Beloved readers, Sadly, the time has come for us to part ways. It’s not you. It’s me. In truth: it’s probably you and me. I am no longer DominicanMully but Looking-for-a-job-in-a-crappy-economyMully. There are millions of me out there. I am … Continue reading →
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Hey guys! This an excerpt survey that ran in an internal publication for Peace Corps Volunteers, The Gringo Grita. Working on the publication was one of the funniest things I did with other volunteers. Parts are serious. Others, you’ll see, … Continue reading →
A lot of Peace Corps people joke about the American perception of what we exactly we do. The banter usually results in inappropriately lofty expressions like “changing the world,” “saving the world,” “spreading peace,” “saving babies,” “shaking hands and kissing … Continue reading →
Time is running out. I have 28 days left in the Dominican Republic as a Peace Corps Volunteer and then it’s off to the Real World. (All of those Capitalized Words in the second sentence make you nervous too?!) I … Continue reading →
Seco. Sin gotita de nada. Dry. Without a drop of anything. The six barrels sat empty behind the house beside the rain tank that had been collecting dust for weeks. Laundry. Laundry had become like this unspoken, yet ultimate fantasy … Continue reading →
One of the best decisions I’ve made in my service happened recently: I moved back into real Dominican life by moving myself in with a family down the street. Let’s just say that my last couple of weeks have been … Continue reading →
Dominican festivals pretty much follow the same sort of formula. Loud music + tons of people + bottles, and bottles of cerveza. The Dominican Carnaval party throws additional components into the mix (for better of worse): clowns with the ability … Continue reading →
I started writing this post yesterday morning while installing a new operating system on a friend’s computer that refused to upload Windows components… (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.. nerd talk…zzzzzzzzzzz)… and the electricity went out, and so ended the dream of yesterday’s post. Anyways… … Continue reading →
Having visitors here in the DR from outside the country always manages to teach me something. Abruptly crossing paths with someone from my previous life is like revisiting the edge of an old forest. The trees are the same plants … Continue reading →
Bad thing #2: My big toe swaddling in tape and tape stitches. (Sorry about the pic quality …. I only had the computer cam). Bad things come in threes, right? After yesterday, I am a believer. Bad thing #1: Grounded. … Continue reading →
Love Peace Corps. Love. it. There are no words for how hilarious/true I think this video is. Please watch and laugh.
My last visitor from the states posted this about the end of her trip down here. I have another visitor coming on the 1rst! I’ve got some serious plans in the works for that visit, so expect more hilarity within … Continue reading →
When I woke up on Sunday, there were people EVERYWHERE. Thirteen people to be exact; sleeping on every open space of the little, two-bedroom house. True to form: I stumbled over slumbering the swaddling volunteers to the coffee. (I wanted … Continue reading →
You never really know what’s going to happen on any given night here in Barrio Bolo. Last night it involved 5 plastic chairs, around 20 people, one guitar and cerveza. The singing had everyone rolling with laughter. First, at how … Continue reading →
Here’s a little something to add to your (what I hope is a stockpile of) Haitian news received over the past 24 hours in light of yesterday’s anniversary of the quake. It discusses the U.S. role in the Haitians elections … Continue reading →
So I am going on the radio tonight, the anniversary of last year’s earthquake in Haiti. I am slotted to talk about leadership, community involvement and social responsibility. I can’t help but see the correlation between that discussion and the … Continue reading →
Note: For some reason, I got off count with the posts? This is the correct day count (more or less). I am counting from the fourth of March 2009. So that’s 10 months and 4 days (or 124 days left). … Continue reading →
Shannon, showing off our “rolling pin” for making tortillas. We had homemade hummus and cooked eggplant for the fillings. There was, of course, no electricity.
