tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-335166392024-03-07T14:25:42.976-05:00Joan - The Dominican YearsJoan Perreault, abroad again, this time as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic.
Disclaimer: The comments on this page are strictly the opinions of Joan Perreault, and do not express the views of Peace Corps, the US Government, or any other organizations named in these pages.Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-36368555194159034442008-12-08T16:02:00.059-05:002008-12-09T17:09:47.772-05:00The 8-minute 8-month RecapI put layers in my hair, and no one noticed<br /><br />These are the things I think about these days. Not so much the struggle with the language, not the tigueres calling at me in the street, nor the bugs that I pick out of my cereal. Why? Because I am used to it by now. These things are normal to me. I have been here more than two years, and am accustomed to life in the DR. Is this why I haven’t written anything for my blog in over eight months? Partly. Whereas in the past I often needed this blog as an outlet to vent my frustrations to an audience who understood me, now I don’t feel that pressing desire to rant about the “absurdity” of Dominican-isms straining my day-to-day life. Its not absurd at all. In fact, I love it here!<br /><br />To be honest, it’s when I go home that I don’t quite understand things. “Since when do Americans wear tapered jeans?” “How can people get away with bringing their own bags to the store and it not be considered shoplifting?” “Who is Hannah Montana?” I sure have missed a lot.<br /><br />The real reason for not updating my blog: I was busy. In fact, if you hadn’t noticed, I pretty much stopped visiting the Internet altogether. My service just got busier and busier as I went along. I organized some great projects and worked with wonderful people. Now, as I near the end of my service and continue thinking about the future, I have decided to stay a third year in the DR to work with Peace Corps as a Regional Coordinator. This is still a volunteer position that calls upon a third-year PCV (Peace Corps Volunteer) to continue their service on a more organizational level. I have been working in this position since June (overlapping my normal service) helping to develop new sites for incoming volunteers. I love the work; it involves a lot of traveling and meeting new people, which is perfect for me. On top of that, it is my responsibility to visit each volunteer in my region, providing advice or assistance in projects, and to act as a liaison to the Peace Corps office. I moved out of my community in August and to a nearby city to focus more on the new position, though I continued working with my amazing sex-ed youth group, “Escojo Mi Vida” (I choose my life) in my old community until a new volunteer and already great friend named Regina moved in to take over for me in October, when she began her two years as a volunteer. Escojo Mi Vida has been my biggest project over these last months, and a very rewarding one at that. <br /><br />There’s so much to say, let’s just sum it up in pictures. Here is a quick (VERY quick) re-cap of my last eight months, in chronological order:<br /><br />I took two youth to the Escojo Regional Conference, where they learned a lot about AIDS and bonded with other youth from the north of the country. The kids came back and brought with them tons of motivation to the newly-formed Escojo youth group in my community: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7h40gFUe-bJ0Elfd6rWFnBD8xkYBJDZIFLrRxUKi8MaVgPe27oa5C-krpYfKbqUXuBe72teLx9Ywp2KyLJaddFIPkPJxkp9RtFnrLGYYH-4VcEpLEqEpsVQxczGRf-5RzGKBoTw/s1600-h/DSC04193.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7h40gFUe-bJ0Elfd6rWFnBD8xkYBJDZIFLrRxUKi8MaVgPe27oa5C-krpYfKbqUXuBe72teLx9Ywp2KyLJaddFIPkPJxkp9RtFnrLGYYH-4VcEpLEqEpsVQxczGRf-5RzGKBoTw/s320/DSC04193.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277568520816658738" /></a><br /><br />Sparkle Motion, the unofficial Peace Corps dance troup which I am head of, performed its first of three performances this past year at the Escojo Regional Conference: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrbCzq1gC6mT0yAA41Y6p5npwZ5irdxHar6yxeWqYhrYaNDqq8CEWoPK1tUomq9K2uAI3Ke6lAFBCTLdgvlIR8CE_T4hv10eqVbOi-eK5Cx-BmrGMZBQnwEOmWJKqMl1jRaxjkA/s1600-h/DSC04205.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrbCzq1gC6mT0yAA41Y6p5npwZ5irdxHar6yxeWqYhrYaNDqq8CEWoPK1tUomq9K2uAI3Ke6lAFBCTLdgvlIR8CE_T4hv10eqVbOi-eK5Cx-BmrGMZBQnwEOmWJKqMl1jRaxjkA/s320/DSC04205.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277568274247876770" /></a><br /><br />My Foundation held a ceremony to give the donation of books I had solicited to the town library. The books were so beautiful, they hadn't had any like it! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZW5Y7ODNcVtC0lRjJgQ3KY_JAM6rxmoxvesGMPKPA6Hhlgh6ZIgdYZUiNWv4BktN_m9y3fpownyuiOAPWyQPieXfzo1PcwMLaLiAwO7EzfDR9QpsigBBp4Ro3tlxBastBmdcbTg/s1600-h/DSCN5579.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZW5Y7ODNcVtC0lRjJgQ3KY_JAM6rxmoxvesGMPKPA6Hhlgh6ZIgdYZUiNWv4BktN_m9y3fpownyuiOAPWyQPieXfzo1PcwMLaLiAwO7EzfDR9QpsigBBp4Ro3tlxBastBmdcbTg/s320/DSCN5579.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277568100724771666" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdv0y5uKl6gIqO9-E160gB3h9hPPSc42g1Soq0pBmFGT-N1Cp7rzD_8M5zMJNrV-qH4rqjQYczk1TSlzkr2bCe2oo_YOBu3qFKLwXt-g4CrJdHEDQWK-SlsLZD1MTa2pn1lZUTeg/s1600-h/DSCN5597.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdv0y5uKl6gIqO9-E160gB3h9hPPSc42g1Soq0pBmFGT-N1Cp7rzD_8M5zMJNrV-qH4rqjQYczk1TSlzkr2bCe2oo_YOBu3qFKLwXt-g4CrJdHEDQWK-SlsLZD1MTa2pn1lZUTeg/s320/DSCN5597.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277567646511917538" /></a><br /><br /><br />Enrique and I came in second place in a "Bola Race," a competition to travel from one city to another without paying. It was super fun! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5W-UIGdgT1u-cOb-GYBNYevPOTpi4EGh1pmlMvK6Re1qXGdz-EPzKZNJ1EVTXwHpkY4_C1H55iKgdqajCosn2e5auXmzruzcsDPUqn7ZGGhnQPEcxlN1daNwxNSRoaieV5v-nQ/s1600-h/DSCN5682.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5W-UIGdgT1u-cOb-GYBNYevPOTpi4EGh1pmlMvK6Re1qXGdz-EPzKZNJ1EVTXwHpkY4_C1H55iKgdqajCosn2e5auXmzruzcsDPUqn7ZGGhnQPEcxlN1daNwxNSRoaieV5v-nQ/s320/DSCN5682.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277566984408834098" /></a><br /><br />And to do it I dressed like this, a Dominican housemom. Costumes were required! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOxjcKAFsjMVP-h6QdcoiSGOF-DNSLJ0rpGa2EHyuG-zlJHEYS-3jfsmQHwE6NTDBF0sSozsBogtdtbZPJn-yHE5N5NjSm9euEGgqrUNlvy13B4750vislGe35BJtCnA3Pt9-Jw/s1600-h/DSCN5674.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEOxjcKAFsjMVP-h6QdcoiSGOF-DNSLJ0rpGa2EHyuG-zlJHEYS-3jfsmQHwE6NTDBF0sSozsBogtdtbZPJn-yHE5N5NjSm9euEGgqrUNlvy13B4750vislGe35BJtCnA3Pt9-Jw/s320/DSCN5674.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277567394331701074" /></a><br /><br /><br />My youth threw me a surprise birthday party in April. I had no idea! They went all out with cake, food, dances, and games. I was so proud! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEqby4Lcqoq_vFpRWahYoEyIifLIdMYkphs5PMqI4vEfLX_pD396tpSgt5VFt4uqzSOJxFEA-KJ_n_BVacA25CUYp4TOsEpK9fB6Pi1Tg6AUY4uROtIPcKBL22aW5SBgUZENTRQ/s1600-h/DSCN5777.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsEqby4Lcqoq_vFpRWahYoEyIifLIdMYkphs5PMqI4vEfLX_pD396tpSgt5VFt4uqzSOJxFEA-KJ_n_BVacA25CUYp4TOsEpK9fB6Pi1Tg6AUY4uROtIPcKBL22aW5SBgUZENTRQ/s320/DSCN5777.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277566597310754642" /></a><br /><br />I got down with Sarah at her and Michael's going-away party in May: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHcqrQKArh_1iu3I4TTXlR_BO7wNQykyAUe3gMkBnNM8AMUQnqNRRgIt1-OMzpiSxZlxP4rtIXS8V_Jwp1vBe6IAFCx89nXb4PXnQAz6UySEDVTuduFMjquUMmYT7s5O5jVOhTA/s1600-h/DSCN5887_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidHcqrQKArh_1iu3I4TTXlR_BO7wNQykyAUe3gMkBnNM8AMUQnqNRRgIt1-OMzpiSxZlxP4rtIXS8V_Jwp1vBe6IAFCx89nXb4PXnQAz6UySEDVTuduFMjquUMmYT7s5O5jVOhTA/s320/DSCN5887_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277566375080888002" /></a><br /><br />Baby in a bucket! Jenny's baby Angela takes a bath: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXynIMC4GeZJFRFJnX5QLQkwxkrXwOCiTFw6EnCusqMG-CU72e4yAxMtOL0Lgo5Rjz49Tr2xBfVrn-zm1FOWfA3qFbQIboK1lBbAIhXYSn3rWbH19m1M72G7DtY6vf3gn69wNwdA/s1600-h/DSCN5941.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXynIMC4GeZJFRFJnX5QLQkwxkrXwOCiTFw6EnCusqMG-CU72e4yAxMtOL0Lgo5Rjz49Tr2xBfVrn-zm1FOWfA3qFbQIboK1lBbAIhXYSn3rWbH19m1M72G7DtY6vf3gn69wNwdA/s320/DSCN5941.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277566135356970914" /></a><br /><br />Our youth group hosted three other groups for a day of fun at the beach. The kids worked very hard to organize the event and prepare the food. It was a blast: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RFDPyuZxWjCVYMM9ok6LlkAIybyz60rtxDWoySdVzD3XXQpw1zL6FNCm4Gn4SSJo4HjAL1Wehm-_iFhMlhuG8cLDUbi52FK2z4x-jE_vRr0CPdt3-eJpFqIkhXt6aCw2pRPsUw/s1600-h/DSCN5983.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RFDPyuZxWjCVYMM9ok6LlkAIybyz60rtxDWoySdVzD3XXQpw1zL6FNCm4Gn4SSJo4HjAL1Wehm-_iFhMlhuG8cLDUbi52FK2z4x-jE_vRr0CPdt3-eJpFqIkhXt6aCw2pRPsUw/s320/DSCN5983.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277565926403534626" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfBzONhtBQRbJZvCA9miOf5j7SGdNUHc5eX-RViwEwTAy4beXkeO2QeCKbcAkfEYIgh_Gh2iczk_9wIlaLDZcAnlif2ZDFzD_3h3BxpD-7Zag6qVN4ThnUiKitY9UeNfwUXhN8w/s1600-h/DSCN5996.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmfBzONhtBQRbJZvCA9miOf5j7SGdNUHc5eX-RViwEwTAy4beXkeO2QeCKbcAkfEYIgh_Gh2iczk_9wIlaLDZcAnlif2ZDFzD_3h3BxpD-7Zag6qVN4ThnUiKitY9UeNfwUXhN8w/s320/DSCN5996.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277565413040883090" /></a><br /><br />And of course, I danced! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnheSFq8P5tHaICEzHJ698ybdzNdF9u7kbmBwVGWQcj0ypbD-lJZkFrvc7zbpDPPWX6F6eYirfuFZEL9vpvxSQn3wi8Ed9gmsRrAE5VQ_WWRF3Dhi3mkwmqA2U896jw6jI8OoyA/s1600-h/DSCN5961.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnheSFq8P5tHaICEzHJ698ybdzNdF9u7kbmBwVGWQcj0ypbD-lJZkFrvc7zbpDPPWX6F6eYirfuFZEL9vpvxSQn3wi8Ed9gmsRrAE5VQ_WWRF3Dhi3mkwmqA2U896jw6jI8OoyA/s320/DSCN5961.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277565722392796562" /></a><br /><br />The birth registration campaign continued to be a big project. Over the two years I declared 51 new citizens: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwhvgXX39BTG6cVhUY7OOphQMca6KOuT2FJhWxfG99HcPawYxQ6zC5J3TQFyuL1rm2zR_ti_tNm1c8SoSWDJopkPrOQbVBEygK8hJGT8vmnAdAmyPXNiv2YBBBkJBS76LmTB8xA/s1600-h/DSCN6034.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcwhvgXX39BTG6cVhUY7OOphQMca6KOuT2FJhWxfG99HcPawYxQ6zC5J3TQFyuL1rm2zR_ti_tNm1c8SoSWDJopkPrOQbVBEygK8hJGT8vmnAdAmyPXNiv2YBBBkJBS76LmTB8xA/s320/DSCN6034.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277565249407002738" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJdtoOqQJ3uvZqCoYoRDlnRhL2FX4T2CQ-ubcC6-e96q7y6JnANXq6CmjGFErEc0HpVvi9ACeXQtzXZIRVABu1RNEp6uR6ZSyiD4Iub0X5d3QIb8iozxaWGRpAiS4iCdnSvyN0g/s1600-h/DSCN6045.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimJdtoOqQJ3uvZqCoYoRDlnRhL2FX4T2CQ-ubcC6-e96q7y6JnANXq6CmjGFErEc0HpVvi9ACeXQtzXZIRVABu1RNEp6uR6ZSyiD4Iub0X5d3QIb8iozxaWGRpAiS4iCdnSvyN0g/s320/DSCN6045.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277564921188036866" /></a><br /><br /><br />I brought two teachers from our Sala de Tarea (after school program) to a teacher training for three days, where they learned new and creative teaching methods. I also helped with coordination of the conference: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBStjbjQl5hbX7Noo4JUsDoO6gG57M7Wvah31nNUa9q__FTHC-5vOxJxwF_U9zUHD5jVJuKVQyqTesNP3iz_Q0c1ldCzfEB_dGl0fDtdPcK_LtTvnWglukmdPqQ_nZ9obreoChOA/s1600-h/DSCN6065.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBStjbjQl5hbX7Noo4JUsDoO6gG57M7Wvah31nNUa9q__FTHC-5vOxJxwF_U9zUHD5jVJuKVQyqTesNP3iz_Q0c1ldCzfEB_dGl0fDtdPcK_LtTvnWglukmdPqQ_nZ9obreoChOA/s320/DSCN6065.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277564503595209906" /></a><br /><br />Manuel and I each taught a basic English class. Here we are at our graduation: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdNqe4getTMW0XFBA0I7FWsDDd461bvRsJ4z5wO1DT454nvUDQySz5_cSKo_TidCnVeeGkkKx4ezqDMOnJKbFu26dQer8U8gTXNVg5HFb3clwKKbhalB_E-WQncpIfgeRjUd2ZA/s1600-h/DSC02202.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBdNqe4getTMW0XFBA0I7FWsDDd461bvRsJ4z5wO1DT454nvUDQySz5_cSKo_TidCnVeeGkkKx4ezqDMOnJKbFu26dQer8U8gTXNVg5HFb3clwKKbhalB_E-WQncpIfgeRjUd2ZA/s320/DSC02202.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277564261632252242" /></a><br /><br />Manuel and Laurin, two volunteers who worked in my community for the past year with a German NGO, became not only great work partners but also great friends. They are my Hermanos del Alma - Soul Brothers! I miss you!!! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2Y74OubxbddMiP0sdjVIQ8qH5muYNGdrI1jzEiBEH7_dXqtgpI7I85CM0wg1cKgTf5xT0cl0Z6pPQKiFDJkVLRXP9JrfkA4CyfSz4yJWhi9Xz-j_g_qfD3gI8OaDygpF6nv02w/s1600-h/DSCN6188.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2Y74OubxbddMiP0sdjVIQ8qH5muYNGdrI1jzEiBEH7_dXqtgpI7I85CM0wg1cKgTf5xT0cl0Z6pPQKiFDJkVLRXP9JrfkA4CyfSz4yJWhi9Xz-j_g_qfD3gI8OaDygpF6nv02w/s320/DSCN6188.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277563604624413218" /></a><br /><br />Our youth group organized and hosted the Regional Escojo Conference for all groups in the area: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrVEiwokXdAS0KV1IpQF3haNElGP9aPrd19jsSXQ4tfE3SdDEOIFCAJpEBUvArcgFVcdGW0BrOH54qrL-oMBj7IP99QtIyNCIGnNMSJiSyvlki5D5B2sw0swn251xjmMkzhs87g/s1600-h/DSCN6295.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidrVEiwokXdAS0KV1IpQF3haNElGP9aPrd19jsSXQ4tfE3SdDEOIFCAJpEBUvArcgFVcdGW0BrOH54qrL-oMBj7IP99QtIyNCIGnNMSJiSyvlki5D5B2sw0swn251xjmMkzhs87g/s320/DSCN6295.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277562206091391074" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR958-xYDPlinSPBSk-ej7phgKJXM_xtSWbHsX26NFWokE5OJIwV-hQT68UsoZN4iFJ4uex06RJ7X4DDzmCvW-pz0J32nvr-iTTMfi0v45OB27QxvGSpecWX4_2DKUzRk2SYre_g/s1600-h/DSCN6306.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR958-xYDPlinSPBSk-ej7phgKJXM_xtSWbHsX26NFWokE5OJIwV-hQT68UsoZN4iFJ4uex06RJ7X4DDzmCvW-pz0J32nvr-iTTMfi0v45OB27QxvGSpecWX4_2DKUzRk2SYre_g/s320/DSCN6306.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277562049380248658" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpNhsYog8GAWIZEgr04Sw0_gto3wh6EXz2GtbObRG45evLD4VhEfGocG0LPJlIdf_eJUQECOFdFOK5D1eSpSuhplrwUTgO-raTbYQ2bmi9AWfXCcHNahmoXFiJb_A4K-Rp2cF7g/s1600-h/DSCN6314.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqpNhsYog8GAWIZEgr04Sw0_gto3wh6EXz2GtbObRG45evLD4VhEfGocG0LPJlIdf_eJUQECOFdFOK5D1eSpSuhplrwUTgO-raTbYQ2bmi9AWfXCcHNahmoXFiJb_A4K-Rp2cF7g/s320/DSCN6314.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277561762367433346" /></a><br /><br />Manuel and Laurin helped out, as well as Marin, who is also extending a third year to be a volunteer leader like I am. Marin is getting married to her long-time Dominican boyfriend this month! <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFaU7c4YfEQmWDH0xA2yGpkgRpP9ftJutm936xYQAJRgmLUZKgMEQU9Ln8Uv2J31sRr2Yvt401JdU6W3Yh-YxEgZOCQSfCCNejawR9ImXYabuKnluJxGzjKgmP_VH7o1zilmcXA/s1600-h/DSCN6287.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQFaU7c4YfEQmWDH0xA2yGpkgRpP9ftJutm936xYQAJRgmLUZKgMEQU9Ln8Uv2J31sRr2Yvt401JdU6W3Yh-YxEgZOCQSfCCNejawR9ImXYabuKnluJxGzjKgmP_VH7o1zilmcXA/s320/DSCN6287.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277563173561826194" /></a><br /><br />Here I am with good friends Adrienne, Margo, Jonathan, and Iris at Jonathan's going-away party. He left early to study French in Quebec: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tihyphenhyphen6OS2_C0VOi3-r8q0zh6wlvkhb-bUMHgO48Tqlqc0hRhi3ddCfp1ISv0vYAsPzOwSoCo52j7l9Wh2qWxwqYBxfXav1Div0T4tNChdmJlCaunOPSUbPRsxRGtV4c1ZJ_Ihmg/s1600-h/DSCN6336.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7tihyphenhyphen6OS2_C0VOi3-r8q0zh6wlvkhb-bUMHgO48Tqlqc0hRhi3ddCfp1ISv0vYAsPzOwSoCo52j7l9Wh2qWxwqYBxfXav1Div0T4tNChdmJlCaunOPSUbPRsxRGtV4c1ZJ_Ihmg/s320/DSCN6336.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277561148982828722" /></a><br /><br />Our youth group had lots of fun together. Here we are hosting the regional Escojo coordinators at our beach: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyD4RE8YkCBmS4VQapx2aifllhb4IEYzuF9pyFii02GR6tn2l_kzXhvgQaVmv2HhixojdyQ8kBk5y8iWvKPKQZOR4ydhAXuhna2NzbDVfJofaq7N124Kc_sybG1x-QOQnYyLLB5w/s1600-h/DSCN6383.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyD4RE8YkCBmS4VQapx2aifllhb4IEYzuF9pyFii02GR6tn2l_kzXhvgQaVmv2HhixojdyQ8kBk5y8iWvKPKQZOR4ydhAXuhna2NzbDVfJofaq7N124Kc_sybG1x-QOQnYyLLB5w/s320/DSCN6383.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277560332695120418" /></a><br /><br />I visited a few friends - here is Melissa in her site in the south. The water is much bluer because these beaches touch the Caribbean sea, rather than the Atlantic ocean: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8J8g9aJtFO204_6UtqrZnRkgwgTEX_P3UMhTy-Ns4l2ud_pFzKwhKRfDrzw51NAvHad1Rwm74RQKaUJpGpDumAsS9Xw8yqnk-sDEH6ehUEsLFVCCpmqJ3W6WrxHES0EpO0DrdRQ/s1600-h/DSCN6500.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8J8g9aJtFO204_6UtqrZnRkgwgTEX_P3UMhTy-Ns4l2ud_pFzKwhKRfDrzw51NAvHad1Rwm74RQKaUJpGpDumAsS9Xw8yqnk-sDEH6ehUEsLFVCCpmqJ3W6WrxHES0EpO0DrdRQ/s320/DSCN6500.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277559947992535186" /></a><br /><br />I helped a few Peace Corps friends who held a cross-border camp with Haitian and Dominican kids in the south near Haiti. There were soccer and art activities for the kids all week in early July: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLVPsqOxm0VuhQP93yDBBsQ7_W1SrZpVkFxHkjB3UITDXvoTVtYE6eK1pHnqAEcWAiCfkBdqKIgVnW6ZqNa47VcseMCoZeXyt6znxh3aJh1UFkFiGhgIWVl_YQ1no-p-AwZcYog/s1600-h/DSCN6508.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDLVPsqOxm0VuhQP93yDBBsQ7_W1SrZpVkFxHkjB3UITDXvoTVtYE6eK1pHnqAEcWAiCfkBdqKIgVnW6ZqNa47VcseMCoZeXyt6znxh3aJh1UFkFiGhgIWVl_YQ1no-p-AwZcYog/s320/DSCN6508.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277559571013965154" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjKXtTfqa7Lo2OdomlcJsUr23-QgSFYnCD1yLH2K1xk3QRLAzemRYq1swYW9rpluHP3VWHFmqXDS0edM3wG0D-I-JW6wH2807gc9ZFNUQSyEVjIMLYkdVPP6pGtGRhkoxtJULeA/s1600-h/DSCN6559.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjKXtTfqa7Lo2OdomlcJsUr23-QgSFYnCD1yLH2K1xk3QRLAzemRYq1swYW9rpluHP3VWHFmqXDS0edM3wG0D-I-JW6wH2807gc9ZFNUQSyEVjIMLYkdVPP6pGtGRhkoxtJULeA/s320/DSCN6559.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277559437238493922" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ektPMVYAzagZKPvYhblyguQHRWTeKQinNfWQJH8LfSyEns5tZAJHzZlDEfW3x69dLYY55LqFi5vs6KVHs8LkPAlxQK42s_RTN_cbqV9nXYV1CxoV7LQKhHrJHEtRkv8l90JaMg/s1600-h/DSCN6564.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ektPMVYAzagZKPvYhblyguQHRWTeKQinNfWQJH8LfSyEns5tZAJHzZlDEfW3x69dLYY55LqFi5vs6KVHs8LkPAlxQK42s_RTN_cbqV9nXYV1CxoV7LQKhHrJHEtRkv8l90JaMg/s320/DSCN6564.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277559024675046946" /></a><br /><br /><br />I visited a beautiful beach in the south for 4th of July: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6l9atUaH5T4f62nfBj0y8jDdMkdMfxOo_DQjC_-StfQ0gG2VbahZoPgmjCRgrct8Eoduct3QeW7QZhQTzTC5xfDJjL785fbuLwry-UxQSGDbiTo2v8VuITH61Zwu1ywBGO5BKdg/s1600-h/DSCN6629.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6l9atUaH5T4f62nfBj0y8jDdMkdMfxOo_DQjC_-StfQ0gG2VbahZoPgmjCRgrct8Eoduct3QeW7QZhQTzTC5xfDJjL785fbuLwry-UxQSGDbiTo2v8VuITH61Zwu1ywBGO5BKdg/s320/DSCN6629.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277558008216264786" /></a><br /><br /><br />The kids from our Sala de Tarea (after school program) had their graduations. Here is one of the two classes: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_0r5P15IBmHEVor-qsJqRjzV4Mv8I1XR52w7sXh39oUqdouwxZ7ySdmsu9gvM8c4GnF2IB_G_248d-d1zXSjJ7GlNYPnmo39yJfCdRfiMe59U_lg24QOixuBTCgOQ9XAIn0j0A/s1600-h/DSCN6669.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho_0r5P15IBmHEVor-qsJqRjzV4Mv8I1XR52w7sXh39oUqdouwxZ7ySdmsu9gvM8c4GnF2IB_G_248d-d1zXSjJ7GlNYPnmo39yJfCdRfiMe59U_lg24QOixuBTCgOQ9XAIn0j0A/s320/DSCN6669.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277557721947889202" /></a><br /><br />In July we had a ceremony to recognize the campaign we had to declare previously unregistered citizens. Fifty-one people were declared in all. Here I am with project counterpart Cristino from a neighboring community, Peace Corps Director Romeo Massey who was kind enough to make the trip for this event, and President of the Foundation Lesley Sosa: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUj8SnzN7WBk_BUgh45AuzEkY20DTeiyi8cvwsFwiZJNS0deRCHXLL_mrbWt0OOZVr-ckntssWohUAyrLivxw0f3vjmqxFUnHkGYzIMGWbbmopaJSQgflN92x2md__uSDJK0Lavw/s1600-h/DSCN6709.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUj8SnzN7WBk_BUgh45AuzEkY20DTeiyi8cvwsFwiZJNS0deRCHXLL_mrbWt0OOZVr-ckntssWohUAyrLivxw0f3vjmqxFUnHkGYzIMGWbbmopaJSQgflN92x2md__uSDJK0Lavw/s320/DSCN6709.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277557006769336018" /></a><br /><br />Families of some of the 51 people we declared with our birth registration campaign: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SQ1usjoCB296_FlYEXRBiZvgY_trUSHllOiK_plErqb9YgSjwUlcjQY_CIcNnaBWS6oEjvw6J9bBcynLSBT0kckvr05lzpH_sukO-Umwuq-RnakXrKrdM8RNFI8JXtQwL70-BQ/s1600-h/DSCN6713.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5SQ1usjoCB296_FlYEXRBiZvgY_trUSHllOiK_plErqb9YgSjwUlcjQY_CIcNnaBWS6oEjvw6J9bBcynLSBT0kckvr05lzpH_sukO-Umwuq-RnakXrKrdM8RNFI8JXtQwL70-BQ/s320/DSCN6713.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277556779293209858" /></a><br /><br />The hard-working kids from our Escojo Mi Vida youth group at their graduation. The tie theme was their idea: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVR9v9wOYe9ajmgCHCUVPvHQ7d0jBkhLjCDPjWqEYxEnbLqRIpjYToqJumG0tcholXE_QLTgM-DwlQNZOy4nzUkt8hWtEx4ZR6f3XihsAGVBCyGe5_SepXl_wNBo9mqKpKhWrEFg/s1600-h/DSCN6824.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVR9v9wOYe9ajmgCHCUVPvHQ7d0jBkhLjCDPjWqEYxEnbLqRIpjYToqJumG0tcholXE_QLTgM-DwlQNZOy4nzUkt8hWtEx4ZR6f3XihsAGVBCyGe5_SepXl_wNBo9mqKpKhWrEFg/s320/DSCN6824.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277556469310632018" /></a><br /><br />Our Escojo youth group took a field trip to visit another group near Puerto Plata, almost 5 hours away!: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyfUqX1nJvThhR-pZksA-ceYAB8havS7P74jOMnV-PhEcktqrUh39fvvQTfdCBJjrctORqHOfjW965KTFKC5b6tN89HUTklSshJ_7WoFNLh00qAqLvj4TIDfJs2ZwXKvkprnyBg/s1600-h/DSCN6908.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgyfUqX1nJvThhR-pZksA-ceYAB8havS7P74jOMnV-PhEcktqrUh39fvvQTfdCBJjrctORqHOfjW965KTFKC5b6tN89HUTklSshJ_7WoFNLh00qAqLvj4TIDfJs2ZwXKvkprnyBg/s320/DSCN6908.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277556063033611490" /></a><br /><br />I brought two girls from my Escojo youth group to the Celebrando el Cibao camp, which teaches kids about diversity: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHDNMNi-IyDU_WI6YQFRB53I2tKKVUGNfQtLeQI8bpl_9WKhzU1Js0JQNioSiGxgwwDTsfWHWQyNvwAUDXC12wK-4I0_odg7n7j-wKzKYX08aMNkg-WtI4ujEIy-Ek-w8buF0oQ/s1600-h/IMG_1561.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHDNMNi-IyDU_WI6YQFRB53I2tKKVUGNfQtLeQI8bpl_9WKhzU1Js0JQNioSiGxgwwDTsfWHWQyNvwAUDXC12wK-4I0_odg7n7j-wKzKYX08aMNkg-WtI4ujEIy-Ek-w8buF0oQ/s320/IMG_1561.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277544628233191810" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2Db520TO2AboumLdpLhD0dN29OJidyf59obDHofRCFD__vjZsqs-57WB2fC2oCMT6lAvzeg7MQ78jyTZaA5HlaiPCTVY-PzdmAysbqYgXQipfKPba0oxGLius_MN1-pDPJk8qA/s1600-h/IMG_0657.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI2Db520TO2AboumLdpLhD0dN29OJidyf59obDHofRCFD__vjZsqs-57WB2fC2oCMT6lAvzeg7MQ78jyTZaA5HlaiPCTVY-PzdmAysbqYgXQipfKPba0oxGLius_MN1-pDPJk8qA/s320/IMG_0657.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277545081858931762" /></a><br /><br />My fellow youth volunteers at our close of service conference in September. Two years later - we made it! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wddFkee4ukNzAIRf3jpQotX2BO1imvR82pYLZmVMABUop9m3AgS3SrDTPdVkmW2M_F3M1uToTwpskfGiWk38yAb0e64rNrmrgw_6-dJyB-LQVfgkh1D8oiRSqNIQPONdmgk6RA/s1600-h/DSCF0061.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9wddFkee4ukNzAIRf3jpQotX2BO1imvR82pYLZmVMABUop9m3AgS3SrDTPdVkmW2M_F3M1uToTwpskfGiWk38yAb0e64rNrmrgw_6-dJyB-LQVfgkh1D8oiRSqNIQPONdmgk6RA/s320/DSCF0061.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277542574569607458" /></a><br /><br />Here's my cat Moreno sleeping on my bookshelf in my new apartment: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0_AFDG9beU4TjTmfCAcyN38ZKOYQ53Q6Kq1_2s3e92XA5qcH210sgM4PrfMdwvP46k9FBbBo2iowpCQvsSA1IAuigpXp46hG_7V9OZj5vw9zNgrvWfKP553hpXtwAIOvcSVkyA/s1600-h/DSCN7265.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga0_AFDG9beU4TjTmfCAcyN38ZKOYQ53Q6Kq1_2s3e92XA5qcH210sgM4PrfMdwvP46k9FBbBo2iowpCQvsSA1IAuigpXp46hG_7V9OZj5vw9zNgrvWfKP553hpXtwAIOvcSVkyA/s320/DSCN7265.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277542239223227170" /></a><br /><br />Here I am with the three youth I brought to the Escojo National Conference with our regional youth coordinator: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnA7pVxZOh6Xaye3dgA237SlhTksoniou8BOpAGGFvtqh_WG56NSnrQvFDr_DtPWGxtZiyB5bhyphenhyphenW3gnxqyZS5M-Qncy3a8XvONjkb_BjYMwWcYHCmTTVKo7BzwpxFKmfC1s0esQ/s1600-h/DSCN7305.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnA7pVxZOh6Xaye3dgA237SlhTksoniou8BOpAGGFvtqh_WG56NSnrQvFDr_DtPWGxtZiyB5bhyphenhyphenW3gnxqyZS5M-Qncy3a8XvONjkb_BjYMwWcYHCmTTVKo7BzwpxFKmfC1s0esQ/s320/DSCN7305.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277541722564217778" /></a><br /><br />...I had brought them to the capital for the first time, so we took a quick tour! <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8Ra6jCpRDoT5PhyphenhypheniR094e3VcPwhWlNy_xd8JLWWSVMCgutI4TOLJidfDstRyRcIuNrNk54yPFpBoIk8bdCZ2NGPC4JHB-qlUEah_WUtLew6MKiCnlks89wRMI_orsqzfolYbow/s1600-h/PICT0892.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw8Ra6jCpRDoT5PhyphenhypheniR094e3VcPwhWlNy_xd8JLWWSVMCgutI4TOLJidfDstRyRcIuNrNk54yPFpBoIk8bdCZ2NGPC4JHB-qlUEah_WUtLew6MKiCnlks89wRMI_orsqzfolYbow/s320/PICT0892.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277562899487359058" /></a><br /><br />My youth group gave their first official presentation as teen multipliers, teaching kids in a neighboring community about their bodies and how to put on condoms. It was a great success! They have continued with motivation ever since. Just last week they organized a march for world AIDS day: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHMfzbVwLvd87MBOogo2SQsci2GCwNuojlwr8D5VeUUBYj7tlNNThc1MqyEldI6EYH2pHqUrOyFAzBKyUSaZ_0AExLDIzl8Mc77tJwQMupDMDGds27X_If6WXzS8k29vl1GJyWQ/s1600-h/DSCN7334.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHMfzbVwLvd87MBOogo2SQsci2GCwNuojlwr8D5VeUUBYj7tlNNThc1MqyEldI6EYH2pHqUrOyFAzBKyUSaZ_0AExLDIzl8Mc77tJwQMupDMDGds27X_If6WXzS8k29vl1GJyWQ/s320/DSCN7334.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277540766481392322" /></a><br /><br />Nurse Joan performed (translated for) hernia surgeries for a week in early November: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdu0rQGyjsgX6IQ6L77JZKwhQ39U1ETuNRODdjmR7WqZaGgJj0g1oYjQlANqkvwMt5JRPDArRTd9fPKUsMj_mH7zpT5uM1UFsfaIWae1KRd4YbHdKk8l6uXljsp7i5yG9N7FLUA/s1600-h/DSCN7476.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKdu0rQGyjsgX6IQ6L77JZKwhQ39U1ETuNRODdjmR7WqZaGgJj0g1oYjQlANqkvwMt5JRPDArRTd9fPKUsMj_mH7zpT5uM1UFsfaIWae1KRd4YbHdKk8l6uXljsp7i5yG9N7FLUA/s320/DSCN7476.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277540297554642002" /></a><br /><br />Fellow Vounteers finished their projects and went home. Here is Ben at the inauguration of the aqueduct he constructed to bring running water to three communities. Ben went home to marry his long-time girlfriend! Finally!: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfqPhyphenhyphenmn6LiCUO6fIx4pCY77Yu9S0LtnQvRPlp-IMqB1WI1ZUtakg6-M9wJ3T-1ehigonGIns110FOH5wtdWNtWm2A_G3VILX88KLwpO40H-PqzpqiiMo1xj6JWNiVO0x0N9e8A/s1600-h/DSCN7440.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxfqPhyphenhyphenmn6LiCUO6fIx4pCY77Yu9S0LtnQvRPlp-IMqB1WI1ZUtakg6-M9wJ3T-1ehigonGIns110FOH5wtdWNtWm2A_G3VILX88KLwpO40H-PqzpqiiMo1xj6JWNiVO0x0N9e8A/s320/DSCN7440.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277555381680831650" /></a><br /><br />Margo and I at the good-bye party for all of the volunteers we trained with. Margo and I are both extending our service:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK33BeJ7QZVYPAjCjmbYVtk8kMZJ273wzrfhvrLCowcZeRKRFCDQZWUtOuxPX7zkUvBn47W5jfK10wQpV71EPCfbMlFBvborHLJqKGVHctgKYSFc62A_iBX0MFr9uKJ2ImUhkxaQ/s1600-h/DSCN7501.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK33BeJ7QZVYPAjCjmbYVtk8kMZJ273wzrfhvrLCowcZeRKRFCDQZWUtOuxPX7zkUvBn47W5jfK10wQpV71EPCfbMlFBvborHLJqKGVHctgKYSFc62A_iBX0MFr9uKJ2ImUhkxaQ/s320/DSCN7501.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277539501622377570" /></a><br /><br />David and I WOWed the crowd with a salsa dance at the talent show of our Thanksgiving celebration. I danced with another friend for the Merengue contest, we came in second (we won last year):<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYr1LnnohPuDEKVYlrF-Hax-sajYm_YwD_X8n9l5JWSUuR9bsEIolrGu_HrxB5i4bUtit2BIIflwQ326P_wTvGPod8iYA8kGYf900pXb5sxWWLMHwVt1IEt4axWSn8bYnL48Q8Q/s1600-h/DSCN7509_2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 218px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfYr1LnnohPuDEKVYlrF-Hax-sajYm_YwD_X8n9l5JWSUuR9bsEIolrGu_HrxB5i4bUtit2BIIflwQ326P_wTvGPod8iYA8kGYf900pXb5sxWWLMHwVt1IEt4axWSn8bYnL48Q8Q/s320/DSCN7509_2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277537638322948866" /></a><br /><br />I managed a trip home in September as well!<br /><br />Nicki got married: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVcGi7dh16EV4aYRFpdTiN9NuGJYPyIvqBdv462sVo_to6Qjl2lVK40iKquHq1q5oNzPHC86Ey9QGCMJ8aRDd5Wf1FCGmcn2rrAJVE6vd3w6p3LOiQ_y3PtSKRhTeaosHs2HI8Q/s1600-h/DSCN7111.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZVcGi7dh16EV4aYRFpdTiN9NuGJYPyIvqBdv462sVo_to6Qjl2lVK40iKquHq1q5oNzPHC86Ey9QGCMJ8aRDd5Wf1FCGmcn2rrAJVE6vd3w6p3LOiQ_y3PtSKRhTeaosHs2HI8Q/s320/DSCN7111.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277543713479871170" /></a><br /><br />...and so did Sarah: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXg9PiYLyyPTzL-_sNYJcSLIoJDYrtZUGeGsD0BKCpFtrX56-7bqUy3amUNBPS7jNbr1aeETijhtwjQNW0IcxUMdhuOHvHZ5KRJ5KKRcFNvn0IyeEPCJGB5e3K8EUqsCcVOSIGAg/s1600-h/DSCN7157.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXg9PiYLyyPTzL-_sNYJcSLIoJDYrtZUGeGsD0BKCpFtrX56-7bqUy3amUNBPS7jNbr1aeETijhtwjQNW0IcxUMdhuOHvHZ5KRJ5KKRcFNvn0IyeEPCJGB5e3K8EUqsCcVOSIGAg/s320/DSCN7157.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277543908976901938" /></a><br /><br />Mary had a baby boy: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4I70KXSosW5lnvvetCSBml_Iw1c_OEOTaGydpqU_2Gl8Wtf5IumCePlPwsznsvT6xYW10KClxqlwev36rDGYEbjKi2ySVy5YHYCNxoflWuY5Y1s8uV-G4Q0B68vOIv4N9Om7FQg/s1600-h/DSCN7090.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4I70KXSosW5lnvvetCSBml_Iw1c_OEOTaGydpqU_2Gl8Wtf5IumCePlPwsznsvT6xYW10KClxqlwev36rDGYEbjKi2ySVy5YHYCNxoflWuY5Y1s8uV-G4Q0B68vOIv4N9Om7FQg/s320/DSCN7090.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277544038068322386" /></a><br /><br />Marc and I played: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eIBnXe000f8KxZn4D0t5TaBf9tuSm_oH0egNNOecYxrjPVCc8n_cINZV8xWC6Y1VQTyMljo4a3SG8rUNVFZhrodPn0MDIzg4cebzNRS_QvpADPjjeQmmQv6GLhsONHK7efXKqQ/s1600-h/DSCN7194.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-eIBnXe000f8KxZn4D0t5TaBf9tuSm_oH0egNNOecYxrjPVCc8n_cINZV8xWC6Y1VQTyMljo4a3SG8rUNVFZhrodPn0MDIzg4cebzNRS_QvpADPjjeQmmQv6GLhsONHK7efXKqQ/s320/DSCN7194.