Finally I got these pics from the girlfriend, its great to live in a tropical paradise...

Well we started by visiting Scott in Constanza. That's located in the high central mountains of the interior. Here is a candid pic of me and Scott, only Scott knew that there was a picture being taken.From there we hiked over the mountains to the dusty dry south and headed for the Lago Enriquillo area.

Scott told us it was a 5-7 hr hike. This was our only option as the Jeep that went in the direction we planed was out of service and we couldn't get out of the Constanza area to the South, execpt for a 16hr long and boring bus ride through the capital. The hike was very much longer then we thought, but very beautifully vistas and lots of interesting things were found along the way. In total I think the hike was something like 15-25 miles. We left at 7 in the morning (without food since we thought we would get there before lunch) and ended up getting to Guyabal around 5 in the afternoon. Anyhow, I would recommend the hike, but bring a lunch and lots of water. From the Guyabal, we took a moto to Padre de las Casa and crashed out. The next day we wound our way down to Lago Enriquillo.

Its the largest lake in the Caribe and its also below sea level and salty. Its got croc's and iguanas and scorpions and is surrounded by scrub desert. The whole area is very different then the tropical jungles up in the north. Every where around the lake there are natural springs that the Dominicans have formed into natural mineral pools so, since it was hot we spent most of our time swimming in these 'balnarios' and just relaxing. It was a great vacation. I also climbed a tree and picked some mangos.We hung out around the lake for a couple of days, did some camping and headed for the coast south of Barahona. This coast is unbelievable. Lush tropical mountains crashing into the bluest Caribbean sea. We camped a night there and began the long trek back.

Well, we've been stopped with work now since the end of June. We still haven't gotten another check from the gov. The thing is, I think since they had elections in May, nothing in the gov here has worked, and probably won't start working until august, when the "lame duck" periods are over. Anyhow, I've been working on some other organizational stuff and had another week's worth of Spanish classes in the capital. Keep in touch, PAZ...

Heyoo, we will hopefull be starting construcion next week, so i'm really busy. I spent over 100,000 pesos this week buying tubo's and other pipe fittings. Next Wendsay I'll be starting construcing with a spring box/sedimentation tank, then onto the pipeline!!!! Wish us luck.

I was on vacation for a week in the south of the county. Now I'm back in my site working hard as ever. We should be receving our money soon so then we can start constrcution. The vacation was very good, and I'll have pics from jess's camera soon.

Here is a topo map of my community. I live in Guaranal and Quito Sueno, our source is in the bottom center at the headwaters of Arroyo Blanco

I dont like snakes. This snake was in my house. We cut its head off with my machette. It was up in the rafters (pic 1), we got it down, cut its head off (pic 2/3) then we burned it and burried it. Fuck you Snake!

Where is stone cold, I have not seen him since the UP? He needs to make a trip down caribe way, and I know Jesse wants to escort him to thiland as well. Where oh Where???

Well I´ve completed my system design, system budget, and some maps graphs and diagrams to go along with it. I get some of the info up some time soon. Anyway, my project is going to cost about 1.5 million pesos in building materials alone. Thats a lot of pesos. I have about 12km of tube line to lay and about 200 tapstands to connect to the system. Its quite an exciting challange. I sure hope I can find money to build this thingy.

Well, I've been working on getting in grant proposals lately. And its a lot of work. I'm estimating that our project is going to cost about 1.5million pesos, or about 50,000$. Thats not chump change. So we will se what we get. I hope we find it all. Other then that the house is in good condition, and I've recently bought a stove to cook upon.

SO I've figured out how to upload pictures. Here are some, more soon.

Local wildlife

Me at first city in western hemisphere?

Local water soucre...

Local kids hangin-out

View from my house at sunset (oh-yea)

My house

My old house, where I lived for my first three months at site with a host family

More local kids

Well, I've finally moved into my own house, and its great. The house is awsome and I'm quite happy to have the feedom of independent living running rampant throught my blood once again. I'll get picutres soon, I mean it this time. Next month we have a big (2days) conference in Santiago and are going to discuss lots of good stuff, so I've been preparing for that lately (that and playing with my machette). There is also a lot of work to be done organizing the house and cleaning it and such. The weather is nice, as uasual and I'm in good health.