My second visitor from the states came in this week! I know, I know, I am this far in, and I’ve only had TWO visitors. Clearly, they are the wisest of souls because they’ve seen the opportunity for a tropical … Continue reading →
The Peace Corps turns 50 this year. I found this nice public service announcement airing soon for everyone. It’s funny because I can TOTALLY relate to the how the guy acts in the vid when thinking of post Peace Corps … Continue reading →
The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health: The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow. Crunchy numbers A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. … Continue reading →
My hair is a net and I am dishing out cold salads into plastic trays. I’m a bilingual college graduate disguised as a middle school lunch lady, and it’s New Year’s Eve 2010. We are a team of seven in … Continue reading →
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE! Dominicans celebrate Christmas on the 24th. Traditionally, a family gathers in one house for puerco asado (Pork cooked on a spit) and all the trimmings of rice and salads. Red wine and sparkling cider flow from bottles … Continue reading →
It took me a little while to navigate the building being remodeled in downtown Santo Domingo. I had been in three different offices waiting for three different people – all who only turned out to be the wrong person and … Continue reading →
Here’s some pics of this year’s technological youth conference, Encargados del Futuro. I think you all remember the one from last year: three days, around 200 people and sessions on leadership and technology. Plus, the traditional fun night with games, … Continue reading →
In honor of World Aids Day yesterday, I got proactive on the community radio. Before coming to the DR, I had little experience with the disease. In fact I think the closest I came to knowing someone HIV positive was … Continue reading →
Meet my visitor for the week: Tonuki (sp?). Dogsitting is an international favor, para que sepas. Most Dominicans think she’s a he. Because “female dogs don’t serve for anything” (sounds like a bad rap song right? well, it’s actually a … Continue reading →
First, a Peace Corps song from an African volunteer (hilarious): Second, done by a boyfriend of a PCV (not exactly my favorite style of video, but the story is really interesting because of its perspective, and it won some sort … Continue reading →
It’s 3 a.m. Who the hell would be outside of my bedroom window at this hour? And are they eating something? I can see the little orange slit beaming from the light plate on the wall. Thank God the freaking … Continue reading →
Prejudice. Something happened during the med mission last week that revealed some of that vile in me. The archway loomed over people as they walked towards the bridge crossing the Massacre River, the place where Trujillo butchered thousands of Haitians … Continue reading →
Despite the threat of Tomas’s rain, I was able to participate in another Med Mission last week. Waves of Health runs general medical clinics in partnership with a barrio of Dajabon and a couple of surrounding communities. They have in … Continue reading →
I can imagine what you’re thinking: Peace Corps volunteers probably gain some serious survival skills. They probably are used to weathering the storm in tin and thatched roofed huts. It’s probably exactly like that movie Twister (minus the Helen Hunt … Continue reading →
Cholera is an acute intestinal infection caused by ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It has a short incubation period, from less than one day to five days, and produces an enterotoxin that causes a … Continue reading →
THANKS MOM AND KELSEY! I am now the proud new owner of six pairs of fresh undies, a bag of candy corn, a Thomas Kinkade puzzle and knitting supplies…. which I will learn to use. I loved the package! And … Continue reading →
The collection of CDs resides in a baby pink entertainment center that could have easily belong to me when I was little as it matched that ridiculous bunny wallpaper my mother used in our room. They don’t all seem to … Continue reading →
This past week I journeyed down to the southern part of the island to send off a group of volunteers – for a despidida, a farewell, a goodbye… And now it begins… you know, that feeling… the one that … Continue reading →
The gua-gua dumped me out of the crowded gua-gua in front of the hotel. Immediately, I took a page from all of those spy movies they constantly replay on TNT, “Just act like you are supposed to be here. Be … Continue reading →
I had the pleasure of attending my fourth quinceñera on the 2nd. This one was held at a pavilion in the center of the community. Seated at the table, I took in the view of the room. I still can’t … Continue reading →
With little project work going on in site, I have become more a vagabond than ever lately. Hence the pause in my posts (sorry). But the signs of the end are everywhere… literally…
I remember Facebook was hiring when I left for the DR. Along with Google. (You see how I didn’t even mention them in the same sentence? I’m so timely. See: http://www.informationweek.com/news/smb/ebusiness/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=227400139&cid=RSSfeed_IWK_News). Basically, the early onset of Twitter had me all … Continue reading →
I often think about how different bands mark different periods of my life – like Matchbox 20, The Red Hot Chili Peppers and Dashboard Confessional did for high school. For my time in Peace Corps, hands down, Patty Griffin will … Continue reading →
I am pretty sure getting used to the public transportation in this country is about as successful as getting used to dentist visits… it doesn’t really happen. And I don’t really know if I have just lost the initial luck … Continue reading →
In honor of the holiday, I submit to you my ode to Peace Corps labor. Not a lot going on down here lately. (Now before you pass hardcore judgment on all of us development bums and hippies living down here … Continue reading →
Ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-check it out! Just in time for my 1 year 6 month commemoration, my friend Evelyn posted this little ditty about my involvement here in Cayetano.. She did a pretty nice job. (My name is a little off, and I … Continue reading →
Trash. It’s EVERYWHERE here. And despite passive aggressive attempts through cute Dominican radio and television advertisements, people still chuck all of their debris wherever they decide is a suitable dump spot. In fact, I have conversed on more than one … Continue reading →
I’m sure that you all have at least paused on one before, and in Latin America, there are more of them than any other programming on television. In everyday conversation in the DR, people argue about which one is better, … Continue reading →
In honor of the hot sticky summer, a countdown dedicated to my mosquito net: Top 6 Places Mosquitoes Love to Bite that you Love to Hate 06. Sock line. 05. Between your shoulder blades. (New torture technique anyone?) 04. Just … Continue reading →
C-A-M-P. Also replaced by !&$#!. Also knows “the spirit killer” that has descended upon all of us volunteers like a plague. Okay, I’m being dramatic… it hasn’t been that bad. (But before I let the story fly, we’re going to … Continue reading →
This video comes to you all from the dark corners of my external hard drive that I recently cleaned (all part of the master plan to be more organized during this school year…). It features community favorites like Lolo, Jose Rapheal, Lisali and Samuelito. It demonstrates our ability to overcome huge obstacles like a passion [...]
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