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277542914667276306" /></a><br /><br />Crystal and I spent an afternoon at Tealuxe on Newbury street: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbMZHBlG_qQ9f5tcmEbhOzUNMgfzrB9fDM-e86KSBmW4dwevTbe0ttywnswodGGdqpSAVqYhCGWuEexHN_QtYIDifvePYEvp7edrZYnQuQloExrHspTZ91zGmYfd9vY19FREOQQ/s1600-h/DSCN7168.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKbMZHBlG_qQ9f5tcmEbhOzUNMgfzrB9fDM-e86KSBmW4dwevTbe0ttywnswodGGdqpSAVqYhCGWuEexHN_QtYIDifvePYEvp7edrZYnQuQloExrHspTZ91zGmYfd9vY19FREOQQ/s320/DSCN7168.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277543494335101250" /></a><br /><br />Jeff and I had coffee in Salem: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDtkcvLAC-5exu5sDJM5nURq6V5UQIO8eCTziUSL3Fr8ZqUEdSDY5YNkIQZu2FQt-quGZ7xLw3TxXwWTkr7aTh2FvbInm8158PoDKJqNQA60BN8kI2UtLiaHq4L4RQ7eXnQ12_Q/s1600-h/DSCN7180.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBDtkcvLAC-5exu5sDJM5nURq6V5UQIO8eCTziUSL3Fr8ZqUEdSDY5YNkIQZu2FQt-quGZ7xLw3TxXwWTkr7aTh2FvbInm8158PoDKJqNQA60BN8kI2UtLiaHq4L4RQ7eXnQ12_Q/s320/DSCN7180.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277543169751645042" /></a><br /><br />Cheryl and Alison and I dined in Swampscott: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ay0DaOPBdOeSxDU0E8TG1nMn2w_02FgzpgUtHhXqn42z3XWCQkc2ScU03FybwWjv6wE3wq62uXcwRq_srwausqKfnpZve4xvRHKamHegnIxw198pEPGtEklJec9dPESAl9rpuA/s1600-h/DSCN7160.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3Ay0DaOPBdOeSxDU0E8TG1nMn2w_02FgzpgUtHhXqn42z3XWCQkc2ScU03FybwWjv6wE3wq62uXcwRq_srwausqKfnpZve4xvRHKamHegnIxw198pEPGtEklJec9dPESAl9rpuA/s320/DSCN7160.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277544289607025218" /></a><br /><br />And the family was together again: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77QqNajNEaixetUIncSVx2JjxxQBZ71rZLkkvgYVcdE23fZqk43BCPx8U4GA3lkRfs_VXmM7kgTuPDRjhIbeje3LTPlus8B9t5efUFiDC2pw1eBMRTow7pgtmamSzU7SYXgM6rw/s1600-h/DSCN7115.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj77QqNajNEaixetUIncSVx2JjxxQBZ71rZLkkvgYVcdE23fZqk43BCPx8U4GA3lkRfs_VXmM7kgTuPDRjhIbeje3LTPlus8B9t5efUFiDC2pw1eBMRTow7pgtmamSzU7SYXgM6rw/s320/DSCN7115.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277555188041803602" /></a><br /><br />I'll be back in July. Keep in touch!<br />JoanJoanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-48688312277050642332008-04-28T14:33:00.018-05:002008-04-28T19:01:22.149-05:00The First Annual Women's Week - March 5 - 9, 2008Members of the Woman's Club:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkahfQuEaw2l5ybyZGvC30_r4IH0z5P1t0TfCrgui1FI-jNHqCb6IYeoIKXnJK8vyDpr_6XpH4qrgJWPMFzL_EaOkXNN9tr9Jo7zSabyurTe6iK_3DNfqe7dxjSkD0nzUeYzlo2A/s1600-h/IMG_0579.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkahfQuEaw2l5ybyZGvC30_r4IH0z5P1t0TfCrgui1FI-jNHqCb6IYeoIKXnJK8vyDpr_6XpH4qrgJWPMFzL_EaOkXNN9tr9Jo7zSabyurTe6iK_3DNfqe7dxjSkD0nzUeYzlo2A/s400/IMG_0579.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194443422320561490" /></a>The First Annual Women’s Week Celebration was a great success. To celebrate the official International Women’s Day, the Club de Madres (Mother's Club) and I carried out a week of events, for women and by women. The recently re-formed Mother’s Club came together out of concern that there were not enough opportunities available to women of the community. The club began the year by bringing three different vocational courses to the community, offered to women free of charge. These courses included sewing, cooking, and massage. At the same time, the Mother’s Club began planning for its first annual Women’s Week. <br /><br />Wednesday March 5th - Health and Justice<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6BCN18zN0FV5Hsxax1mFF7SmYqNmT062LjRlcN2Id4Qjc5Mk8CJtQ93ZTo5iTfKaElgo8zOUzr0MsN-3oMcdiasNSrZniLIaIwNcj8H4cxUphEJWQlSJnxO7yItNuAmevGDtIg/s1600-h/Dra.+Charla+Cropped.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl6BCN18zN0FV5Hsxax1mFF7SmYqNmT062LjRlcN2Id4Qjc5Mk8CJtQ93ZTo5iTfKaElgo8zOUzr0MsN-3oMcdiasNSrZniLIaIwNcj8H4cxUphEJWQlSJnxO7yItNuAmevGDtIg/s200/Dra.+Charla+Cropped.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194414963867258162" /></a>“La Semana de la Mujer” (Women’s Week) began with charlas (educational presentations) given about women’s health and women’s rights. The health charla was given by a local doctor of the community, Dr. Carmen Bonilla (pictured at left), and treated subjects such as basic health, how to do your own breast self-exam, the importance of regular pap smears, and more. Representatives from the official “Oficina de la Mujer” (Women’s Office) of Nagua spoke about women’s rights, particularly in relation to violence against women. There were about 45 people in attendance, and the women who attended the charla were very interested in the information and happy with the outcome. <br /><br />Thursday March 6th - Recognition Night<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLEkhh0VP6BD3t1Csu_wg9R5dK9EEubjrTzYo_-Qa8Wv2cnV7i3lGElBIoUbdW-R6NjzZLF49nsCKa6lLFHr1Ri8wLPlEh-6EVFYMdgDSCYI8D4_y08vJcaEvt9Q4K4zptDBVfA/s1600-h/Ada+Cert.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgLEkhh0VP6BD3t1Csu_wg9R5dK9EEubjrTzYo_-Qa8Wv2cnV7i3lGElBIoUbdW-R6NjzZLF49nsCKa6lLFHr1Ri8wLPlEh-6EVFYMdgDSCYI8D4_y08vJcaEvt9Q4K4zptDBVfA/s200/Ada+Cert.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194406386817567986" /></a>Thursday saw our most talked-about night of the week, “La Noche de Reconocimiento” (Recognition Night). During this evening, we awarded twelve women of the community with mounted certificates for the variety of services they have contributed to the community in representation of strong and successful women. Included in the list of award recipients were: a nurse, a doctor, a political representative, teachers, cooks, a nun, and other women who represent a spirit of strength and courage. The Club de Madres insited on giving me an award as well for my work in the community. We also recognized a “Madre Ejemplar” (example mother), to award one woman for her work within the home and family, and to represent the importance of those whose work remains in the household. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0WNpY5DMTNrWSyUeTgOeYAkdUwocYiAUSWqgcpyPQ3v2roVMc83fB_77hOEBt9D8llpXpl__dGHmLaHdw3329Xyz1YgwAP1QxN8wK1vvWyqJ-HxRbSBAqvCoJHgQ9fVMgKKj8g/s1600-h/IMG_0590.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT0WNpY5DMTNrWSyUeTgOeYAkdUwocYiAUSWqgcpyPQ3v2roVMc83fB_77hOEBt9D8llpXpl__dGHmLaHdw3329Xyz1YgwAP1QxN8wK1vvWyqJ-HxRbSBAqvCoJHgQ9fVMgKKj8g/s200/IMG_0590.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194447476769688930" /></a><br />Recognition night took the town by surprise. Invitees arrived not knowing what to expect, and witnessed a group of people congratulating women for their everyday work and for being themselves. The school director, a man named Radhames Alvarado, approached the microphone with a look of awe and spoke to the crowd, commenting, “We have never seen anything like this before. This is the first time we have had a night specifically dedicated to the accomplishments of women.” Other key community leaders were present and all had very positive things to say about the event and the importance of this gesture. A few women, inspired by the evening, took the microphone and, fists pumping in the air, called out their own words of inspiration or reflected on their own personal accomplishments. The night was a huge success, and people in town continued to talk about it for weeks to come. <br />This is Elizabeth, a nun from Mexico who lives and works in the community:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZo_RRYP-WV88Xe_LyShonlGI4tGxp9rhW9DyuORzIw1y1-yTeUjbOMCnZ5d9iBsO-RxBPeCwtz2sp9Jd7Lck6fc6yRwlp2YnVznt1OjKwpFYakDvoA5l5E1pYjZxk5RsQ1v1igg/s1600-h/IMG_0507.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZo_RRYP-WV88Xe_LyShonlGI4tGxp9rhW9DyuORzIw1y1-yTeUjbOMCnZ5d9iBsO-RxBPeCwtz2sp9Jd7Lck6fc6yRwlp2YnVznt1OjKwpFYakDvoA5l5E1pYjZxk5RsQ1v1igg/s320/IMG_0507.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194407099782139138" /></a><br />Here I am as I accept my award while struggling not to fall in my borrowed fancy shoes:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWcrldRuPazGijyuNnBblZmQOzID-QvUX5WdvzduNUoGcyN9VGYT4qjGTHUE8NJN9fwr26R1ewYsG8i1xf2WGCl_w0fsBP7mrOuqn9XIllGLDMi9A6BUfjttP7xIKyE37XzHojQ/s1600-h/IMG_0490.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizWcrldRuPazGijyuNnBblZmQOzID-QvUX5WdvzduNUoGcyN9VGYT4qjGTHUE8NJN9fwr26R1ewYsG8i1xf2WGCl_w0fsBP7mrOuqn9XIllGLDMi9A6BUfjttP7xIKyE37XzHojQ/s320/IMG_0490.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194414366866804002" /></a><br />Here I am making a joke during my acceptance speech:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLNzvDT6LnXkbag0EoxtpcitiMNlLAwXmAkntMA19maxZcXQbFjn8HQQ36P31ioF_2GZqDglcLuFBWVV6wpTHsYvJentBJ18kfeE8AV9tvrYzgQJlR2GUYpeW39CQdzcJwr1iLfw/s1600-h/IMG_0498.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLNzvDT6LnXkbag0EoxtpcitiMNlLAwXmAkntMA19maxZcXQbFjn8HQQ36P31ioF_2GZqDglcLuFBWVV6wpTHsYvJentBJ18kfeE8AV9tvrYzgQJlR2GUYpeW39CQdzcJwr1iLfw/s320/IMG_0498.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194413860060663058" /></a><br />Friday March 7th - Adolescent Health<br />Friday took us to the local high school, where Peace Corps Volunteer and friend Idonah and I carried out charlas for two groups of high school girls. We touched on many important themes such as: understanding the human body, menstruation, pregnancy, birth control methods, and HIV/AIDS. This education is vital to girls of this age in the Dominican Republic, though in many cases youth do not have the opportunity to learn about these issues. Too often young girls end up having unprotected sex, many times ending in teenage pregnancy and as a result, marrying young, dropping out of school, etc.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dYiGLsmvZ3vfBHRNPwXou1HFkQiWtTcBoGcoVLwx6UKAGr7HF19h2onfPP0Pe_TisDzJJyH21N-_f73-6k_LqeBARLTYTHqNjpxsPTWqhxkIe32xpiwsK7aMR6yPWOL7nsAjig/s1600-h/Pin+Clitoris.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dYiGLsmvZ3vfBHRNPwXou1HFkQiWtTcBoGcoVLwx6UKAGr7HF19h2onfPP0Pe_TisDzJJyH21N-_f73-6k_LqeBARLTYTHqNjpxsPTWqhxkIe32xpiwsK7aMR6yPWOL7nsAjig/s320/Pin+Clitoris.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194403006678306018" /></a><br />The girls sat wide-eyed as we taught them about their own bodies and what was happening to them. Things like menstruation, pregnancy, and sex are so taboo in this country that they rarely get a decent explanation of them and are left to fend for themselves when faced with these critical events. We made learning fun for them by playing “Pin the body part on the woman”, and teaching them how to put a condom on a plantain. The “girls only” environment was beneficial as they did not have the pressure nor embarrassment of wondering what the boys were thinking, and felt comfortable asking lots of questions. (Ideology borrowed from Camp GLOW) I selected some of the girls from these groups to continue their education and training in sexual health as members of my new youth group, “Escojo Mi Vida” (I choose my life) and to be multipliers of the information so that they can give their own charlas and continue spreading this important information to youth of the community. <br /><br />Saturday March 8th - International Women’s Day Celebration<br />After a week of lectures and informational sessions, we decided that we wanted the official “Día Internacional de la Mujer” (International Women’s Day) to be a time to celebrate and have fun. We called all women to the basketball court for an afternoon of singing, dancing, and prizes. The women were a little slow to arrive, and after seeing the mostly older crowd in attendance, we decided to skip the dance contest and stick with the entertainment portion. Club member Yinelis is well-known throughout Matancitas for her beautiful voice and sang a variety of both cover and original songs, accompanied by Daniel on the keys. Daniel and his friend Eduard also contributed to the afternoon special with songs and serenades dedicated to the women in the crowd. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOg2BJI56Z1FHC_tR4Nkr_behegnGou9X1eOWiutMNMuyTKsMkf2wTcsX_sIqxHsaolVfq8PTF2BmYC-F9bkErjY7m5ZEPp3iPT5Ch26zbiEO23z6HJqss4xMRRJ3Teh_EBNUIg/s1600-h/Womens+Day+Cancha+Yinelis.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyOg2BJI56Z1FHC_tR4Nkr_behegnGou9X1eOWiutMNMuyTKsMkf2wTcsX_sIqxHsaolVfq8PTF2BmYC-F9bkErjY7m5ZEPp3iPT5Ch26zbiEO23z6HJqss4xMRRJ3Teh_EBNUIg/s320/Womens+Day+Cancha+Yinelis.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194402482692295890" /></a><br />We had lots of prizes, having had received donations of gifts and money to buy gifts from local community members and businesses. The number of attendees was small enough that each participant walked away with a prize. There were about 60 people at the event that afternoon. Accompanying everything were lots of refreshments and beautiful afternoon weather. <br /><br />Sunday March 9th - Medical Mission<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxcI_kF92KngcrmarKZMPytiZqV9NwCpdbHYBH3u0-9x50Kz4W0YPW1KvgFA2ForJ27ifuSguIHoXXQoSTTUA_u2kJeyow4mIrwQyVw6XZ_GgzVdn9FDqZDkH1V2ZWR7Cz7JiLA/s1600-h/Dr+Pratt+w+Xiomara.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOxcI_kF92KngcrmarKZMPytiZqV9NwCpdbHYBH3u0-9x50Kz4W0YPW1KvgFA2ForJ27ifuSguIHoXXQoSTTUA_u2kJeyow4mIrwQyVw6XZ_GgzVdn9FDqZDkH1V2ZWR7Cz7JiLA/s200/Dr+Pratt+w+Xiomara.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5194396100370894018" /></a>For the final day of the week, the Mother’s Club helped organize and carry out a Medical Mission. Three female doctors of the community provided their services at discounted prices to community members, with specialties in cardiology, gynecology, and pediatrics. Two of the doctors come directly from our town while the other lives in nearby Nagua. It was helpful for community members to have this mission as they not only saved money off the normal consultation and exam costs, but they were able to stay with their regular doctors. The turnout was not as high as we had hoped it would be, but many women did take advantage of their services, especially pap smears and cardiograms.<br /><br />Overall the week was a huge success, and something that the Club de Madres hopes to continue for years to come.Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-35063534095342799102008-04-17T15:37:00.009-05:002008-04-17T21:49:49.201-05:00Crystal's "Vacation"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOrh3opjmowdn2-rUTRo9W-ORDXEkFSo9Ea5imOaM1uKfaCyW8g01HXxNqv7V4ZLSrOLNKWdPGRxVeNQEixIqZ3Ni1VWpcFnVOG5VNiLwL4Zt97cSbP1-8WAUv2U3yh1b4Xp7Xw/s1600-h/DSCN5007.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOrh3opjmowdn2-rUTRo9W-ORDXEkFSo9Ea5imOaM1uKfaCyW8g01HXxNqv7V4ZLSrOLNKWdPGRxVeNQEixIqZ3Ni1VWpcFnVOG5VNiLwL4Zt97cSbP1-8WAUv2U3yh1b4Xp7Xw/s320/DSCN5007.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190340049829964866" /></a>So I have to say visiting the Dominican Republic was more of an ‘experience’ than a vacation, as Joan’s dad put it. I had no idea just how simple Joan was living. I knew she didn’t have much but I didn’t foresee having no shower or refrigerator. She never complains about any of these things when we chat on the phone, which is pretty often. I never had the desire to stay in resort land but I guess I wasn’t as tough as I thought. I have to say I missed the luxuries of home. Thinking back on it I think if I did some research on the country I would have been more mentally prepared. <br /><br />Another reason it was tough was because of the language barrier. I had to depend on Joan for all of my communication. She is pretty fluent now, and doesn’t mind, but it definitely feels strange to depend on someone else to speak. Even though I know a little Spanish I feel intimidated to speak it even though everyone is graciously friendly. It was astonishing just how friendly people were. Joan knows everyone and they all love her. We had three meals at neighbors’ houses, and each time they always served the guest first. They have so little yet they want to make sure you have the most. Back home it is not unusual to be kind to guests, but they truly go out of their way to satisfy you. You can tell how much Joan has adapted and truly become part of the community. <br /><br />It was difficult too because I am in school all year so I do not get to take many vacations. When I do go on vacation I am ready to splurge, since I rarely do. Joan was not on vacation and was working all week, and makes pretty much enough money to survive, so we weren’t exactly on the same page as far as spending and doing activities. And she never complains about this! I am glad now though because I truly don’t have the money to splurge either. I always knew she was the right type of person for the Peace Corps; she truly always looks out for everyone. That’s why she’s My Girl Joan. One of my favorite things was the food because it was mostly fried and bland (which I love). I also love the music and dancing. I cannot believe how strong the sun was there! I knew it was much closer to the equator but I could not imagine that you really need to shade yourself with an umbrella during the day. I was skeptical at first but when I didn’t use the umbrella I got a headache within twenty minutes. This is not an exaggeration. <br /><br />Overall the trip was more valuable than I realized during the week. I became more grateful for all that I have. Most people in the U.S. will have more money than the people in the Dominican Republic will think about having or needing. It reminded me of how many freedoms we do have in this country. It is extremely difficult for anyone in the Dominican Republic to get a visa to travel to any other country, even for a week stay visiting a relative. Even if families were granted a visa it would be very difficult to afford the expense, especially since a meal for a family in an inexpensive restaurant would be cumbersome considering the exchange rate. We can pretty much travel to any country we want. I would never even think about the fact that not everyone has this freedom. I am also more mindful of how hard it is for immigrants to adapt to a new culture. It was difficult for me, and I was only staying there for one week. One of the most amazing things about traveling is how much you can learn and how your perspective changes over time. When you travel it changes you and keeps on changing you even after you have gone back home. You might not even realize it until years later. It is pretty amazing. <br /><br />Joan's Note: We also went to a beautiful beach:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjYcbogOgKbDYBQBq5SxMUAXSEBnAJbegdbC3KiSP0fRbPLzwlpisCDOLAi1LAcyroqDs8jlcodWaqfTSDJoImeKpdoDqeKzhS6EUzrlS_YrLh0GPzWQbBeGapc0RTQ7K9cbumw/s1600-h/DSCN4990.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLjYcbogOgKbDYBQBq5SxMUAXSEBnAJbegdbC3KiSP0fRbPLzwlpisCDOLAi1LAcyroqDs8jlcodWaqfTSDJoImeKpdoDqeKzhS6EUzrlS_YrLh0GPzWQbBeGapc0RTQ7K9cbumw/s320/DSCN4990.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190411612575050914" /></a><br />Joan climbing an almond tree:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKtMXmjkGE9FJh2wC0ygIo0xy3TgqwZdZ2ODnoTCY_DI3GiyUR4ndekz-4y8GKf2plQAHoyDxNNbV-Ji9sVHH1BdCyGvI2iV2Zdw0d2jV1wctOhzDIRZ-vjIHWzlc7v_SGqnddqw/s1600-h/66830008.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKtMXmjkGE9FJh2wC0ygIo0xy3TgqwZdZ2ODnoTCY_DI3GiyUR4ndekz-4y8GKf2plQAHoyDxNNbV-Ji9sVHH1BdCyGvI2iV2Zdw0d2jV1wctOhzDIRZ-vjIHWzlc7v_SGqnddqw/s320/66830008.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190347123641101394" /></a><br />Crystal drinking her Piña Colada directly from the Piña:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhzQV4i39g8kiB3YpRvMSxJ3sB2EHsOBGFP5r8AeJ9g2CculneMgxE4lNMj7YpfoOJ_2bbxfhyphenhyphenm8GkPMKZo6pDjhtNepnCIFxnciGsFWoouXhS93Hs4lKkGC_4Fe9QGciPd1A1A/s1600-h/Crystal+Pineapple.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUhzQV4i39g8kiB3YpRvMSxJ3sB2EHsOBGFP5r8AeJ9g2CculneMgxE4lNMj7YpfoOJ_2bbxfhyphenhyphenm8GkPMKZo6pDjhtNepnCIFxnciGsFWoouXhS93Hs4lKkGC_4Fe9QGciPd1A1A/s320/Crystal+Pineapple.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190347441468681330" /></a><br />Joan's Dominican "Grandparents" Sonia and Bolivar:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIqGFI5jcFpAtQnFc_XOohIwCwEPZt82j2FvlbA0X6gNgRKJUnXL_Iwkl2iVa9FSDNu7AM2SaziSIEFvg7vnUiGx38lpWNpwvA_ZnJpYG-EmzIuqsEqLwfge8ukwPdtzdVfpKqw/s1600-h/Sona+Bolivar.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIqGFI5jcFpAtQnFc_XOohIwCwEPZt82j2FvlbA0X6gNgRKJUnXL_Iwkl2iVa9FSDNu7AM2SaziSIEFvg7vnUiGx38lpWNpwvA_ZnJpYG-EmzIuqsEqLwfge8ukwPdtzdVfpKqw/s320/Sona+Bolivar.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5190347269669989474" /></a>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-57290266927222636912008-03-25T10:13:00.009-05:002008-03-25T13:11:53.589-05:00Nurse Joan<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwri7qKxy1R1xs9QY00HzuYRcJNK2QEX13N9QMyyi9VIBElnYHBlhy4oYnIIy3XqVwU8BYEW0nOEaAIYFXcw44CB4-Vt8i0zKYgLlZSX2jx2V59xkmXSAbcC-tlyCKxgu6oy3GQ/s1600-h/Nurse+Joan.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNwri7qKxy1R1xs9QY00HzuYRcJNK2QEX13N9QMyyi9VIBElnYHBlhy4oYnIIy3XqVwU8BYEW0nOEaAIYFXcw44CB4-Vt8i0zKYgLlZSX2jx2V59xkmXSAbcC-tlyCKxgu6oy3GQ/s320/Nurse+Joan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181727569321860978" /></a><br />One of the most impactful experiences of my time in the Peace Corps has been my participation in a Medical Mission in the beginning of February. A group of doctors headed by Dr. Thomas Geraghty, mostly from the Kansas area, comes every year for two weeks in February to perform free reconstructive and plastic surgeries for underprivileged Dominicans. Certain medical missions that come to this country call upon Peace Corps Volunteers to help with translation and organization of the events. Peace Corps Volunteers make good translators for events such as these because we not only know the language with all of its Dominican intricacies, but we are aware of cultural workings too. Peace Corps Volunteers have helped with Geraghty’s missions for many years, and Dr. Geraghty has been doing this mission for almost 25 years! Check out his web site when you get a chance: www.macla.org/<br /><br />I had known about this particular mission for over a year and had been planning to be there to participate for an entire week, but with work picking up in my site I unfortunately wasn’t able to leave for such a long time. I did, however, bring two members of my community to see if they would qualify for the free surgery. <br /><br />After mentioning the mission to a few friends and that I was looking for candidates, they referred me to a youth of mine who had a twisted thumb. I had never noticied it before, but his left thumb was bent sideways from the top knuckle. He didn't have much movement in the thumb, and it was harmful to his self-esteem to have other kids notice his deformity. I invited him to make the trip with me to the capital, and told him that the doctors could set him straight (literally):<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0hkLH0nTh5VXI1Azy-_hDQdyqxlvrV7YEcIcxet5if2IjhcjsXed_kDLBez-imrHTcJ9roxZZRnG-bCk5DKNU7CMog67GTDqY4k200eW7eAFDwjShyphenhyphen8cjYtfGsztCxLVyi-unA/s1600-h/DSCN5066.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE0hkLH0nTh5VXI1Azy-_hDQdyqxlvrV7YEcIcxet5if2IjhcjsXed_kDLBez-imrHTcJ9roxZZRnG-bCk5DKNU7CMog67GTDqY4k200eW7eAFDwjShyphenhyphen8cjYtfGsztCxLVyi-unA/s320/DSCN5066.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181713696577494866" /></a><br /><br />The other candidate I brought was Ñuco. Ñuco is a man of about 60-years-old (though no one is actually sure of his age nor birthday). He’s lived his entire life with a severe cleft lip. Throughout his lifetime, not only had no one ever tried to fix his lip, but he had never even been to a doctor. It was a matter of poverty, but also, with this deformity, he was considered an outcast and no one really gave him a second thought. It pained me to see this man reduced to his state, while thinking that if only someone had performed this relatively simple surgery when he was a child, he could have married, had a family, and had a normal life. Instead, he’s the guy with the cleft lip, and people are afraid of him. Even though I knew it was probably too late in his life to be doing this, I brought him to the capital anyway to see if he would qualify for the surgery and get that chance he always deserved. Better late than never, I thought. Here he is:<a hrf="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhZ1STAmFGW_0fb_a47VPPpJFloqJ3tbFUxQ4vxWmf91CBKB9yeDZMlN4faCepTkkuWjlNvCG1kZI7Sup5sf9JjWZsbHUXPdacJX97wml7OCjPXcmyWErr-w1252ZTvaxeQPZQA/s1600-h/DSCN5070.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOhZ1STAmFGW_0fb_a47VPPpJFloqJ3tbFUxQ4vxWmf91CBKB9yeDZMlN4faCepTkkuWjlNvCG1kZI7Sup5sf9JjWZsbHUXPdacJX97wml7OCjPXcmyWErr-w1252ZTvaxeQPZQA/s320/DSCN5070.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181723420383453026" /></a><br /><br />The night before we were to leave, I went to check on him to see if he was ready. He had had his bag packed for a day and was very excited about the trip. His niece, my good friend Niña, confessed that this was his first trip to the capital. Can you believe it?!? Sixty years and he had never been to Santo Domingo, and as I learned, hardly even left his community. We took and early bus at 4:00am and arrived in the capital by 8:00. As we pulled up in front of the hospital we saw all of the surgery hopefuls who had come from all parts of the country waiting outside the building in a line four-people-deep that stretched for about two city blocks in two directions. Some of the reasons people came in for were obvious, for example, there were many people in line with cleft lips. I think it was good for Ñuco as he realized that there were many other people just like him, that he wasn't alone in the world. <br /><br />As Peace Corps, we had an advantage over the others and brought our patients to the front of the line. I helped control the order of patients receiving consultations with the other volunteers until my patients' numbers were called. We met personally with Dr. Geraghty and both of my boys were approved and passed along to the next level - the checkup. Every surgury hopeful had their vital signs taken to make sure they were healthy enough to go under anesthesia (which can be very dangerous in certain situations). My youth was approved and given his surgery date for two days later. Unfortunately, in the end Ñuco did not qualify for the surgery because the doctors were worried about his heart and didn’t want to risk putting him under the anesthesia. It could be that he has heart problems, but also it could be that the man was simply terrified at being examined by a doctor for the first time! In the end it ended up being a great experience for him. He got to see the big city for the first time, and had an experience he will never forget. <br /><br />While we were there in the waiting room waiting for a checkup, I jumped right in and helped translate for a Dr. Larry. It was so amazing to be right in there on the action. I helped Dr. Larry as he examined each patient. I saw all kinds of burns, scars, and deformities that I never in my lifetime thought I’d be seeing in person. My mom is a nurse, and it has always been difficult even just looking at pictures in her medical books. Though not once did I feel uncomfortable speaking with and helping these patients, many with pretty extreme cases. <br /><br />I went back two days later with my youth and we waited for his surgery, which was scheduled for 9:00 that morning. Things were a bit delayed so in the meantime I changed into scrubs and jumped right in again, helping with translation, comforting patients, getting them ready for surgery, and even go into the operating room! I helped Dr. Larry again this day as he gave keloid injections to people with big scars. He commended me on my ability to watch the injections, saying, “I like having you around. You don’t need to look away like the others do!” Here’s Iris (another Volunteer) helping Dr. Larry with the injections:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EJ1NFIMaf04QH7sMClV8mQKEBI703si8doOc4VPOITkHqu4Cr7Pr0T9NdNVlSTsZEf73sHIvTAjxm0ueYCsAnw-xdudkTpXCaVnOTs7V7bbVn3CE9w4I0rCQvYuYpEY9itg2tQ/s1600-h/2253145596_aff50c38be_m.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EJ1NFIMaf04QH7sMClV8mQKEBI703si8doOc4VPOITkHqu4Cr7Pr0T9NdNVlSTsZEf73sHIvTAjxm0ueYCsAnw-xdudkTpXCaVnOTs7V7bbVn3CE9w4I0rCQvYuYpEY9itg2tQ/s320/2253145596_aff50c38be_m.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181699699279077186" /></a><br />Here I am with Becky, an IT Volunteer:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteDl-msxnUI2kmUfxvrQEteQYlhuZORMho3V__q_RlGAyc5XrBSzh-zV29-f3W_B5KTHkqk_jycvHytSZyXcwJtfl6VZNY4ULuwS9hH8HcCo5PO1Z_5TQ_ikfcA50QvsuP57OIw/s1600-h/2252438085_9af55309bc_m.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhteDl-msxnUI2kmUfxvrQEteQYlhuZORMho3V__q_RlGAyc5XrBSzh-zV29-f3W_B5KTHkqk_jycvHytSZyXcwJtfl6VZNY4ULuwS9hH8HcCo5PO1Z_5TQ_ikfcA50QvsuP57OIw/s320/2252438085_9af55309bc_m.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5181699385746464562" /></a><br />I never in my wildest dreams thought I’d be able to handle the work of a nurse, but not only did nothing bother me, I learned that I actually enjoyed the work! Not only that, but I watched the entire surgery of the youth that I brought to the mission! Have I found a new calling? I’m not sure, but I will say I’d like to participate more in missions such as these. <br /><br />Now I’d like to tell you about Edelberto. Edelberto is a 28-years-old patient I met at this mission. About a year-and-a-half ago, he was working at a paint store when the store caught on fire. He ran into the burning building to save his boss, carrying the man in his arms through the flames. In the process, Edelberto burned most of his body from the chin down. The skin on his arms melted to itself where the arms bend at the elbow. He has since had numerous surgeries to help fix some of his injuries, but he suffers daily. He had skin transplanted from his leg to his arms and now has fairly normal function of his arms. His skin was burned badly, however, and he has to be very careful with simple day-to-day habits: he has to bathe with warm water (not common down here); he can't be bitten by mosquitos, and needs to wear a special long-sleeved shirt at all times to protect his skin. He has had grafting done to try and promote better skin growth, and because of it his skin looks scaly. He is a good soul who risked his life to save another, but in the process lost everything. The boss he tried to save died six days later, and the family never did anything to thank Edelberto nor check on his condition. His girlfriend and friends slowly disappeared. He depends on his mother for help with many things.<br /><br />I got to know Edelberto because he was also waiting on the day of my youth's surgery. Both were waiting for finger surgeries, and waited an entire day without food or water to be ready for the anesthesia, until 5:00 when we found out that they wouldn't be able to have the operations that day and would be rescheduled for the following day. Because we all came from far away, I became responsible for finding Edelberto and his mom food and lodging for the night. <br /><br />In speaking with him I got to know him and realized how smart and funny he was. It was his mom who told me later the details of his story. I learned a lot from getting to know this man. It is just so heartbreaking to meet someone so cool, who had been so happy and successful before this accident, but see how much they suffer and know they might never be "normal" again. To see how quickly your entire life can be turned upside-down. For me, Edelberto was one of those people that you meet every so often who teaches you something about yourself and about life. There were many others at this mission as well - people who suffered a random accident and lost so much. It just makes you realize how lucky were are - that we do not live daily in physical pain; that we live in a place where they fix simple deformities, such as cleft lips, at birth; that we are so incredibly lucky just to be "normal". <br /><br />To end this blog entry, my youth's finger is fine now. It is still not perfect, and he still does not have a lot of movement in his thumb, but with some therapy it should improve. I want to commend all of the doctors from this mission who gave their time and money to come here and do such incredible work - out of there own pockets, and their own generocity. Thank you.Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-73515594610893714102008-03-20T15:25:00.013-05:002008-03-22T20:48:43.498-05:00Stressed out in the Peace CorpsI’ve got a big period of time to make up for on this blog, so I'm going to divide the past three months into three different entries: general work, the Medical Mission, and Women’s Week. Here we go…<br /><br />GENERAL WORK<br /><br />January: the holiday season had ended, and a new year had begun; it was time to start some new projects. I had been dodging the bullet of the imminent English class that they’d been bugging me to give for over a year, until finally they cornered me and I had no choice but to do it. Why wouldn’t I want to give an English class if so many people wanted it? I have many good reasons, here are a few:<br /><br />1. It is nothing they haven’t learned before. They have basic English classes in primary and high school classes.<br />2. Its nothing they don’t have access to already. You can sign up for many independent English classes in nearby Nagua. <br />3. Its not sustainable. Once I stop giving the class, there is no one to continue it. <br /><br />What it comes down to is that they just want to hear it directly from the American. They want to hear how I say things because their Dominican teacher might not pronounce things quite correctly. So you can imagine why I don’t feel this class would take priority over other things that are more important and that I would rather be doing, like sex ed for youth, who in the meantime are getting pregnant. Peace Corps also discourages English classes for these same reasons, saying it should really only be used as filler work if you have nothing else to do or are just getting started and looking to meet people, establish credibility, etc.<br /><br />WELL, after all that bitching, the English class ended up being pretty fun, and the (dedicated) students I had in my class really seemed to enjoy it. I taught to youth and adults, generally 18 and up. I met some new people and had fun making different handouts and activities for them to practice with. There are two German volunteers in my site now as well, and one of them, Manuel, took on the younger class while I taught to the older students. The Peace Corps has a pre-made 16-lesson basic English course guide and we both just used that. I finished last week, and when Manuel finishes his class we will have a combined graduation. They’re bugging me to do a second level, but there are other priorities that I have that I want to do so I won’t continue. Manuel is planning to do the second level. <br /><br />I don’t have any pictures from class, but I’ll make sure to take some at the graduation. <br /><br />Speaking of the German volunteers, Manuel and Laurin arrived last September to work here for a year doing similar work in education and with sports. It’s a program along the same idea as Peace Corps though for less time, and the volunteers are just out of high school. They approached me before they moved in to see if this would be a good place to live and work. At first I was a little unsure about sharing “my site” with other foreign volunteers, worrying that they would be competition or that they would show me up, but before I knew it they had rented a place on the other side of town and had already begun their work, so I didn’t have much of a choice. As it turns out, we get along great, and have started collaborating on different projects (such as the English class). There truly is strength in numbers! It actually works out really well because this town is big enough so I focus my work in one neighborhood and they in another, and we don’t have to interfere with each other if we don’t want to (though we do and its fun). <br /><br />Between vacations, the Peace Corps magazine, tropical storms, holidays, trainings, etc., I was out of my site for most of October through December, so I didn’t really get to know these guys until this past January. Once we had a few opportunities to talk we discovered that we get along really well, and decided to do a project together. At the end of January is the official International Youth Day. Together we planned an internationally-themed event for this day. We invited 70 youth and taught them about the different cultures they have represented here in their own community. I taught them things about the United States, the others about Germany, a foreign exchange student came from Nagua and taught them about Switzerland, and we even planned a Haitian unit as well. Unfortunately, the Haitians I invited didn’t come, they misunderstood and thought I was going to bring them to the meeting, while we were waiting for them there. This was a shame, because the Haitians are highly discriminated against here so we were hoping that by teaching Dominicans a bit about Haiti and where these people come from, they might have a better understanding of them and treat them differently. We still mentioned the bit about Haiti, but without the people there it wasn’t quite the same.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaE7j_lI3xxPE2LupCdS_4w2UcVo0BhOqnYCqIug100jB-RG2pelV14I7c8R6Nl-2UpSKFZGAyDKZF5xBajnORWceGO5cs70ckAspeJBzAJin4ni-aNFHmFfE-AYUIsSae4aG8Q/s1600-h/DSCN5171.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpaE7j_lI3xxPE2LupCdS_4w2UcVo0BhOqnYCqIug100jB-RG2pelV14I7c8R6Nl-2UpSKFZGAyDKZF5xBajnORWceGO5cs70ckAspeJBzAJin4ni-aNFHmFfE-AYUIsSae4aG8Q/s320/DSCN5171.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180728684482862770" /></a><br />However, the rest of the afternoon went well. Another friend of mine, fellow Peace Corps Volunteer Lily who arrived this past fall, also came with some of her youth from a community about 45 minutes away. We all made typical food from each of our countries for the kids to try: I made apple crisp, Lily made PB’nJ sandwiches, and the Germans made German pancakes with Nutella. After teaching them about our countries we had them each make presentations representing each place and then played Jeopardy to see what they learned. It got a little rowdy in the end, but overall was a great success. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnEnPKjl24Y5sUEmTx3JrUaNzM3oD2kDnCsgdf9Gt-pnpRQgr6rncsKHRVEtDsLIQwSB1hObHdZVcdKC0wSMj6Zk_53RxVZN_NIqIufZeW2peyWVrX6vz8rnD1oafHPgck1szkQ/s1600-h/Me+w+Germans.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisnEnPKjl24Y5sUEmTx3JrUaNzM3oD2kDnCsgdf9Gt-pnpRQgr6rncsKHRVEtDsLIQwSB1hObHdZVcdKC0wSMj6Zk_53RxVZN_NIqIufZeW2peyWVrX6vz8rnD1oafHPgck1szkQ/s320/Me+w+Germans.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180744541502119714" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dbMEoBIMck1NwK7UCvzwVxsxi6iwaDh_ihAT5kyQkfIJZxQSRJCHSL7xHT7M-_eSCZ06ZDqsjtawsm86l8GoYBZiHln1p9ENYS1R5d7b0vRy7Hd8pNtwDJa10UX4nc1Ev2q_Yg/s1600-h/DSCN5197.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5dbMEoBIMck1NwK7UCvzwVxsxi6iwaDh_ihAT5kyQkfIJZxQSRJCHSL7xHT7M-_eSCZ06ZDqsjtawsm86l8GoYBZiHln1p9ENYS1R5d7b0vRy7Hd8pNtwDJa10UX4nc1Ev2q_Yg/s320/DSCN5197.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179929494148292178" /></a><br />January also brought me a visit from Crystal! Since projects had started I did have to work, but we managed to go to a beautiful beach in the Samaná peninsula and spent a night with a few other Peace Corps Volunteers in Samaná city. She got to experience the day-to-day life in my site and meet many of my friends. I’ll let her tell you about it in her upcoming blog. <br /><br />In early February I participated in a Medical Mission. More on that in the next blog entry…<br /><br />Mid-February saw the next issue of the Gringo Grita magazine. Some of our staff members are finishing their service, so unfortunately this was their last issue. As usual it was a long and stressful week, but not without its share of laughs. I think we’ve got a pretty good issue this time. Here’s the cover, it’s a poor Peace Corps volunteer returning home after his service, take from it what you will:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlu9tJj3Wt1lr5swR36nRbnAn_B4ctep3yBa9Xs5rNJf4pR2PRMKIf_2p5c7YknFrXNzoeD_T77iOX0he8pBG2RNxHKl3RFlmB95LimYUqGrDVmmy-Vz4uHubNuOwmFS3d5V10gQ/s1600-h/Cover+Spring+08.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlu9tJj3Wt1lr5swR36nRbnAn_B4ctep3yBa9Xs5rNJf4pR2PRMKIf_2p5c7YknFrXNzoeD_T77iOX0he8pBG2RNxHKl3RFlmB95LimYUqGrDVmmy-Vz4uHubNuOwmFS3d5V10gQ/s400/Cover+Spring+08.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180732433989312194" /></a><br /><br />Carnival closed out the month, celebrating the Dominican Independence Day on February 27th. This was my second Carnival experience here (you may remember last year’s entry, “The Ozzy Ozborne Incident”); luckily no animals were brutally murdered this time. This year they had more dancing and costumes and incredible masks made by the youth. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHd4U7LEzuANVu-8uk525wrwWALoPMd0PyMrQrmZw7t12s4o_JOtDHYHHZyD2WscB8Bk5LtPzUeQznmYQ24m1kgZtLv6Zi7bm01Ski59FiQPludWdGsU_6B7EBAcXJgwzqll5yIQ/s1600-h/Carnaval+Mask.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHd4U7LEzuANVu-8uk525wrwWALoPMd0PyMrQrmZw7t12s4o_JOtDHYHHZyD2WscB8Bk5LtPzUeQznmYQ24m1kgZtLv6Zi7bm01Ski59FiQPludWdGsU_6B7EBAcXJgwzqll5yIQ/s320/Carnaval+Mask.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180741019628936978" /></a><br />I dressed up this year. My costume was one that only I could pull off (literally), because I went as a Dominican. A Dominican schoolgirl to be exact, wearing the official public school uniform and doing my hair in their braids. People got a kick out of it. Here I am with Ada (not sure what to call it but a funny costume), and Jenny as a “china man”. I know this is an incredibly politically incorrect costume to wear, but before you judge her let me confess that this is MY costume. I actually bought it and wore it on Halloween (one of only two to choose from in the store), but political correctness doesn’t matter here. Hey, I call friends “Negro!”<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgx2-ScvhnNVD6ydXoF0tVD9jaDV7osFvkhiMQ6E4iOeqWMI9EbM4IrOAm5v4HH_3DXy1VVcLXPYt_bhyHZQPeqJZWX-Urg-m0pHOIr5dBNif7Voxx62d_68XjC2vKv02gKxQ4A/s1600-h/DSCN5251.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbgx2-ScvhnNVD6ydXoF0tVD9jaDV7osFvkhiMQ6E4iOeqWMI9EbM4IrOAm5v4HH_3DXy1VVcLXPYt_bhyHZQPeqJZWX-Urg-m0pHOIr5dBNif7Voxx62d_68XjC2vKv02gKxQ4A/s320/DSCN5251.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179927183455886914" /></a><br />Reylandi with some Carnival people:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSKJ4VvK6qgPAud5LneP2UDWzABR_gCINXatmPtq8NowBB4EXgx7BkDHglE6Sqc2q_RqpXdWNJ3aP6tEUBC5QQqTO4wDh9Zr5UY5Q4q3qD7i-dirOzBUNY03mQ_7ogJwQcsH-MA/s1600-h/Carnaval+Rey.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNSKJ4VvK6qgPAud5LneP2UDWzABR_gCINXatmPtq8NowBB4EXgx7BkDHglE6Sqc2q_RqpXdWNJ3aP6tEUBC5QQqTO4wDh9Zr5UY5Q4q3qD7i-dirOzBUNY03mQ_7ogJwQcsH-MA/s320/Carnaval+Rey.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180740633081880322" /></a><br />Throughout January and February I had been working with the Mothers Club planning for Women’s Week at the beginning of March. That blog entry is also to come.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_zVSqqon9RjCjCWONZxL16zEYFyVJdZYAbCzSe6GpFWT5I8aWULQgVLcjW8gcRwUXWprq6MCBBVoZvgfgQawVlMFGjjGRfkeR-qC5qC5KtKb6sTMmBlFiSrw-dbh_B4Ik1DZkg/s1600-h/DSCN5533.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp_zVSqqon9RjCjCWONZxL16zEYFyVJdZYAbCzSe6GpFWT5I8aWULQgVLcjW8gcRwUXWprq6MCBBVoZvgfgQawVlMFGjjGRfkeR-qC5qC5KtKb6sTMmBlFiSrw-dbh_B4Ik1DZkg/s200/DSCN5533.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180735281552629474" /></a>After two intensive months of lots of hard work, I just had to take a break. On March 17th I went again to Cabarete to visit Bianca and celebrate…you guessed it, St. Patrick’s Day! In probably the only place in the country where they celebrate it, it was a bigger event this year than last year, with a stage and lots of seating on the beach behind Jose O’Shays restaurant. It felt good to wear green and eat a hamburger with fries and hear Irish and American music, though St. Patty’s Day on the Caribbean beach never feels quite the same. Nonetheless, we had a great time. Here I am with Bianca (left) and Erica (right, a new business volunteer). We do not know the guys, they just jumped in the picture:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7rZNzz_oPMPmA_HNP2iuRYhupiit5TUCUDsdrweoERIMXysexOToBLzEW9vt7PE3RD1vhxqilk1HU3oGXI75h2vrvTdrWr81f40CScnCMtYENBjFHWEv_KM0yr99ive3Xpg_Vrw/s1600-h/St.+Pattys+Day.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7rZNzz_oPMPmA_HNP2iuRYhupiit5TUCUDsdrweoERIMXysexOToBLzEW9vt7PE3RD1vhxqilk1HU3oGXI75h2vrvTdrWr81f40CScnCMtYENBjFHWEv_KM0yr99ive3Xpg_Vrw/s320/St.+Pattys+Day.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180733232853229266" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWla9ik9LlLvtx7GDYHIcyB447ghZepmuGzxOcBgXmO_J-ixz4HgpwEazp4rbvrACUWtARs6xGGWta0Jhe9bul6QyGpr_LqrsfvlSb791ZEKsPKtF2u03-iDZrKnh3q6D7Qvs60w/s1600-h/Kids+in+House.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWla9ik9LlLvtx7GDYHIcyB447ghZepmuGzxOcBgXmO_J-ixz4HgpwEazp4rbvrACUWtARs6xGGWta0Jhe9bul6QyGpr_LqrsfvlSb791ZEKsPKtF2u03-iDZrKnh3q6D7Qvs60w/s200/Kids+in+House.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180740164930445042" /></a><br />I've also started a mini girls group with kids from my neighborhood around 10-years-old or so. I have a kids book with five chapters that we are reading together, and other than that they play and dance. This day they decided to throw a girl named Emily a party to make her feel better because she was upset the day before. Too cute:<br /><br />More to come soon…Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-85356372076820647692008-03-01T14:15:00.011-05:002008-03-20T21:22:01.829-05:00Who needs a resort? - Dad's BlogDate of visit, 12/14 – 12-26-07<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQPsIZY5AD8T6XqVcX9VlzyCGrE27tqZP1ZabaZvRYH4pV0ac0m1eMbew0HS2IsY2KNC993W1ZMXuI1iJUdJ7Y3llyvwavaPikRfIZcJSSOe5bjlDD16LBxtd66E1W8WvwYqAiQ/s1600-h/DSCN0993.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnQPsIZY5AD8T6XqVcX9VlzyCGrE27tqZP1ZabaZvRYH4pV0ac0m1eMbew0HS2IsY2KNC993W1ZMXuI1iJUdJ7Y3llyvwavaPikRfIZcJSSOe5bjlDD16LBxtd66E1W8WvwYqAiQ/s200/DSCN0993.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180009779971956354" /></a>I first want to say that I am very proud of what Joan has done in the Peace Corps. To drop down into a village and have to assimilate, learn the language and customs, work with the local committee and identify needs in the community, come up with a plan and make it work is not as easy as it looks.<br /><br />So while we looked forward to visiting Joan in her village, we first couldn’t wait to see her at the airport and the anticipation of meeting her as we got through customs was deflated when we couldn’t find her. We were also not sure our phones would work, I tried to test the roaming update feature and that did not appear to be working, so just tried to call her number and finally figured it out. It turns out her alarm didn’t go off and she was still asleep in her hotel room in Santiago. Once she finally arrived we got our hugs in and made the somewhat precarious trip over a mountain road to the resort. Due to the recent hurricanes and rainstorms that had flooded the area only a week before, the road was still riddled with washed out areas, huge potholes on a curvy road that didn’t have any guardrails. The fact that is was dark and we were tired worked to our advantage.<br /><br />Once we got to the Windsurf Resort in the town of Caberete, we found out the hotel had it’s share of problems with the weather and that the route to our room was flooded with water requiring us to remove our shoes and walk through it to get to our stairway. Not a good first impression, but luckily our rooms were on the 2nd floor so all was dry up there. The ground dried out by the next day and we were able to go our way without wading through water.<br /><br />The resort itself is a bit tired and in the process of renovation and picky travelers would probably have been a bit perturbed by the accommodations. But we kind of liked the fact that is not pretentious and we felt that we could relax and be ourselves. For Joan and her Peace Corps colleague, Bianca, who visited us from her village a few miles away where she was bathing in the river due to recent flooding, the opportunity to take a hot shower mad it feel like a 5 star resort. The advantage of staying at a place like the Windsurf Resort is that it is not a protected, gated resort so that you have an opportunity to experience the town with all it’s good and bad points. The disadvantage is that you are not protected from constantly being hit on by the locals to purchase jewelry, pasties, get a massage, braid your hair, and even shine your shoes. In one way you have to admire the pluck of the locals, especially the shoeshine boys trying to sell shoe shining when 95% of the people are wearing sandals! But after awhile you just want them to leave you alone.<br /><br />We met the owner of the resort, a Londoner of German descent by the name of Rodney Geminder, I called him Sir Rodney, and we had a number of interesting conversations about his plans for the resort and views of life. Rodney has been living in the DR for about 30 years and spends most of his time there. He has a true affection for the people, he refers to them as physically very beautiful and appreciates their overall friendliness. While he appreciates the slower pace of life, he does get a bit frustrated with it from time to time and then feels the need to head back to London for a dose of reality and to remind him of why he enjoys the DR. He also takes it upon himself to feed the stray cats that visit the resort, referring to himself as the “catman” and the following picture shows him with one of his cat friends. He also commented on how some of the guests at his resort in the past have objected about the resort. He thought that we were good travelers in that we more or less took things in stride and were willing to enjoy the experience that presented itself rather than complaining about trivial inconveniences. Some travelers that are perhaps less experienced or lead more sheltered lives tend to be better off at an all inclusive, sheltered resort experience. Well enough pontificating about what great travelers we are, I am sure Rodney sees the new resorts being developed right down the street and his “resort” is undergoing a big expansion and renovation and will be a different experience in the coming years. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1udRaCfKlybY_WIohqqHjW87PHSYD14yz4k-gCCBpmuK53W8LhRqnVJIlyE51EJO_dQkcGM0cAflGngl9mhGWjXae3bMLb7ijYZPQiQeIBzsCCC07oAKczgnZwPzGq9Q_NKYFeg/s1600-h/DSCN0903.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1udRaCfKlybY_WIohqqHjW87PHSYD14yz4k-gCCBpmuK53W8LhRqnVJIlyE51EJO_dQkcGM0cAflGngl9mhGWjXae3bMLb7ijYZPQiQeIBzsCCC07oAKczgnZwPzGq9Q_NKYFeg/s320/DSCN0903.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172857268220337826" /></a><br /><br />One day we embarked on a guided tour of 4 beaches and a location that enabled us to see and taste coconuts, passion fruit, coffee beans and other local foods in a neat setting. Our leader for the trip was local character named Rafael Mercedes. A very energetic man with an infections laugh and a willingness to help you with whatever you might need. We ended up renting his Honda CRV for 3 days for $50 Cash per day, all-inclusive, it was definitely one of the best deals I have ever had. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOFZqk_bE94Zs5gGVisMkobF4NapuFp38lUFkqtARU9TD1rV1lE9z4wpIWynqinuchgfLbrlqw7UwO9Qf7V3t_jWlkBTmwX2jjtdq7Qblot4G028Ka01OxpRxPye8Ml_kOW7KgQ/s1600-h/DSCN0814.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcOFZqk_bE94Zs5gGVisMkobF4NapuFp38lUFkqtARU9TD1rV1lE9z4wpIWynqinuchgfLbrlqw7UwO9Qf7V3t_jWlkBTmwX2jjtdq7Qblot4G028Ka01OxpRxPye8Ml_kOW7KgQ/s320/DSCN0814.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172857964005039794" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigesgJ_Ws4knFX3NKQ5kAtBjHq04bDuiYDyLxAVonDN-Yb-WuPPnaUl_n8PVhDf4-nX6EY4L08CDH8elQ-CK9Xt_vi9Xu8ftOJb-ba5_Z30UAGpS8ERaFKJJwnnGTDMq-USFNLdg/s1600-h/DSCN0865.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigesgJ_Ws4knFX3NKQ5kAtBjHq04bDuiYDyLxAVonDN-Yb-WuPPnaUl_n8PVhDf4-nX6EY4L08CDH8elQ-CK9Xt_vi9Xu8ftOJb-ba5_Z30UAGpS8ERaFKJJwnnGTDMq-USFNLdg/s320/DSCN0865.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180012923888017042" /></a><br />We used the vehicle to the Playa Grande golf course ( a very nice experience, right on the ocean and a great caddy ) and also to take a trip to Samana Peninsula town of Las Terrenes to visit Joan’s friend Ricky. We met the entire family, had a delicious meal cooked for us and then loaded up the family, 10 of us in the CRV, to the nearest beach, Playa Bonita, over flooded pot hole ridden roads, it was fun actually. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkhdjkQ5uSq0FlYCC4obNMEpVCA2oRav36gZfWT6RfUmtYimc4t69ibnfaEhmAtab_TnxeILfv9kB9Lyj2Hz0CW7IhTZyIWHQ9Rh6TsgcvNYBPcSIUFKKqTmMH4weEpf52I2srw/s1600-h/DSCN0878.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmkhdjkQ5uSq0FlYCC4obNMEpVCA2oRav36gZfWT6RfUmtYimc4t69ibnfaEhmAtab_TnxeILfv9kB9Lyj2Hz0CW7IhTZyIWHQ9Rh6TsgcvNYBPcSIUFKKqTmMH4weEpf52I2srw/s320/DSCN0878.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172858947552550594" /></a><br /><br />The beach itself was truly beautiful, we went down some trails to a more secluded area, there was no one there trying to sell us anything, the water and beach again was warm and beautiful and there was even Noni fruit available for the picking in the bushes near the ocean. Just a wonderful and neat experience, wished we had more time to spend there. We made a quick stop at Joan’s village on the way back to the resort, but it made for a long day on the road and we turned in the car the next day. <br /><br />Mary mentioned our stop at the Blue Lagoon in her blog contribution, we also stopped at 2 other beaches, the water was warm, clean and wonderful and we got a chance to meet and make friends with some of the other guests, so it was time well spent. <br /><br />Overall, we enjoyed our time in Caberete, but were looking forward to our visit to Joan’s village. So we hired one of Rafael’s drivers to take us to Joan’s village of Matancitas and almost made it to the village before being stopped by the local military who apparently were looking for weapons. I am glad I wasn’t driving that day! Our driver seemed to know what to do and we were on our way.<br /><br /> The experience in Joan’s village was a lot of fun. Waking up to the sounds of various roosters every morning was certainly new to me. Add to that the neighbor who was working on his house and sounded like he was peeling off his metal roof and the people across the street who insisted on playing their Spanish music so the entire neighborhood could hear every morning between 7 – 8AM meant that we didn’t sleep too late and were ready to start the day. <br /><br />We enjoyed meeting all the people in Joan’s community that we had heard about. It was a bit frustrating from a conversation standpoint in that our Spanish was better then most of their English. Poor Joan’s head was spinning by the time we left and there were times when she was talking to me in Spanish to the Dominicans in english. If I head back for another visit I will definitely want to work on my Spanish. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNJjHSgnXqZAtyBwtvRZcEK2yAV-_G3d6GBS6eceiOtF5gCAH9myH0c7JPvA0TJ16SG1hAWvTnjddRXJjYkgpzNJvl537jy6MqKnNzk9Xs2_Q4-n3iRpea8tOzKc9Y94Q0hH7sA/s1600-h/DSCN1008.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQNJjHSgnXqZAtyBwtvRZcEK2yAV-_G3d6GBS6eceiOtF5gCAH9myH0c7JPvA0TJ16SG1hAWvTnjddRXJjYkgpzNJvl537jy6MqKnNzk9Xs2_Q4-n3iRpea8tOzKc9Y94Q0hH7sA/s320/DSCN1008.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180008573086146162" /></a><br /><br />Because the weather is always so warm and the houses so small and in most cases not air-conditioned, most people are out every night so meeting people is extremely easy and in most cases unavoidable. It creates a sense of community that is certainly lacking in our culture due to our internal media centers and our busy lives. Drinking beer for example usually involves a group or people sitting around with small plastic cups sharing a large bottle of Presidente and chatting in front of someone’s house. In any event there are always people out and about, music playing and many outdoor and indoor opportunities to do Merengue and Bachata dancing. I personally want to thank Tina for showing me some great meringue moves. Joan showed me the basics to get me going, but Tina definitely took it a step further.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_eBPCpmgwwfPAlYdB0bUFvHRFf3j6wswO3mlIYQ5j-BiTTpKP9m6lq4M8GoFRb5zbnAKBkVfBpP8IqhmF_SNdH4hRgxOnbhdLdIF58nxfo8PiK85C3LIkYx0-loD8NKEds1YHg/s1600-h/DSCN1027.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib_eBPCpmgwwfPAlYdB0bUFvHRFf3j6wswO3mlIYQ5j-BiTTpKP9m6lq4M8GoFRb5zbnAKBkVfBpP8IqhmF_SNdH4hRgxOnbhdLdIF58nxfo8PiK85C3LIkYx0-loD8NKEds1YHg/s320/DSCN1027.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172881813958434514" /></a><br /><br />While what I am saying sounds very idealistic and ignores many of the issues that exist in the DR that Joan is trying to work on, it is refreshing to see that people can adjust to their circumstances and learn to live with less. In one way it makes you appreciate what you have but it also reminds us that less can be more, boy that was deep!<br /><br />We also met Harry, an American expatriate, who has lived there for about 30 years now and is married to a local Dominican woman, Deysi (Daisy) that he met when he went to the DR to teach English. Harry is 79 years old he has a 24 year old son named Albert - gotta love that. Harry is the type of person that can make and fix anything, so he has an elaborate backup <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CY4JeUw62V57CkE5z0ngsInnNYLpIjTpnFJ-ymKVISchf3vJdJAMRp5Wpwend4eBrMR0DatzEoIlPZP5p0CCZCWXTptuVzuCtBnb5S-YqZ55jIyChNum5WnUb3mEN-XoOB7llg/s1600-h/DSCN0981.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6CY4JeUw62V57CkE5z0ngsInnNYLpIjTpnFJ-ymKVISchf3vJdJAMRp5Wpwend4eBrMR0DatzEoIlPZP5p0CCZCWXTptuVzuCtBnb5S-YqZ55jIyChNum5WnUb3mEN-XoOB7llg/s200/DSCN0981.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172886701631217378" /></a>generator system that seamlessly kicks in whenever the power goes out. Thanks to Albert and Harry’s tools, we were able to get a bucket and some wire that we could rig up to a pole that Joan had to get water out of her well. Albert also came by after we left to get Joan’s water pump fixed so she now has running water, even thought we didn’t have it during our stay. We didn’t get a chance to see Harry again, but would like to look him up again if we ever go back. <br /> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMPCC7X3VjZs1MCBaevNHHCefYiTD9LmOMuxt0WmoI66D3nzvbbdm5g4_2SpVziw6ORwzqEj5dzVNHbjQo-1DcDjwncmCXWiN_pwp2mTtYbDVsq-sepgvHjSoMcVbSpQSD137XA/s1600-h/DR+Matancitas+1+063.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqMPCC7X3VjZs1MCBaevNHHCefYiTD9LmOMuxt0WmoI66D3nzvbbdm5g4_2SpVziw6ORwzqEj5dzVNHbjQo-1DcDjwncmCXWiN_pwp2mTtYbDVsq-sepgvHjSoMcVbSpQSD137XA/s200/DR+Matancitas+1+063.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5180013718456966818" /></a><br />We had meals cooked for us by 2 different families in our 4 nights at Matancitas. Niña actually came to Joan’s house and prepared dinner one day, a delicious chicken dish with rice. We had Christmas dinner with the Alvarado-Florimon family, I think there were 16 of us enjoying a smorgasbord of food, the highlight for me was the coconut flavored rice. The coconut was first shaved from fresh picked local coconuts, then the coconut milk <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Zlw5-NcycSN0QY8rRQoCk1tf95eFb7JMngd1TFJMCrDWqOU1UOGswC6oq40yAyWL3aBFOEAAHbXnhpLGk3Jyv1v9ONr5hyphenhyphenBEW_VK7xjlzYITB7ULmd5dmmQ5rKmVt9JtiOGLlQ/s1600-h/DSCN1000.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Zlw5-NcycSN0QY8rRQoCk1tf95eFb7JMngd1TFJMCrDWqOU1UOGswC6oq40yAyWL3aBFOEAAHbXnhpLGk3Jyv1v9ONr5hyphenhyphenBEW_VK7xjlzYITB7ULmd5dmmQ5rKmVt9JtiOGLlQ/s200/DSCN1000.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172887925696896754" /></a>was hand squeezed by Ada and mixed into the rice - deelish! <br /><br />Despite the fact that rumor had it the electricity was not going to be shut off by the local powers that be, no sooner had we raised our glasses with a fresh pour of Presidente in anticipation of enjoying our feast when the lights went dark and we were scrambling for light and power. After the initial moaning, we quickly got various lanterns, candles and battery operated lighting (brought from the U.S.) in place and had a wonderful time. Followed by dancing in the front room with music powered by a hand cranked portable radio, good times!<br /><br />There were many other positive experiences and people that we met but this blog entry is probably too long already so I will stop here. <br /> <br />Because we were only there for 4 days in the village, we didn’t get that may opportunities for revisits, so despite my initial reservations about staying in Joan’s village, next time we visit we will just go straight there and skip the “resort”.Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-4338097558659813892008-01-30T11:32:00.004-05:002008-03-20T16:15:30.307-05:00Mum´s EntryThe day we left for the DR was sandwiched in between two snowstorms: remember the one that struck during rush hour? I was so happy to leave on a clear day without a snow delay as flying is not my favorite thing to do. We arrived to a hot, muggy day with a light drizzle. The airport was so small and checkout relatively quick. Our driver was already waiting for us outside, but, no Joan (Juana)! Yes, our daughter had not set her alarm and had overslept (seems like old times). Thankfully, the driver was able to wait until she got there and thus we begin the journey…<br /><br />The journey was over multiple craters in the streets and winding mountain roads where there were very few guardrails. At one point while sitting in the back seat of the van, I looked down and saw the tops of palm trees between the big hole in the road. I thought to myself, “I should really be afraid”, but the Xanax I took to get on the plane was still working and I promptly fell asleep!<br /><br />Cabarete reminded me of a warm weather version of Hampton Beach or Salisbury. It was very dusty and tons of construction everywhere. Our hotel was small and pretty with a very attentive staff. There were very few guests as the week before Christmas is one of their slowest. There were two other families from Massachusetts staying there also, so we were able to communicate with them freely.<br /><br />The main street was filled with shops and eateries. You couldn’t walk 10 feet before being accosted yet again by someone trying to sell you something. During this time I perfected my “NO, gracias”. <br /><br />The beach was across the street and it was the warmest water I had ever been in. You just walk right in. There was no seaweed that I could see and rocks on the beach were scarce. It was a very pleasant experience. <br /><br />Every day I ate the same breakfast, “A Dominican Breakfast” which included fried salami, (not too bad), eggs, mashed plantains (didn’t really like too much), delicious fresh juices, passion fruit being my favorite. It’s called "chinola" in the DR. The coffee was also good and strong. The restaurant staff was amazed at how much we drank. Our favorite restaurant was Jose O’Shea’s Irish Bar and we were able to catch the Pat’s game on Sunday. Here we are eating breakfast in the hotel:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DnXmltZ7wf-0fBrj2uoSe1e2sCMPSwRdQhPIUqUZDoGQhU8baDvN5X1OCjczM2xJoyv9A83nb-pdK09_-K9cqwC__-FTq6U-_cL-iIi4G6md1ltHJuDlRWBvMJxXNkEvAeGbdQ/s1600-h/DSCN0901.