower cap. Like that is going to protect me from all the horrible illnesses that are in the rain according to her. Oh the things she says. Sometimes I have to just walk away before I laugh. Its our rainy season now and along with it comes the craziness. I have 3 little nephews at my house... 3, 4, and 6. It was pouring the other day, I mean POURING, and the 3 of them come running out of the house and hide along side this garage type thing. Next thing I know my doña comes running out of the house whipping her belt over her head with some sort of plastic lid over her head. She chased the boys up and down the street for what felt like forever yelling something at them. It truely was a sight out of a movie. The insects are insane. They are HUGE and every where. I have to put on bugspray even before I get into the shower. And the spiders are freaking scary. The biggest things I have ever seen adn they always show up unexpectedly in places I dont want... like in my helmet when I was about to put it on. My doña isnt the only crazy one... so is my don. He doesnt eat his food unless is prepared and on the table with a spoon in his dish. We all sat down at the same time and ate and finished before he even began, on time. He didnt eat because he didnt have a spoon, and the spoon was in the container infront of him. Its interesting. ANd he always tries to spoon feed me his half eaten food. It doenst matter if I am at the table or outside, he always comes to find me.
School- school is interesting. Its a place with a ton of problems and lack of respect for anyone. I am really struggling with what my purpose is here. I have a big need in me to teach... to have a room and my students that I know Ill see every day at this time, and thats not what Ill be doing here. I have observed tons of classrooms adn tested tons of students. I know what the needs of the school and I know what needs to be done... its just a matter of talking people into beliveing me. I began my week a few weeks ago with a teacher slapping a student so hard he bled. The interesting part is that she was accusing him of not respecting her, and he was explainging his side of the story when she hit him. Nothing has been done to punish her even though its illegal here to hit students. Even though that is one teacher and one example... thats really shows so much of what goes on. I was working with one student who did a great job and I put my hand out for a high 5 and said ¨dame 5¨(give me 5!) The boy was nearly in tears as he said ¨pesos? I dont have 5 pesos¨I had to let him know i didnt want his money. It was a sad but hilarious moment.
So those are just a few quick updates. This week is the last week of school, then next week begins testing. Im kinda at a lost of what I should be doing now, but thats ok. My plans for the summer are to do some one on one tutoring wiht some students who really need it, to help out another PCV with some of her teacher training for a week, and just to do some resting and relaxing and visiting. Im heading into the capital this weekend for some work and a mailcall! Im desperate to get some mail. Its been over a month since Ive been able to check my mail. So it will be a welcomed break and trip.
Happy belated birthday mom! I love you!
Sabana-Yes, of course Im going to start with her. She is definitely Dominican. She eats more rice and beans and fried salami than I do. She is a begger and my Doñas little girl. My doña feeds her nonstop and I am always getting yelled at for not feeding her, even though I have cat food out for her. She needs real food according to my doña. My doña also talks to her like shes a little girl. I was in the kitchen the other day and my doña was telling my cat that thats not how little girls behave and she needs to stop. If you have a cat, you need to buy a mosquito net. It is the best toy I have ever seen. Besides the massive holes I can foresee... Sabana is loving it. I woke up the other day to her sound asleep on top of the net hanging down just over my face. She is always climbing and playing into... usually getting so tangled up I have to get her out. And speaking of climbing... she loves tress. She climbed up a tree the other dya and onto the roof of the house and got stuck. Some of the neighborhood boys went to rescue her. Besides that she is always getting into trouble and running into things and falling off of things. Not quite cat like, but always entertaining.
Me- Where to begin. I was on the phone with mom the other day and it was barely raining. I mean a few sprinkles here and there. My doña comes out from the house and puts a shower cap on my head and walks away. Yes, a shower cap. Like that is going to protect me from all the horrible illnesses that are in the rain according to her. Oh the things she says. Sometimes I have to just walk away before I laugh. Its our rainy season now and along with it comes the craziness. I have 3 little nephews at my house... 3, 4, and 6. It was pouring the other day, I mean POURING, and the 3 of them come running out of the house and hide along side this garage type thing. Next thing I know my doña comes running out of the house whipping her belt over her head with some sort of plastic lid over her head. She chased the boys up and down the street for what felt like forever yelling something at them. It truely was a sight out of a movie. The insects are insane. They are HUGE and every where. I have to put on bugspray even before I get into the shower. And the spiders are freaking scary. The biggest things I have ever seen adn they always show up unexpectedly in places I dont want... like in my helmet when I was about to put it on. My doña isnt the only crazy one... so is my don. He doesnt eat his food unless is prepared and on the table with a spoon in his dish. We all sat down at the same time and ate and finished before he even began, on time. He didnt eat because he didnt have a spoon, and the spoon was in the container infront of him. Its interesting. ANd he always tries to spoon feed me his half eaten food. It doenst matter if I am at the table or outside, he always comes to find me.
School- school is interesting. Its a place with a ton of problems and lack of respect for anyone. I am really struggling with what my purpose is here. I have a big need in me to teach... to have a room and my students that I know Ill see every day at this time, and thats not what Ill be doing here. I have observed tons of classrooms adn tested tons of students. I know what the needs of the school and I know what needs to be done... its just a matter of talking people into beliveing me. I began my week a few weeks ago with a teacher slapping a student so hard he bled. The interesting part is that she was accusing him of not respecting her, and he was explainging his side of the story when she hit him. Nothing has been done to punish her even though its illegal here to hit students. Even though that is one teacher and one example... thats really shows so much of what goes on. I was working with one student who did a great job and I put my hand out for a high 5 and said ¨dame 5¨(give me 5!) The boy was nearly in tears as he said ¨pesos? I dont have 5 pesos¨I had to let him know i didnt want his money. It was a sad but hilarious moment.
So those are just a few quick updates. This week is the last week of school, then next week begins testing. Im kinda at a lost of what I should be doing now, but thats ok. My plans for the summer are to do some one on one tutoring wiht some students who really need it, to help out another PCV with some of her teacher training for a week, and just to do some resting and relaxing and visiting. Im heading into the capital this weekend for some work and a mailcall! Im desperate to get some mail. Its been over a month since Ive been able to check my mail. So it will be a welcomed break and trip.
Happy belated birthday mom! I love you!
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