Hola!
I love the Dominican Republic! I am really sorry but this is going to be a long post because I have a lot to say, and I don’t know when I will have internet again.
On Life:
We arrived Thursday the 18th around noon on a red eye (I think I slept about 30 mins). A large group of current PC volunteers were at the airport with signs cheering for us, and we all piled into a tiny van. We then headed to a monastery where we had orientation, were vaccinated, signed a ton of paperwork, got our malaria pills, and then had to take our ID pictures (I cant even begin to describe how homely/tired I look in that picture haha). The next day we had a full day of training where they told us about all of the fun illnesses and diseases we might get, that 10% of PC volunteers in the DR get engaged while serving, all of the cultural differences, and survival Spanish. Later, we were sent home with our training host families.
The first night with my host family was probably one of the hardest (not in a bad way) nights of my life. I speak very little Spanish, and nobody in my host family speaks any English. It was very difficult to be in a new place, with people you don’t know, who speak a language you don’t know, have completely different customs and values than you, and have to cohabitate. However, I love my host family. My mom is a young woman named Yojaira, and I have a little sister named Anna liz. We live across the “street” from my grandma and aunt (who are also hosting volunteers). Oh, and the name of our barrio (neighborhood) is Los Cocos, and it is right on the edge of Santo Domingo.
A typical day in Los Cocos consists of a lot of what Americans would call nothing, but the Dominicans truly love. We hang out at the local colmado (a colmado is a small, closet sized store that sells the essentials, and often doubles as a bar) or on our porch and just sit and compartir (the Dominican word for share/bond). I really enjoy the fact that two other volunteers live so close because they also hang out at the colmado, and it is nice to be able to speak English every once and a while.
Saturday we sat outside all day, and we were invited to a baby shower at night. The baby shower was just a normal party with food, booze, hanging out, and dancing. I have made friends with a local guy named Mika, and he taught me how to bachata and merengue (two local dances). I had a ton of fun, and we didn’t go home until a fight broke out at about 2am. The best part about the fight was that my grandma was the one that broke it up!
Sunday was spent practicing Spanish, sitting around, and playing soccer and volleyball with the neighborhood kids.
On Food:
I really enjoy most of the food I have had so far. The coffee is AMAZING, and my host mom makes it for me every morning because she knows I love it. She thinks I am weird because I like it sin azucar y sin leche (Dominicans put tons of sugar in everything). I have also had a ton of plantains, yucca, potatoes, potato-like foods, avocados, mangos, rice, beans, meat, and bread. Every meal is basically carbs, carbs, carbs, more carbs, and some meat. In fact, we volunteers have a daily conversation about how long it has been since our last bowel movement haha. I think my favorite meal so far was on Saturday before the baby shower. We built a fire in the middle of the street, and my grandma brought out her huge pot. All of the neighbors came out and just started chopping up whatever they had and tossing it in the bowl. It ended up being a really good soup, and it was fun (although probably not very sanitary) to have everyone cooking in the street.
On Buckets:
I now have a love-hate relationship with buckets buckets. We do not have running water… so our bucket is my best friend. In our bathroom we have a giant oil drum that is filled with water (usually rain water). I scoop water out of that with an old pampers baby wipes box into a smaller bucket. I have learned to shower with only a half a bucket of water…. And if you think that is amazing… last night the power went out and I showered by the light of one candle! We also have to use buckets to flush the toilet. We have the luxury of having a toilet, but since there is no running water we have to supply it. Now you may be thinking, “that doesn’t sound that difficult”, and I thought the same thing at first. The truth is it is REALLY hard (ok maybe I am just “special” but I think it is difficult). You have to thrust the water in at just the right angle and with just enough force. If you give it too much force and your angle is off you end up soaked in your own urine… or worse. However, if you don’t give it enough force the water doesn’t go down, and you end up just filling the toilet with water (which makes it even harder on your next attempt). I think I have finally perfected the art of the bucket flush, but I wont have a toilet for long. The area I am living in is actually one of the nicer areas. When I get sent to my site I will most likely have a latrine.
On Power:
I am very lucky to be in an area that has electricity, but it comes and goes as it pleases. I think we usually have power a couple hours a night, and during the day we usually never have power.
On Weather:
Hot and Humid.
On Dominicans:
I love the Dominicans. They are the nicest, most generous people I have ever met. They are also very loud and fun (apparently the DR was ranked 2nd loudest country in the world). I also love their culture, and I feel so blessed to be able to experience it firsthand and be a part of it. The only part that is rough is understanding and adhering to local gender roles. There are a lot of restrictions placed on women, and there are a lot of things that are normal for Americans that are considered scandalous here.
I have so much more to tell y’all, but I have to save some of it for when you come to visit me J