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_DnXmltZ7wf-0fBrj2uoSe1e2sCMPSwRdQhPIUqUZDoGQhU8baDvN5X1OCjczM2xJoyv9A83nb-pdK09_-K9cqwC__-FTq6U-_cL-iIi4G6md1ltHJuDlRWBvMJxXNkEvAeGbdQ/s320/DSCN0901.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165056655907930882" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Nc-ybOEUUk7MxKPxtjH4k8bJahSMGK3u8tARUbz6WoOipWFra1ElQoMyiQXyou0h_OqhR8XiLJj9vEpZEh484JLk3FSU8CSLAWDfnwyc9e6ZyoqpB1i31EqdeZpiA5-DiSPYFg/s1600-h/Picture+463.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Nc-ybOEUUk7MxKPxtjH4k8bJahSMGK3u8tARUbz6WoOipWFra1ElQoMyiQXyou0h_OqhR8XiLJj9vEpZEh484JLk3FSU8CSLAWDfnwyc9e6ZyoqpB1i31EqdeZpiA5-DiSPYFg/s200/Picture+463.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5165065271612326674" /></a><br />On Monday, we had booked a tour of some of the more popular beaches and areas of interest to tourists such as a cocoa bean farm that also included samples of fresh lime, coconuts and star fruit. Coconuts have to be one of the most versatile fruits; you can use the outer netting as a strainer, the hard shell for jewelry, eat the pulp and drink the milk!!! <br /><br />One of the spots we toured was the “Blue Lagoon” from the movie with Brooke Shields. It looked more like a tropical quarry to me. From a distance the water looked murky, but when you get up close, it’s actually quite clear. Part of the entertainment was watching a young native climb a tree that stretched out over the lagoon and proceed to dive in. I’m guessing this dive was about 25 feet? This boy also climbed the cliffs and took a running dive into the water. Enter Joan and Marc Perreault…. as I watched in horror, they climbed the cliffs to dive. I just couldn’t look-I’m thinking head injury, so I climbed up the cliff alone and waited by the touring van. I heard the screams and claps as the dives were completed. I did not speak to the kids for about an hour. <br /><br />Here's Joan swinging into the water:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodyUUm8mZ-evwWebS2Uyt6Vr4PbwOKG_3M678AOW4y9g1eTUjfLyv3i4aRhpHAo4rDrXuOuGK2XHyFs89s2BUg7eNKeuj06g16zC8-86G6-hj20qoHlzJbdi_VfY3n2KItmM6xA/s1600-h/Picture+476.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgodyUUm8mZ-evwWebS2Uyt6Vr4PbwOKG_3M678AOW4y9g1eTUjfLyv3i4aRhpHAo4rDrXuOuGK2XHyFs89s2BUg7eNKeuj06g16zC8-86G6-hj20qoHlzJbdi_VfY3n2KItmM6xA/s320/Picture+476.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5179932049653833314" /></a><br /><br />...and here's the cliff - yeah, that one way up there!:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwII4bNjp4DArDxmYnZFnVgREZdKsUpGPziypaqyCiV-1ePxT4eiSygC5Ko5KvWda00-U1Yef-Saz0L4F_x0fSas19uhQRkiOQ9KjvYSb3n8H0xTNmx_5Rv2ViiMc0hRsNFuG4uQ/s1600-h/Picture+469.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwII4bNjp4DArDxmYnZFnVgREZdKsUpGPziypaqyCiV-1ePxT4eiSygC5Ko5KvWda00-U1Yef-Saz0L4F_x0fSas19uhQRkiOQ9KjvYSb3n8H0xTNmx_5Rv2ViiMc0hRsNFuG4uQ/s320/Picture+469.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5172890859159559938" /></a><br /><br />Back at the hotel, one of Juana’s Peace Corps friends, Bianca, came to stay with us for a day. She was a lot of fun. She truly enjoyed having her first shower in quite some time as the village were she lives was out of water because of heavy damage by tropical storms.<br /><br />By the end of the week, I felt comfortable walking around in the daytime and purchasing items in the small grocery store that we frequented. But I was truly looking forward to going to Joan´s site and seeing where "Juana" lives and meeting all of her friends and co-workers.<br /><br />The ride was about 2 ½ hours and very peaceful. We passed many farms animals, especially goats, horses, burros, cows and pigs. Many were being escorted down the road by workers getting them to a new pasture.<br /><br />Passing each town was so interesting. I was amazed how small children (toddlers) literally played on the edge of the road and nobody was alarmed. They are so used to living on road’s edge that they are good about watching out for passing cars. One thing I learned in the DR is that cars, not people, have the right of way. It’s just another way of living. Most homes are constructed along the roadway, as are the shops. Fried chicken is available every block it seems and you don’t even have to get out of the car! They bring it right to you. <br /><br />My first impression seeing Joan´s site was a tired town with many run-down areas. It was hot and dusty without a lot of cars or motorbikes. Joan’s house was about how I pictured it-three rooms plus a bathroom, all made from cement (whatever the material is) and a tin roof-rusted! My biggest surprise was no running water!! She had a clean well right in front of the house, but you could not drink it. It was only for cleaning and bathing. When I was 10, I spent an entire summer in rural Ireland and at that time, there was no running water, we also used the well, although that water was drinkable. <br /><br />In Joan’s barrio (town) there is a little colmado every 5th house or so. That is a little store where you can find basically anything you need for a day. No large quantities here. I loved them!!!<br /><br />Most of the time we spent in her town was spent visiting Joan’s friends, neighbors and co-workers. They were all so kind and friendly to us. You could not pass a house without someone yelling, “Juana, Juana” and inviting us to come in. We actually had to travel down streets that avoided her friends sometimes as a 10-minute trip easily turned into a 2-hour visit!!! Now I understand the term “Dominican time” that Juana has used. Everything takes twice as long because people definitely are less in a hurry and you know so many more people because of the small community atmosphere that you have to update everyone on what you’re doing and where you’re going.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZ4TmUMPrNFRhUsq-KncX-zc1bg6gsUO8Y-h5Ys_9JdadlbwO5NFQu6ZXkFisWMcuxcQhGIbVbgUKvea1j8DUHlSSvt07K8iWzaA9VSawWBMjRKvfKKrkImC2ltV2lXqsaBKBfg/s1600-h/DSCN1020.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaZ4TmUMPrNFRhUsq-KncX-zc1bg6gsUO8Y-h5Ys_9JdadlbwO5NFQu6ZXkFisWMcuxcQhGIbVbgUKvea1j8DUHlSSvt07K8iWzaA9VSawWBMjRKvfKKrkImC2ltV2lXqsaBKBfg/s200/DSCN1020.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164726066605562866" /></a><br /><br />Niña is a great friend to Juana. She is a little older and has four children. Her husband works construction. Niña cooks for Juana and helps with local idiosyncrasies. She cleaned her house prior to us getting there so everything would look good. She prepared us a delicious breakfast and made homemade chicken soup from one of the chickens in her back yard! She couldn’t do enough for us and was so generous even though by our standards she has very little in the way of material goods. In return, Juana helps Nina with her English. It’s amazing what can be accomplished with less. I will let Larry describe Christmas in his blog. Here is Niña:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNGO6-XZAzT4DZ2BRXvnumwuVyeapDqWiTRxfMv6hRYLvaE7mNrQ6h4VLHwF7360kflkbXYRslJSV3FS_5zd7tJH_0kp3whrnw9ZGqm_tfA-axclviuu5ZAKvjfE1hixoLKv44A/s1600-h/DR+Matancitas+2+056.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNGO6-XZAzT4DZ2BRXvnumwuVyeapDqWiTRxfMv6hRYLvaE7mNrQ6h4VLHwF7360kflkbXYRslJSV3FS_5zd7tJH_0kp3whrnw9ZGqm_tfA-axclviuu5ZAKvjfE1hixoLKv44A/s320/DR+Matancitas+2+056.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5161756706605734882" /></a><br />With Niña and her kids in front of Juana's house:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMzgx2Q4mShQOoGCdSqWDKaL8Ye3BNGdczRlUyn8iDYn1tX65s4Gd3jyqHXtl7DzPmevFXaS3YB-TGEdQNm7gFXK4nLeYQIbnKhRxftSvCt_jFD4Bvh6z-Tk91aiQ2Xa6TFxntw/s1600-h/DSCN4968.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUMzgx2Q4mShQOoGCdSqWDKaL8Ye3BNGdczRlUyn8iDYn1tX65s4Gd3jyqHXtl7DzPmevFXaS3YB-TGEdQNm7gFXK4nLeYQIbnKhRxftSvCt_jFD4Bvh6z-Tk91aiQ2Xa6TFxntw/s320/DSCN4968.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5164728214089210882" /></a><br />One thing that really impressed me about Dominicans is how clean they are and how well dressed. Women dress very stylishly and are constantly having their hair done. Men rarely have facial hair, are always neatly groomed and fashionable. Most American dress much more casually. Another Dominican thing is having guns in the open. We encountered armed gas station attendants, military road blocks with guns and a guy sitting in front of me at a dance with a large pistol sticking out of the back of his pants. It’s unnerving to see, but I guess you do get used to it. At the roadblock, they more or less are looking for kickbacks from natives rather than hassling tourists.<br /><br />I didn’t realize how much work Juana has done and how hard her position really is, but, what a tremendous experience. The last day of my DR trip, I couldn’t wait to leave. I started to miss hearing English, reading the Globe, US coffee and my Alzheimer’s patients. This morning I was on the web searching for non-stops to the DR in the summer. My appreciation for the DR and what Juana does there took a while to set in. I thanked God for my daughter and family, my ability to have taken this trip and for the life I have here in the US. Take care all, MaryJoanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-36167710691076585852007-12-07T18:52:00.001-05:002007-12-15T20:44:46.988-05:00September, October, November, and beyondI never intended to go this long without a proper blog update, but here I am, four months later. I did update about Tropical Storm Noel, but besides that I could be up to who-knows-what and you'd never know because I didn't tell you. I'm so sorry! Of course, I did see a lot of you during my vacation home, so you had the inside scoop through October. Here's what happened since the beginning of September to the present in Joan's DR world...<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAUlgdvvzC6qURVHjcGBEX1mnh-S26bkTloGl9y7UhLv6FQHjG4Zfvgm4ahogdjfj8tfPVJon_eWvBjXqPQ3aTUjuboPRo4rpIWa5lnFzbZjK3c2DitkReq7h4h10CnywuN7guw/s1600-h/DSCN4460.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAUlgdvvzC6qURVHjcGBEX1mnh-S26bkTloGl9y7UhLv6FQHjG4Zfvgm4ahogdjfj8tfPVJon_eWvBjXqPQ3aTUjuboPRo4rpIWa5lnFzbZjK3c2DitkReq7h4h10CnywuN7guw/s200/DSCN4460.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142898411798907618" /></a><br />I birthed another 13 people, including four adults. In other words, I helped them get their birth certificates, as they were previously unregistered as Dominican citizens. This is such satisfying work as the benefits to having their documentation are incalculable - they basically can't do anything without it. We have now declared 20 people to date, and have more paperwork in the works! Here are some "new" citizens to my community and a neighboring community further down the highway:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPSW_r01XcCH5pWX1AZvbZkLb-4aqsk8-K1Xo_e47iM8FE0B3bbJ-VBVYn44IsPbGR2MyekIfSX8b0LYfrjc7yy41gh27wRBoRNFxnDV24wzsXiUOfRgMD67ovYN3OlPKLS3_rQ/s1600-h/DSCN4455.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDPSW_r01XcCH5pWX1AZvbZkLb-4aqsk8-K1Xo_e47iM8FE0B3bbJ-VBVYn44IsPbGR2MyekIfSX8b0LYfrjc7yy41gh27wRBoRNFxnDV24wzsXiUOfRgMD67ovYN3OlPKLS3_rQ/s320/DSCN4455.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142890577778559698" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-yjUJ813qtv2tSMTxLnWfBVYczZcZCpO-s6CXgwzJdNfkZMEYfGxtcvQ-IcVJsDJ0G66JAHRhVeA1az4mxDal3kzD86kCltBDHToa_nMy7hUxGXMhzMlmNa2Q01DkM0Vw0yrMw/s1600-h/DSCN4895.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5-yjUJ813qtv2tSMTxLnWfBVYczZcZCpO-s6CXgwzJdNfkZMEYfGxtcvQ-IcVJsDJ0G66JAHRhVeA1az4mxDal3kzD86kCltBDHToa_nMy7hUxGXMhzMlmNa2Q01DkM0Vw0yrMw/s320/DSCN4895.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5142890259950979778" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijg6jf_q6WAKpLFkCXtI8qgfnA3dNcSu8scuPUjYBtbmp9dJUAThhXNNFogaK5CjGYKoqvgXdS_xbCIH9P_M7NWqEO744O7RjEJZHUc-CSOYC6WosfjUv09zpcHllpclZBe_CTgw/s1600-h/DSCN4380.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijg6jf_q6WAKpLFkCXtI8qgfnA3dNcSu8scuPUjYBtbmp9dJUAThhXNNFogaK5CjGYKoqvgXdS_xbCIH9P_M7NWqEO744O7RjEJZHUc-CSOYC6WosfjUv09zpcHllpclZBe_CTgw/s200/DSCN4380.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143591963135360354" /></a><br />We've also continued with the "Servir y Jugar" (Serve and Play) program, and have had great success! Thank you very much to all who donated sporting equipment. The kids have carried out 15 community service activities to date, and through their service have "earned" lots of sports equipment! They completed 8 clean-ups of the beach, which we are following up with a small research project so that they will learn how the trash they are picking up harms the environment. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXN2BBzIaPTg7vQOE4siy8ocR7i-tcYPOJgG1bhH1sHPNtbCK-giPRAHwCXMvbDqt1Vo5pHzniO2jSh5_fZcNdwG-9dub0XKameEuBlZ51Fq9ofVMESz3zfYC7bYxlOGDhzU3og/s1600-h/DSCN4384.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJXN2BBzIaPTg7vQOE4siy8ocR7i-tcYPOJgG1bhH1sHPNtbCK-giPRAHwCXMvbDqt1Vo5pHzniO2jSh5_fZcNdwG-9dub0XKameEuBlZ51Fq9ofVMESz3zfYC7bYxlOGDhzU3og/s320/DSCN4384.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143889320249328914" /></a><br />Most recently, I came up with the ingenious idea of having the kids complete their community service hours by raising money for the Sala de Tarea (after school program). This way, we are helping two of my projects at the same time - the Sala de Tarea raises funding, and the Serve and Play group earns their community service hours! Oh, I'm good. One day was spent going door to door, asking for one peso from every house. Many people gave more - we raised over $1,000 pesos in one easy day! (Half of a teacher's monthly salary.) We followed it up by making more "Mistolin" (the household cleaning product), which was our summer fundraising activity for the Sala de Tarea. I still had left-over ingredients from before, so I put the kids to work. We made and sold the product in two working days, and raised another $1,500! Here are some photos of making the Mistolin, and handing the money over to the Sala de Tarea:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6qKANNq-ckpMvNMZswpjXik7_CHSiuh8B2x7Hnb1HEvq1dF6RX9_oOwMXrSuZxv51V39kh-G97UHw5S2X5kL-xEzPeeFSttNA4f0cltOlt2MRorWFp1j5jM7brDJExaV-IkdEg/s1600-h/DSCN4743.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6qKANNq-ckpMvNMZswpjXik7_CHSiuh8B2x7Hnb1HEvq1dF6RX9_oOwMXrSuZxv51V39kh-G97UHw5S2X5kL-xEzPeeFSttNA4f0cltOlt2MRorWFp1j5jM7brDJExaV-IkdEg/s320/DSCN4743.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143897111320003890" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRKRKGB7Lna_jQJNXPQRGQKRUP1yTjeMLHd3_ytCFAsDNqPHrf56XxZk6ea-Q1PGEFiNkrSZDXyAdhSuDrJEA8lI9vKRX-H6Pk8BBAQFqk0jgQGa9SztT1fzH9AGmvbfo5MTGEg/s1600-h/DSCN4747.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRKRKGB7Lna_jQJNXPQRGQKRUP1yTjeMLHd3_ytCFAsDNqPHrf56XxZk6ea-Q1PGEFiNkrSZDXyAdhSuDrJEA8lI9vKRX-H6Pk8BBAQFqk0jgQGa9SztT1fzH9AGmvbfo5MTGEg/s320/DSCN4747.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143897532226798914" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG95pSA6X4MTN7LREZta7bnCR6-fmAX1YZByWcLfkKaeSFfdw2jeSXcff49e1BeFaFXDDazEJogtltUAEqES7Hnl-io0XhHM3wllAwm7wFG7TKNd2aPY-0t5ks3K9EybhOwmpj4w/s1600-h/DSCN4739.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG95pSA6X4MTN7LREZta7bnCR6-fmAX1YZByWcLfkKaeSFfdw2jeSXcff49e1BeFaFXDDazEJogtltUAEqES7Hnl-io0XhHM3wllAwm7wFG7TKNd2aPY-0t5ks3K9EybhOwmpj4w/s320/DSCN4739.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143889912954815778" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbO5CPTrXkE4wtJiP1ApJzHMT79NLtuLpgSm67BkbUDUVHhDC8GRsS2MIdIoJ7fDFoZIyUTn2X1chdXhB6DW4JUxBxj5lpJYDfxrlrkA2uvS-hdmYfluGhWlw8EvM0pAIfVWYyw/s1600-h/Staff+Photo+Joan.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHbO5CPTrXkE4wtJiP1ApJzHMT79NLtuLpgSm67BkbUDUVHhDC8GRsS2MIdIoJ7fDFoZIyUTn2X1chdXhB6DW4JUxBxj5lpJYDfxrlrkA2uvS-hdmYfluGhWlw8EvM0pAIfVWYyw/s200/Staff+Photo+Joan.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143903820058920274" /></a><br />The first part of October was spent getting my editing shoes back on and preparing the next issue of the Gringo Grita, Peace Corps DRs official magazine. Its a lot of hard work, with lots of 12-hour days in the tiny PC library, but a lot of fun as well. In the end, we turned out a great issue with lots of fun articles. Its a funny, sarcastic, inspiring magazine with specific American-Volunteer-in-the-DR humor, and is a great outlet for the Volunteers. To the right is my staff photo for the last issue, some of the guys went crazy with Photoshop...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZS3a9JJSeP4Wh8ZG8YUdrOA97GlHOEHmcj53H_sD_Y0Wr4ZLVBIYg2de2QFppjuHvQOwUMFXiIk_im9K0EOVlA1ABAelePlsCt0zL-61fbojSqBIRBoM8LiaAruXmb4CxkYadkA/s1600-h/DSCN4578.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZS3a9JJSeP4Wh8ZG8YUdrOA97GlHOEHmcj53H_sD_Y0Wr4ZLVBIYg2de2QFppjuHvQOwUMFXiIk_im9K0EOVlA1ABAelePlsCt0zL-61fbojSqBIRBoM8LiaAruXmb4CxkYadkA/s200/DSCN4578.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143905533750871410" /></a>Four days later came...my trip home! I can't say enough about it. Seeing all of my family and friends, enyoying great food and beautiful New England autumn weather, hanging out at cafe's, viewing peak foliage, celebrating Mom's 50th birthday, experiencing the Red Sox win the World Series...it couldn't have been better! <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9IhiLKZ1Alm_CBw9ZZpfTXFUk7BqnH_lqyGbo0eV6hLqFSxfGRTMw81PFIYijgBTyziIC5_MoEeFG5UmtG_vX1t560t6RXXpiuoSFF7Sr0WJZlVE4IORpDXRRiJB9hVi6u26FA/s1600-h/DSCN4532.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9IhiLKZ1Alm_CBw9ZZpfTXFUk7BqnH_lqyGbo0eV6hLqFSxfGRTMw81PFIYijgBTyziIC5_MoEeFG5UmtG_vX1t560t6RXXpiuoSFF7Sr0WJZlVE4IORpDXRRiJB9hVi6u26FA/s320/DSCN4532.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143904919570548066" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHp2xFBL3a8gRwcJbKOmKnJZWuvho66MoCGhlp5Ib1M5MLA7_ON7t76Xj4_h1mIeS44VHs-xBsjTg4ZeCdDdQgpEp2cz5P0pkA2FMVEkzOSJD5D23dfGJGYV9PCyJAx2V1VAFunw/s1600-h/DSCN4565.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHp2xFBL3a8gRwcJbKOmKnJZWuvho66MoCGhlp5Ib1M5MLA7_ON7t76Xj4_h1mIeS44VHs-xBsjTg4ZeCdDdQgpEp2cz5P0pkA2FMVEkzOSJD5D23dfGJGYV9PCyJAx2V1VAFunw/s320/DSCN4565.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5144380612968383922" /></a><br />On top of all that, I saw IN CONCERT the Dominican Republic's FAVORITE (modern) Bachata group, AVENTURA (yes, in Massachusetts!):<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLbzLS8mbNGM39XmwFet5BUbbZr_W-iAI-jUudMTfaRhGxuAKYINmBiYioKusI0Tcnjd0ILnLt4BH7vNkQ0ABFo-rzbDfXAmwyQmR-niOjZy12qOTmkH3KIZzL3NpS90bBnYOXg/s1600-h/DSCN4647.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqLbzLS8mbNGM39XmwFet5BUbbZr_W-iAI-jUudMTfaRhGxuAKYINmBiYioKusI0Tcnjd0ILnLt4BH7vNkQ0ABFo-rzbDfXAmwyQmR-niOjZy12qOTmkH3KIZzL3NpS90bBnYOXg/s320/DSCN4647.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143905928887862658" /></a><br /><br />Arriving back here in November, I arrived into the middle of Tropical Storm Noel, which left lots of destruction in its path. I was in the capital for five more days until I could return to my site. I spent the rest of November in and out of the capital and my site, trying to rent and get settled into a new house before heading to Santo Domingo for another Peace Corps-related event. We had a big Thanksgiving celebration, which was a ton of fun, at a country club with sports, games, and lots of fun activities. I won a Merengue contest! Our youth training group also performed a choreographed dance routine for the second consecutive year with our dance troup called "Sparkle Motion." Here's the video:<br /><br />(...to be posted later...)<br /><br />We then had the annual All-Volunteer Conference. As soon as December arrived I was out again for my 1-year In-service training. Just as I got back and was getting my new house ready for my family's visit in December, another Tropical Storm hit and we were ordered out of our sites again and to a "safety" checkpoint. Its been hard being away for so long, but come January I'll really get back to work again, I promise!<br /><br />That's right, I said another Tropical Storm. Olga, they called her. Hurricane seasone supposedly ended November 30th, but here we are in the middle of December with more natural disasters. Don't try to tell me that global warming isn't real!!!!! I was "consolidated" with other Volunteers in the north to the big city of Santiago, which saw lots of flooding and damage. Here are some pictures:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBCqUSYAnFm9K9ejLouCPA0H1LvDr5sqzjrx6hcANP4cUHNs3vshncZhPInpPP5goN7pcz0Upbsqed4ndJHwf74QNEvKstbIIDZDC9sDy7Zo8aml3V9uJ3pIkPmMdwtT-VU2_Jg/s1600-h/Picture+021.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBCqUSYAnFm9K9ejLouCPA0H1LvDr5sqzjrx6hcANP4cUHNs3vshncZhPInpPP5goN7pcz0Upbsqed4ndJHwf74QNEvKstbIIDZDC9sDy7Zo8aml3V9uJ3pIkPmMdwtT-VU2_Jg/s320/Picture+021.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143914132275398034" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqx3lfpRJBeLxJL0IT3zvUMWVhtqdNkW4YMxeMiBS2pDqVvMLquHtzmb-3lOCqQZghDMSHxTuLdGyN8uAoS_icSCMiFNZcG7hr6wNUOiSl0TM0l6_V5nFeISlRfQ25QmYwPr7fEw/s1600-h/Picture+025.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqx3lfpRJBeLxJL0IT3zvUMWVhtqdNkW4YMxeMiBS2pDqVvMLquHtzmb-3lOCqQZghDMSHxTuLdGyN8uAoS_icSCMiFNZcG7hr6wNUOiSl0TM0l6_V5nFeISlRfQ25QmYwPr7fEw/s320/Picture+025.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5143915519549834658" /></a><br /><br />Conveniently, my family is arriving into Santiago tomorrow for their 10-day Christmas visit! I'll head to the airport to meet them tomorrow then we'll spend a week in a hotel on the north coast before heading to my site for four more days and Christmas. It will be an exciting holiday for all of us! <br /><br />Sorry for the overly-general description of events. I hope everyone has a great holiday season!<br />JoanJoanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-21554865729550626632007-11-09T15:43:00.000-05:002007-11-12T10:55:42.573-05:00"Tropical Storm" Noel<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Pp8ZKKJXhy8omU61OHHhlbIgZlKvax6-erVCrc9AwNR0dozkUEdN6It9QAiVv-DGwPDS9Gq8eFcPd2m5DXkcvAJKD2OnA56Bz7yFY4VkLj-0K7zdBZKeCXsFpfcD6LV_WJFU0Q/s1600-h/XL802752.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6Pp8ZKKJXhy8omU61OHHhlbIgZlKvax6-erVCrc9AwNR0dozkUEdN6It9QAiVv-DGwPDS9Gq8eFcPd2m5DXkcvAJKD2OnA56Bz7yFY4VkLj-0K7zdBZKeCXsFpfcD6LV_WJFU0Q/s320/XL802752.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130955112749026658" border="0" /></a><br />I know, I have been way behind with my blog. There is a lot to fill you in on for the months of September and October, including my wonderful trip home, but first I must tell you what has been going on in this country over the past two weeks.<br /><br />The Dominican Republic has just experienced the worst natural disaster it has seen in years. You may have seen some of it on the news, I’m not sure, but let me share with you what happened from an insiders point of view.<br /><br />Labeled Hurricane Noel when it reached the United States, it was still only a tropical storm as it slowly churned its way over this country. It was hardly windy, with a moderately heavy rain at best. What it did was bring water - lots and lots of water. It caught everyone by surprise. The water came down slowly and steadily for a couple of days until the ground had soaked in all it could and the water began to rise. Rivers overflowed, bridges fell, landslides covered the roads, and acres of flat rice fields were submersed. The level of the water rose, barging into people’s homes and driving the people away. Those who did not want to leave when they were warned by relief agencies could later be found on their roof or in a tree, praying for a boat or helicopter to come by and bring them to safety.<br /><br />(People look on as water fills the streets and houses:)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUD4L5IRRt9RAF061desZaVt6rwcbJxh_wR2jPtVn9JlCsiRi0SOBkCp33pLpMsUNyCDdtGyoGYi0rjXOI7GuonbLHYZ2Hbqj8p_9tSBLnfLN6KrPFHuQ4GQhylknyDgKMnRhkjQ/s1600-h/XL802558.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUD4L5IRRt9RAF061desZaVt6rwcbJxh_wR2jPtVn9JlCsiRi0SOBkCp33pLpMsUNyCDdtGyoGYi0rjXOI7GuonbLHYZ2Hbqj8p_9tSBLnfLN6KrPFHuQ4GQhylknyDgKMnRhkjQ/s320/XL802558.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130946960901098818" border="0" /></a>Refugees sat in schools and safe houses throughout the country with nothing but their lives. Homes were damaged, crops destroyed, and some lives were lost. The rains eventually stopped, but the water stayed for some time. Homes could be seen sitting in the water, its level halfway up the house, most things inside destroyed.<br /><br />Here some refugees are served food at a local school near my town that served as a shelter:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtkO6V4ZLvtT05KSb9NmV8e51QdPXfX85PP0y1uKt1h1cBTXqUSDJfD6qVMYu7aw8RO96kR8LMIXJ-fGLFXHEDDnbPFJWkWuEPhQK9w6qRBzvfHsz6DtEVHaG94BhTj29EWrW0A/s1600-h/XL802789.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFtkO6V4ZLvtT05KSb9NmV8e51QdPXfX85PP0y1uKt1h1cBTXqUSDJfD6qVMYu7aw8RO96kR8LMIXJ-fGLFXHEDDnbPFJWkWuEPhQK9w6qRBzvfHsz6DtEVHaG94BhTj29EWrW0A/s320/XL802789.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130949675320429906" border="0" /></a>The disaster affected the entire country. The areas hit hardest with water levels as I described were the south and my region in the northeast. Other parts were affected differently; mountainous areas saw a lot of mudslides, and many bridges were down, making access to certain parts of the country impossible for a few days.<br /><br />I arrived from my trip to the states on a Monday afternoon, just when they realized that this was an emergency. From the airport, I headed down the coastal highway to the center of Santo Domingo. Huge waves were crashing into the shore, throwing water over the highway and at times covering it completely. The Peace Corps called a “Standfast” and immediately began contacting Volunteers to make sure they were OK and ordering them to stay put. Volunteers were not allowed to leave from wherever they were at that moment until further notice. Travel was dangerous and no one was sure as to the extent of the damage. Having arrived in the capital, I stayed, and wasn’t cleared to go home to my site until that Friday.<br /><br />We heard bits and pieces of news during that time, but it wasn’t until that Thursday that I realized the seriousness of what had happened. The Peace Corps informed us that the country had declared a national disaster. Foreign aid was called for and relief agencies got to work. I found this very interesting - the Peace Corps is the only international organization with Volunteers located in every part of the country. We know first hand what the situation is like in rural parts of the country better than any other organization. Certain agencies which offer assistance are based in the capital or another large city, and basically search blindly for the areas they assume need help. The Peace Corps has an advantage by working and living in these communities, so the government called upon us to report back to them what the real situation was where we live. I must admit I felt proud to be given this responsibility, and hopeful that my connection would be able to help those who need it in my community.<br /><br />Don’t worry, my town was FINE. My town is the largest of many small towns that make up a district. Many of these smaller towns (or neighborhoods, really) were hit hard. I live in an area that produces a lot of rice. If you’ve ever seen a rice field, they are flat. Rice needs a lot of water to grow, so this land (at sea level, mind you) usually has water up to ground level. In many areas in my district, excess water doesn’t have any place to go (no hills, not enough rivers), so the land just filled with water. Of course, farmers often live near the fields where they work, so many houses were left underwater and people were evacuated.<br /><br />I’m getting long-winded. Here are some photos, all from areas near my town. I don´t have a lot of information on the situation in the south, but I know its worse:<br /><br />Here is a street still one week after the storm hit:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV152Bo0BjMiXeFFJ7vWBV-49tJajuZ5FRgykulws6PrKbYD5AKiYaD2ejIl2_bKNTIt_FlxNTq2pyTQCUR0rvCmcvaUdP0ZqKdbYmpqGqjSQme9kaEfO57ph6H6mvlJ7DcFaqxA/s1600-h/DSCN4689.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV152Bo0BjMiXeFFJ7vWBV-49tJajuZ5FRgykulws6PrKbYD5AKiYaD2ejIl2_bKNTIt_FlxNTq2pyTQCUR0rvCmcvaUdP0ZqKdbYmpqGqjSQme9kaEfO57ph6H6mvlJ7DcFaqxA/s320/DSCN4689.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130957019714506098" border="0" /></a>This woman´s house was moved right off the foundation:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTzvLMbTIjhf2lNISUSPP0883Qh3HW8_MnKZAAygyj-BqxLgTuCBUuQR-IZmtrZL2jCH3q_xEDfJJD4NGHeWnG9jCJpaEpYLAMN8jSrVyBzv4Tg3vq5m9Tw90zA96nMreegRFCQ/s1600-h/DSCN4712.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFTzvLMbTIjhf2lNISUSPP0883Qh3HW8_MnKZAAygyj-BqxLgTuCBUuQR-IZmtrZL2jCH3q_xEDfJJD4NGHeWnG9jCJpaEpYLAMN8jSrVyBzv4Tg3vq5m9Tw90zA96nMreegRFCQ/s320/DSCN4712.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131975210431499650" border="0" /></a>Driving through flooded streets with church Volunteers:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJVQ1q7VkHDPt9YnUuJjRugipr178s8x4RkK_n-qfvb-AsChcvhL0S7Qb82BiB5b4WaG3tmw04L2Aad0oMeDxQq-YmCZkWg3vQozyRFdZ9W44H0kwkdOdzr9GtnkTMjPZgTETfA/s1600-h/DSCN4698.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJVQ1q7VkHDPt9YnUuJjRugipr178s8x4RkK_n-qfvb-AsChcvhL0S7Qb82BiB5b4WaG3tmw04L2Aad0oMeDxQq-YmCZkWg3vQozyRFdZ9W44H0kwkdOdzr9GtnkTMjPZgTETfA/s320/DSCN4698.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131975953460841874" border="0" /></a>This man returned to his house this day to find it filled with mud and debris. You can see from the lines on the house how high the water was:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDX7ATRTBIgaI8IHcY26GqoqATYPt0PdZF2ufZ0YUDxKhdelPp-NytVBr2bJX44rWla_rGMJxvhWqYFLQjoUv44AodCt4bsrZbrRm-_a-lSAoToK-9kbosAkNy2q6eU6ev5QRXIA/s1600-h/DSCN4727.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDX7ATRTBIgaI8IHcY26GqoqATYPt0PdZF2ufZ0YUDxKhdelPp-NytVBr2bJX44rWla_rGMJxvhWqYFLQjoUv44AodCt4bsrZbrRm-_a-lSAoToK-9kbosAkNy2q6eU6ev5QRXIA/s320/DSCN4727.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131976696490184098" border="0" /></a>Soaked mattresses were left out to dry:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WOcmMa3dx0a_fy3unEcm2UV1MVZKaoX4k5SeJpwkf1GFPpaNpC2nr9Dlstj1lcTc5XMpxzNG_BoQoLYokDzYsTO8DNZjF7ZaQUPY-Ad9KHwPqsKD-RBNZyPMGnIJy8WHaJZWXw/s1600-h/DSCN4715.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1WOcmMa3dx0a_fy3unEcm2UV1MVZKaoX4k5SeJpwkf1GFPpaNpC2nr9Dlstj1lcTc5XMpxzNG_BoQoLYokDzYsTO8DNZjF7ZaQUPY-Ad9KHwPqsKD-RBNZyPMGnIJy8WHaJZWXw/s320/DSCN4715.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131977426634624434" border="0" /></a>Delivering donations to one of the affected areas. I went with people from the Catholic Church this day to see some of the damage:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPJyvooIeVYm4IpwiGmtnauyCeCollcuuGgjEau3Q0ECmYu4KzrxNHD2NigZ1LXN1giy10xfHEsvNjDWeVrQvOuVCwDilqGjnuI1N6fYjkVsCAsdJjAZ4IVyPNSUb6WKoiq1gyQ/s1600-h/DSCN4671.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZPJyvooIeVYm4IpwiGmtnauyCeCollcuuGgjEau3Q0ECmYu4KzrxNHD2NigZ1LXN1giy10xfHEsvNjDWeVrQvOuVCwDilqGjnuI1N6fYjkVsCAsdJjAZ4IVyPNSUb6WKoiq1gyQ/s320/DSCN4671.