Well... a bit of time has passed and I'm done with the topographical survey for the two communites. It was a bit of a hike getting it all done. Turns out that my source is about 4.8km from my town, much less then I feared. The townfolk were great, and worked quite well. Next week i'm headed into the capital for some more spanish training, so i'll post a bit from there.

Well, this week has been a long one. I've been going out into the jungle with men from the community (and machettes) and hacking a stright path through where we are going to put the aquaduct pipes. The work is quite hard and the distances are quite long. Its about 6km from the town's perspective tank site to where we are putting the intake works. There are also going to be 6-10 suspended cable crossings I have do as well. I'm quite tired now. Next week we are going to start the topographical survey stuff in the path we cleard this week. So more hiking next week as well. Its great when a days work involves hiking all day.

Wensday was the birthday as well. I'm something like 24 years old now, who'd of thunk it. Anyhow I went down to Santiago for the day to meet Ewy (she's got the same birthday, its really weird) and we had some good food and wine, and then went to the hardware store for supplies for our projects. It was a great, relaxing day. Hope all is well out there in the outside world. Email when you can. Paz

Well, New Years was a blast. Ewy and I were in Santiago, and had a supurb time. There were lots of fireworks at the monument at midnight, way to close to be safe, but that made it all the more fun I guess. I've been doing a lot of exploring this week, trying to pick the route for the tube line to go. I've encountered steep clifs, pastures full of inquisitivfe bulls, deep canyons, and lots of other trials. I have no idea how i'm going to get this aquaduct to the town yet. But I'm working on it.

Yea, i'ts the day before Christmass, and it sure doesn't feel like it. It is so warm and sunny here. There is lots of X-mas music, but I don't know it, and there are some decorations, but not much, so it just feels like a wonderfull spring here. Things are going well. The census is done and I'll start the topo suvey sometime soon. I'd like to wish all happy holidays and such. I'm really in quite a rush today so i'll stop here. Sorry readers?

Well, this week I've started my community census. I've been going round to all the houeses and asking them a series of long and boring questions (how many people live here, how often do you crap, does your burro like to cary a lot of water or only a little, etc.) and getting respectivly boring results. The work is simple but pleasing, and I'm getting a lot of good information. I'm also getting about 10 peices of fruit and cup of coffe from each house, so that healthy. I'be been reading a lot of kids books in spanish as well, and its helping with the vocab extension. This week I've also started looking for a house to live in for the next two years. I think I've found one or two that will do quite well, though I still have to talk to the owners and negociate and all that stuff. I'll be living with a host family for two more months, but after that I'll have my own digs and be wellcomeing any and all visitors. Things are going well and I'll write again soon. Paz...

Hello All,

First, some logistics:

Address: Stephen Good, PCV

Cuerpo de Paz

Apartado 1412

Santo Domingo

Dominican Republic

Cell: (809) 658-1239

e-mail: spgood@gmail.com

webpage: http://spgood.blogspot.com

-Thats my contact info for all who follow this site. My cell (I'ts crazy that I have a cell here I know) doesn't function that well but I can get calls occasionaly. I, like all PCV's, love getting stuff (News, books, postcards, anything) in the mail so send things to that address if you want to. I've heard that stuff (packages) sent by regular US postal does not arive offten, so prehaps a private carrier would be more secure.

-My first week at my site went well. My two communities, Guranal and Quito Sueno, are great, though there are obvious differences in the personality of each community. I've got two excelent community maps now, with what I hope are all the houses, so I'll be starting my census on monday. They are going to give me so much coffee. We won't be starting the topographical survey for another month or so, but I'm really excited about that as well.

-I've gotten a few questions about Jessica Penetar, the girlfriend. She is another PCV working im Monte Plata. She and I have the same birthday (which I didn't find out about untill later), and is also an wat/san volunteer working on a gravity fed aquaduct. If you have more questions you can email her at "starjp111@hotmail.com", I think that might be funny, just BCC me on the email please.

-Life has slowed down a bit now that I'm at my site. I've work to do sure, but I also have a silly amount of free time. The people I'm working with can't spend their entire week working with me, they have to work to feed their families as well. My life is really quite relaxing, and I'm really enjoying it. Tommorow, I'm headed to the local waterfall with some folks from the community to check that out, I guess its pretty large and there is a good lagoon for swimming. Yea, thats right, its that warm here.

