August 22

August 22


I woke up early the next morning and got ready for school. I had quite a spread at breakfast, which was a relief because the fruit from dinner held me over just enough until then. Despite telling my Doña I didn´t eat meat very often, if at all, I had a healthy ham and cheese sandwhich for breakfast. I expected this and ate it anyhow, I figure I´ll be open minded and try to eat what they give me. I also had a coffee which was delicious, replete with milk and an abundance of sugar. Angelo had breakfast with me and also had his little cafe con leche to add to his bucket of energy. Desiree, Doña Isabel´s youngest daughter (25) was also there. I haven´t spoken to her as much but we are making progress. I got an eye-roll this morning, but also a smile, laugh and some light conversation so I think we are good.


At Entrena we had more vaccinations (tetanus and another rabies shot), health policy and cross-cultural sessions, and then a session with current volunteers. We did an exercise where we all stood in a big circle, and picked a statement out of an envelope. Each of us read our statements, one at a time, and whoever the statement was true for had to take two steps into the circle. The statements ranged from political preferences, to past experiences (good and bad, from losing a family member to being physically assaulted, to needing someone to help you out at the moment), amongst other things. They varied and it was a really interesting exercise meant to show the diversity of the group, and kind of breaking into a depth that we had not all reached in the three days we have known each other, especially as asking someone a personal question isn´t exactly an icebreaker. Of course, we all have come here for different reasons, but all with the same objective, to create positive change in the Dominican Republic, overall and within the specific sectors we are working in. And as one volunteer pointed out, it is a representation of America itself, being a heterogeneous country filled with different cultures, backgrounds and points of view. And this is the group (as well as other volunteers and staff in country, Dominican friends made, host families, and other support groups we form, etc) that throughout the next two years we will have to be able to help each other through hard times when we want to quit and go home, and also share successes. And this won´t be a walk in the park or a picnic, it will be a life changing and shaping two-plus years; from what I have heard it is filled with ups and downs.

After lunch I had my language proficiency interview, so that I can be placed in my permanent class on Monday. My Doña´s neighbor picked me up and we went home. Since that afternoon thunderstorms ensued, cooling down the hot climate. You sweat like crazy here, and the rain comes and cools everything down. Also the mosquitoes are rampant and have taken a liking to me (like always) so I have about twenty bites on my lower legs that aren´t always covered.

I went for a little outing and went for a walk with another volunteer in my neighborhood. While walking back to my house, we ran into another group of volunteers who were exploring as well. That night I had a bigger dinner including a whole little chicken, salad with avocado and tomato and rice and beans. I ate some of the chicken and then told me Doña how tasty it all was and declared I was full, and asked if someone might want the rest of my chicken. The little kitten did, who looks a little hungry all the time. She attacked the meat ferociously, ripping the flesh from the bones and tearing through the skin. When the dogs came to get some of the booty she ran under something to protect her dinner.

That night I sat out back with the Doña on her rocker, the kids, and met the oldest son, Eddy. We hung out there a bit and I showed the highly anticipated pictures of my mom and family and talked about my family for a bit, etc. Here in the DR the first thing brought up in a conversation is more along the lines of ¨How is your mother, and your family?¨instead of ¨what do you do for a living?¨".