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131978036519980482" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The woman below shows the level that the water was up to at her house:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWwBCu3eLMp5bRT2QPPQVQ68DfXM4-tkvdhxrHKfs7m3nc7FMT62ulhlU1epsga14Rd_VaQtvs_lnMuiHhpIUH9M9RkR6hhwKMALYsvtMTdMsXzSJVjnX09q_gJcTMkldwRN7nw/s1600-h/DSCN4707.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhWwBCu3eLMp5bRT2QPPQVQ68DfXM4-tkvdhxrHKfs7m3nc7FMT62ulhlU1epsga14Rd_VaQtvs_lnMuiHhpIUH9M9RkR6hhwKMALYsvtMTdMsXzSJVjnX09q_gJcTMkldwRN7nw/s200/DSCN4707.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5130945869979405618" border="0" /></a>What the people need now are mattresses (imagine a mattress soaked through with water - you can’t use that again!), mosquito nets (lots of standing water breeds lots of mosquitoes!), water, and food. The really scary part is knowing how difficult the next few months will be. All of the crops have been destroyed, and many farm animals have died. We are going to be seeing a major food shortage here, and already are. Food prices will go way up because things will be imported, and many poor will have a difficult time paying to feed their families. Until we can get the crops growing and producing again, times will be tough. But they will survive, they have before.<br /><br />The effort of people in my area to help those affected by the storm was a<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpAeEI56NmjEL1pHRUWanFPa_9Pjvxz7ItN6Ns_WxsoYNPiZ4XxR6XW-biWJgykH0H684XaLCJLbn4GwBJ1fcNEckfZRJoGu3udONXEyChYMfqe9ORW0MUNOal474LLDglAkkE9w/s1600-h/DSCN4657.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpAeEI56NmjEL1pHRUWanFPa_9Pjvxz7ItN6Ns_WxsoYNPiZ4XxR6XW-biWJgykH0H684XaLCJLbn4GwBJ1fcNEckfZRJoGu3udONXEyChYMfqe9ORW0MUNOal474LLDglAkkE9w/s200/DSCN4657.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131981262040419810" border="0" /></a> beautiful thing. People went on TV asking for donations of anything they could spare to help those who had lost everything - a fork, a candle, whatever. Donations came pouring in. All of those clothes that I brought here to sell to raise money I immediately put in a big bag and donated to the affected people. Those who gave me clothing donations can feel good that your clothes went to a very important cause! The Catholic Church in my town has been amazing, putting donations together every day and bringing them directly to the different neighborhoods that need help. Other local organizations are helping too, and the Civil Defense of the Dominican government. (Photo at right is of donations that came into the Civil Defense)<br /><br />Millions if not billions of dollars came in to the Dominican government from many generous countries, including the United States, Taiwan, Venzuela, etc. Have the people seen it yet? No. This will be the interesting part, to see how much of that money the people will actually see. I shouldn’t doubt a fair distribution of the funds, but from what people here tell me about things like this happening in the past, the money rarely makes it to the people who really need it. We will see.<br /><br />Meanwhile, the people are getting on with their lives. It was very impressive to see the attitude of the people as they returned to their damaged homes. They took a look, picked up the mop, and got to work. Certain things will take time and money to replace, such as electric equipment (refrigerators, washing machines), beds and mattresses, etc. But in general they’ve still got their house, so they will just start over again with what they’ve got and go from there.<br /><br />I don’t know if there is anything you can do to help. If there is and you are interested, I will let you know.<br /><br />*The first three photos were taken by a Korean Volunteer I met this past week. She came on to help with the Civil Defence just at the right time. She's in a program similar to Peace Corps out of Korea called KOICA, and will be here for the next two years. (Below: flooded rice fields)<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0E32DCNTQtOk42xTLUud14F1nIObAPULHDbRWnZHEwapu9Tv1ihrXrL5fQZuCKVwr-__o3oTCCnZZ9EwjvP6mGyovuTir-LNzkM0LzqHdBpa-jfKE56a1S1BWYbSSruzaCd_dig/s1600-h/DSCN4696.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0E32DCNTQtOk42xTLUud14F1nIObAPULHDbRWnZHEwapu9Tv1ihrXrL5fQZuCKVwr-__o3oTCCnZZ9EwjvP6mGyovuTir-LNzkM0LzqHdBpa-jfKE56a1S1BWYbSSruzaCd_dig/s320/DSCN4696.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5131978835383897554" border="0" /></a>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-63138994429794657672007-09-05T15:42:00.000-05:002007-09-05T16:33:27.849-05:00August 2007<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovJ3SxhmE1GoQlbJrF64QinCHg4OgPhtbhoTpSdArZGQ_PULtm5x0Dx3EUih75JkD00McFh2ryBXdtAXM4PKqeLG-UnCqE8pnKUn_7a36v63H7exfcFl8tfJYRDV0NbmWxQsaiA/s1600-h/DSCN4267.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjovJ3SxhmE1GoQlbJrF64QinCHg4OgPhtbhoTpSdArZGQ_PULtm5x0Dx3EUih75JkD00McFh2ryBXdtAXM4PKqeLG-UnCqE8pnKUn_7a36v63H7exfcFl8tfJYRDV0NbmWxQsaiA/s400/DSCN4267.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106835349463771026" /></a><br />Nagua at sunrise (its much prettier from up here)<br /><br />I birthed seven children this month, and two of them were already 9 and 10 years old. Man, did that hurt! Alright, so they didn’t pass through my birth canal, but I did help to give them a chance at life. I’ve been working for about three months now on a campaign to help register people who don’t have their birth certificates. There is a big problem in this country with people not being registered, as once a child is born it is the responsibility of the parents to go to one of the Civil offices and declare their son or daughter. This must be done within 60 days or the child is not registered, and to register a child after this period is a time-consuming and costly hassle. Many parents just don’t get around to it, don’t see the importance of registering their child (they come from small communities and don’t realize there is opportunity outside of their village), or they simply live too far from the Civil office and don’t have the money to go there. Whatever the reason, a large percentage of the population is undeclared. Without their documentation, they can not hold a job in the public or private sectors, can not go to school past the 8th grade, can not obtain government health care subsidies, can’t open a bank account, can’t vote, can’t marry…the list goes on. Basically they do not exist in the eyes of the government. <br /><br />The good news? We helped seven of these people get their documentation! Together with the help of a woman from the Foundation in my town, we met every Sunday and the interested people came and took the necessary steps to declare their children, grandchildren, or themselves. We have also been trying in vain to get four adults declared, and have been ALMOST THERE for a month now, but there’s always something else the office needs. Hopefully we can get these men (all over 50) their birth certificates very soon. One wants to travel to visit his daughter in the United States and needs his passport; another told me he just wants to know he is written down somewhere as having existed before he dies. People from a nearby community, a village in my district, came a few weeks ago and told us about all of the people in that area who are undeclared, so this past Sunday we started a second wave of the campaign in this town. We’ll just keep going and do what we can and hopefully declare as many people as possible! Here are Darwin and Faviola, two kids we helped to register:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQ3WtGt6fk9GCE6WqvA8m8Rujgj8ogEqSJ33LNsbFYiyQiCzS50ZjRK8MG7FtWM2kY5uPFPvgu95AClM1SOrI4oK8xnjHH7QjgBcsRRdOYejGhL7vmHU6ny7bSRNEiqeHeGm0RA/s1600-h/DSCN4395.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmQ3WtGt6fk9GCE6WqvA8m8Rujgj8ogEqSJ33LNsbFYiyQiCzS50ZjRK8MG7FtWM2kY5uPFPvgu95AClM1SOrI4oK8xnjHH7QjgBcsRRdOYejGhL7vmHU6ny7bSRNEiqeHeGm0RA/s320/DSCN4395.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106834932851943298" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrduP273c1wvZ7nsF30xwR3tcnBGa5MqaSSrl1Etp6aO7O17an8IQNl1QvgzNF0X1sfY-R3tYsVGz3040ZMlBAB6WHkDw3Vu2WEa-Wcs6oOrzH5ANTAImvQdhcnBZwQUEoRoADpQ/s1600-h/DSCN4351.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrduP273c1wvZ7nsF30xwR3tcnBGa5MqaSSrl1Etp6aO7O17an8IQNl1QvgzNF0X1sfY-R3tYsVGz3040ZMlBAB6WHkDw3Vu2WEa-Wcs6oOrzH5ANTAImvQdhcnBZwQUEoRoADpQ/s200/DSCN4351.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106834477585409906" /></a>Also this month, I started the Servir y Jugar (Serve and Play) program with the local baseball league. Through community service work, sports teams can obtain free sporting equipment. The equipment is donated from people or organizations in the states, and with the guidance of Peace Corps Volunteers, Dominican kids and youth can work to earn this equipment. Every 10 hours of work earns them one piece of equipment (one baseball bat, one basketball, one t-shirt, etc.). We started two weeks ago on what should be a long run of Serve and Play activities, and I must say it feels great! The kids are excited because they are going to get more equipment for their teams, and in the meantime they are helping the community! We've started with some clean-ups - a clean-up of the baseball field, and many of the beach. (If I haven’t mentioned it before, Dominicans tend not to use trash cans, so there is a lot to pick up!) Here are some shots of the activities:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kxHm38-iOlJbRVeX2MKuKriq80LYxKQ4U1GlGK52rjzqOvM2w7zJm4NQTGtiKjfH1Z_UhDSYajZgFaeZ_YVyNLPT8s-UVnRSi-5TyWwal8F4BNqIudI2TGbY1UN1F3WiPJZV4Q/s1600-h/DSCN4363.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8kxHm38-iOlJbRVeX2MKuKriq80LYxKQ4U1GlGK52rjzqOvM2w7zJm4NQTGtiKjfH1Z_UhDSYajZgFaeZ_YVyNLPT8s-UVnRSi-5TyWwal8F4BNqIudI2TGbY1UN1F3WiPJZV4Q/s320/DSCN4363.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106833940714497890" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZf8jw7mz-UbXQ5BDCV-AM5E6PWrIwkfKwGucOLTBnFRAapjN2DGPBDSbi2ZzVelbaFyOnEiHco8wvQm45FDVuUeWGHDwWDkz_9iMp-z1tV8EWnggpNbgczN0TwsK41P8i6VErjA/s1600-h/DSCN4381.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZf8jw7mz-UbXQ5BDCV-AM5E6PWrIwkfKwGucOLTBnFRAapjN2DGPBDSbi2ZzVelbaFyOnEiHco8wvQm45FDVuUeWGHDwWDkz_9iMp-z1tV8EWnggpNbgczN0TwsK41P8i6VErjA/s320/DSCN4381.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106832059518822210" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgh1X6XiWiIA063n-Wf0s0l9SkZSp2krJ_KWv5N5U3A82JFCqLbWKi3iolcF-RodCsV1BBoe0_saZoN7b5521skMsC6oy2zrdk4o5pg582yTKO7KyrqnOxUVIEfYZLgwRqahPDg/s1600-h/DSCN4367.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfgh1X6XiWiIA063n-Wf0s0l9SkZSp2krJ_KWv5N5U3A82JFCqLbWKi3iolcF-RodCsV1BBoe0_saZoN7b5521skMsC6oy2zrdk4o5pg582yTKO7KyrqnOxUVIEfYZLgwRqahPDg/s200/DSCN4367.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106833146145548114" /></a>After the first clean-up of the baseball field, I went to the PC office in the capital to see what supplies were available to bring back. They were hoping for uniforms, as well as bats, gloves, balls, etc. (no jock straps Jeff, but thanks anyway.) I managed to bring a few bats, balls, and gloves, as well as two sets of uniforms! I came back late from the capital that day, and as I walked through town to my house with the ends of three bats sticking out of my backpack, I was spotted and followed to my house. The next thing I knew, a whole team of boys and girls had arrived, coach included. They were so excited that they could hardly wait for me to put down my bag to see what I had brought. They loved the uniforms (t-shirts only), and are ready and eager to continue working to earn these uniforms. With the entire league working two hours at a time (i.e. 25 people working two hours each = 50 hours), those hours add up fast. I’ll keep everything at my house until they have earned it, no advanced loans! I’m tough but fair : ) <br /><br />I’ve also got plans to help a new girls volleyball team, and a new sports league’s first basketball team. They just re-made the basketball court in this town, so everyone’s super excited about basketball. <br /><br />Let’s see, what else…My youth group has been growing in size and strength, which is good, though its been a little tough to handle. The kids have a ton of energy and are excited about the group, but its hard to control and many don’t know yet how to take responsibility. We just attempted a movie night that we had been planning for a month, but where some people slacked and didn’t do their work, things fell through and in the end we were not able to pull it off in time. This will be their first lesson in “taking responsibility”. That talk comes at this week’s meeting. Here are some of my youth at my house:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4Qzkx8wTYAj5NOJ84NO1bL1yQN-5_-uoMHKA4whzPz0Tw-WVrUjiFrfJ99EcPduyafTGIdcxFOI6SylHf48zH3A-SuUxOCOKVGchXBSLW9Zt6dZygfzys1nOcahVkaZO84A_mw/s1600-h/DSCN4259.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH4Qzkx8wTYAj5NOJ84NO1bL1yQN-5_-uoMHKA4whzPz0Tw-WVrUjiFrfJ99EcPduyafTGIdcxFOI6SylHf48zH3A-SuUxOCOKVGchXBSLW9Zt6dZygfzys1nOcahVkaZO84A_mw/s320/DSCN4259.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106831277834774322" /></a><br />Another thing I did was help plan the going-away party for Frank, who left this month for one year of his seminary program where he will live in a house in Santiago and pretty much can’t leave or have visitors during this time. I guess the idea is that if they can survive this mental test, they’ll probably be able to make it as a priest. The going-away party was quite an event, with dramas, speeches, and poetry. And once again, it was a complete surprise! That makes two successful surprise parties I've pulled off - yes! We had it in the new fancy town hall building, here are some photos:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkujjqudEUMNbJSHgV6464Kjf-VeMu6UuK1pMSvdkykYxXlABflmzA7-OpC_vEKDTAjIDRklkZJuQlS79i4VcHbImFdJDqkkGjKmDCPIHYq3d3zhWWnPJSAZCqP0DsTCLKRyD7dA/s1600-h/DSCN4287.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkujjqudEUMNbJSHgV6464Kjf-VeMu6UuK1pMSvdkykYxXlABflmzA7-OpC_vEKDTAjIDRklkZJuQlS79i4VcHbImFdJDqkkGjKmDCPIHYq3d3zhWWnPJSAZCqP0DsTCLKRyD7dA/s320/DSCN4287.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106830139668440866" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcGnDFAzExTowtz6THwiHi-PWBIFec52TVW9UNs6l9Rdde6d_y8qzmf8hrojvLKaIjDNibe9uMm92vnUk_grN8MC4M35P13rFoMtzsGa5-wP7TBwwChxiItQZrUDg73qZ1NGd7A/s1600-h/DSCN4281.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCcGnDFAzExTowtz6THwiHi-PWBIFec52TVW9UNs6l9Rdde6d_y8qzmf8hrojvLKaIjDNibe9uMm92vnUk_grN8MC4M35P13rFoMtzsGa5-wP7TBwwChxiItQZrUDg73qZ1NGd7A/s200/DSCN4281.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106829473948509970" /></a><br />Here I am with Frank (right) and his cousin who lives in New Jersey. No joke, this kid is 13-years-old!<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TRyLL1sPF2oNthmU2jHcHANcDacgOvmpgtIQbsSGbZGYJy-7ykNSwUin9UeBF6On5mw5K429t2nCgZGggnh-d21q1FIt99QVxYg4VCw0LtZNIS1nl9bSQRnJA-_NK04VNoz-ZA/s1600-h/DSCN4401.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7TRyLL1sPF2oNthmU2jHcHANcDacgOvmpgtIQbsSGbZGYJy-7ykNSwUin9UeBF6On5mw5K429t2nCgZGggnh-d21q1FIt99QVxYg4VCw0LtZNIS1nl9bSQRnJA-_NK04VNoz-ZA/s200/DSCN4401.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106827798911264514" /></a>At the end of the month, my community organization had its annual elections to elect the next president and board of directors. I was on the election committee and helped prepare the event. We've got a great new president now and a lot more motivation for the upcoming year, hopefully we'll get off to a great start! On September 1st they swore in the new representatives. I didn't make it that day, but they gave me a special recognition for the work I've been doing on their behalf. <br /><br />Other than that, there was the hurricane evacuation, which I mentioned. Coming up next month: more homework at the Sala de Tarea; giving birth - again; fundraising/pleading for money; and the new batch of trainees! That’s right, we’re the veterans now ; )<br /><br />Here are some random photos to keep you all photo happy:<br /><br />Shots of the beach at my site:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIe-kSjwkomTGROVwyh5EC77kvq_4Oz5sDsUg-R2JYcLxJMsTEyzprAJ7583L2MKIpNI09RSrbMeSwCfFMOX_qYScTn8qGqzQDatt75OYdiy9Fd5hHxV7ydnc7IKxWAkkVLee1g/s1600-h/DSCN4387.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnIe-kSjwkomTGROVwyh5EC77kvq_4Oz5sDsUg-R2JYcLxJMsTEyzprAJ7583L2MKIpNI09RSrbMeSwCfFMOX_qYScTn8qGqzQDatt75OYdiy9Fd5hHxV7ydnc7IKxWAkkVLee1g/s320/DSCN4387.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106826927032903410" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUujRkebMXL6xMG9enxVKOtZ2Hy3DsiajnuX8cJi2F8H_rdZyfhUlqZ-zZEP8olc9epdyYHuDqchwr3QymQiLl95bOdDcDIFX5xDV4CwTI5q0JmtDXh-3qNy0-0qvlnVqbgzKKKQ/s1600-h/DSCN4386.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUujRkebMXL6xMG9enxVKOtZ2Hy3DsiajnuX8cJi2F8H_rdZyfhUlqZ-zZEP8olc9epdyYHuDqchwr3QymQiLl95bOdDcDIFX5xDV4CwTI5q0JmtDXh-3qNy0-0qvlnVqbgzKKKQ/s320/DSCN4386.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106825771686700770" /></a><br /><br />My favorite twins, Eliasil and Eliasail, listening to my iPod:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kFmsDayr68tSP7QUXtzp1hQR0kI0uPXANbmW5iSRvMXiSd0iZ6rbkXdp1ec7xEbu2mERANBFKu1WjtyEIe-XoMo9NsNBfM0PiOIz3B0e_Rkt-z474fXufrG80b65fesx58rwEw/s1600-h/DSCN4302.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kFmsDayr68tSP7QUXtzp1hQR0kI0uPXANbmW5iSRvMXiSd0iZ6rbkXdp1ec7xEbu2mERANBFKu1WjtyEIe-XoMo9NsNBfM0PiOIz3B0e_Rkt-z474fXufrG80b65fesx58rwEw/s320/DSCN4302.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5106824191138735826" /></a><br /><br />I'll leave you with this video of my cat, proof that he is possessed by demons:<br /><object width="425" height="350"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/smH02iXSOJY"> </param> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/smH02iXSOJY" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="350"> </embed> </object>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-28977867916542632562007-08-19T16:45:00.000-05:002007-08-19T17:28:22.896-05:00Hurricane Survival 101I wanted to send a message to let you all know that I am OK. We have survived Hurricane Dean, which plowed across the Caribbean and brushed along the coast of the DR Saturday night. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100532699705255602" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2gSgJ2qrYAOZzm2JxRJkdPDuwz4TA4AT2dA5zFiayUbYP320KdCoEIF67HwKWNGM6YmTXjFPwjYJRL3Qvj7fOw8P9zZU3I-nADnYGUjxo2-unPcZFYIunnKJLi751Uv9QuSQwxw/s320/DSC00219.JPG" border="0" />Peace Corps Saftey and Security is right on top of any potential danger headed our way, so as of this past Tuesday we knew to be prepared for a possible hurricane. Before the weather news, we had had a nice weekend away planned for the volunteers in our region, scheduling a mandatory meeting in a cool hotel on the north coast that serves Indian food. We were more than disappointed when the PC called to let us know that we were being "consolidated", and everyone had to make their way to the nearest "safety checkpoint" for at least the next three days. That meant no cool hotel, and no Indian food! :´( In my case, I headed to a mediocre hotel in San Francisco de Macorís, just over an hour inland from my site.<br /><br />I always thought I´d feel like I was betraying my community if they ever pulled me out in an emergency, leaving my friends in the path of disaster. Though, it was hard to believe there was any real danger when I headed out Friday afternoon in sunny skies dotted with fluffy white clouds. No one seemed too worried, the path of the storm was only predicted to skim the southern coast, and in that case only with strong winds and rain. They were right not to worry.<br /><br />The effects that hit us were disappointing to say the least. Rain came down like a dribble and a light cough would have created a stronger breeze than anything felt outside. (The photo above was actually the day after the hurricane, with heavier rains than during the storm!) If we were going to be evacuated and sheltered in a small hotel for three days, I would have liked to see some action! Well, at least everyone was safe, and I didn´t have to worry about anyone in my town getting hurt.<br /><br />Instead, we made the most of our evacuation time. I completed the following, hurricane-survival techniques:<br /><br />1. I went shopping and got some much-needed clothing items (clothes just disintegrate down here!)<br />2. I watched the following movies:<br />The Departed - 4 stars<br />Before Sunset - 4 stars<br />Coach Carter - 2.5 stars<br />Also:<br />Season 1 of The Office - 4 stars<br />3. Ate lots of food and drank lots of Snapple, with Peace Corps covering the tab (thanks American tax payers!)<br />4. Got back spasms from lack of physical activity<br /><br />All in all I think it was a blessing in disguise. I´d been burning myself out with meetings and activities in my site, I needed some good quality rest time.<br /><br />In having survived this hurricaine, I have the following recommendations for anyone who might find themself in the same situation:<br /><br />1. <strong>Bring your laptop, or know someone who has one</strong>. With this, you can get lots of work done, or more importantly, watch lots of DVDs.<br /><br />2. <strong>Bring lots of DVDs.</strong> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5100533923770934978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWiJdevqdCr2VMwe36KnDpyUgVkAMt1-lKjSXg6pOZwx5kNW9aUu-yP9euRgw1bGr7L2TuzIvwn1GkgfHu7SC22qlPiCom2Z1LzSjSPiloNFFYeQaDKXExFwzZMA_zp86-eudQ-w/s320/DSC00220.JPG" border="0" /><br /><p>3. <strong>Bring a memory stick</strong> so you can transfer music from friends´ laptops onto your own. Key for when you were lacking enough Dominican music. </p><p>And that´s that. I´ll head back tomorrow and back to work. Hope all is well up there, and Happy Birthday Dad!</p><p>Joan</p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-90091168836946233332007-08-01T10:29:00.000-05:002007-08-04T11:00:52.393-05:00July 2007<span style="" lang="EN-US">Let’s break it down – boom chicki boom.<span style=""> </span>Here’s the low down on what went down this month down here in the DR:</span> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">July 4<sup>th </sup>- I get a call from Bianca, fellow volunteer and great</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQ87dd1YQPz_7LX9kgiiaENWPxzcRDvgV9nawK_FXMQnbQZWGIw7Rk_yB9d075OxhYFnf6mJB7BhjQm14IqyRMQolWjazvzQrlzhwAKmzigsncWV6X0j699TQMzZ72dwDWanBLg/s1600-h/IMG_0528.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUQ87dd1YQPz_7LX9kgiiaENWPxzcRDvgV9nawK_FXMQnbQZWGIw7Rk_yB9d075OxhYFnf6mJB7BhjQm14IqyRMQolWjazvzQrlzhwAKmzigsncWV6X0j699TQMzZ72dwDWanBLg/s200/IMG_0528.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094875770905848658" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-US"> friend who li</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">ves somewhat close to me two hours away on the north coast.<span style=""> </span>She asks what I am doing for Independence Day.<span style=""> </span>Having forgotten almost entirely about this holiday (thanks to this lack of m</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">arketing and no difference between summer and any other season), I agreed that we should do something.<span style=""> </span>The only logical thing that comes to mind is to have some people over </span><span style="" lang="EN-US">your house for a cookout.<span style=""> </span>But how would I find a grill in a country that doesn’t barbeque?<span style=""> </span>As fate would have it, I have</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> an American</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> neighbor, a retired rancher from Colorado named Harry, who has got just about every piece of equipment you could ever dream of.<span style=""> </span>Against all odds of PCDR, I obtained a grill f</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">ro</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">m Harry for this day.<span style=""> </span>Bianca came over</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> and we splurged on hot dogs and hamburg</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">er meat.</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"><span style=""> </span>I invited some of my closest friends and their families and we had a true family cookout!<span style=""> </span>It was a g</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">reat taste of home.<span style=""> </span>Well, I wouldn’t say it tasted great, I royally screwed up the hamburgers, having a hard</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> time getting those coals burning the way they should.<span style=""> </span>You can see the disappointment on their faces as they watched in disbelief at just how</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> bad a cook I can be:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-94qC3bK62tUFiIEqYCnwyrSZ6j9_wIpLPfgoYc2uMTXAEbrGQIoTjc71ExkXpO5j33ythev2fX2K4wMvqRoUBlXBbXTZoCrchDYiz16-lGHEnoqlD65_L4KHlVjqY1gj9B-eg/s1600-h/DSC02156.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-94qC3bK62tUFiIEqYCnwyrSZ6j9_wIpLPfgoYc2uMTXAEbrGQIoTjc71ExkXpO5j33ythev2fX2K4wMvqRoUBlXBbXTZoCrchDYiz16-lGHEnoqlD65_L4KHlVjqY1gj9B-eg/s320/DSC02156.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093756274795244130" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1hZs8IYJMAY80-Q2SFK6m7wBwvp0DiLSWG0mz6ImtPjaZ_NicimBfmMxdLXi1XR88UvP8AnZuV5qxkLbbC2wc64pLIlTa52XLA83aLwwayPSYEQB9VK4tRXJG6ysQ-DnKQS4mQ/s1600-h/DSC02152.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY1hZs8IYJMAY80-Q2SFK6m7wBwvp0DiLSWG0mz6ImtPjaZ_NicimBfmMxdLXi1XR88UvP8AnZuV5qxkLbbC2wc64pLIlTa52XLA83aLwwayPSYEQB9VK4tRXJG6ysQ-DnKQS4mQ/s320/DSC02152.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094872614104886066" border="0" /></a></p><span style="" lang="EN-US">Early July Fundraising – Also against all odds was the likelihood of keeping </span><span style="" lang="EN-US">the Sala de Tarea</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> (after school program) up and running.<span style=""> </span>With no money and no one who cared, the Sala was falling into a bottomless pit.<span style=""> </span>In steps Joan – and the Sala is saved.<span style=""> </span>I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but damn I’m good.<span style=""> </span>Here was one of our efforts to raise some money – we made and sold a common household cleaning product called Mistolin which everyone uses, and sold it for poco</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> dinero (little money), I bought the raw ingredients in the capital and we spent many afternoons mixing a couple of gallons at a time</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> and filling old (recycled!) water bottles with the stuff.<span style=""> </span>It sold at 20 pesos a pop (about 65 cents), and we did great.<span style=""> </span>The kids did mo</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">st of the</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> selling, they’re cuter and much more convincing.<span style=""> </span>They loved to sell!<span style=""> </span>“Mistolin twenty pesos sala de tarea” was about all they could muster to say, no further explanation, but it did the tr</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">ick.<span style=""> </span></span><span style="" lang="EN-US">We</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">’ll probably do another round this month:</span><br />Now you see it...<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErkp1EqumRDfK59ptDp5kwF_bMlGl2T4_pJ54RrPThODmvWalrH9afn0GhwRKoJFkV_eX12kEUiu3bsOSX1ASwhwWiQeYFQAIfrqrJcb8Zpvl5_cVLKssUySgtQNHoYuP8SAn8g/s1600-h/DSCN4083.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjErkp1EqumRDfK59ptDp5kwF_bMlGl2T4_pJ54RrPThODmvWalrH9afn0GhwRKoJFkV_eX12kEUiu3bsOSX1ASwhwWiQeYFQAIfrqrJcb8Zpvl5_cVLKssUySgtQNHoYuP8SAn8g/s320/DSCN4083.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094870226103069458" border="0" /></a></p> ...now you don´t!<br /><p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOscsqd5USVjg00ZfohazJwBiHE1yZd8RuTkupaiyfyPgUC5-1sEN-E3NDhKBPktZN-JTTeP0kQCqY1KjngKDeHa5JrKLemrmwm15SnrUZhXT8UuTHXKwGnft4sS4g4E9uVQpPQ/s1600-h/DSCN4087.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlOscsqd5USVjg00ZfohazJwBiHE1yZd8RuTkupaiyfyPgUC5-1sEN-E3NDhKBPktZN-JTTeP0kQCqY1KjngKDeHa5JrKLemrmwm15SnrUZhXT8UuTHXKwGnft4sS4g4E9uVQpPQ/s320/DSCN4087.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094871123751234338" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Also at the Sala de Tarea was a volunteer from Ohio named Betha (see above, right).<span style=""> </span>She came in for six weeks to help out at the Sala, teaching and playing with the kids.<span style=""> </span>She helped with the fundraising as well as the campaign to get people their birth certificates.<span style=""> </span>It was nice to have another American around that I could complain to for a while (I still do that!).<span style=""> </span>Hopefully she enjoyed her time here!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXX-2VX-BbvBH_2Xu75Oxq5XCXQtZz0pdl1H6usQC1vhEm-ZXQMYKg3fONpekXha1z84gPlDa0mz6GdYDbEWYccAZTc7jfw6xIocZdXKfq7tlIzSi7oJyuKDjrSFmuDa-n9sTRg/s1600-h/DSCN4094.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXX-2VX-BbvBH_2Xu75Oxq5XCXQtZz0pdl1H6usQC1vhEm-ZXQMYKg3fONpekXha1z84gPlDa0mz6GdYDbEWYccAZTc7jfw6xIocZdXKfq7tlIzSi7oJyuKDjrSFmuDa-n9sTRg/s200/DSCN4094.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094868808763861746" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-US">July 7<sup>th</sup></span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> – I proposed the idea and helped organize a baby shower for my good friend Jenny.<span style=""> </span>She is the one I lived with during my first three months in my site.<span style=""> </span>It was a success – she never</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> suspected a thing and was totally surprised.<span style=""> </span>Look at her reaction!</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_M1gtwR9Ohw1gsyklpI2ECDcd5sDrqPcdFLAOd9AuQf7hRgcThHeMi5Hm5CKQvJxofvAkQYPTd9CXNxyn_cyVWQiT4Fw4s6h1g2r_uEGpUakzjaqNjt1GA1keqIRrKWbfNF_HIQ/s1600-h/DSCN4095.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_M1gtwR9Ohw1gsyklpI2ECDcd5sDrqPcdFLAOd9AuQf7hRgcThHeMi5Hm5CKQvJxofvAkQYPTd9CXNxyn_cyVWQiT4Fw4s6h1g2r_uEGpUakzjaqNjt1GA1keqIRrKWbfNF_HIQ/s320/DSCN4095.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094868065734519522" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">More scenes from the baby shower.<span style=""> </span>By the way, the Spanish translation for baby shower is “baby shower”:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9Wj_j-h-3GIyBXCgOq00NW-WFCGjfiFYOYMxYKeBSe4UmWq_iS4mxuMmSBqpyrdYKdVHBGl3K4upI_p2dJJL2afB-wFaR7b1xFBC4UbhSbWTIC-_YUFNWI6Gw9RJ7Azi0G0_tg/s1600-h/DSCN4117.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9Wj_j-h-3GIyBXCgOq00NW-WFCGjfiFYOYMxYKeBSe4UmWq_iS4mxuMmSBqpyrdYKdVHBGl3K4upI_p2dJJL2afB-wFaR7b1xFBC4UbhSbWTIC-_YUFNWI6Gw9RJ7Azi0G0_tg/s320/DSCN4117.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094867357064915666" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EuiwcuE1WJV0LmG_wD516f2FNoL0O6Y9h3hHgiG61sD9CK74w3wiJY2Xb5Fic58Imq3tpGTGPaYnq7ojqhY7-RIrHFGLO2YFEpmUWZFWpn6dKr3fBmqSD5n05ofoIMYDRoG0ww/s1600-h/DSCN4116.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-EuiwcuE1WJV0LmG_wD516f2FNoL0O6Y9h3hHgiG61sD9CK74w3wiJY2Xb5Fic58Imq3tpGTGPaYnq7ojqhY7-RIrHFGLO2YFEpmUWZFWpn6dKr3fBmqSD5n05ofoIMYDRoG0ww/s320/DSCN4116.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094869693527124738" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDMK_MVLh14RfE1LxXgwrYzJ5sTk6_C0GxNdhOuvEfFVvvSeoq5aJu1ME1-FUn34gLnclaAh4ZmgavIrTe0mVewtZniiyuD1W1erbBMNahvVlhI4ttT9W4xAe_yFPA4XiQs7R7A/s1600-h/DSCN4247.