Pics

1. Me being Dominican and eating sugar cane in the back of a pickup

2. Sabana!!!! Isnt she beautiful?

3 and 4. The tradional dancing that we had at the going away party.

PS... I have a cell phone now! So email me if you want it... I know you do.

Where in the World is Leah?

What a good question this is! And so many answers...

I have been missing internet for the past month. I cant believe its been that long! Time is flying by and they have been keeping me busy. So, the end of CBT, how was it? It was great! So much happened... I rode in the back of a pickup to Caño Hondo for Semana Santa and swam in the pools there, then after went to the campo and ate fresh sugar cane, tamarindos, and other crazy fruits. It was awesome. The other volunteers and I painted a mural of the Rights of Childhood (pics to come at another point). It turned out beautiful. Oh yea, I found a kitten! Her name is Sabana (since I found her in Sabana de la Mar) She is beautiful! Shes only about amonth old, but is growing each day. She is calico coloring. Her head is black and white and her body and all mixed. At the end of CBT the families had a party for us... they brought in a dance troupe that danced for us all night and danced the tradition DR dance in the traditional dress... it was amazing and so beautiful! I cant remember what else happened in CBT right now... so jumping ahead to life in the past 2 weeks. I finally got my site placement! I am in a town outside of Santiago. Im in the north... 30mins from the airport (hint hint) and less than 2 hours from the beach. I went on a 5 day visit there last week... and its beautiful there. I wake up in the mornings, not because I want to, but because life there begins EARLY, and drink my coffee (which is basically home grown, dried, and roasted, and STRONG) looking out at the northern mountain range, specifically Pico Pablo, which is the second largest point in the DR. Im so close that I feel like if I stuck out my hand I could touch the mountains. Real quick about the coffe... its amazing and its so strong, that Dominicans only serve it in these tiny cups like a shot. They think Im crazy when I tell them in the states we drink large mugs of coffee. Back to my site... its called Los Cocos. I will be working in a school with 1700 students. Doing what... Im not sure. But behavior and classroom mangagement are the 2 most needed areas of help. But I have a great project partner who is really supportive. My family is awesome too... I cant understand a word they say becasue people in the north have crazy accents (all r´s and l´s and switched for i´s). I live with a Don and Doña and their 27 year old daughter and her son, and a grandson who is 20. And all the neighbors are relatives (nieces, aunts, children) so at any point in the day there are at least 10 people in the house. Its insane. So to rewind and get back to the question of where in the world is Leah... here is my new address: 4th dirt road on the right after the 2nd tobacco field and in front of the pig pen. Its the yellow house. Yea... Im going to become a farm girl. I think I have a bit of adjusting ahead of me... but Im not too scared.

other exciting news... IM A REAL LIVE VOLUNTEER NOW! We were sworn in on Wed. at a wonderful ceremony. It was fast. And no, I dont feel any different. However, like good volunteers, we spend out first official day of service swimming at the Embassy pool and touring the Capital. It was wonderful.

I head out officially to my site tomorrow... so Im not sure when the next time Ill be seeing internet is... but keep sending the messages... I love them!

A more organized post with pictures to come next....

Pictures

Ok, so obviously I am having a bit of trouble posting pictures. Im not really sure what I am doing wrong. Anyway...the first pic is of my group at our little beach in Samana. The the next is of my town from the ferry on our way back home from Samana. Then its me in my room... please notice my very attractive mosquiterro, and yellow cosco (helmet) then its my house! The next picture is of me at Caño Hondo. Its a hotel in my town that has a bunch of natural swimming pools. We spent a saturday there to relax and unwind after a long week. The next picture is of my favorite little boys here. The 2 on the right are the brothers and in my class. They are trouble, but just so adorable. Then its the two of them using the computer. The 4th and 5th pictures are of the day we spent in Samana. Its just a beautiful town and it was awesome. We had a little playita all to ourselves. Unreal.