-Anyway, sorry I've not writen a lot of you. I'm setteled down now and will soon be writing a lot more emails. Hope to hear from you all soon.

Hey all, I've been officially sworn in as a PCV’S and begin work tomorrow. Training was awesome and I’ve learned so much in the last few months. My time here so far is indescribably, but anyone can call me and I can try (809) 650-239. I can’t believe they give us cell phones.

I live in the north of the DR outside of the pueblo of Altamira. Altamira is on the road from Santiago to Puerto Plata. My community is called Quito Sueño, which is a campo of about 1000 folks who do not have any water. My spring is really far (~10K), but the community seem really organized and I’m very excited. I’ll be doing the surveying and census in the next few months so I’ll be really busy.

Things are great. My Spanish has been progressing well, and I can almost function in this country. Thanksgiving went well, we had a big party in a country club with all the PCV’s in the country, there was a basket ball tourney, 3v3 soccer completion, billiards, a pool, gigantic turkey dinner for ~200 PCV’s and staff, plus a talent show and lots of other crazy stuff. Friday was the all volunteer conference so I’ve been mingling with the all the other older PCV’s and integrating into the group. Jess (my gal) and I have been staying in a small hotel for the last few days, and cooking a lot of tasty food (So nice to have the freedom to pick your dinner). I’m leaving this afternoon for the north to start work tomorrow, so I’ll write again soon, hopefully.

Paz

So, we've be haning out in Las Avispas, which is north of San Jose De Ocoa, if you care too look on a map. Technical training consists of us repairing a exisiting gravity fed water and building a few latrines. Earlier in the week we built a new spring box for the community, I however had came down with a wickied case of ameobas and couldn't get out of bed (save to use the latrine). We are planing on building the community a ferro cement tank sometime in the comming weeks and prehaps re-construting one of their major river crossing.

I've been eating an unbelieveable amount of rice and beans. I repeat unbelievable. I've become quite accostomed to taking thoes bucket baths, and being eating alive by mosquitos. I know I have not writen much in the way of emails, but have not fear, I'll send out bigger ones at the end of trining, I'm really busy now. It's really very imposible to describe all the stuff that is here, so just plan on visiting, its great here...

Folks...

We (7 wat/san vol.) are headed up to the campo today for 5 weeks of community based training. We will be north of San Jose de Ocoa, in a tiny little campo of 7 houses. There is a river that supposedly runs through the town, and so we either have to build a bridge over it or raft every day. Yup. All is really well right now and I can't wait for whats comming next. I've meet a lot of cool people and great girl as well. My spanish is moving along fast and I'm conversing with ease. I'll post again soon.

Wow...

I know i´m not going to be able to sum up all the things I have been through and experienced in the last 2 weeks I´ve been in country. So, i´ll just ramble for a bit here and you all can get more details when you visit!!

Right now i´m living with a host family north of Santo Domingo, they are great. I´v been taking the carro publicos around the capital seeing the sights with my new friends. The training here is amazing, and must be one of the best run PC countrys. Last week I went up to visit some of the voulentters in country who have already finished their aquaduct systems, and the work looks to be really challanging and exciting. Lyle is doing well for thoes who know him. The DR is beautifull and i´ve been eating tons of tropical fruits and lots of plaintains and rice and beans. Next week the wat-san volluenteer-in-training (there are 7 of us) are heading up into the compo to start technical training. We will be reparing an aquaduct that another voulentter previously built, and maybe a suspension bridge while were at it. Our sites are mostly in the north of the country up in some tropical mountians. 3 folks have alreay ET´d. 1 guy alreay got Dengue. I´ve learned to dance a bit (merengue and batachata). There is one really basic PC rule that doesn´t apply here (Eat your heart out drew). I love avacados. I hate the guagua´s.

I hope all is well with everyone and I´ll send out more emails sometime. Well, I can´t think of what else to write, and I should get home for dinner. Paz...

Well

Its been an interesting two weeks at home in Philly. I've been watching a lot of TV and playing with our dog a lot as well. Last weekend I went on a canoe trip with Tim, Mike, Mikes girl, and myself down the upper deleware river. It was good to see the some of the ol CMU crowd. I'm going up to central PA today to visit with the abuelos, so that should fill the weekend. I leave for Miami on tuesday, then onto the DR. I can't wait!!!