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTDMK_MVLh14RfE1LxXgwrYzJ5sTk6_C0GxNdhOuvEfFVvvSeoq5aJu1ME1-FUn34gLnclaAh4ZmgavIrTe0mVewtZniiyuD1W1erbBMNahvVlhI4ttT9W4xAe_yFPA4XiQs7R7A/s200/DSCN4247.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094866270438189762" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><i style=""><span style="" lang="EN-US">July 25<sup>th</sup></span></i><span style="" lang="EN-US"> – The baby is born!<span style=""> </span>My “niece”, Angela Julianny.<span style=""> </span>People often name their kids afte</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">r</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> themselves, many times combing names of the parents.<span style=""> </span>In this case, Julio + Jenny = Julianny.<span style=""> </span>Pronounced like the old mayor of New York.<span style=""> </span>She is so tiny and white, here’s a photo:</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">July 8 – 14<sup>th</sup> – The new editor of the “Gringo Grita”, the Peace Corps magazine for the DR, steps into position.<span style=""> </span>It was a busy busy week with lots of commas and hyphens and references to the dictionary to check our slowly fading knowledge of English, along with all of the technical problems that come along with this type of work.<span style=""> </span>(What would copy and de</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">sign be without</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> computer glitches?) In the end I lost a lot of hair but we turned out a great issue.<span style=""> </span>My good friends Bianca and Margo came on board to help, and they were great, with lots of creative ideas and way more energy than I had.<span style=""> I´ll put a link up to the PDF if I can figure out how to do it.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">July 23 – 27, Camp GLOW – Thank you so much to everyone who donated, your money went a long way!<span style=""> </span>The girls camp, Camp GLOW, was a big success.<span style=""> </span>It was a great opportunity for the girls to learn about a variety of sensitive topics in a comfortable environment, without the pressure of what the guys are thinking.<span style=""> </span>The camp touched on teamwork, leadership, self-esteem, family planning, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, and more, along with fun activities.<span style=""> </span>I gave a creative writing class and a salsa dance class.<span style=""> </span>I brought two girls from my comm</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">unity</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">, Reylandi and Argenis.<span style=""> </span>Here we are in our cute pink t-shirts:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFi7-81K8QDRLC4J2-yB_SjSjmif4Ryim2XffEYXQj3HoPh3_XwboXV_Nj2gruWQSiM5xtx06XScTeOjtnqoh_XiQrGEwPoFxHtm9iiX-pFz-NELsR3zKd8ITWzH_52kjzJaxeGQ/s1600-h/DSCN4233.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFi7-81K8QDRLC4J2-yB_SjSjmif4Ryim2XffEYXQj3HoPh3_XwboXV_Nj2gruWQSiM5xtx06XScTeOjtnqoh_XiQrGEwPoFxHtm9iiX-pFz-NELsR3zKd8ITWzH_52kjzJaxeGQ/s320/DSCN4233.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093760977784433282" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">The trust walk:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtuepGb9cDVBqfPGQbWui6JC62J_CTaZz9Pj2idXcsa-Tgb8Aqtv2zPkmR1TcZgVyVvE5S65AyWkpgiuei1ivNROV94SLTzVu2EnNmscrPnyVvRSI5EOIalYE1CUvhmt1L2XTvQ/s1600-h/DSCN4164.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZtuepGb9cDVBqfPGQbWui6JC62J_CTaZz9Pj2idXcsa-Tgb8Aqtv2zPkmR1TcZgVyVvE5S65AyWkpgiuei1ivNROV94SLTzVu2EnNmscrPnyVvRSI5EOIalYE1CUvhmt1L2XTvQ/s320/DSCN4164.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094864595400944306" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Pin the clitoris on the woman:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgeDnNNbyy2JaujwNF7WSiX8PtYYh_8aHVFn5bYfPErHMuXbfF7eCllzemVVeeduE_byJI8UOPi4gJAZ_m8OhUrhjmZ3tqFbOfiWiN49jYKVpWaSISVuYnyTLe0biIQoEwbEanQ/s1600-h/DSCN4201.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWgeDnNNbyy2JaujwNF7WSiX8PtYYh_8aHVFn5bYfPErHMuXbfF7eCllzemVVeeduE_byJI8UOPi4gJAZ_m8OhUrhjmZ3tqFbOfiWiN49jYKVpWaSISVuYnyTLe0biIQoEwbEanQ/s320/DSCN4201.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094863139407030946" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Learning how to put a condom on a plantain:</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQGOHzF6tN8SJfUySR8a9T1aOP2pQCb-5CDfYrN5TwNna-X2V51SMLqzaKXADZYpYHRjQP4tnYecdSmgBdupNTKpBnr6N3WbOUNMOBIRBpH0qpDwut7HjFbYJa7LJ4LaV1BPt6w/s1600-h/DSCN4191.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQGOHzF6tN8SJfUySR8a9T1aOP2pQCb-5CDfYrN5TwNna-X2V51SMLqzaKXADZYpYHRjQP4tnYecdSmgBdupNTKpBnr6N3WbOUNMOBIRBpH0qpDwut7HjFbYJa7LJ4LaV1BPt6w/s320/DSCN4191.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5094862069960174226" border="0" /></a></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Will I do it again?<span style=""> </span>Hell no.<span style=""> </span>Was it great for the girls involved?<span style=""> </span>Absolutely.<span style=""> </span>Is Joan the “camper” type?<span style=""> </span>No sir.<span style=""> </span>I’m still trying to get the tree song out of my head, “E-I-E-I-O!”<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">July 30<sup>th</sup> – Fearing the worst, I took my youth group on a day trip.<span style=""> </span>I</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> worried for nothing – the day went great!<span style=""> </span>We went to a natural</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> fresh water pool about 45 minutes from where w</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">e live and spent</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> the day swimming and dancing (there´s always dancing in this country).<span style=""> </span>It was the first real activity that I did with my youth group.<span style=""> </span>I was hoping for it to be a good</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> strengthening activity to help shape the group and involve more people.<span style=""> </span>It worked!<span style=""> </span>Our regularly scheduled</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwZrCwC271n-tgT3cg9SGuL_DTBzvWtcQeLhHvP4Xf2qcpkaftbfxB9D9fQymvQ8pzV8hMEDIOZQeuw2jKk1X2WkEbdlkovIgmlc8T0qzMR47aCDfVCquyAEiJEFSM63y3O7bEQ/s1600-h/DSCN4238.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEwZrCwC271n-tgT3cg9SGuL_DTBzvWtcQeLhHvP4Xf2qcpkaftbfxB9D9fQymvQ8pzV8hMEDIOZQeuw2jKk1X2WkEbdlkovIgmlc8T0qzMR47aCDfVCquyAEiJEFSM63y3O7bEQ/s200/DSCN4238.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5093757275522624114" border="0" /></a><span style="" lang="EN-US"> meetin</span><span style="" lang="EN-US">g last night brought in more people than ever, and everyone was so excited to talk about and plan our next activities.<span style=""> </span>Here is a photo</span><span style="" lang="EN-US"> from the pool:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN-US">Hope you’re having a great summer!</span></p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-72176454663537518952007-07-05T13:30:00.000-05:002007-07-09T12:17:59.067-05:00Tara´s EntryJoan is so Dominican…<br /><br />It isn’t that hard really. By the end of 10 days, even I was picking up habits.<br />Top 6 reasons Joan is so Dominican:<br /><br />1. She feeds her cat people food. This one was a dilemma for her: I was telling her she was weird for feeding her cat EVERYTHING that she ate and the people of her village told her she was weird for buying cat food. What is one to do? (see picture) <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083782737816165906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5KomXTjWwFCFpNq-OjYODmEAB6inYW7Z8DOinisRzWja1CRROEiJFvg5ArZa3kVIYa9dcV5luHYF3xENEw82vjoB6L9UJyFXVCSkZll44159noLNsJcAVCm9KX12Qopzz4QxoQA/s320/cat+food.jpg" border="0" />2. She speaks with their accent. Even if you know Spanish you can’t understand what they are saying.<br />3. She goes to meetings late. And I mean late, like ½ hour to an hour. Basically time means <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXIrFUHyfxu0IgUDj6_QufntfC6imZBw15MUwtxv6rP0pSwDbEsnZkeg0Crqf9ikSWu3Ww9R1GDniL77sGtO8QPFqYzm_fWkU8mFy4DaZob_C-pbW29fgt8CYig1Zf9b0cnFF_w/s1600-h/DSCN4088.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5085247171340246594" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEXIrFUHyfxu0IgUDj6_QufntfC6imZBw15MUwtxv6rP0pSwDbEsnZkeg0Crqf9ikSWu3Ww9R1GDniL77sGtO8QPFqYzm_fWkU8mFy4DaZob_C-pbW29fgt8CYig1Zf9b0cnFF_w/s200/DSCN4088.JPG" border="0" /></a>nothing to Dominicans.<br />4. She got her toes professionally done, pink with floral designs… to match her dress.<br />5. She no longer craves chocolate after every meal and lives without cereal.<br />6. She can dance!!<br /><br />But, I make better tostones. (Below, Joan and Richard making "tostones", or fried plantain)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083782527362768386" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMLI3Y4wyZfyT-dn4Wle96FNyTJMMRRQfk_68zIRAvmFYOwaMrVBNU-DAVrqMPBUfXDqVZ3027LcLOte7XvKHLrSm1VL5xnnAWfvpIfrUqkJPEiHpPf1RncRnw7ns1e7m3MrJGgA/s320/Fritos.jpg" border="0" />Pretty much it takes forever to do everything. At times it made me feel a little impatient but I was on vacation so I tried to enjoy every minute of it, knowing I was heading back to my reality in too short of time.<br /><br />The bigger cities, like Santo Domingo and Nagua, I didn’t like so much. Nagua is the city close to her town. If you read any travel guides for the DR, they will tell you not to go there. The cities were full of stray dogs, cars, scooters, and litter. Joan’s town had all the same but the stray dogs looked healthy, the cars were almost non-existent, the scooters were fun, and I got used to the litter. Except for the moment Joan threw a straw wrapper on the ground! My heart almost stopped.<br /><div></div><br /><div>(A view from Las Terrenas)<br /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083782995514203698" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7O1UizAOGMATErAXlP9nYjU1fv5dHKaZ_eQqxcSTFUGZPxMi45FLZPzrUFfSKNQStUQ67UuitmQ7x8xfPb3o5ay_o8ylnMY5CavAnTLu7X_OAotaXSlHyw4GA02ycGBWjDWepxA/s320/view.jpg" border="0" /><br />The beaches were so pretty and the water was so warm. We went to two that were touristy – Puerto Plata and Las Terrenas, and the one by her village. All beautiful. One of my favorite things of the trip was the fruit. I ate more mangos and pineapple than I have in my lifetime. And the fresh juice was so good. The people were also really nice. The first thing everyone says when you meet them is “this is my house, if you need anything…” One of her neighbors, Nina, cooked us many meals and was so proud that we liked them. We then made them brownies. This is real treat because they don’t have ovens.<br /><br />(Tara with Richard)<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5083782879550086690" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJkqj7YzptkHvi-ZSGI3ASuDJPtMvkfIHj1kZLrpv2-Ra6HPeD6mWmH2YbmDqQRO-5GekIzqYa71wJO_IOE1NJIbIC5qyIEaxZGZqqdi0AWplXiWm0irU-4sv9MmIK5HYXxuNm7g/s320/tararich.jpg" border="0" /><br />We were involved in two fender benders. The first- we were on an overcrowded guagua on our way to Puerto Plata. As we made out way through a congested area our driver hit the car in front of us and took off. The second- we were in a Peace Corps truck and were rear-ended in Santo Domingo. The divers traded info this time. No one was hurt. I actually think it’s quite comical and surprised it doesn’t happen more often. Traffic laws there are merely suggestions. I have to say though, I didn’t usually feel nervous, and I am a nervous passenger; they know what they’re doing… or at least look like they do.<br /><br />I was sad to leave. (Although, I did get a marriage proposal at the airport from one of the security guards and contemplated it for a moment. He was hot, but I know better.) As I was getting on the plane to go home the stewardess made a remark that everyone getting off the plane was smiling and everyone getting on looked so unhappy. I guess we were all sad to leave.<br /><div></div><br /><div>Tara</div>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-29881344301470395032007-06-15T11:48:00.000-05:002007-06-19T11:25:49.133-05:00Getting Down to BusinessIt was a dark, stormy night. Thunder roared as a warm, suspicious breeze swept along the town and invited nocturnal creatures out from their murky depths. The creatures heard the call and heard the thunder and emerged, making their way out from the river bed, across the dirt paths and to my front patio. I heard a motorcycle in front of my house at 11:00 that night, keeping my headlamp hidden so they would think I was not home, not realizing they were there for a different purpose. As I woke the next morning and started making my way down the street, the <em>Doñas</em> were beginning to prepare lunch for their families, and I received my invitation.<br /><br />“<em>Juana, ven a comer almuerzo aquí, tenemos cangrejo hoy</em>!” “Juana, come here to eat lunch today, we’re having crab!”<br /><br />Lots of rain had gathered up all of the crabs, and the thunder scared them out of their riverbeds. This week was like crab week in my town, the crabs were running wild and the people went out late at night with their flashlights to round them up for lunch the next day. Being along the ocean, (in fact, below sea level), you often get some interesting sights. I have found crabs in my bedroom on two occasions. Shrimp can be seen paddling their way through the puddles that collect in the empty plots of land. Even in the dirt roads, pieces of coral are mixed in with the rocks and stones.<br /><br />José Miguel showed me some of the crabs his father found, as they picked off the legs from the still-living creatures and threw them in the cooking pot. With a little work and dedication, they can be pretty fun to eat, sucking the meat out of the legs like a straw. I may have even eaten the crab that made it to my front porch!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZK_PvXe-4JqI78wykHCAuZvj_e7DuTANXMz8-n5u01OQ00li4XWy1IdSVFvpjdE2IsOtDz9Rh97hIG7zf7naEkug5cmsvcWjomqqRi6jB6Y3uCPYzb2InMWVGeotHspg1gnHww/s1600-h/DSCN3850.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5077809918530314642" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEZK_PvXe-4JqI78wykHCAuZvj_e7DuTANXMz8-n5u01OQ00li4XWy1IdSVFvpjdE2IsOtDz9Rh97hIG7zf7naEkug5cmsvcWjomqqRi6jB6Y3uCPYzb2InMWVGeotHspg1gnHww/s200/DSCN3850.JPG" border="0" /></a>Speaking of creatures in my bedroom, I now have a cat! He takes care of all of the other unwanted creatures in my house, often to my dismay. I´m used to my cats in the states finding a mouse or a bird, severely injuring it, then batting it around, never actually sure what that primordial instinct was trying to tell them to do with it. The Dominican cats are different. They go for the kill, and then go for the meal. I witnessed my cat tossing around a freshly killed mouse, and before I had time to spit out my toothpaste, I heard the bones crunching and was too late to stop him from eating the mouse in its entirety – tail, fur, and head included. I didn´t let him sleep with me that night. He also kills and eats frogs, lizards, cockroaches, and giant spiders, among other things I´m sure, but have not had the misfortune to witness.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5077807616427843954" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfW6X92Ty_PX2lEjnLgUKh95lia9-t1h7C-Y7RXoJj1aO1L73cpVFFNbzUB8H0HNGFdc7VPas11HW9x5oxdNe7qVkE_Gtv-qswk30RsYwoSFwnNhwcVWVKMU72FwH4jwspP0RyvA/s320/DSCN3996.JPG" border="0" />Though he´s still really cute and full of spastic kitten energy. He loves his mum and is with me <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pA5ajB0LaF-04W0JUUmshiajQXC3WRKR6YtYbeg8bc3FAeu3cNrypwu-CPW6sqjjRT9GM680xIsTyPPR7y2aFl41xdyppZilCGVy_lWBgDGc6jsNcE9S64EW_uskykgDMDAsxw/s1600-h/DSCN3895.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5077808934982803842" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pA5ajB0LaF-04W0JUUmshiajQXC3WRKR6YtYbeg8bc3FAeu3cNrypwu-CPW6sqjjRT9GM680xIsTyPPR7y2aFl41xdyppZilCGVy_lWBgDGc6jsNcE9S64EW_uskykgDMDAsxw/s200/DSCN3895.JPG" border="0" /></a>wherever I go in the house. At night he sleeps with me, though rather than in my bed he actually sleeps ON TOP of the mosquito net, like it’s a hammock! His name is Moreno, a popular nickname here meaning “dark-skinned”, which is just so taboo in the states that I decided to take advantage of the opportunity to use a name like this and thought it a interesting play on the cultures. Also, when I got the cat, it had been one year since I had visited the <em>Moreno</em> Glacier in Patagonia, Argentina. Remember those photos???<br /><br />Last weekend was the inauguration of the new town hall building in my town. They have a mayor, or “Sindico”, but they had just been working out of a rented house. Now they have a beautiful new space in the most modern building in town! I got all dressed up for the special occasion in a pink dress I borrowed from a friend. It was a nice treat, how often do you have the opportunity to get all decked out in dresses and jewelry?! Here is a photo of myself with the Sindico:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076335400423022850" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvKgYMtXtjrfwDtrhPc4kgS2LD3XytIwoWtxt_PEuuxlrR5LLgcpf_Fj7KuLxmfUN5zhej8pjTllX389vKWklbX6XVy0IeVPCs4olQaALwtjYOs61Jy0NVEdvgdUrjaufINFgGA/s320/Joan+with+Sindico.JPG" border="0" />This is my friend Richard with two friends and neighbors, sisters Clara and Deisy:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgvbNhHeId9SSP2CeAOq6ADsKiTsukUMqLqq2sLByBrTWCLPsJJNalW-vJg7HxQrWfBudZHzvm3D1fP9sxovPlXF96F8iB4ZAFERKgGzMnwoe8LdvjYwJFjZ3vIgoNjQoLp-VfQ/s1600-h/Clara,+Richard,+and+Deisy.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076338991015682354" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYgvbNhHeId9SSP2CeAOq6ADsKiTsukUMqLqq2sLByBrTWCLPsJJNalW-vJg7HxQrWfBudZHzvm3D1fP9sxovPlXF96F8iB4ZAFERKgGzMnwoe8LdvjYwJFjZ3vIgoNjQoLp-VfQ/s320/Clara,+Richard,+and+Deisy.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />More pictures from the inauguration:<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihP7v41XVHIemzS0cQhFaCMZpG6PfPh8Qhe60II9ECSnrvQ-gvsL-pQyEjekTsDI5ezV9xqEgDelY70y5Dyd5n5EqWRPtpj9NtjzJLbYhB-YC6kcBJ_x009LMRAdfxqKO2dEAmfg/s1600-h/Veronica+and+Lesley.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076342461349257570" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihP7v41XVHIemzS0cQhFaCMZpG6PfPh8Qhe60II9ECSnrvQ-gvsL-pQyEjekTsDI5ezV9xqEgDelY70y5Dyd5n5EqWRPtpj9NtjzJLbYhB-YC6kcBJ_x009LMRAdfxqKO2dEAmfg/s320/Veronica+and+Lesley.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiULam5b6_z30ljXMx2cKZxh-oTgSxlJAwZdrNyu3RpWj1SLX3bnja2JtXL2-E9yoV48mnV5NJh6Out1rXzxahPFqm_FW7rQ4I60y8J-HIoGjTNF20FbMqHSX-f-VOxOaNt7RRDQ/s1600-h/Neighbor+kids+at+inauguration.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076340829261685074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiULam5b6_z30ljXMx2cKZxh-oTgSxlJAwZdrNyu3RpWj1SLX3bnja2JtXL2-E9yoV48mnV5NJh6Out1rXzxahPFqm_FW7rQ4I60y8J-HIoGjTNF20FbMqHSX-f-VOxOaNt7RRDQ/s320/Neighbor+kids+at+inauguration.JPG" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9QqK-Te8d-GngNBKd-zdemUaJ0n2Jdvha21Zuj-o3Ee15P2xOtQh3dwKv520inez5ptRBs7zoRofZ85EnOw5rN2mRrA7-1Diy71qOcnHNJxy0vhLtsowMvHwV4EzdlDqFmcJcw/s1600-h/Enyeli+at+Inauguration.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076340176426656066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih9QqK-Te8d-GngNBKd-zdemUaJ0n2Jdvha21Zuj-o3Ee15P2xOtQh3dwKv520inez5ptRBs7zoRofZ85EnOw5rN2mRrA7-1Diy71qOcnHNJxy0vhLtsowMvHwV4EzdlDqFmcJcw/s320/Enyeli+at+Inauguration.JPG" border="0" /></a>Things have really picked up lately on the work front. Lots of planning and research are finally starting to take shape into more tangible projects. I’ve got a youth group now, which I hope to be a fun outlet for the youth where they can do activities as well as educational things to keep them off the streets and more educated about the decisions they make. Sexual education is virtually non-existent amongst Dominicans and therefore teenage pregnancy is a big problem, which for kids here simultaneously means marriage and starting a family. I’ll educate them in this area and about AIDS, STDs, etc. My goal is that not one of my youth gets pregnant nor gets someone pregnant unintentionally during my time here! It seems a little silly but its and honest-to-goodness goal, and I honestly don’t know how hard it will be!<br /><br />I’ve also got an after school program, a “Sala de Tarea” (homework room) which I’m taking<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8nNeh5xaTmSCYohwqtaBinfWBInlJFqupoWiV9Xz5dg1rpynAKye9RY8IvyUqyNgpYoIi_tOpaRLWOy9HRBng8LoO_UkFr1PnXMYVIZ4oOauKCWo_0eYzw8U-Y6fdB_qOxqQNA/s1600-h/In+front+of+Sala.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076337148474712354" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8nNeh5xaTmSCYohwqtaBinfWBInlJFqupoWiV9Xz5dg1rpynAKye9RY8IvyUqyNgpYoIi_tOpaRLWOy9HRBng8LoO_UkFr1PnXMYVIZ4oOauKCWo_0eYzw8U-Y6fdB_qOxqQNA/s200/In+front+of+Sala.jpg" border="0" /></a> under my wing to help maintain because no one else wants to do it! Its very important as it is the only other option outside of the school where kids can get help with their schoolwork. Many kids who have learning disabilities do not otherwise have focused attention to help them learn, so if they don’t understand the way they teach in the classroom they may get discouraged and not continue with school (a common problem). The Sala was started with funds from a local community organization, and since the funds ran out in January we have been barely hanging on by a thread! I’ve been doing some small-scale fundraising activities this month (making and selling household cleaning soap from scratch, as well as a “Jeans day” at the school where they can pay to wear jeans instead of their uniforms), and both have been pretty successful. Meanwhile, we have a small committee of people who are working to come up with a more regular method of sustainability. Here are some of the kids waving from the morning session: <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCO3oM5vouq-nAaIN53PFVYFvaochT2gonmOYLjSACfNoEBvnNZFlpow1qw4S-7EAxhYjESXjm3ehyc82yagcAzGblU12Kc-3rSCPapHdKYFm9bNO73xjJ_aXeYgw9ecpf5rVZiw/s1600-h/DSCN3902.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5076336487049748754" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: pointer; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCO3oM5vouq-nAaIN53PFVYFvaochT2gonmOYLjSACfNoEBvnNZFlpow1qw4S-7EAxhYjESXjm3ehyc82yagcAzGblU12Kc-3rSCPapHdKYFm9bNO73xjJ_aXeYgw9ecpf5rVZiw/s320/DSCN3902.JPG" border="0" /></a>Also on the agenda is a campaign to get people registered who do not have their birth certificates. I started the weekly meetings in my community two weeks ago, and there are a lot of people who want to be involved! It is a big problem and there are many people without birth certificates, so I’m hoping we can help at least some of them get registered.<br /><br />We’re applying for funds as well for my community organization to finish the construction of their new building. As of now they don’t have a place to meet, and when this is finished (its still got a ways to go) they’ll have not only their own location, but a space for English and computer classes, as well as for other community and youth groups to meet.<br /><br />And there are more ideas and plans in the works! Of course, as you know I am also working to help organize the girl’s camp, Camp GLOW in July. I will be selecting the girls who will accompany me this week, they have filled out applications and I will select the two that I believe would benefit most or could give back the most to the community from their experience. Thank you so much to all who donated, together we raised $540!<br /><br />May I also add that you are all reading the blog of the new EDITOR of the Peace Corps DR magazine! I was asked to take over as the past editor has just finished his service. I’m very excited about it, I love working on the magazine and know it is such a great outlet for the volunteers here! They can read stories from other volunteers amongst humorous plays on the culture of the DR, the US, or the Peace Corps in general! Since I’ve still got a year and a half to go, I’ll be able to do about five issues.<br /><br />My friend Tara is here visiting right now for ten days! She’s already developed a love for plantains, has learned how to dance Merengue and Bachata, and learned not to trust Dominican men. I’ll have her write about her impressions soon.<br /><br />Thanks!<br />JoanJoanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-63719944393456975982007-05-08T18:28:00.000-05:002007-05-10T09:51:59.709-05:00Marc's ImpressionsIt has now been about 3 weeks since I have come back from the Dominican and in lieu of payment for staying at Joan's house I will be doing a blog entry.<br /><br />Arrival was a bit shaky since my luggage was not on the plane and I didn't get it until 3 days later (luckily they dropped it off at Joan's house). So there wasn't the cheesy greeting of us seeing each other and running into a big hug, it was more like me turning the corner with a pissed off look on my face and Joanie knowing that something happened. But it all worked out in the end.<br /><br />The first night we stayed in Santo Domingo at a youth hostel near the Peace Corps headquarters. The first order of business was to get me some clothes. I bought a shirt and some underwear, just the essentials. The brand name of the underwear was "Sexyman" so I knew I had to get that one. We then did a good amount of walking around the city and grabbed a bite to eat at a restaurant. I had some really good shrimp and rice with the Dominican beer of choice, Presidente. Then took a cab back to the hostel and called it a night.<br /><br />The next day we were still trying to figure out the luggage situation, but we weren't having much luck since it was Easter Sunday and it seemed like basically no one was working. Since we couldn't get through we decided to go to the supermarket for some food. Along the way I noticed that the streets were real dirty (her site isn't nearly as bad) and there were huge holes in the middle of the sidewalk that seemed to go down six feet and were mostly filled with trash. I was being very careful walking around these but Joan hardly seemed to notice and just kind of walked around them while still talking to me. Definitely something that she has gotten used to.<br /><br />Since we were in the city she wanted to take advantage of the Chinese restaurant since there isn't anything like it near her site. It was probably the sweetest Chinese food I have had but still pretty good, it just seemed odd seeing a bunch of Dominicans cooking 'Chinese food'. Then we were off to her site for the 4 hour bus ride.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd3nvGnHdUHx-pJH3PCIbW1vfeT2RK26mGYz5Itf3dHI3lbFHRDXWGdHYMo658wJDasvTz47FXV3j2hsccA9LAd0tuxBBNkn0q8GLKgUIR1i9kIagk6NG3WloT1Xf_bvIH0_CUw/s1600-h/Picture+or+Video+012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062340827324704738" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHd3nvGnHdUHx-pJH3PCIbW1vfeT2RK26mGYz5Itf3dHI3lbFHRDXWGdHYMo658wJDasvTz47FXV3j2hsccA9LAd0tuxBBNkn0q8GLKgUIR1i9kIagk6NG3WloT1Xf_bvIH0_CUw/s200/Picture+or+Video+012.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Along the way is a really cool looking tree that Joan made sure to point out.<br /><br />Then we were at her site and I met her friend Reylandi while we were walking to her house. It was raining pretty heavily so not many people were out we went over to meet one of her neighbors who made us some unbelievable cherry juice. I was shocked to see that the kids in the house were playing a PS2, definitely not something I was expecting.<br /><br />The heavy rain on the tin roof was very loud yet also peaceful that first night in her house.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6K6yQGO2jQ15BVbw0dFjvU5wOacoCt5FM1C4M5z9fNkVy7fOaOUI4nWhJVfiJ1YcLNiXHjWPDy5jJOPD7nQRfDOnXx_5CsJkc6E7v1Rkd4um6VunZlwxE0nTcUtZY0cCH4Ietw/s1600-h/Picture+or+Video+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062343348470507506" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF6K6yQGO2jQ15BVbw0dFjvU5wOacoCt5FM1C4M5z9fNkVy7fOaOUI4nWhJVfiJ1YcLNiXHjWPDy5jJOPD7nQRfDOnXx_5CsJkc6E7v1Rkd4um6VunZlwxE0nTcUtZY0cCH4Ietw/s200/Picture+or+Video+013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />I then got the chance to visit the beach in her town. It was only a 5-10 minute walk when it was just Joan and I but the times we had a Dominican with us they turned it into a 20-25 minute walk. I guess they just aren't in the same rush as we were. The Dominican part of the beach was very nice and the white object you can see in the water is an over turned refrigerator/boat.<br /><br />Later that night we went to a big dance a little down the beach and had a little bit to drink. It was a blast with everyone dancing and listening to the music. We had some rum with coconut water, which was surprisingly good. I normally don't like rum too much but it was a very good mix and the coconuts were coming down straight from the trees around us!<br /><br /><br />The next few days I just sort of followed Joan around the town as she did her normal day to day business. Basically walk around and talk to people. This was a little difficult for me since I can barely say anything outside of "Hola" and "Si", although I picked up on a little bit as the week went on.<br /><br />Everyone in the town was incredibly nice and clearly like Joanie. One of the old men said (through Joan's translation of course), "The world loves Joan".<br /><br />Also throughout the week I quickly learned about all of the 'other things' that live in peoples houses down there. Back home if Joanie saw any sort of bug, especially spiders, she would scream. Here it is a completely different story, most of the times she would k<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-0ps_zpZj9WrVg2QonDPQX5HpcbUl3KFar1LrW6nTg3xgjl2NBUroSXYO_KB2fqFsS5F0jeRXv3n2NU162uzusltYfm7AUUUhY3653hWSAtxfkpgdAg5xkgFwTP2lR9G3G_eYg/s1600-h/Picture+or+Video+032.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062345255435986946" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; WIDTH: 186px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 150px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS-0ps_zpZj9WrVg2QonDPQX5HpcbUl3KFar1LrW6nTg3xgjl2NBUroSXYO_KB2fqFsS5F0jeRXv3n2NU162uzusltYfm7AUUUhY3653hWSAtxfkpgdAg5xkgFwTP2lR9G3G_eYg/s200/Picture+or+Video+032.jpg" border="0" /></a>ill the bug before I even knew it was there.<br /><br /><br /><br />Here you can see the victim, the assailant and the weapon. Luckily I only saw two cockroaches during the week and this was one of them.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqtPf5X4oZaqhEz2hOqb4CDdEl06iC9XD2AcIigfCu60y7Gb_rTNj2f7K1GrLEfg92plAjbos9pQ3AWCaNpE9DkNn6fEYx8r3c24GX3mOM6kUOg5FxwlLRAQ1eySoVenDOTl2Ng/s1600-h/Picture+or+Video+034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062345852436441106" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxqtPf5X4oZaqhEz2hOqb4CDdEl06iC9XD2AcIigfCu60y7Gb_rTNj2f7K1GrLEfg92plAjbos9pQ3AWCaNpE9DkNn6fEYx8r3c24GX3mOM6kUOg5FxwlLRAQ1eySoVenDOTl2Ng/s200/Picture+or+Video+034.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />There were other creatures that were harmless and good to have around since they would eat some of the other bugs like mosquitoes.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />At first when I got there I wondered why none of the Dominicans wore shorts even though it was 80+ and humid every day I was there, but after walking around in shorts for two days and counting 52 bug bites on my left leg alone it suddenly made sense to me and I tried wearing pants more for the rest of the week.