Dominican Republic ( Quisqueya)

Well, okay I’m definatley not the wrold’s best blogger, I’ll admit it. It’s been almost 4 months…jesus christ, I would ask myself where does the time go? but I know the answer. It’s in a plastic chair on the one road that cruises through my town practicing the Dominican national past time, which one Peace Corps volunteer calls the “Psychology of Sitting”. It’s really an event and activity, rather than “nothing” as most Americans consider it.

Alright, well I’v been in my site a little over two months….La Mina, Republica Dominicana. It’s about 10 minutes inland fromt the North Coast in the foothills of the Cordillera Septrinnial mountain range. It’a about 20 minutes from Cabarete the big, extreme sport capital of the DR, with surfing, kitboarding and windsurfing being very popular! and tourists from around the world visit. The culture in Cabarete, deeply influences my site just 20 minutes away.

My town is tranquilo, very easy-going, quiet, rural, isolated. It took some getting use to as the rest of the country is constantly blaring bachata and merengue, motoconchos zoom by, the noise is so prevelant all day. My family situation has been a nightmare and finally at the end of this month I am able to move out and get my own place!!! such a god sent after 6 months of Dominican Donas telling me what to do, how to do it etc. Whew…I can smell the freedom down the road.

My project is pretty fitting as I am helping out in a Montessori Kindergarten started by a German doctor, Gideon my counterpart and owner of Blue Moon. www.bluemoonretreat.com I have started teaching English classes to the community, will eventually be doing computer classes too ( I know me! ) and the goal is to develop the space of the school into a community center in the afternoon. We will work towards opening an internet center, then there are the volunteer groups that come and stay at Blue Moon through the DREAM Project ( Dominican Republic Education and Mentoring Project), which I will be planning service projects and cultural exchanges with the youth of La Mina with.

December was a tough month as the holidays were very uneventful in my town. The more rural and more poverty the less holidays are acknowledged, thus I was home alone all day x-mas and no one in town mentioned anything. It was strange. I was not having a good month in terms of trying to wrap my mind around the concept of living in this community for two years, still struggling with the language and just all around adjustment. January was better…I felt like I got some of myself back…met more people….began some classes….and then last week the volunteers in the north, had a meeting on the Smana Peninsula, BEAUTIFUL!!! my favorite place so far and we got to go whale-watching as the humpbacks are going through right now. It was great! I saw huge whales breaching about 20 feet away. Then they dropped us off at a tropical island in the bay with the most gorgeous beach I’v seen in the DR and we swam all day and finished it off with a fresh pina colada in a pineapple with some Brugal Rum….everyone’s favorite. So here’s to February!

Next week is a big event in the capital,,the Peace Corps is celebrating the 45th Anniversary of its presence in the country. We are going to the palace to meet the President. MJ is flying in to visit for awhile and my Dad and Denise will be here for the last two weeks as well!!! most importantly, I can’t wait to see some familiar faces. I will be moving out and going it alone!!!! I can’t stress the excitement there. I think it’s going to be a pivotol moment in my experience here in the DR. Other than all those highlights…I’m just living the Caribbean life….showering in the river, swimming in the ocean, killing terrantulas with Machetes, and eating pinas and avocados…..it’s not so bad….I’v been living the longest summer of my life..going on 9 months now. My brother Jamaal proposed to his girlfriend Des and they will be getting married in Yosemite National park on August 12th…so I’ll be making my first trip back to the states in August. Hopefully I’ll get to see alot of you.

Sending warm rays of sunshine!!!
All my Love,
B