Returning...

So I am back in the US now. As of the 23rd. Left on the 21st, but not before I had a few more new experiences in the DR. Went to a mañanita (early morning) which is basically there is a truck with huge speakers in the back blaring music and literally hundreds of cars behind with people all piled inside or on top playing music too. Everyone is drinking and dancing in the backs of trucks. The normal ones people go around waking their friends up and they join in too. But the one we went to was the horse one so there are literally over a hundred horses in the street SO SCARY, but so fun too! We ran from car to car. Pretty cool. Saw Avatar in spanish! ahhh so cool! Had my last empanada...so sad. I couldnt believe i was leaving, and I still cant believe im here instead of there.

I left on the 21st my flight was delayed two hours, which made it impossible for me to catch my connection at JFK, the earliest flight they could find was for the next morning at 8 25, so I spent my third night in JFK. I hate that airport. Never again. First thing I noticed about America is how fast everyone was walking. Granted, I was in an airport so obviously people are walking even faster, but jeez!! Then, of course, the cold. ahhhh. Also how big everything is, just the expanse of the road and the houses. Nothing is smooshed together. There is almost no trash. Everything is very clean. It was weird hearing english. I need to find someone to speak spanish with soon before I forget it all!

Yes, I already really miss the dominican republic. Everything here seems so cold and dead in comparison, I know it is winter, but man. I cant belive I still have a whole other adventure to do in Chile. eee.

my mom visits!!

Mom came to visit for 10 days. She stayed with my family for a few days and I showed her around Santiago, but she brought the rain with her, so she didnt get a typical view of the city. Most of my friends were leaving on that sunday (she arrived friday) so I wanted to stay and say goodbye to them. Then on monday we went on a little adventure to the nearby town of Jarabacoa. We saw two awesome waterfalls. One of them being the waterfall in the opening scene of Jurassic Park! I need to watch it again so I can feel cool that Ive been there!

Then we left for the North Coast. Our destinations: two days at Rio San Juan, a cute little beach town that has a lagoon with mangrove forests in sight and then twoish days at Las Terrenas a more developed beach town with lots of European tourists. So it took about three little guaguas packed with people to make it, but we finally god to Rio San Juan and made it to our hotel which is literally on the beach. We had a beautiful view from our two huge windows of the water and at night we could hear the waves crashing. Spent the days at the beaches, very relaxing.

Then on our way to Las Terrenas. Took most of the day to get there so we spent the rest of the day at the beach of course. The next day we got adventurous again. Rented a little scooter and off we went to Samaná, we were attempting to catch a boat over to the amazing los haitises (devoted readers will have already seen awesome pictures) but we didnt make it. We then spent the next three hours on scooter trying to get to a legendary amazing beach: playa rincón. The guide book said most people go by boat, and we learned why! The last few miles were down this red dirt "road" so scary. We collapsed on the beach, had a pina colada (sin alcohol) and then we basically had to go because it took so long to get there and we had a LONG way to go. But we had a grand old time.

Forgot to talk about this hilarious little episode above. We went to fill up on gas before we left on the long journey home and somehow got caught in a HUGE crowd of all the other motoists filling up. There are more off screen. It was ridiculous! My little mom in a sea of dominican men!
I call this the picture that embodies the dominican republic: a scooter/moto, horses, a stray dog, the beach, and a random kid!
Me collapsed at playa rincon. Look how deserted and beautiful! too bad we couldnt enjoy it..
At rio san juan. There were these weird taino heads, i was trying to be one.
Our view from our hotel!

ailments

Hi Everyone. I am literally writing this to you with my eyes closed (impressive, i know) so if there are more errors than usual i am sure youll understand why. Okay, first off. Sorry for not posting in awhile. These last few weeks were pretty hectic. All last week was finishing up-and starting haha final projects. And the weekend before that week we had a last hurrah at the beach with everett or firend from another program who is already gone!!

Then by the middle of last week I started feeling shitty. woke up with fever, all that. thought it was rid of it. Nope. Came back, I took my spanish final at 9 in the morning with a high fever, well see what happens.