<br /><br />After walking around the town for a few days we went to a touristy town a few hours away. It was interesting getting there and back. We had to take Gua-Guas, which is basically just a truck or a van that drives a certain route. The thing is, they will fit as many people in the vehicles as they possibly can. On the way back we were in the equivalent of a Volkswagen Van and there were 19 people including the driver in the van. The route we were on was also a very steep mountain path, so I was a bit nervous for a bit.<br /><br />Transportation aside, it was well worth the trip. The beaches were amazing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFnZ9Xe15sYoFqxi8e-XS80n427CsL3Kog-Vz7BtB9wNQLZusUxlq1l8L1gTFyJGPBaTPVcR-AGvZruRo6QkAhnkhjbOE14wiXSfqjdNsHC4gz4Gn7m5iASD3Sp4xC-Z20Qv5Ig/s1600-h/Picture+or+Video+042.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062348699999758370" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQFnZ9Xe15sYoFqxi8e-XS80n427CsL3Kog-Vz7BtB9wNQLZusUxlq1l8L1gTFyJGPBaTPVcR-AGvZruRo6QkAhnkhjbOE14wiXSfqjdNsHC4gz4Gn7m5iASD3Sp4xC-Z20Qv5Ig/s200/Picture+or+Video+042.jpg" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWXtW7VbAPRMrgdxj6y5G1wF_V3F_w_lG3dshs9pbD3_tis1e2bimfW8siP6uTkSNb8ZQS-lfeVux7bfPHIcpZ4Iqay7U9ClLnzdRFD_b-0xPqPiv2n08RFL2nY-aqFgjXnCVNQ/s1600-h/Picture+or+Video+036.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062348768719235122" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyWXtW7VbAPRMrgdxj6y5G1wF_V3F_w_lG3dshs9pbD3_tis1e2bimfW8siP6uTkSNb8ZQS-lfeVux7bfPHIcpZ4Iqay7U9ClLnzdRFD_b-0xPqPiv2n08RFL2nY-aqFgjXnCVNQ/s200/Picture+or+Video+036.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />There was a rope swing hanging from one of the palm trees that Joanie had to take advantage of.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ9nOia80NFa1fxWvA_jEgzuE1f35ooUIltqPCR42jx1xbPGfqi3VGSbg5k3K8oNNY0IB8BtAN_FDOZUVqWeaRdSXbt8olyDqg5G8BZN8051TfEiWzBQI-HtanmMZBUwUTfWl5A/s1600-h/Picture+or+Video+040.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062349305590147138" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidZ9nOia80NFa1fxWvA_jEgzuE1f35ooUIltqPCR42jx1xbPGfqi3VGSbg5k3K8oNNY0IB8BtAN_FDOZUVqWeaRdSXbt8olyDqg5G8BZN8051TfEiWzBQI-HtanmMZBUwUTfWl5A/s200/Picture+or+Video+040.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />I also happened to be there for her birthday, Friday the 13th!!! Normally Dominicans don't really do much for birthdays, apparently they don't even like to have them regardless of their age but they did get a cake for Joanie and we went out.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFcPmwcpkabMaaFBJwvmuY5yY5iL4Q3bW9R6cy_Cp4f8_7YrJT_RmtSvWUYSZ7O-cCe2p8_5-qrVhJXY4npiuzzGFIydH1tc2H42rvabLpAaGwKNHEC7FVU1BDBBDw0tv_-N0aw/s1600-h/Picture+or+Video+050.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5062350057209423954" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; CURSOR: pointer" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMFcPmwcpkabMaaFBJwvmuY5yY5iL4Q3bW9R6cy_Cp4f8_7YrJT_RmtSvWUYSZ7O-cCe2p8_5-qrVhJXY4npiuzzGFIydH1tc2H42rvabLpAaGwKNHEC7FVU1BDBBDw0tv_-N0aw/s200/Picture+or+Video+050.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We went to the club near her house, the gave us free rum and cokes when we got in there. There was our group and another group in there so we left, but they told us to take the free drinks with us so we took our drinks into the cab to go to another bar in the town nearby and we walked into the bar with our own drinks from the previous bar without any problem. I just couldn't stop thinking about how there was absolutely no way that could ever happen in the states.<br /><br />We went to a few places and had a blast, at one of the bars they made an announcement that for the next 2 minutes every beer was 1 peso. The exchange rate is about 33 pesos= $1, so that is about a 3 cent beer. Oh ya.<br /><br />That was my last night and we left early in the morning to take the long bus ride to the airport and time for me to go home. I had a blast and cant wait to go back again, hopefully they will have the new highway finished so it will cut the bus ride from the airport from 3.5-4 hours to about 1.5 hours.<br /><br />Joan´s Brother,<br />MarcJoanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-70682508005981787992007-04-23T10:12:00.000-05:002007-04-23T11:16:06.801-05:00Friends and My PresentationI´ve let a lot of time go by since my last blog entry. I figure you probably see it one of two ways:<br /><br />1. Joan is settling in nicely and therefore doesn´t feel the need to vent all of her frustrations to us through her blog.<br />2. Joan was suspected to be in the CIA and has been held in federal detention since the beginning of March.<br /><br />Well, if you guessed number 1, you are correct. Things have been <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IyjUxqDygcLmbNUBFLQN0hOewVioyLDQeCL39pX5SbNTaUB-6kyTuKnI19pn8VK3G-YxL_RmsUGG1bJvKp0r4FdOddxQXPE64wxVLVQNyF1htKdkb7bBDzCNgabA0gsQBglCog/s1600-h/Joan+and+Mark+in+my+House.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056654890573341682" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-IyjUxqDygcLmbNUBFLQN0hOewVioyLDQeCL39pX5SbNTaUB-6kyTuKnI19pn8VK3G-YxL_RmsUGG1bJvKp0r4FdOddxQXPE64wxVLVQNyF1htKdkb7bBDzCNgabA0gsQBglCog/s200/Joan+and+Mark+in+my+House.jpg" border="0" /></a>going very well lately. I´ve settled into my community and am really liking it here. I´ve made friends and have had an eventful past two months. There were Patron Saints celebrations and Holy Week at the beach, and best of all, my brother came to visit! Marc came for a full week in April, taking a break from the cold by spending time with “big sis” at my site. He got to see how I live and made a few impressions of his own. (He´ll be posting his own blog entry here soon, I´ll let him tell you about it.)<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxETsvPb6LHW7OoC35UX1WXpgQrkfMSMyQVFSGaJglBLfWcKKvUl7igjYjLWseL4F3SUDfW6zJvPUO7LH7HcF0Q_lip_bGJEVYD02b7-ZsGHbij92uhuXiWyiskK-I904v5Qs_Q/s1600-h/Joan+and+Rey.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056650148929446834" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBxETsvPb6LHW7OoC35UX1WXpgQrkfMSMyQVFSGaJglBLfWcKKvUl7igjYjLWseL4F3SUDfW6zJvPUO7LH7HcF0Q_lip_bGJEVYD02b7-ZsGHbij92uhuXiWyiskK-I904v5Qs_Q/s200/Joan+and+Rey.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Meanwhile, my adjustment has really been helped by some special friendships I have made here. First is Reylandi, whom I have mentioned, a great friend and neighbor who is smart, cool, active, motivated, and just plain hot stuff. I also have some really great neighbors who are always looking out for me (and feeding me) and making me feel like I am home.<br /><br />Then there is Frank. I am being truthful when I say that he will marry me some day. You see, Frank is studying to be a Catholic priest. I´ve asked him why as well, but he just really enjoys what he does, and seeing him in action I know he´ll make a great priest some day. Frank was the first person here (Domincan) with whom I really felt a connection. It is not always easy to relate to people who come from different cultures, especially when you have such a sarcastic sense of humor, like I do. I hadn´t been laughing, as in really laughing, until I met Frank in January. And it figures that when we met we were at a funeral, and we laughed all the way through (oops!). Since then we have been great friends, and though Frank doesn´t actually live here (he lives at a seminary school in Santo Domingo), I see him during holidays. Soon he will be doing some priestly tradition where they have to live in practical solitary confinement for a year! He won´t be able to come visit :´( , but I can stop by any time I am in Santiago. Here is a picture of myself with Reylandi and Frank under a full moon night at the beach:<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056644243349414818" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheJPfv95Xv_PZobW0QPR0NVjzlPZ2Sjtge0U0ttR-SixKalrFKTRYTJJ4yIJMAO6Elqx8d36QmJg3PwyyDrAk_ufR9EkiS9U8attMyhJBSW5MyvFc_C911xKSsAAfbRJLJKnfTLA/s320/Reylandi,+Frank,+and+Joan.JPG" border="0" />During Holy Week ("Semana Santa", the week before Easter), everyone has the week off from school and most of the week from work, and by tradition they go to the beach. So, my town became flooded with extended family and friends-of-friends all headed to the coast. There are many people from my town who live here year-round but don´t cross the highway all year to go to the beach until the week of Semana Santa. It seems a little ridiculous, and when I first arrived I wondered how it would be possible to live here and go to the beach so seldomly, but by the time Semana Santa rolled around I realized I hadn´t been to the beach since New Years Eve. I´m already like a local!<br /><br /><br /><strong>GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_B9-pJ6UZT8Se9COlgQ9CL-443fYVOEU3QzVZhoUHa_x1Gyk9WsM2GS-vxImRaGeq1ZZXPpyp-3X1xOX3xDDJ-PzP8y9cv9LewCel3sLyWdjVx0-Da6swEP80YOopUobO3ekCg/s1600-h/Logo+Presentation.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056652081664730050" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_B9-pJ6UZT8Se9COlgQ9CL-443fYVOEU3QzVZhoUHa_x1Gyk9WsM2GS-vxImRaGeq1ZZXPpyp-3X1xOX3xDDJ-PzP8y9cv9LewCel3sLyWdjVx0-Da6swEP80YOopUobO3ekCg/s200/Logo+Presentation.JPG" border="0" /></a>I finally finished my first three-month project, a diagnostic assessment of the community, and presented it both to my community and the Peace Corps. It got amazing reviews! Viewers commented, “The best community diagnostic presentation I´ve ever seen in my life”, and “A smash...I´d sit through it again”. It produced some interesting results. I´m really glad they have the volunteers take the time to do this project because it helps us get a deeper understanding of the community and its needs, and gives us time to settle in and meet new people. Here I´m going to list some of the results which you might find most interesting, and some photos of me and Reylandi (also my project counterpart) presenting my diagnostic to the community and the Peace Corps:<br /><br />I created a representation of the logo of my community organization to present my findings. My community organization is very organized, and has a detailed transcription of the significance of each color and shape in their logo. In my presentation I talked a bit about the meaning of each shape, and how it related to the theme of what I was presenting. That shape then folded out to a poster with information. Get it? There´s more photos below:<br /><br /><strong>My town</strong><br /><br />Population: around 3,688 (not including people who work or study outside of the town)<br />Main sources of income: Agriculture (rice and coconut), and fishing<br /><br />62% of the houses are made of cement block<br />16% of zinc (metal, like my tin roof)<br />15% of wood<br />7% of a combination of these materials<br /><br />96% have electricity, 4% do not<br /><br />45% of homes have a bathroom inside the house<br />3% have a toilet outside<br />32% use latrines (25% personal for one household, 7% share with other families)<br />20% do not have any time of sanitary facility (this is mainly the poorest neighborhood, located on the beach. Beachfront property is not the same here as it is in the States.)<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056653048032371666" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijxn_X8_K5dTqKqF8I1nY98Wt30QKygYCJruNiOIXxiWonQt1kHoQ7Zff0AlCdDFEkH-HFS3_p4icrOpczC5BbL9H9eaH4rT9Rrj0tNGSAlq-TGBTLGFoRXvrUqV2p8W5pKCUUig/s320/Logo+Presentation+2.JPG" border="0" />11% of dominicans in my town do not have their birth certificates.<br />--With babies being born in the home (common) and other distractions, families often don´t get around to officially declaring their children. In the past this wasn´t such a big deal because people often didn´t leave their communities and just worked in manual labor. However, now there are a lot more restrictions for people who do not have their documentation. Kids can not continue school past the 8th grade, they can not apply for a formal job, marry legally, vote, open a bank account, get a drivers license – basically they do not exist in the eyes of the government. This system deprives people of opportunity and keeps them in the cycle of poverty. It can be a lengthy and costly process to obtain a late birth certificate, and for those whos parents also lack their birth certificates, it is practically impossible for them to obtain their own. <strong>One of my project plans is to start a campaign to help those who don´t have their birth certificates to obtain their documentation.</strong><br /><br />Many people speak of the problems of drugs and delinquency amongst the youth of the community, because there is not enough work or activities with which the youth can be involved. <strong>I have two main project plans in relation to youth:<br /></strong><br /><strong>1.</strong> To re-form a youth group which existed through my community organization and carry out activities to keep them busy, having fun, and learning about positive lifestyle choices. I´ll be taking some of the girls from the group to an all-girls camp this summer where they can learn about gender-related issues and share the knowledge with the community when they return.<br /><br /><strong>2.</strong> The second is that I have joined with a group from the community who is starting a new sports league, and together we will form new teams of many different types of sports. Right now there are only softball and baseball teams, with one soccer team out of a nearby city. There is only one girls sports team of baseball, they play against the guys. I´ll help make sure that more girls teams are created, as well as volleyball and basketball teams, among others.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5056653799651648482" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gn-ZpNMClj6MUpTtilVd7I32A-PUfCjEi4J-NOxSAmR4w1IYDYF3FkpPn5M-NInvkCtVnfVusJWS8hHPlSpypyleB2H1StUdJ6smQUMmB7KUKnPMZVAgoCcR9J3H0S8TO7Mkvw/s320/Logo+Presentation+3.JPG" border="0" />A lot of my time will also be spent helping my community organization<strong> raise funds</strong> to finish the construction of their new building. It has been on hold for a long time, and the stalled plans have been stalling their motivation, but once this building is complete they will have their own permanent location, a space for classes (English and computers – guess who they want to teach them?), and in general it will be a community center where community groups can have meetings, etc.<br /><br />I´m also hoping to start some <strong>swimming lessons and dance classes</strong>. I realize that these things take more than just knowing how to do them to be able to teach them, so I´ve got some learning to do myself! Amazon.com, here I come.<br /><br />So as you can see, I´ve got a lot on my plate, and have yet to start anything concrete. Though I´ve got plans and the ball is slowly starting to roll. I was starting to get stressed about being behind, but after meeting with the other volunteers I trained with it seems we´re all about on the same page, its all part of the Peace Corps process. I´ll keep on keepin´ on, I hope you all do too.<br /><br />Until next time,<br />JoanJoanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-15559737678948952212007-03-06T15:08:00.000-05:002007-09-05T15:49:28.746-05:00The Ozzy Ozborne Incident<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BOjo96qmyKaXs27scCiYmg-Smkk_OQwNW9bdZpascibjLMuk55mtjwjpyeNpARGxFUfY2LThcQg2vnYEl3jQT_o_pkoE4OAS5oQ7S_ipznVRK_ie_4i8tiGK5PXmTBO75tKA1A/s1600-h/DSCN3625.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038907902965997730" style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4BOjo96qmyKaXs27scCiYmg-Smkk_OQwNW9bdZpascibjLMuk55mtjwjpyeNpARGxFUfY2LThcQg2vnYEl3jQT_o_pkoE4OAS5oQ7S_ipznVRK_ie_4i8tiGK5PXmTBO75tKA1A/s200/DSCN3625.JPG" border="0" /></a>We´ve all seen it before, one of VH1´s top 100 countdowns entitled, "Rock and Roll´s 100 Most Shocking Moments". I´m sure there have been a variety of compilations on the theme, but one "shocking" moment which always seems to make the top 10 is that of Ozzy Ozborne and the chicken. You know the one - a Black Sabbath concert in the 70´s, someone throws a chicken on the stage, Ozzy throws it back ("I ´idn´t know ´em birds cayn´t fly"), and the crowd tears it apart. PETA caused a big stink and he hasn´t lived it down since.<br /><br />Well, I´ve got my own most shocking moment. I´m sure there will be more, but this one has got to make my top ten by the time I´m finished here.<br /><br />This past weekend was Carneval. It was actually rescheduled from the prior weekend, but the night before Carneval was a beauty pageant, where they elect the girl who will be crowned the Queen of Patron Saints Day (later this month). About an hour into the show someone was killed outside of the club. I was there, I had no idea what was going on when people started rushing outside and leaving during the middle of the show. It turned out some kids were on drugs and one killed the other. Really sad, he was only 20 years old. I went to the funeral the next day which was a horribly powerful experience. The body stays in the home of the family and everyone comes to grieve, they are buried the day after they die. I´ve got to find a way to educate more about drugs in my community!<br /><br />So, out of respect, the scheduled Carneval event was postponed to the following week. I had seen preparations for Carneval hanging up around the town for about two weeks before - these decorations being pig or cow intestines. People blow into the intestine and inflate it like a balloon, then hang it to dry. On the day of Carneval the mischevous ones run around smacking people with these intestine balloons. They can really hurt! Here is my friend Andres displaying one of these unique toys:<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038910608795394242" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG666Qka0Pq1vHx9pdUYQQ16_IRullOvm67zDEb8uFeukOtB9tcIpTlPcd1IFc1Hl4SG5TD3G3Mg9D-f_4C2UBwTHtQrQswCu02x-Rdk0RCxfL-q2jGbLux6pKhzgLI2FlOV6A1w/s320/DSCN3612.JPG" border="0" />The celebration started with a parade from the school to the town park where there was a stage and sound system set up for the show. There were some fantastic masks, all hand made, which competed for the best costume award, along with choreographed dances. I feel like I learned a lot more about Dominican culture after this day, you can really feel the African roots by watching some of these dances. It even made Reggaeton make a little more sense. Here is a video of one of the dances: <object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rAVH53bofOw"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rAVH53bofOw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> Here are some costumes and masks from the day:<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038909122736709810" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYOMk3xFU-rhR7CmhzKQVaDtUJhIGQ7AJHLaJUqbwyVsVcTdtx0P08mrz2ZadWf9kxaCpmF1KGaalEkr1UIOW4ssyp5qqJcN-PFVfMAS4TaF0hcfXogGg_f1ubgIk0E58QfH3Nw/s320/DSCN3609.JPG" border="0" />Each costume had time on the stage to display their artwork and let the judges get a good look. One man, seen pictured below, actually made an almost-life-sized mule. He dressed like a <em>campesino</em> (farmer, which he probably is anyway), with his legs positioned as the two hind legs of the mule so it looked like he was riding it. He had two baskets of fruit draped over the back of the mule, along with two live chickens. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5038907069742342290" style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiAtqc4pCjv4rX86jQ3Gb1PE12nMbdeMsQf-2QrGMmIsaXEWG6GQaYEeHFjEY3t6kmazxkEi4IpoomnvDaSfcuKXTyns5Elv-4oHNzVPcphvQyEV3yWMEjIQyi5gfFBEmcFxqglw/s320/DSCN3630.JPG" border="0" />The man began tossing fruit into the crowd. Everyone got really excited and dove enthusiastically for each new piece of fruit. <span style="font-style: italic;">Here comes a mango! Now a platano! </span>I started to get a little concerned as these fruits can be heavy and he was tossing them pretty hard. <span style="font-style: italic;">More mangos! Platano! Pineapple!</span> Pineapple? Just when I thought I should be concerned about this, I look up toward the sky and see a chicken hurling through the air. <span style="font-style: italic;">No, he couldn´t! </span>He did. He threw the chicken with all his might into the center of the crowd. I screamed. The chicken landed in about five different sets of hands, which all pulled in different directions. The chicken was literally torn apart, alive.<br /><br />Half of the crowd started running away, the other half ran towards the scene. I stood stunned for a moment or two before I hurried over to lean against a wall and try to catch my breath. I saw a man I knew; he saw the terror in my face and commented, "Poor chicken". Poor chicken? To say the least! For the rest of the evening you could see a lone chicken wing and unidentifiable clumps of feathers rising up from one part of the crowd to the other. Needless to say the rest of the evening was shot for me, I felt nauseous and couldn´t really concentrate on the rest of the event. And after all that, the guy won best costume.<br /><br />I spoke to another volunteer about this and she assured me that this is not a normal occurence. <span style="font-style: italic;">Gracias a Dios! </span> So, that is my most shocking moment of Peace Corps DR thus far. More stories to come.<br /><br />JoanJoanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-65762275606411743882007-02-14T10:19:00.000-05:002007-02-26T10:23:08.315-05:00<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmcKdkwGeHXCScpv4z9DK364GRiti_VajGdOnmtnpUSzOSRtNO2RqXNfTNbU6JoDqSurQFZzvET3Hz_1EJ6kY0k6FcR-nTOkfPgmxIpDVRGBQUDZ-hKfgrjuIVFNspuQPotPw9UA/s1600-h/DSCN3578.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035862061318343874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmcKdkwGeHXCScpv4z9DK364GRiti_VajGdOnmtnpUSzOSRtNO2RqXNfTNbU6JoDqSurQFZzvET3Hz_1EJ6kY0k6FcR-nTOkfPgmxIpDVRGBQUDZ-hKfgrjuIVFNspuQPotPw9UA/s320/DSCN3578.JPG" border="0" /></a> (José Miguel, 2/25/2007)</div><br /><div align="center"><br /></div><br /><div align="left">Well it has been a fun and eventful month of February. I brought in the new month by heading to the nearby penninsula of Samaná for a regional meeting of all volunteers in the Cibao region. The meeting was spiced up by taking the following day to go on a whale watch! It turns out that our North Atlantic Humpback whales come down here to this specific bay in the warmer waters of the Dominican Republic to mate. It was a good time to get to know other volunteers and enjoy a few days away. Samaná is so beautiful! The whales were very active too, we even saw one breaching. We went out in small motor boats, about the size of a Humpback whale, so it made it a little nerve wracking to see them jumping out of the water so close to where we were! Here are some photos:<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wOCOgrTlOotnp1BN9uBN305kJ1kl5zGkwQM6y8mJ1_NTEPkemPOvQj5K0OYO-wtN3pwxgvhogqFtp66acLENlmC9P-qA4zuuB1u45VkF9r7pwpC7Q5XPo8XTEc2eUuias76ohA/s1600-h/Whale01Edit01.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5031410013402418770" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wOCOgrTlOotnp1BN9uBN305kJ1kl5zGkwQM6y8mJ1_NTEPkemPOvQj5K0OYO-wtN3pwxgvhogqFtp66acLENlmC9P-qA4zuuB1u45VkF9r7pwpC7Q5XPo8XTEc2eUuias76ohA/s320/Whale01Edit01.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5031410649057578594" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMIJGSK1D6nYvuHtvue7aeuftNPQ6MR8PuEMtR234ap9a9rh5D_CxrOncobWt00ArCywGQ_laq3pS2LnHkSLOxWwY1J-MWvpNHHTnG2fUA74Bqp3bGOnLHi5eE7lfScOBhtAtJIA/s320/DSCN2512.JPG" border="0" />This month marked the 45th anniversary of the Peace Corps in this country, so they held a big celebration for a weekend in Santo Domingo with current and former volunteers from decades past. There were free and paid events, and one returned volunteer named Jackie Alcorn, who served in the years 1965 – 1967 (during the American occupation – scary!), was kind enough to sponsor me so I could attend the paid events. It was so inspiring and motivating to talk to Jackie and other former volunteers to hear what they did and how important their Peace Corps experiences were to their lives, enough so to come back to the country and celebrate it 40 years later! It helped me see the big picture again of what this experience can mean, it is so easy to get wrapped up in the day-to-day little things that distract you from that greater understanding.<br /><br />That Friday all current volunteers were invited to the National Palace to meet the Vice President of the country! I really wish I had pictures of these things, but cameras were not allowed in the Palace and I´ve just been really lazy in general lately. They did, however, air the entire one-hour meeting of each volunteer shaking VP Albuquerque´s hand on National TV, some people in my community saw it and told me about it. (That was actually the second time I was on TV here, the first was during training when we helped out with a youth group trip to a national park.) It was a unique experience, its not easy to get into the National Palace.<br /><br />On to the following week, and Livin´ la Vida Loca! That´s right, I saw Ricky Martin in concert! Friends, you´re probably thinking, “I just don´t know Joan anymore!”, but I´ll tell you, it was a blast. I´d never been to a pop music concert like that, it was an event for sure. Lots of choreographed dancing, and Ricky had a different outfit on for every song. I went with three other female (obviously) volunteers, and we danced like Americans from the bleachers and had a great time! When else could you see a concert like that for $8? I´m not kidding, that´s how much we paid...<br /><br />This month things have really been coming together at my site. I´m finishing up my community diagnostic and it has been really interesting. I´ll post the results when I´m finished. With this project I am determining which projects I´m going to work on throughout the year. It was a great way to get to know the community and individual people more, and to really understand what I am doing and why.<br /><br />After six months of living with host families, still pulling belongings out of my half-packed suitcase, I have FINALLY moved out on my own! I got a SWEET deal, renting my own house for under $80 per month, which comes mostly furnished, including a CD player, TV, and DVD player! (“<em>Joan, are you sure you´re in the Peace Corps?</em>”) Yes I know, it seems a little strange, but they came with the house, why should I complain? Actually as soon as I moved in I realized that the CD player doesn´t work, the DVD player won´t play burnt CDs, and the TV is black and white. Plus, the power is still out half the time, so I still have to deal with that. The owner lives in Spain. I knew her mother, so she suggested that I rent the house. It has two bedrooms, a nice kitchen, a bathroom, and a storage unit for water. I stayed there for the first time last night, and though it was a little scary getting used to all of the new sounds, it was so nice to wake up to a cool morning in my own bed! It rained a little on Saturday when I was cleaning, so I got to hear the rain on my tin roof for the first time. (<em>"Tiiiiiiin ROOF! Rusted.") </em>Here are some photos, I´m so excited! <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035857963919543442" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG772JY2513qGmdTsR9_So0dNtiYyggbeYPAe-7p10g0s3Ed96XhLkKQNRQADlS6pYd6UIyzJt8sph0xWQ5FisnmiCXj8Zk4FgBw70SmpV3lDa1bTmnZMcPTtDst55xViQ-b1VLA/s320/DSCN3533.JPG" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035859591712148658" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTA7LTe7YCCMZefvFMX8sUA4Kn6qC6dJe4Jbq4nKpJn0wgW4ZVSaw_limJrp7w8WS_x2nweqIDk8LXYDytr_BVbyIgDsm0XGn3gZ83I7P0Bis-ZMKanKJVdykYRVZ7AZVENGJXJQ/s320/DSCN3521.JPG" border="0" />My last bit of news is that I have joined the group of Peace Corps volunteers who works on the PCDR (Peace Corps Dominican Republic) magazine. It is like a fancy newsletter for all volunteers in the country. Volunteers can write in stories, funny or serious (I wrote a funny one, of course), and there are information updates, fun tidbits or games, etc. With my background in advertising and marketing I felt this was a perfect fit for me. We spent this past week, myself with five other volunteers, in the capital putting together the Spring issue. It was so much fun for me, I´m so glad I got involved. Again, I didn´t take pictures, but I at least do have this one that will serve as my staff photo. (The cover is a Rolling Stone spoof, so we had a rock and roll theme. This is me as, “Better than Joan Jett” Joan.)<img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5035863418528009426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cVntss18cNvFVzLhrm-8AwAQEjH0-j9ReW1unkSHavF1tUM5IPXzKMRFOlGlul9z9i3ruUqb65Avb2gcgrKYNnUczAY0U1NfTig5qqm75Dl3_its4hEJRjkgde6zSFrD9xy1tA/s320/DSCN3560.JPG" border="0" />Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-63423790710367573662007-02-06T09:20:00.000-05:002007-02-07T12:51:38.332-05:00On the upsideAlright, its about time I put aside the sarcasm for a minute and fill in some of the gaps. I realize I´ve been leaving out some of the more positive stories from my time here, so here are a few tidbits from these past 5 months:<br /><br />This culture in general is very generous and giving, all of the time. You´ll be sitting next to a stranger on public transportation and they will share whatever they are eating or drinking with you, even if it means biting that Halls menthol in half (this happened to my friend Michael!).<br /><br />The only two new pieces of jewelery I own were given to me by people in my community. During one of my first weeks in my site, I commented to a woman I was talking to that I liked her earrings. "Really?" she replied, "Here..." and she proceeded to take the earrings out of her ears and give them to me. I couldn´t deny the gift, the earrings were mine. The same thing happend with a bracelet my friend Reylandi was wearing. It was a bit gaudy, but it grabbed my attention so I told her I liked it, and the next thing I knew it was mine. Sometimes it just makes me feel really selfish, I´ve just never been that giving! And especially when you know they don´t have a lot to give, it makes it even more special.<br /><br />Dominicans are always inviting you into their home to sit and chat, or just relax. The pace of life is so much more laid back, I´ve been so uptight for so long that I´m still getting used to it, but when I can settle down enough its great to just sit in a plastic chair in front of the house and watch the people go by. Juice or fresh fruit is offered and you realize how cool and comfortable it can be to sit in the shade and feel the gentle sea breeze. <br /><br />Everyone is ready to help you at a moment's notice. When I needed help with my diagnostic project, there were youth and adults ready to drop what they were doing and help me, just like that. Reylandi, the girl who gave me the bracelet and one of my closest friends here, is always willing to help, whether I ask for help or not. She helped me with interviews, and even with shopping for more stylish clothes at bargain prices. Last week I had to give two educational presentations at the school for National Youth Day. The first one went horrible as I couldn't control the class or keep their attention. You know its bad when a teacher has to step in and say, "Alright everybody, you're going to listen and have fun and learn something or you can leave". I was desperate and asked Reylandi to help with the second one, and before I could even get to the question mark she had said yes. "Why would I mind helping you with an unruly, uncontrolable class of teenagers?" She's amazing, really.