T-shirts and Tid Bits

So, in case I decide to go through with this revolutionary thing, this will be my campaign sign. I've got it set up and ready to go as a back-up plan.

Meanwhile, I'm still learning and observing new things about the culture. Have you ever wondered where those one-time-use only t-shirts go after their time? (ie. "Inotech Orientation Staff", "Folsom County BBQ Free-For-All, July 26 2001", etc.) Well, they came here and perhaps to other countries, more than likely given up as donations. Everywhere I look there are "Staff" and "Security" t-shirts, though I have a have a hard time believing that these people are actually prepared to kick someone off the street for being too drunk or rowdy. The biggest shock came when a friend of my host brother came walking in the house with a North Shore Community College t-shirt on. No kidding, as in exclusive to the Danvers, Beverly, and Lynn campuses. I expressed my disbelief by blocking his escape out of the kitchen and demanding he tell me where he got his shirt. He was clueless, and could care less at how cool I thought it was that the college was in my town in the U.S. Perhaps the funniest thing about all this, however, is that the Spanish word for "t-shirt" is "t-shirt", and the word for a polo shirt is "polo t-shirt". Imagine it being spoken with a latino accent - "POlotee shier". I get such a kick out of this.

So, during our time in Nagua, we've been working at an internship during the afternoons three days per week. I go to a neighboring town with another trainee named Jill, and we help out at a Sala de Tarea - or after school tutoring room. Ah, the kids at this place. I hate to make fun of them since the education system here is so bad, but what the heck. Yesterday we tried to play hangman with the group of 7-12 year-olds. It was challenging to say the least, as the kids were suggesting letters such as "ni" and "po". Its really sad that these kids are just not comfortable with their alphabet. The method of teaching here is to have kids copy down letters, syllables, or words over and over, but that doesn't necessarily mean they can read it or understand its meaning. Anyway, the kids are really cute and they like us because we play games with them. Here are some of them, notice what they said about us on the chalkboard! (bonita = pretty, amable = kind)This past weekend we made the unfortunate decision to join a local youth group on an excursion to a nearby national park. After getting up early then waiting for two hours to leave, 50 people piled into the back of a pick-up truck (bigger than a normal truck, but really not very big). I have no idea how no one fell out, people were standing and lining the sides of the truckbed. After riding the 40 minutes or so listening to the 16-year-olds say annoying things, we realized we were in the midst of a really long day. The balance of the Sunday consisted of short 10 minute walks, which were followed by hour-long resting periods so that the kids could get on our nerves some more. We finally made it to the river we heard about and took a dip, though not without crossing the river numerous times and getting my shoes and clothes soaking wet (I know, I should have worn sandals). We made it out alive luckily, if not hungry and exhausted. Here is a picture from the day, left to right - Margo, Maria, me, Bianca, Enrique, and Jill.