So i thought I had pretty much recovered so I went to the beach yesterday. It hurt to move my eyes, I still had a terrible heacdache. Then on the way back int he guagua my contact starts freaking out. I have to be in a gony for about an hour before I can take it out, but the agony does not stop. My eye is compeltetely red, all slwollen, cant really open it. Went to the pharmancy they gave me freking pink eye drops NO IALTHOUGHTMY EYE IS PINK IT IS NOT PINK EYE IDIOTS. soooo that is how i came to be writing this message with my eyes closed. The timining could not be worse to look like quasimoto...

La navidad

So, when I arrived back from Haiti, so two weeks ago, I arrived to Christmas world. Before I could even put down my bags, my mom took me on a mini tour of the decorations she had put up, mind you, there were still many boxes yet to be unpacked. A few days later, the tree went up. Beautiful, looks like it could belong in a department store. Then an entire mini city complete with nativity scene was constructed at the foot of the tree. The magnets on the fridge have been changed to Christmas, the bath towels, mats, and TOLIET SEAT: Christmas. All surfaces have been covered with either Santa figurines or caroling dolls. The couch pillow covers have been changed to Christmas. Our plates and placemats have been changed to Christmas! It is sooo funny!

I asked my friends if they had a shit ton of decorations, they do not. However, I have been to three different relative's houses now and they too have houses where it looks like Santa Claus has thrown up all over the room. They too have mini cities with lights and a million Santas. So far, the count is at 32 for the number of Santas in my house. They don't have Thanksgiving, so there is nothing to hold them back!! In some stores there have been decorations since before halloween!!

As for other news, this coming week is my last week of classes, and it is the most work I have had here, but literally it is still nothing. 3 page paper, presentation, two final projects, and a final exam coming up. Sounds like a lot but isn't. I can't bring myself to work on it because I know I could do it all in one night if need be...woops.

Can't believe everyone is leaving so soon!! In reality I am not leaving for about a month still, but I know the time is going to fly past. Mom gets here the 11th, once school is over it will just be nonstop fuuuun. I love it here, I am really going to miss it. I also probably wont live to go to Chile, seeing as I am anticipating dying from the cold that I will encounter upon my return. When it gets to low 70's, I get goosebumps, okay? AHH!

Haití

This past weekend I went to Haiti with five other people from my program and our tour guide (Davidson) who is from Cape-Haitian, the second largest city in haiti located on the north coast, where we would be travelling to.

We left at around 6 in the morning. We arrived at the border and it was very hectic because it was market day. That means people are trying to make as many trips as possible before the border closes to get all the materials they need and to sell as much stuff as they can. We ran into our first problem when Davidson was like ok, everyone 15 dollars (for the immigration/visa fee) and we were like can we pay in pesos? And he was like umm it said dollars and we were like umm we assumed it was equivalent in pesos, why would we have american dollars when we have been living in the DR for the past 3 months?? So then we had to go find a random person who changed out pesos into dollars. The whole trip was very flying by the seat of our pants. Davidson, I am sorry to say, was not the best guide. Basically he would be like "follow me" and not tell us where we were going, we would have to ask every time, and like didn't really explain anything to us.

We rode about as many ways of transportation that there is: literally 19 people piled in the back of a truck, a guagua (tiny bus) filled to capacity, a weird concho thing, a boat, a motorcycle! The first day we went to the citadelle, old ruins of a castle and such. I got completely ripped off for a stupid straw hat. So Davidson tells us the climb up to the top will be about 2 hours and we were like are you serious? and he just laughed so we assumed not...OH YES. Only Marissa and I walked the whole way. I refused to pay money for a horse, which is how everyone else went up eventually. It was a climb, we were seriously scaling a mountain. But it was quite the accomplishment. We had to walk down in the dark, which was terrifying. The whole next day I was limping because I had somehow pulled a groin muscle eee. After that we went to dinner and then all of us were so exhausted we went right to bed.

The next day we saw two historical sites and a lot more of the city, and then we went to a beach after a terrifying journey in the back of a pick up truck on bumpy dirt roads with cliffs on the sides. That night we went to the only discoteca I think there is and it was soo cool. There was a dance floor in the middle and tables filled with people surrounding it. I have never seen better dancers than the ones that were there. It was like watching a professional show, it was so amazing.