New Norms of Life

So I have been in country for 38 days (wow!) and already what I perceive as ¨normal¨ has changed. Here are a few things that I now consider to be no big deal:
-taking the guagua (bus) 5 miles into the city and it taking an hour
-Only having 20 or so seats on the guagua and at least 50 people... 5 of whom are hanging on out the door
-7 adults fitting comfortably in a carro publico (taxi)... 3 in front and 4 in back. the car is a small sedan
-Bugs.... EVERYWHERE. I even had a cockroach in my mosquiterro the other night and another one in the shower, and ants in my food.
-sleeping under a mosquito net every night so I wont get Malaria
-Taking 2 Aralen pills once a week so I wont get Malaria
-The crazy vivid dreams that come with taking Aralen
-my day is not complete without eating rice and beans at least once a day
-Noise. The DR is one of the top 5 (or something) loudest countries in the world. Starting at 5am there is music, someone yelling, or construction, and it ends at midnight, if Im lucky.Women have full conversations with each other by yelling at the top of there lungs when they are 2 feet away and also from one house to the next when they are inside
-3-5 people on one motorcycle. And there is no driving age, so 7 or 8 year old boys are driving them
-Se fue la luz.
-Roosters. 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. And I now can sleep through it.
-Heat. Humidity. I no longer care if I sweat.
-Cows, pigs, chickens, you name it... all freely roaming the streets.
-The world stops between 12 and 2 every day. Literally... nothing is open and no one is out.
-Rain. It feels like Hurricane season already. When it rains it POURS. The streets flood and its almost impassible.
-Si Dios quierre. Which basically translates to If God allows it. People dont make definite plans or if they dont show up to something its ok because God didnt intend for it to happen.
-When its raining and there is that one random motorcycle out, the driver or passenger is holding an umbrella to protect themselves from the rain.
-a puppy running around in the middle of church service

Life here is always entertaining. There is something new every day that happens or is said and I dont know how to respond. Like the other day, I was about to take a shower and my host mom says to me ¨but its cloudy out, and you are still going to wash your hair?¨. Everything here is because of Gripe... which translate to the flu, but if you cough, sneeze, or who knows what you have gripe and better not do anything that day.

We went on a spanish trip on wednesday to Samana. It is just across the bay and absolutely beautiful. We had a picnic then went on a walk. We went to the beach and took a walking bridge to this small island and another bridge to yet another small island an it was beautiful! No one was there an it was so peaceful and relaxing. No swimming though. We werent prepared or that. I have 3 weeks left here in Sabana de la Mar. I cant believe how fast time is going. I am currently working 3 days a week for a few hours in an elementary school and loving it. I have of course 3 students who I am in love with. they are 3 bothers and they are so sneaky. I left class one day and they got in trouble just so that they would be sent to the room I was in. They also always know where I am when I am in town. Now, its a 15mins moto ride for me to get to the school, and these boys live near the school. So it has to be at least a 30mins walk for them to come into the town. But they do it... every day. And find me. They followed me home yesterday with out me knowing. The other day when I was at the Internet they found me, in the building. I let them play on the computer and they were so scared of it. I really had to coax them to touch the key board. I taught them how to write their names. It was adorable. Then after I bought them each a bag of chips and you would have thought they were getting $1000 each. their faces just lite up. Pics of them are to come soon.

Everyone in my group is doing great. There are 7 of us in Sabana de la Mar. We have really intense weeks. Mondays and fridays we have 4 hours of training, usually a volunteer comes in and gives a workshop, then we have 4 hours of language. Tues-Thurs we are in the schools for 2 hours, then have 4 hours of language, and another 2 hours of training. Needless to say we are all excited when the weekend comes.

This is a big week coming up... we have interviews with our APCD (associate PC Director) about our official placements, and our Training director is coming out as well with the PC nurse for our check ups. My lessons is being observed by the TD on thursday. She has a man from Samoa who is coming to observe how training is done here in the DR. So keep me in mind on thursday!

Pics to come soon!

Hello from Sabana de la Mar!