<br /><br />And really anybody on the street is available to serve. When Jenny, the woman I live with, needs to buy something but it isn't convenient to the house, she just flags down someone going by on a motorcycle and asks them to run the errand for her. They do it gladly, no eyerolling, no annoyed heavy breathing as I would expect, just acceptance and compliance. A "thank you" is not needed, it is implied. <br /><br />Well, those are just a few stories to keep you up to speed. I've just signed a contract to rent a house! I'll move out at the end of this month. I can't wait to live on my own! <br /><br />Yours truly,<br />JoanJoanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-61868602073070027792007-01-02T15:25:00.000-05:002007-01-16T09:42:00.436-05:00Hay, Dios Mio!!!So, my first Christmas away from home was extraordinarily boring and uneventful. I expected something out of them, ANYTHING, since they´re really religious and seemed to be preparing for Christmas, but the day was just like any other day, it was strange. It made things kind of lonely, but I guess that was to be expected. I did initiate a sing-a-long on Christmas Eve by handing my guitar to someone who knows how to play, so we sat in front of the house and played some latin-sounding tunes (well, I listened). As you can see, we were hanging out with David Ortiz (left). In his down time he hangs out in my town, withOUT the bling:<br /><div><div><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5017358228838159298" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRc13w0b5DTplo_dzjUgqEYPpEKFkBLIv-JMPL9KB7WWnZ6OgBs3WG3kDg3ikZFoibTBPtXdyCLCwF1DHaeYtUBpLRUQLFr7QeBqw7ilGP35A4EbEn3nrJGwfHUMQLB5hVMgV2Gw/s320/DSCN3456.JPG" border="0" /> </p><p>It turns out that the bigger day to celebrate is Three Kings day (Saturday, Jan. 6th). This is the<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6QIcSzju4eBFBOGILVesfquWv7CLdlhNoN5drG6F0eYsFuN6usxfh_0gU8aCa5bgo6GAWocEmu8qpoihcW7tbMiJiFgakZYcaUx3Cp4ICMhuID8xoe0btOB9RcKlSAfvouMnpig/s1600-h/DSCN3474.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5020633295402291858" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6QIcSzju4eBFBOGILVesfquWv7CLdlhNoN5drG6F0eYsFuN6usxfh_0gU8aCa5bgo6GAWocEmu8qpoihcW7tbMiJiFgakZYcaUx3Cp4ICMhuID8xoe0btOB9RcKlSAfvouMnpig/s200/DSCN3474.JPG" border="0" /></a> day that people give the children cheap gifts which usually break the next day. Perhaps what is more fun than the gift itself is smashing it into a million pieces once it breaks. I went to the Catholic church for this holiday where they gave free gifts to kids. It was crazy once they came out with the box of toys, I'm surprised that no one was trampled to death. See the picture below, the poor woman with the box was trying desperately just to stay on her feet as kids and parents alike were just short of throwing punches to get the next gift. <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5020634966144570018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirWygM7_lkOf_I_OIpYpc7kuPOw6Bt5P3sKQzwWhCsttvXLSuP982J_wPa9dHWCX1ZwfiCnuWo8dNBH274nRxFQLrX6BTg3DyW-pT9WF0S7qqGj4rIfRgIDyJI6ZQCFeZXIFkWw/s320/DSCN3475.JPG" border="0" /></p><p></p><p>Jose Miguel was a little disappointed in the Salem, MA t-shirt I gave him with the black cat on it, though I assured him it would fit perfectly in a few years. </p><p>New Years Eve was fun, my friend Michael came up to my site and we had a fun and relaxing time. Michael was one of the trainees in my site before me, so he already had friends in my community. </p><p>Random thoughts:</p><p>There are some English phrases and expressions which are so engrained in me that I can´t help but say them, or I feel I don´t have an equivalent Spanish translation for it so I just use English. “Oh my God” is one I say so often that it comes out unconciously. I didn´t realize how much I had been saying it here until Jose Miguel recently picked up the phrase, and I find it hysterical ever time he says it. Other English expressions I use are, “wow”, “oops”, “ouch”, and “cool”. For “cool”, there is a Spanish translation, “che´vere”, but people think its funny or weird when I say it so I don´t use it often. I actually caught Jose Miguel on video saying “Oh my God”, watch, its so funny. Its dark but the audio is what matters. I had just been spinning him around endlessly or playing some other older sister/younger brother torture/fun game:<br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/w_kP1h6-CDU" width="600" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed><br /><br />It didn´t take long before everyone in town knew my name. I´m trying my best to remember other peoples´ names too, I even have a notebook where I write down names of people with a detail or two about that person to help me remember, but its hard to know everyone in a town when I´ve only been here six weeks or so. Lately when I walk down the street I encounter people who´s faces I don´t even recognize greeting me with a, “Hello Juana!”. Somehow they all know that I like to go for walks too, a concept which they don´t entirely understand. Just the other day I walked by a woman (a stranger to me) who said, “Juana, out for a walk (paseo)?” No, actually I am working. That´s another thing now, they all think that when I am out I am going for a walk, they don´t know that I´m actually doing work here. They´ll get it eventually.<br /><br />Perhaps the most invasive of these people who know me who I don´t know are the children. They all learned my name super fast, with an excellerated learning rate because there is a song that uses the name Juana and has a nice, catchy rhyme. They have sung this song all day and all evening, every day since I have arrived. I don´t even need to be at the house (or for them to know I am in the house because I am hiding from them), to hear them singing the song, or just calling out my name in general. I don´t need to do anything or even pay them any attention, they are just fascinated with me I guess.<br /><br />Anyway, at first I pretended to like the song because I thought that might make it go away faster, but I was terribly mistaken. It only encouraged them, and I´ve learned that children do not tire of the same joke over and over and over and over again. I managed to get some kids singing the Juana song on video too to show you how obnoxious it can be (note, only about two of the kids actually know the words). The words go something like this, “Juana, Juana, peel me a banana, and if you don´t want to peel the banana....” then something about my sister. It sounds a little crude I know, but as I mentioned in earlier blogs kids have no filter for that stuff. Here´s the video:<br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oflxfXnYB9w" width="600" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></p><p>In the past couple of weeks the song has started dying out as I stopped encouraging it and asked them to sing something else. I´ve slowly but surely been learning how to live with these people to make life more livable here. Things are going well though, I´m busy with my first project, a diagnostic of the community, and am feeling productive. I like the interviewing aspect - its fun and I get to meet a lot of people. Its been raining here a lot lately, which I actually really like because it keeps things cool and keeps people out of the streets and therefore keeps the noise level down! Nights are cool and comfortable and I thoroughly enjoy wearing my long sleeves. I fear the days not far from now when the intense heat will return with no visible end in site! Until then, I´ll just enjoy things day by day.</p><p>Joan</p></embed></div></div>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-49556986652001256792006-12-23T15:45:00.000-05:002006-12-23T16:15:01.247-05:00Bad Dream or Bad Timing?: A Christmas Carol NightmareIt´s 3:30am. I´ve been asleep for hours now. In my head I hear a faint rhythm, a distant beat thumpedy-thumping its way into my dreams. It is gradually getting louder, getting...closer? Am I dreaming? I am not sure. I feel it in my stomach now. And screaming? What is going on? Is there some sort of political uprising taking place? Or perhaps a tidal wave is heading our way to cover the town and drag us all out to sea? I pull my thin sheet tight against my chin and brace myself for imminent death. “Wake up Joan!” I try to snap out of it, though I find I already am awake. The rhythmic beats are real, actual little drummer boys drumming in the streets, and the people I heard were not so much screaming but CHANTING. I check my clock, still not fully believing that I am awake – 3:31am, confirmed. What on earth are these crazy people doing at this hour? Is this some kind of protest? Please shut up and go away! I roll my eyes and heave a deep, frustrated sigh. These noisy Dominicans, it never ends. I surrender my sleep, get out of bed and go to the bathroom.<br /><br />It turns out I had discovered a Christmas tradition – a Dominican version of Christmas Caroling. Different church groups will go around throughout the month of December singing, drumming, and playing instruments in the middle of the night. Around the 3-4 o´clock hour are the groups wanting money. They will sing outside your house until you pay them to go away. Then there are the groups that just do it for fun. These groups usually come out at around 6 o´clock, early enough to wake you up but late enough so that you can´t fall back asleep afterwards. Luckily, there hasn´t been more than one group per night. To my dismay, I discovered that the youth group I´ve been meeting with is one of the culprits. When they asked me if I wanted to join them I replied (something like), “Are you kidding me? I´ll be lying in bed with my earplugs in.” I was clear that this was very annoying, but they assured me that this is a fun tradition practiced throughout the country. Yeah, real fun, thanks. Just call me Ms. Scrooge.<br /><br />So that´s my little Christmas story/cultural tidbit for this holiday season. Other than that, the holiday celebrations here are much more subdued than I´d expected, given that there are so many devout Catholics and Christians living here. Many of the different neighborhoods are decorated, though it is not like what you and I are used to. Because so many people are living in poverty, they make decorations with whatever they can find. Different colored plastic bags are tied around wire and arranged into different shapes and patterns. They do quite a lot with this, I give them an A plus on creativity. Take a look (notice the big manger on the right side of the road):<br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011828637531566114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVlL3PKSKXSFCC2lkON2h0EwE4Ndx4ZMvvROlDgIMTceGXlW-5i1QgyHCwowNCOS76wuF7MExsaOriFJRygBoYP-1NQrh_BV5AX5_Myp89XJU4Pllc9mUnUW9qVyYVt2odQZhEAg/s320/DSCN3448.JPG" border="0" /> <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011829324726333490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDVzaS_kWX1Ud5MKsa2RRXdREZ0B_67vn5WONH6-wCxIut8Hj_MCECAiS-JnN-xwBKZpebqYHK80HF5HgbPlPE95XLISFnupcXQwY7joK_LzfyuryI-sqWb35pSGPJBxZlqIpHgg/s320/DSCN3449.JPG" border="0" /> The standard juicebox ornaments hanging from trees is actually maintained year-round: <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011830574561816642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtef9V2IhrL6NaZ-kSj8GHbnqE9h0xeM_WaR0aveeozrh8Aj5VRFnqFwG0VgP5le71KLRIVpudGG3o91m0SelH6xNYuZKcucwBM0sdEsfEtKw3-fT2lXQMIJl7rE1RaTtkR7fMg/s320/DSCN3434.JPG" border="0" />Also, they put a lot of work into their nativity scenes. They weave palm leaves and take siding off of the houses to make the manger, then collect whatever they can to represent those famous figures, such as Ken dolls, various kid toys, and those big deer lawn ornaments woven together from straw (scenes are rarely to scale). Here we have a nativity scene with baby Jesus in a bathtub, Mary and Joseph, as well as the fairy horse and of course the dinosaur (that was in the Bible, right?). Its too cute, really: <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011831274641485906" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinKcO7EzlK7Iqmc3c_Q_3984w9mOtPxhroS0smy67AnR8-Xo2Y1AD1erRbwYnQOrTlHL2HyLlakcbv_slvssG_3dBNV2D1n848XaG5laky0r0ygahyMYKtEaJecr35-kEWYknjcw/s320/DSCN3425.JPG" border="0" />In general, Christmas is celebrated with a few dinners – with family, friends, and any group you <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKUFyceEs5eUiWrgmNzgS3N5pb1dlWU27gc_m6WRg-a-FsXyobDiiqGoRNCCUIGFfLTFTaEnUns40NeI01A-0FCYSrKvSH9a9_jomkPjXSBax406gJ9z6mR2Ujm6hNXhyJa9ing/s1600-h/JYJM.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5011833203081801826" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicKUFyceEs5eUiWrgmNzgS3N5pb1dlWU27gc_m6WRg-a-FsXyobDiiqGoRNCCUIGFfLTFTaEnUns40NeI01A-0FCYSrKvSH9a9_jomkPjXSBax406gJ9z6mR2Ujm6hNXhyJa9ing/s200/JYJM.JPG" border="0" /></a>are associated with. There is not much gift-giving, but I hear there will be a lot of dancing (no surprise there!). It should be pretty low-key. I´ll leave you with this shot of me and Jose Miguel, I´m having a ton of fun with him lately: </p><p><br />I hope you all have a wonderful holiday, I miss you all terribly! Do me a favor and eat lots of pie on my behalf, thanks!<br />Love, Joan</p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-1165590428827469222006-12-08T10:01:00.000-05:002006-12-08T10:46:21.013-05:00Life Update and Obscene Video!So I´m starting to settle in and I´m realizing that life here is not all that different from home. Once again I´m living in the Northeast, in a region where they don´t pronounce their “R”´s. When they say “Por favor” (please), it ends up sounding more like, “Poi favoi”. Ah, just like home. It almost brings a tear to my eye! They also drop their “S”´s and “L”´s, and parts of whole words (hey, we do that too!). Instead of para (for), you´ve got pa´, está (he/she/it is) is simplified to ´ta, and todo (all) becomes to´.<br /><br />I´ve hardly even mentioned some of the differences from Dominican Spanish to, well, almost all other Spanish. Some of the most simple words have been changed, anyone who has studied Spanish will find this atrocious:<br /><br />English; Spanish (normal); Spanish (Dominican):<br />Banana; Banana; Guineo (huh???)<br />Papaya; Papaya; Lechoza<br />Tree; Árbol; Mata<br />Orange(color); Anaranjado; Mamey<br />Orange(fruit); Naranja; China (I can´t make this stuff up)<br /><br />Anyway, I´m here and doing pretty well so far. It turned out that the anticipation of coming here and getting started was worse than the action itself. I´m meeting people and attending events, etc., and everyone has been very friendly and welcoming. I generally spend my days getting a good night sleep, eating CEREAL for breakfast (!!! I made a deal with my host family, I buy my breakfast and pay less rent), then either studying spanish or for my upcoming project, taking walks around the neighborhood, meeting more people and socializing, or if I´m in an anti-social mood, hiding however possible (which is hard to do here, privacy is close to impossible to get). The beach has been a good place for solitud, believe it or not, though typical me, I go in pants and sit in the shade and read. I try to study but often find myself staring off into the sky or at the waves making lines in the sand. Also, I bought a guitar. FINALLY! I´ve been planning on it since I arrived here, now I can shut up about it. Here it is, its pretty, huh?: <img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3344/1948/320/317709/DSCN3420.jpg" border="0" />Its a little hard trying to figure out just how to manage my time with work, though. I felt I was off to a good start my first few days, going to meetings of local clubs and starting to assemble some information, but then things stalled and I procrastinated for the rest of the weekend. I´m only now starting to get back into the swing of things, trying to focus on assembling the questions I want to ask when I start interviewing people in the community. I feel some pressure from people involved to see some tangible work already, I think those few down days I had showed and they´re trying to keep me on my toes. Its hard though, I started off with one plan and now I think another would be better, so I´m still just trying to figure out how I´m going to go about my project. It will all fall into place soon, once I get my strategy in place.<br /><br />I´ve got a video to show you. I´m not sure if I mentioned, but people here are very much into Reggaeton music, which is all about sex and dancing dirty. The kids are not sheilded from this and learn at a very young age how to dance like the people they see on TV (or better yet their parents!). I was shocked to see my host sister in Santo Domingo, 6-years-old, dancing in the kitchen, bumping and grinding like a bad rap video. It alternates between hilarious and extremely disturbing. I feel like an old lady sometimes complaining about this.... “In my day, kids were at LEAST 14 before they were dancing like that!”.... though I can´t help but still feel shocked by it when I see it.<br /><br />My new host brother, José Miguel, 5 yrs, knows all of the words to the most inappropriate songs, and has all of the hand movements to go along with it. I taped him singing along one day, check it out (it ends with a nice butt scratch):<br /><br /><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cHTgwIULBDk" width="600" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed><br /><br />Also, I want to show you more views of my town. There are some really nice houses and many not-so-nice homes. This is one of the main roads: <img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3344/1948/320/360717/DSCN3403.jpg" border="0" />Here is a view from in front of my house:<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3344/1948/320/108701/DSCN3396.jpg" border="0" /> <p>At the end of this road where the Palm trees are is the beach:<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3344/1948/320/19268/DSCN3404.jpg" border="0" /></p><p></p><p>While my family has a bathroom with running water and even a shower (hello!!!), the people next door use this latrine and get their water from a well (my house is behind, there had been a lot of rain the day before this picture):<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3344/1948/320/763912/DSCN3400.jpg" border="0" /></p><p></p><p>Here is the park and to the right the café/bar/nightclub, where last night was karaoke night and I sang Bob Marley´s "Is this love". I felt sorry for those that had to listen but my host family and their friends really wanted to hear me sing in English!:<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger/3344/1948/320/774578/DSCN3407.jpg" border="0" /></p><br />That´s all for now, until next time!Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-1164724614094331392006-11-28T09:24:00.000-05:002006-11-28T10:33:21.146-05:00And so it is...<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3344/1948/1600/DSCN3359.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3344/1948/200/DSCN3359.jpg" border="0" /></a>The range and intensity of emotion this past week has been extreme, preparing for an entirely new life while clinging desperately onto that which is comfortable and familiar. We got back from our site visits a little shaken and overwhelmed. Reality was hitting us and it was a little hard to take it all in at once. It was refreshing to know that most of the other trainees were having the same feelings that I was, uncertain of everything, not being able to comprehend the two full years that lay before us.<br /><br />The first few days back in the capital were a venting session for all of us, letting out our fears and frustrations and talking it through to mentally prepare ourselves for the day we would leave to begin our service. After a few more nuts-and-bolts sessions with training, we were finished. We made it through three months of training. My spanish is at about an intermediate-advanced level now, and I know a whole lot more about working with youth and groups.<br /><br />It was time to swear in, to take the official oath to serve my country, the same oath that all government employees take, military, etc. I have agreed to defend my country against all enemies, so watch out Michael Moore! (Just kidding, you know I love you ; ) Here we are taking the oath:<br /><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3344/1948/320/DSCN3340.jpg" border="0" />The rest of the week was our last chance to have fun and spend time with friends before we were off on our own to go to our sites. It was really hard to go from having friends around every day and always someone to turn to if you needed to talk, to think about being on your own, with friends spread out across the country in remote places far away, most without easy access to communication, not knowing if you'd even see them again. Of course, we won't be "alone" in our sites, there will be locals around, but its not the same. They don't understand us or know what we're going through, and I'm just not advanced enough to talk about my feelings in Spanish. The first month will probably be the hardest as we figure things out, then it should start picking up from there. </p><p>Meanwhile, it really started to hit us after swearing in that we were seeing our friends for the last time in a long time. I just wanted to hold on to them and not let go, I really was afraid to be by myself! We kept our schedules packed to avoid thinking about leaving, and doing as much as we could together. There was a fun party at our trainer Laura's house after swearing in, and events each day and night until we were scheduled to leave on Sunday. </p><p>Of course, this past Thursday was Thanksgiving Day. Luckily it was not a sad day for me, as its hard to accept the fact that its Thanksgiving when the weather still feels like summer and there are no cardboard Turkey's or gourds decorating front doors. If I didn't have a calendar I would have had no idea what day it was. The Peace Corps organized a party for all of the volunteers, a full day filled with sports, food, and lots of dancing. I made it to second or third rounds of the Merengue and Bachata dancing contests, but didn't win. (Its hard to compete against those who have had a year or two more of practice!) However, our youth training group choreographed a dance for the talent show that evening, and I must say we tore the roof off. I was one of the organizers of the dance group, entitled "Sparkle Motion", which we arranged to the 80's classic "Relax" by Frankie Goes to Hollywood ("Frankie says RELAX!"). It was a huge hit, here we are in action:<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3344/1948/320/DSCN3379.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>Yes, John Travolta floor and all. The cheesier the better. A visit to the Hard Rock Cafe that night was a welcome relief from typical Dominican fare and scenery. Friday was an all volunteer conference, meeting more volunteers, including those that live in my region. That night I went to a local baseball game, a Santo Domingo team vs. my team in the north, or Cibao region, called the Aguilas, or eagles. My team won, of course. It was a lot of fun, cheap seats and crazy fans the whole time. Remember, this is where the US teams get some of their best players!</p><p>That night was a club night, too packed and loud but got to see many people for the last time. Saturday a bunch of us were paniced at being on our own so we met up in the city, went to a Middle eastern restaurant and stayed at a hotel. The anticipation was worse than the event itself, Sunday came and I came to my site, and though still a bit nervous I'm getting to work and settling in. Plus, we have things to look forward to, like Christmas and New Years parties, so it is not solitary confinement by any means. </p><p>So, here I am! Its nice to actually get started working. Wish me luck, I wish you all the best.<br />Joan</p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-1163784538220566402006-11-17T11:45:00.000-05:002006-11-17T13:04:19.136-05:00My first days not speaking EnglishThis is it - the beginning of the end of my good English. Even after only speaking Spanish for part of each day over the last three months, it has already become so much worse. And as of yesterday, I have yet to speak English! (except to the dog.) This is the week we are making our official visits to our sites. We are assigned project partners, who came to meet us in Santo Domingo this past Tuesday and brought us to our new homes. Its been a stressful time, making first impressions with the people I will be working and living with for the next two years. I've got a lot of pressure, as my site has hosted trainees over the past three years, which introduced them to a lot of great volunteers, so I've got a lot to live up to. There is a big long list of things they want me to do throughout my service, its a bit daunting to see it all there written out like that, but I'll do what I can. The first three months will be spent doing a diagnostic of the community, to get to know more about it and its people, and to help determine which projects are the top priorities. During that time I'll be living with a host family. I'm staying with them now and have already decorated my room! Its nice to have pictures of home up on the walls. Here is my new family, I can't call them host "parents" because I'm six months older than the "mom", so I'll say my host brother and sister Julio and Jenny, with their new dog Toby:<br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3344/1948/320/DSCN3305.jpg" border="0" /><br />Here is Jenny with her adorable son, Jose Miguel:<br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3344/1948/320/DSCN3306.jpg" border="0" /> ...and their home (my room is at the front, behind the white windows): <p></p><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3344/1948/320/DSCN3308.jpg" border="0" /> </p><p>The living room - a couch!</p><p><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3344/1948/320/DSCN3301.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>Its a nice quiet neighborhood and comfortable town. It is small enough to walk around the main area in 20 minutes, but big enough to have around 15,000 people! (many of whom live in small communities outside the main center.) Its hard to believe there are so many people here because it really has that small-town feel. Though, if I need anything like Internet, a grocery store, etc, I can just come here to Nagua, a short ten-minute ride on a moto. </p><p>After a long night of packing that last night in Santo Domingo, I got up early the next day to move my luggage and meet my new partners in the capital's center. We had some meetings and information sessions, then took a long, uncomfortable ride in a pick up truck back to where I will be living. The trip from the capital to my site took about 5 hours, and by the time we arrived I just wanted to go to bed. But no! Not only was I meeting my new host family, but they had a big welcoming party there waiting for me. Everyone was really excited to meet me, it was really sweet, but it took a lot out of me to keep the energy up for that long! I've been catching up from it since then and now I'm worried that my family thinks I'm lazy because I sleep too much. Oh well, what can you do. They'll get to know me eventually.</p><p>So, this is it, I head back to the capital Sunday for my last week of training! We have three more days of information, then our "swearing-in" ceremony on Wednesday night, where we are officially welcomed as volunteers for the Peace Corps. After that its Thanksgiving (my first away from home : ( They do a special dinner and party for all of the volunteers in country), and an all-volunteer conference that Friday. On that weekend we move in officially! Its life as a Dominican now, no more American friends to run to, we're on our own from here on out. Scary! Wish me luck.</p><p>Joan</p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33516639.post-1162674073266580862006-11-04T15:56:00.000-05:002006-11-08T16:55:33.643-05:00The Eye of the TigerI'd like to share with you a part of dominican culture which I experience throughout every day - TIGRES. "Tigers" in english, pronounced "TEE-ge-rays" in spanish, are the bain of my exsistence. As an american I stand out as being an outsider as soon as I leave my house. A walk down the street creates stares and reactions from most whom I pass. However, it is the official responsibility of these tigres to comment, whistle, or hiss at you as you pass.<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3344/1948/1600/DSCN3276.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/3344/1948/200/DSCN3276.jpg" border="0" /></a>A tigre is any man who makes it a point to know that he notices you. They give you that look like they are picturing you naked, which sends uncomfortable chills up your spine. Many of these tigres hang out on street corners such as these men pictured here, just waiting for an innocent victim to walk by.<br /><br />Hissing is a common way to try to get someone's attention here. Sometimes the hissing sounds like the common, "PSSSSSSST", when other times it is more like the way my parent´s described kids in their Catholic school upbringing, trying to get the teacher´s attention – "SSSSSST! SSSSSST!" Either way its irritating and I try to ignore it, though they actually think that I want their attention. If you were walking with a Dominican woman and a guy was hissing at you, she´d give you a nudge-nudge and a wink-wink and say, "Wow, you are one lucky girl!" In reality the guys are the lucky ones, lucky that I don´t bash them over the head with my water bottle!<br /><br />Alas, we´re in a pretty busy area right now, so the tigre attention is much more than in smaller areas. From what I hear about my site, it is very small and everyone knows you, so they will not cat call or hiss at you in the street. Until then, here are some common calls I get from tigres in the streets:<br /><br />"Hey Rubia!" = Hey Blondie<br />"Hola Americana!" = American girl<br />"I love jew!" = lame attempt at "I love you"<br />"Mi Amor!" = My love<br /><br />I've even had a marriage proposal. Usually I just ignore it and it rolls off my back, but sometimes I'm just not in the mood and it really gets on my nerves. When I can control my reaction I might come back with something like, "But I don't love <em>you!</em>". You'd think this was mainly the young 20-somethings doing the calling, but it is all men, young and old. Sometimes a little boy will say something and all I can respond with is, "you're 12!" There are also dads with their young daughters who will stop to comment, so you can see how the girls learn that this behavior is OK. The creme of the crop was when I was walking by a group of guys, one of them sitting with a girl in his lap. This guy actually called to me while I passed, and I just pointed to the girl and said, "You can't be serious, you already have a girl in your lap!" They just laughed. (I didn't actually know the word for "lap", but it was close enough.)<br /><br />Do what you can to avoid them, it doesn't matter. They'll still call, and they'll still whistle, whether you ignore them, smile politely, or try to come back with a clever remark. Nothing will stop them from doing it the next time. For example, Dominican men think that American women are cold, and by ignoring them in the street we are just proving to them that we are cold and we need their dominican lovin' to warm us back up. There's no escape.<br /><br />Alas, we can laugh at it. They are truly harmless, they just want your attention.Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00038502645357290904noreply@blogger.com0