Overall, it was really great to be able to see the country that I have been learning so much about. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. Once crossing the border from the DR, the poverty is apparent. I could not believe the difference. Even the landscape is different because Haiti had cut down all their trees. There is trash everywhere and almost no electricity at all. It was also really big culture shock. I did not meet a single person who knew spanish or english, thus, we had to rely on Davidson for everything. We were used to being able to understand and communicate with people, and we couldn't. However, on the up side it made me realize how much spanish I actually do know and understand. It was so strange to hear a foreign language that I didn't understand! Also, the vibe was completely different too. No one really stared at us, no piropos. The music was very reggae like and happy. It was a really good experience to have.

our awesome shell collection

the beautiful beach
we took a boat like these ones to our beach
glimpse of the citadelle at the top with fruit trees
ruins
river in cap-haitien

I have been slacking on the updating....

Last weekend the program went on the last real excursion of the program to Samaná, this beautiful place in the southeastish of the island. It is on a peninsula which forms a bay with the national park, los haitises. We stayed in the cutest hotel with a pool in the middle and apartments/bungalows surrounding it. We were about 25 steps from the beach, which was gorgeous. We were in the place called Las Terrenas, which in my guide book is called one of the most beautiful places on the island.

On Friday we got there (4 hour drive) and then went hiking to find la casada de Limón. Waterfaaaaall. So awesome. There was this vibrant green moss/plants growing on the rocks where the water was falling and the water was nice and refreshing. There was a hidden cave you could go in, it was great. That night we walked into town to see if anything was going down. Nothing was. haha, it is pretty small.Walked along the beach, and called it a night.

The next day we went to los haitises. I cannot do its beauty justice in words. You have to take a boat to reach it because basically it is rock islands big and small in the middle of the water with cool stuff growing on them and mangrove forests in the water and caves and humongous birds flying overhead. We saw pelicans and pelican babies, vultures, other birds that I only know the spanish name for...We went on a kayak tour of the mangrove forests and on a cave tour. Oh, at the beginning of the trip I realized my camera was almost out of batteries, so I had to rely on other people's picture taking abilities, which is annoying.

Then that night was Halloween. I forgot the facepaint and fake blood mom sent me so my friend and laura set off down the dirt road to buy candy to make it more halloween-y. No sooner had we walked ten feet when what appeared to be a motoconcho (like a taxi but motocycle) pulled up and the guy asked if we wanted to get on. We debated if we wanted to pay, so we asked how much it was and the guy was like its free, im not a motoconcho im a crazy white haired italian man who lives down the road! (not exactly in those words hahah) We learn that he speaks italian, french and spanish, but no english. So we get on and he gives us a tour of the entire little town, tells us where people go, etc. We told him of our mission to get candy, but he misunderstood dulces to mean cakes and pastries, so we arrive at a bakery. Luckily there was a colmado across the street so we were able to get candy. It was a perfect dominican halloween, riding in the summer air on a moto past the palm trees. Both nights we had dinner under the stars with the waves crashing right next to us.

Mangrove forest
literally humongous vine root thing
glimpse of the caves
los haitises
beach jump!
waterfall jump!
Our hotel

la playa y otro

Hey,

Finally I can download dominican music, it is awesome, i am listening to chino y nacho niña bonita right now. It is so funny how songs can mean so much to someone but can mean nothing to the next person. I know i will be one of those people who listen to reggaeton and merengue in the estados unidos and people will think i am a poser but really no one can imagine what joy it brings to listen to music and recall times and places and people and to understand lyrics in not your native language.

Anyways, this weekend Allison came to visit me on viernes (friday) we went out, she met my friends, we got best empanadas ever, claro. Then saturday us and the gang went to caberete. We went to sosua and then rode motoconchos (motorcycles!!!) to the other beach town it was SOO fun, except a little scary because basically they were racing each other so we would go really fast. My face was numb when we finally got off.

Not going to lie, went skinny dipping about five times that weekend. Dont worry it was dark! What else, tomorrow i am going to volunteer for the first time ever at a guarderia (daycare) for the zona franca (free trade zone) workers. I am so excited. I love little kids. Here are some pictues of the weekend!

me and boli being awesome. My best friend/best dancer

I am so disturbed! being double teamed by creepers. Anahay is laughing on the side
The girls! me, allison, michelle, laura, anahay!

los charcos, cortar de pelo!