Here I am... at my new home for the next 4 weeks. I have been here, in Sabana de la Mar for a week already. I cant believe it! Its a small pueblo. Dirt roads, people riding horses and donkeys, small markets, and its right on the bay. its a cute pueblo, but definitely small. The bay is known for its Whale watching. We just missed the season though. It has been a crazy week. We have 4 hours of Spanish class a day and 4 hours of training. 3 days a week that training includes our internship in the schools. I am in a 3rd grade classroom. It is about 15x20 ft and has 42 students ages 8-12. There is a set of brothers (3) in my class-8, 9, and 11. Crazy.Most of the students dont know how to read or write. Its really hard and such a huge contrast to the states. But Im loving. There is no confidentiality... teachers will just point or make students stand up and tell you that he or she is stupid/dumb/cant read or write. Its hard and definitely pulls at my heartstrings, but I LOVE it. I get so many hugs from the kids and its great that they are so interested in me and Im hoping comfortable. I absolutely adore them and am loving being in the school. I was itching to get there. My school is a 4 room building with an outhouse, no electricity, and no materials. You definitely have to be on your toes at all times.
I am living with a really nice family. My Doña is great. She is always cooking and gets mad at me for not eating like a Dominican. I have yet to understand a single word my Don has said to me. I have a brother, 10, and sister, 13 who are funny. They dont really speak too much to me, but usually just watch everything I do. Last weekend my Doña and Don took me out to their farm to see the cows and chickens. So exciting. If I never saw another chicken or rooster in my life, Id be a happy girl. There are about 100 chickens in my backyard and a rooster. I hear the rooster crowing about once an hour all night long. And he is used in cock fighting, so it has not feathers on its lower half and looks hilarious. After lunch yesterday my sister told me that the dad wanted to show me something, so I followed him down the road to an open building. I looked in and he put his rooster down and there was another rooster there. it was a mock cockfight. I hated it. Its so vicious and there was blood everywhere. But its all part of the Dominican Experience.
I am always being told that I am too skinny and that I need to eat more because surely my boyfriend doesnt like me being small, hes too big and strong for such a small girl... Dosent he wants me to get fat and strong? Its quite amusing to me.
Tomorrow we are taking an adventure to Parque Nacional Los Haitises. Hopefully Ill get some good pics of that up afterwards.

Im doing well, eating lots of rice and beans and yucca, working on my tan, and practicing my Spanish and loving the PCT life. Life is flying by... I cant believe Ive been in country for a month now! Ive learned so much already... I cant even imagine what more is to come.

Ill soak up the sun and warm weather for all of you back home who are getting hit with snow and sleet right now:)

PCV Visit

My visit to Pimentel was awesome! I stayed with a PCV (peace corps volunteer) who is just doing amazing things at his site. The latest of which is setting up a school for the deaf. It was so good to see what I have to look forward to. Neal, the PCV, is such a great inspiration and mentor for me. And on top of it all, we went to the most amazing beach with some other PCV´s. I know, I am living such a rough life. It was on the northern shore and called Playa Caleton. You dirve along the road and this shady path shows up, you walk down the path, and I was thinking to myself that this wasnt going to be worth it, then all of a sudden this beach pops up. Beautiful white sand beach with the clear aqua water. It was surrounded by rock cliffs and had 2 islands within swimming distance. No waves... just little laps of water. There was barely anyone there. I loved it. It was so unreal.

I leave this thursday for CBT (community based training) and Ill be going to Sabana del Mar. Ill have technical training there and have a school internship. All SpEd trainees will go there, so we will have training together. It will be awesome.

Also, i went to Carnval yesterday.. a mix between the Mummers and Madi Gras. it was absolutely madness. Crazy costumes, lots of music, and a TON of people. It was in the capital. Definitely a crazy experience. Im still not sure what the significance is of it, but it was fun. The one pic Im adding is of this unfinished building that people climbed to get a better look at the parade. thats how big this thing was.

Jonah has set up a site... hileah.blogspot.com that you all can post pics or videos on from home! Please use it! Im dying to see pictures and things from home. Use it!

Much love.

Pics

Some pics from the beach, my sisters, me at the colonial zone, and my classroom!