Yudelka

This is the infamous host-mom, Yudelka.

¡Chimis!

This is me eating my first chimi at the fiestas patronales in
Bohechio. A chimi is an amazing roadside sandwich. Most of them are
hamburgers, but every so often you find a chimi stand with chicken
chimis, which is what I am about to devour here. Amazingness in the
form of a latenight sandwich. Mmmm...

"And thank you for being American..."

Got my laptop power cord from the capital on Wednesday, thus I`ve been too busy watching episodes of Will & Grace to bother writing updates on my life. While there, I also purchased a box of chewy Chips Ahoy which I have torn through at an alarming rate. This has also "eaten" (har har) into my blogging availability.

In real news, currently working on creating a few more surveys for my community. I did all my surveys for the jovenes (high school kids), but still need to talk to individual families about life here in Sabana Alta. But the community diagnostic is coming along. I also start English classes on Tuesday the 29th of this month, which is very exciting. Sign-ups for the class start the 21st. Will keep you all updated about the expected mobs and riots that will obviously erupt due to limited class sizes. (Good thing I have this money belt to keep my personal items safe.)

In other somewhat real news, the Americans have arrived (volunteers from Los Amigos de Las Americas). Two high school boys who have no idea what they are doing. They make me look like a native dominicana. One actually thanked me for being American. I think he´s freaking out a little. I politely pointed out that they are here for 2 months, whilst I am here for 2 years. I`m hoping that gave them a little perspective. I guess I can`t imagine being 17 in a country where nadie speaks English. But seriously, I told them I had Avatar (like, the movie) and I`m pretty sure they wet their pants. Vamos a ver with these two peleles.

Photos!

The view from the higher ridge of my town. What a view!

My community center!


My host family´s house. Where I live. Where I sleep. Where I eat too much.

"Pero tu quieres cocinar?!"

This morning I convinced Mama Yudelka to let me cook a grilled cheese on the estufa. Que bueno! She doesn`t actually own a pan (only pots) or a spatula, but all in all it came out delicious on my recently purchased whole wheat bread. The bread was bought when I went into San Juan on Saturday. I found a larger supermercado, a park to sit and enjoy my yogurt, and a very nice old doctor who took me on a historical tour of the entiiiire city. I even got a free Dominican lunch out of the deal (we stopped by his friend´s house at just the right time). Spent the afternoon at a rio, which wasn´t much of a rio since they are building a hydroelectric dam up a ways from where we were (and at the time, it was shut tight). Sunday, I went to the hometown of Mama Yudelka and played dominoes all...day...long. This 6-yr-old kicked my butt for half the afternoon. Intense domino player. If they have a World Dominoes Tour, I´d keep an eye out for this kid. Time to go eat lunch (pollo and platanos fritos, I believe, and of course a mango smoothie). Adios!

PS, was able to send my dearest brother a few photographs so hopefully he´ll upload them here soon! Woot.

Cake, Soccer, and a Blessing from Jesus Himself

First week has gone well. A lot of free time, a loooot. But I´m getting to know the community inch by inch. Yesterday was the big 2-4, how vieja. My host-mom made some kids from the evangelical church get me a slice of cake and then they stuck around for a bit, and then my jovenes that I took to a youth club training for the past two days showed up, then some kids that I´m gonig to be helping with soccer skills showed up. Crazy amounts of Spanish going on at once is very overwhelming, but it was very nice of them. And Mama Yudelka and my pastor of a host-dad both gave me separate 10-minute blessings to the heaveans (lots of Jesu Cristos and Gloria a Dioses). I´m pretty sure even if I kill someone, I´m going to heaven. Spent the afternoon at a soccer game, or something that appeared to be vaguely like a soccer game. I´m excited they asked me to help out. They definitely need some. It was pretty sad to see many of the kids playing in worn out flip-flops or just barefeet on their mostly dirt playing field. One pair of muchachos only had one pair of sneakers between the two, so one wore a sneaker on his right foot and went barefoot on the left, and the other wore a sneaker on his left foot and went barefoot on the right. Perfect picture of the generosity of Dominican culture--If I´ve got two shoes and you have none, of course I´m going to give you one.

In other news, the community center has Facebook blocked so until I can get that changed (obviously a primary project plan right there), e-mails (Kaitie.Brown@gmail.com) are always welcome! (Also, I can read what you send me on Facebook through e-mail. I just can`t write back.) I think that´s all to report for now. Possibly off to Juan de Herrerra today to see another volunteer´s site!

Buuueno...

So I lost my power cord to my computer, so while I wait for my wonderful mother to send me a new one, I won't be on here much. Tear. But things are going well. I got to my site today for good. Get started with my community diagnostic/projects. Very exciting. I will be happy to stop carrying all this stuff around. Celebrated the birthday last night with some of the volunteers. Fun fun. Oh and I got a headlamp in the mail!! I can now cook and shower sin luz. Okay. All for now!!