Hello people who supposedly read this,

Thursday night was chocolate chip cookie night, it was delicious and very filling. The next day we were all up early to meet at puerta II at 8:00 in the morning to go to the 27 charcos! I had been anticipating this trip from the very beginning of my stay here. I had read about it in the lonely planet and it was described as one of the favorite activities of everyone. So what it is is a series of pools (charcos) and waterfalls you climb up them, helped by very muscely guides (they seriously launched me into the air) and then you get to jump off cliffs into the pools and slide down naturally formed water slides!! It is sooo beautiful. The pictures I have I got off the internet because obviously I couldn't exactly bring my digital camera. The colors are not exaggerated. The water looks like that, and better. The rocks in the shallow parts have beautifully colored algae (or something). Blue-green is definitely my favorite color.

So, that was thrilling. Then went and hung with the homies. The next day went shopping and got yogen fruz--I don't think I have talked about yogen fruz yet!--It is the BEST THING EVER. Basically it is frozen yogurt that you can choose up to three fruits to go in it, but that does not describe the magic it creates with your taste buds. It is orgasmic, I have no idea why it isn't in the US. Then at four I got my hair cut! Its super short, below you can see what it looks like both straightened and curly. That night hung out with the homies again, as you can see. Also rode my first motorcycle, sooo fun, I don't know why I've never done that before...

Sunday chillaxed with Laura at la plaza internacional, got bon (yogen fruz) again, and went and saw the worst movie ever. Do not see the Time Traveller's Wife, I repeat, do NOT see it. Definitely should have stayed a book.

Ok, love you guys!

straight hair!

you swim through there and then climb up
charco
curly!

Michelle, me, Luana, Boli, Ben

vudú, niños y enseñando inglés!

Hello,

This week has been pretty fun. In my Dominican Haitian relaciones class, we had guest speakers both days. Last week we watched a movie called the serpent and the rainbow, which was about haitian voodoo. The portrayal of voodoo in the movie was less than pleasant. However, the movie itself is very entertaining, just don't believe everything you see if you choose to see it. On monday a Haitian-Dominican student came to a interview type session in our class. He was born in the DR, so he is technically Dominican, but he identifies more with his Haitian ancestry even though both of his parents were born in the Dominican Republic too. This is perhaps because he grew up in a Batey, where most of the community is Haitian. However, he "knows nothing of Haiti" and when he first went to Haiti, couldn't understand anyone. He had interesting things to say in respect to color. He is very dark-skinned, thus, people immediately identify him as Haitian. But, he pointed out, in the capital, Santo Domingo, there are more people of color and nobody knows if you are Haitian or Dominican soley based on color. But Santiago is a city where there is a bigger number of lighter skinned people, people assume more about you based on color. He is also of the opinion that people discriminate not based on nationality, the fact that he is Haitian, but on color of skin. He used two examples to illustrate this: he has a Haitian friend who is very light skinned, but is obviously Haitian by his accent, yet Dominicans do not call him Haitian, but because of his dark skin, people will automatically call him Haitian. Another example is he has a Dominican friend who had two Haitian girlfriends. The first was lighter skinned and no one had a problem, the second was darker, and so it was a problem. When asked who has more ignorance about the other, his answer was dominicans towards haitians. When asked how to better relations with each other he said, more talking, more working together, getting to know each other better, accepting each other, forgiving the past.

The other guests came to talk about voodoo. It was very interesting because he talked about the balance of catholicism and voodoo. They coexist together. I can't say that much about it because I had a hard time understanding a lot of what they were saying after the official presentation. But basically, the main sentiments I got were that voodoo is often misunderstood by people who do not take the time to actually understand and learn about it. People in Haiti are ashamed to say they are "vuduísta" because there are bad connotations, but really, voodoo is at the essence of Haitian culture because it is not simply a religion, but a "herramienta para la existencia" (tool for living). It is a religion brought from Africa by the slaves in the sugar cane plantations, and so has even longer roots than just in Haiti.

Next, I observed my first english class and am about to teach my first class this evening. I can't really comment much more until that happens.

This morning at 9 30 I went to visit three guardarías (daycares) for workers of la zona franca (i think that translates a free trade zone aka the huge factories of gross american corporations like nike/gap). All of them were basically organized in the same way. There would be a room of 5 year olds (the oldest), 4 year olds, 3 year olds, and then babies! So cute. We would walk into a room and they would all shout BUEN DIA! (dominican buenas dias), I am not sure which one I will choose to volunteer at. But I am leaning towards one in a barrio called cien fuegos (100 fires, intriguing right?) and they have a pretty big playground, which is fun, and I liked the kids there a lot. But we shall see.

Tomorrow I go to the 27 charcos!!! We get to climb up waterfalls and then jump into pools and its going to be awesome!

Tonight I am going to a chocolate chip cookie dough party, we are going to make dough and eat it and then cook cookies and make ice cream sandwiches with the cookies, and eat pizza and watch a funny moooovie!!! It is going to be great. Wish me luck on teaching!

Bad Weekend

This weekend I was supposed to go on an amazing eye opening work retreat to a Batey and help clean a soccer field for a youth soccer tornament and talk to people and learn things and be awesome. Instead, I set my alarm for 7:10, apparently turned it off in my sleep, woke up at 9 to be devastated because the bus left at 8:00. No one could call me because my phone had limited service and when that happens no calls come through. They tried calling my house phone, but my mom had left early in the morning to see her sister who had just gone through an operation, so no one answered. I would have tried to get there myself, but I felt by the time I got all my shit together, I would have basically missed the first day and it was a short retreat in that it was only saturday and return on sunday evening.

I am really disappointed because I was very interested in taking the tour of the Batey- a batey is a community that was originally formed by workers of the sugar cane plantations. They are the poorest, most marginalized communities in the Dominican Republic. The tour was planned for 9:30 am, so I would have missed it if I had tried to come later anyways. We get to see another batey later on in the semester but it is the batey that has received the most international attention, and thus, has been radically changed (for the most part for the better) and isn't exactly a true representation of a batey now.

This coming week I will teach my first english class to university students at my school! I am really nervous. I'll give an update of how that goes, but as of now I'm feeling like I have nothing to show for myself. Let's hope that changes soon...

DADDY YANKEEEEEEE

Hola mi familia y mis amigos, que lo que???

So, this weekend was a weekend filled with joy, laughter and excitement! Me, Benjamin, Luana, Michelle and Laura (the gang) went to la capital! We got there Friday night, and went to Michelle's Aunts/Uncle's house, which is HUGE and awesome. We settled in, had dinny (2nd time ive had mustard here I MISS IT SO MUCH!), met her 16 year old cousin, Daniel and then later met her 22 year old cousin, David. He took us out on the town, but we literally didnt go out until almost 1. hahha Went to a discoteca, pretty sweet. Also, he brought his friend along and both of them paid for my drinks (wtf? so nice!) Got awkwardly serenaded to like you see in the movies.

Ate some delicious french fries at 4 30 in the morning.

Next day: off to the beach, Bocachica! Sooo pretty. The water was so clear and the sand was white, which makes for a beautiful color. Maggie eye color hehee. So pretty. Then it was time to head back for the LATIN IDOLS CONCERT FEAT. DADDY YANKEE, DON OMAR, FRANK REYES Y LOS ILEGALES! so awesommmme! Supposed to start at 6, we didnt get there until like 7, but it hadnt even started yet (claro) It lasted from 7 30 at night to 3 30 in the morning! It was so fun, but alas, me and Allison (who was also there) were not destined to meet. However the boy gang (jorge, boli, kiki) managed to find us...? It was so fun, but a little dramatic. Ben got his wallet stolen but noticed immediately and him and boli tackled these guys and they gave it back and ran. Then everyone started throwing things and going crazy when Daddy Yankee was being a diva and taking forever to come out and it was already like 2 30. But all in all, I danced the night away and I knew all but one song of Daddy Yankee's and it was sooo fun! Afterwards we were of course ravenous, so we got some more hamburgies and fries.

So now, I am relaxing, going to 50 peso movie night as usual, I like that I have a pretty good routine going on. Love my friendalins, here's some pictures of the crew:

me looking like the only un cute one, luana, michelle, ben and blondie laura!
Bocachica!
Mike, me, Lu, Beautiful Benjamin!

Example of a discoteca bar...not that dark in real life (sometimes!)

hola

This week hasn't been very exciting. I had two parciales (tests), so I was just studying. However, I did go to the movies on 50 peso movie night, as usual, and saw The Orphan which is MESSED. Other than that, I went shopping yesterday on calle del sol and learned that they dont have the type of eyeliner I use here, only pencil or liquid, which is suuuucky--mom send me some.

Went to a bday party last night and it was fun to know everyone around and not be scared some creep was going to be creeping (there were still at least two creeps though haha) Had some of the best bizcocho (caaake) of my life. Really delicious. They like drench the cake part in milk or something so it is kind of the texture of tiramisu, very moist. Delicioso.

Other than that and personal drama, this week has been alright. But TODAY i am off to la capital!!! I am staying with the relatives of my friend michelle, I will get to see allison, saturday is the latin idols concert with Daddy Yankee, Don Omar and two others that I always forget one is bachata and prob other is merengue the first two are reggaeton! It is going to be insane, I hope I survive. So more news about that next week, babies!

still sickly/la capital otra vez!

Hiiii...so I ended up not going to a single class this week. Felt fine on wednesday but my resident director didnt want me to risk it (probably a good call). Then just bopped around doing nothing again on thurs, that night hung out with friends. Friday I went back to the doctor and basically learned that an amoeba is scraping the insides of my intestines causing blood and scary things, the doctor made it seem really scary and worrisome, but then she said it was okay if I went to Santo Domingo that same day. She prescribed me another medication to protect my organs (that totals up to four different pills a day!!) And I can't eat fat, vegetables, or lots of flour aka NOTHING. My mom hasn't been home all weekend and there is no fruit so all I have been eating is rice and juice...

I saw Allison on Friday! Because I was at the retarded clinic from 9 until 1 in the afternoon, I got to the bus station at 2 30 and that bus was full so I had to wait until the 330 bus which meant I didnt get to la capital until 6 30 or so! (It was late). My original plan was to stay there for the day and then return early in the morning and go to the beach. But no way. We hung out, and let me tell you, I am so glad I have guy friends I go out with. When you are an all girl group it is seriously every 10 seconds someone is trying to get your attention.

Me and allie still had fun though, and it was really nice being able to talk to someone who actually knows you for real. I feel like I really need to write a post about all the cultural observations I am taking. For next time, hopefully I will discuss how literally all the taboo subjects in America: religion, politics, gender roles, the way people look--is not taboo here. All out in the open. Let's hope I can fight off the amoeba!

mountain town and sickness

From friday to sunday my program and I went on an excursion to Constanza, a mountain town which is about three hours away from Santiago. It was meant to be a nice and relaxing getaway from the city, which it definitely was. The weather there was sooo nice, I could actually wear zip ups and jeans!! So exciting. During the day it got hot, but the air was definitely way less humid, it was great.

The first day we had a choice to do a hike or to tour some greenhouses, I obviously chose the hike. It was super fun and we ran into many adorable animals on our climb such as a piglet, a puppy, and baby cow! Very cute. After that we had a delicious dinner of pizza and then we got to see a dominican baseball game! It was pretty sweet, the baseballs they were using looked the size of softballs though...there were bats (nocturnal animal kind, not wooden kind) flying all over the field, it was awesome.

Next day we got up early to have breakfast (8 am) then we were on our way to the tallest waterfall in the dominican republic (which is actually made up of two waterfalls)! We went in two safari vehicles which had a truch bed in the back with benchs on the sides and little rails so we wouldnt fall. It was about an hour and half drive, we got to see some gorgeous country side. And we also got to see our lives flash in front of our eyes when driving down the most narrow roads I had ever seen with a sheer cliff on one side. AHHH. My friend said he actually saw our wheels go off the road one time. So scary.

Finally we got to the waterfall, and it had long been decided by fate (and the fact that my mom would be ashamed of me) that of course I would be swimming in the waterfall. OMG. It was SO cold, I could not believe it. I went in and was swimming for where the waterfall was actually hitting the water, but halfway there I felt my limbs start seizing up and I couldn't really breathe and all I could think was calm down kali, just keep moving or you will sink to the bottom and DIE! So I swam back to safety.

Later that night we had a delicious bbq, a huge bonfire, and lots and lots of dancing. We also made friends with some medical students from Santo Domingo all of them from different places: Cuba, Venezuela, Ecuador, Puerto Rico, it was really interesting.

Next day we were off after packing and having lunch.

Yeah....then Sunday night slept not a wink because I had a fever so I either was getting up to turn on/off the fan or getting up to go to the bathroom. Awful. Didn't go to school on monday, felt like shit the whole day. Then thought I was getting better, went to sleep only to wake up at 4, 6, and 8 in the morning to run to the bathroom. My resident director Lynne said I shouldn't try to go to school so I didn't go to school again. And now I feel okay, but you never really know...I hope I will be able to go to school tomorrow. So funny, because this week was only going to be a three day school week anyways because thurs all school is cancelled because it is a national saint's day (mercedes) so basically I have one day of school!

bonfire or should I say fogón
beautiful countryside
waterfaaaall
baby piglet!

baby puppy!!

is it possible my spanish is improving!?!

Hey everyone! Just a quick post because I should really be reading all of the reading that I haven't done for the past few weeks...So on Friday I found the place I have been searching for in Santiago: outdoor chilling spot where you can just chill and talk. It is called H20 and basically is a huge square surrounded by buildings (i think in the day it has shopping) with all these tables with lights around them and places you can buy drinks and music is always present of course. So that was great and I was sitting around talking with my dominican friends in spanish and all of a sudden they are like oooh heey!! getting all excited and im like what what, and they were like: just then your spanish was so good, just like a dominican would say it! and it happened once more that night, it was so nice! So perhaps I am improving? Some dominican phrases/vocab of interest:

estoy jodiendo=i'm just kidding (literally it means I am just fucking with you but I dont want to hurt innocent ears hahha too late)

eso es una vaina bien= this is a good thing

pelu=hairy but very dominican way of saying it

After that night saturday I was off to la playa!! My friend Jorge drove, while Boli, Ben, Michelle and Luana sat (yes four in the back, it was not a comfie drive). My friend Boli's dad had a guy who owed him money and couldnt pay, as a result they inherited a huge four story mansion near the beach of sosua, however in pretty big disrepair. That is where we stayed, it was fun! But no furniture except beds bc they are trying to sell it. Went to the beach, swam my heart out, went to the discotecas right on the beach danced my heart out. Met some of Jorge's bffs that night who were very charming (not to mention cuuute). That's about it! Love everyone, miss you!

Our boys (minus the one on the left, that's Carlos their friend) Ben, Jorge y Boli.
The girls! Mike (michelle), Me and Luana.
While jumping off huge cliffs, and climbing up again, a few of us incurred injuries (not me!).
This is an example of one of the many "sanky pankies" you see especially at tourist beach places like this one. Dominican prostitutes hired by rich gross white ladies.

Claaaass.......

Finally done with my week of classes. Ughh. So tues I felt like crap. I had to go into downtown to do a project for my semiar class which was to take 3 photos we found obvious, and three we found to be curious. We were assigned to go to the municipal cemetary and omg it was so cool! Like seriously a mini city. Because of the water table/the fact that the soil isnt very deep, people are usually buried mausoleum style, not in grave graves. So there were all these structures and there were actually like cobblestoned streets among them, it was nuts. But I didnt get to fully enjoy it because the whole time I was nervous I was going to faint or throw up on someone's dead relative... I dont know I think the heat is getting to me. Thankfully it was a lot cooler today than it has been but man! So yeah I had a killer headache and my stomache felt like I'd been punched. So I get home around 6 and tell my mom I cant come with her to this cultural talk about (I think) Arabs and the middle east? I try to rest and I feel a bit better. Talk to my MOMMIE!

Then Tuesday nights here are movies for only 50 pesos, so at 9 30 I went to see the hangover (finally!). The spanish title is qué pasó anoche (what happened last night) hahhaa, just another night for dominicans. So that was fun, hung out with my friends for a little while after which was a bad decision because I had to read a short story in spanish and make an entire powerpoint presentation in spanish and write a thing in spanish aaaah. So when i woke up the next morning at 9 30 I was pretty much busy until 9 that night when my classes ended. uugh. So after all that hard work, I, of course, deserved an award.

Went out with my friends. I usually chill with this girl almost in my neighborhood but not quite (michelle) she has dominican parents/grandparents and is really good at spanish and awesome, Benjamin (pronounced the spanish way of course) who is so sweet and lives down the street from me, his host brother Bolí who seriously goes out almost every night, therefore all of us go out quite a bit, Jorge, another dominican who also lives with Ben and Bolí but he is not related to Bolí he is just from another town, so stays with them during the school year, aaaand last but not least, Laura! She is from Virginia and super cute and blonde and we are both goofy together and have lots of fun. So thats a little break down of the usual suspects, at least the ones that are the nightlife scene. I also have Rachael who is awesome and from the Seattle area too and I love her, she definitely needs to have a convo with Cliff about vegans and environmentalism (although she is not a vegan here/she will tell you her views are complicated) She's really smart and opinonated and we have all the same classes, so yes, we hang out lots and she is the one I was doing the obvi/curious photos with!

Anyways not sure what I will do tonight, probably dance the night away. Then tomorrow should be really cool we are going to the Mirabal Sister's museum (I will just explain that story in the next post), lets just say it is from the Trujillo era. And then on sat/sun I am going to the beeeeach!!!!

las discotecas y el campo

Hola mis amores!

So I haven't written in awhile, so prepare yourself for a long post (you can always just find interesting looking parts, i wont be offended) SOoOoo...What have I been doing? Wednesday night I have no idea what I did it was too long ago, but THURS night it was one of the girls on the program's birthday, so we all (twenty of us and few dominican amigos) went to a restaurant to give her a surprise dinner/crazy man singing karoke party! She thought she was going to a friend's family event, but no! So yes, more about this karoke. First of all, the thing you have to know about karoke here is that about 94% of dominicans are really good at singing, wtf. Or they just sing their hearts out and thus, sound a lot better than timid retards in america/drunkards. So yes, there are karoke nights in a lot of places because everyone loves to sing, and theyre good at it. Anyways..point is, there was a guy probs around 50ies singing his heart out opera style and like he would only sing love songs and he was sing them looking at all the pretty americans and when porsha (thebday girl) finally came, he went right to her side and was sing i love you i love you (english w/heavy accent), te amo te amo (keep in mind opera style) it was HILARIOUS. After that we all went out to las discotecas and danced the night

away! It is also really fun to dance here because everyone has been dancing since they were babies so they are all really good and the music is fun and WOO!

Then friday I left for un retiro de trabajo (work retreat) for 3 days in the campo (country)! We have several work retreats scheduled, maybe just two, and they are optional, but I am def going on every single one. It is a really good opportunity to see how the majority of dominicans live because the vast majority live in the campo, not in the cities. So we went to a pueblo called los brazos way high up in the mountains, SO BEAUTIFUL. I tried to take pictures out the window, but i dont know how to make it so its not blurry, so it didnt really work, but the ride there was amazing, I have never seen a landscape like the one they have here.

So we went to this place called el jardín de los niños, the garden of kids, and basically this french-canadian woman has adopted 22 children, and also started a free public school for other children in the campo! Pretty awesome. We went there to help repaint the school house, make murals, paint the chairs, etc It was so fun! They live right by a river, we got to play with cute little kids, swim, and do art! and eat really good food! But yeah, you will see from my pictures that there were def scary bugs and things, but the good outweighed the bad by far.

Superfun, got back yesterday, went out with mis amigos, came back and fell into a deep dreamless sleep. haha then this morning the mission was to find my supplies for sculpture class. I was with two other girls on the same mission, but one for painting class. uuuugh. In summary, we walked all the way to one place only to get directions to go back in the long hot sweaty direction we had just come, then we go from store to store trying to talk in spanish and figure out whats what. Finally we get to a legit art supply store (the first few ones were like weird school supply things) and turns out they are basically out of everything we need so we have to come back friday. AAA! I have my escupltura class tomorrow at ten and all I have to show for myself is the ugliest apron ever and a plastic bag... hahah it is so weird sometimes being the foreign kid. Btw, my class has four other people in it, 3 dominicans, 1 other american, so the semester should be interesting. Then I was sooo tired after all that walking but for some reason could not fall into my siesta, then I had class from 4 to 9 blaaah. I dont want to do school!!! I guess I'm learning, but it is kind of hard when you are learning about events that happened long time ago with all different groups of people and countries and dates involved IN SPANISH. All the professors are really nice though.

Now for some pictures!

glimpse of the country
huge lizard, usually they are just teeny babies
Some of the kids!
Washing chairs in the río
huge spider we saw in our room right before bed...sweet dreams
water cycle mural!
My mural I worked on! Except the flowers and trees were already there, we just made them prettier, and then there was this really freakily drawn person that we erased it was sick.
Beautiful river