My Address in Phillidelphia:

94 Park Ave

Coatesville PA 19320

(610) 466-9422

So, I've been up here about a year now, and I love this place. This small corner of America, which had never even crossed my mind, has left a deep impression on me and I will be sad to leave her.

Well this weekend past was quite the weekend:

-On Friday the crew headed out to Rabbit Bay for a typical night of fun. Pictures can be found here. Also joining us were Ashley Harwood and Joe something, friends of mine from CMU. who decided the UP would be a nice place to vacation (it is). On Saturday we woke up to another beautiful day on Lake Superior, so we got out the kayaks and a small sailing dingy that Jill's family owned. Luke and I took the dingy and everyone else was in kayaks. We started out from Rabbit Bay towards Traverse Island (about 3.5 miles off the coast) in a mild west wind. The flotilla got about half way there when we decided that it might not be a great idea to head that far from land in our small craft. So we swung north and headed for some Red Sandstone cliffs. Upon arrival at the cliffs we skipped stones on a beach and picked Raspberries (mummmm). On the way back to rabbit bay trouble set in when the rudder on the dingy broke. Not good!! Luckily we had a canoe paddle in the boat so I began using that as a makeshift rudder. Well in order to use the paddle as a rudder I had to shift all my weight to the extreme back of the boat, causing us to take on a LOT of water. So the dingy started sinking. Not good!!! Luke and I had to bail constantly to keep the stupid boat afloat. Then the wind died. So in the end we made it back to land, but it took us much longer then the rest of the folks, oh well another sailing adventure. The rest of Sunday was spent recovering and relaxing, and barbecuing of course.

-On Sunday, we had another race with Dark Star. This one was an offshore race across Keweenaw bay. We started off in very light winds and took the lead early, then the winds picked up and all the heavy boats with big water lines passed us (big water line = high speed in heavy winds). Oh well, what can you do. Anyway it was another beautiful day spent on the Lake with friends, can’t ask for much more.

-On Monday, I had to work (sort of). Perlingers workgroup took out the University boat, the R/V aggisz, and collected PCB air and water samples out on the lake. This was the culmination of many months work of preparation and was quite rewarding. We spent about 14hrs out on the lake, it was great. Pictures soon to come.

So, three straight days out on the big lake, one of which I got paid for, my life is great. I leave here on Sunday, so watch out DR.

- Yea, sailing is my new favorite sport -

Here is a brief summary of our race. The "2005 Lake Superior International" was great. There were five of us on the 28 foot “DarkStar” including me, Adam Durant, Bryan the school photographer, Eino the reliable old fin, and Deiter, the boat owner. We sailed out of the north entry to the portage canal to Isle Royal and camped there for two nights, and then we sailed on up to Thunder Bay Canada and hung out around there for a few days waiting for other boats to show up, and partying with other racers. Saturday at 11:00am we started the race and left Thunder Bay with around 20 other boats in a huge downpour. By the time we reached Isle Royal one boat had already broken its mast and the swells were around 5 feet. As we rounded the east end of Isle Royal (9:00pm) the swells picked up to around 6-7 feet and the bow was crashing into the surf. At this point when the boat was in a trough between waves, the next wave was higher then head height. Also, the Darkstar was the smallest and lightest boat in the race and we got pounded by the waves which had been building since the other side of the lake, this cost us a lot of time. It soon got dark and I got off watch so I tried to cook dinner and go to sleep below deck. Being below, with the alcohol stove on full blast and the waves bobing the boat, caused me to feel a really sea-sick. So I got back up on deck and tossed the preverbal cookies over the side, then went and slept soundly below deck. When I awoke for my next watch at 12:00am there were thunderstorms all around us in the middle of Lake Superior, and we were flying the spinnaker (hell yea!). Well soon after the wind died down, as if we were in the eye of a hurricane with thunderstorms all around, and the sails went slack. Adam and I held the watch until around daybreak, then were relieved and passed out. By the time we got to north entry only around 2:00pm on Sunday only one boat was in sight, so we threw up the chute but couldn’t catch them, thankfully there was one boat behind us so we didn’t come in last. Back in Houghton there was a big buffet and a few KBC kegs on tap for all the racers, ahh what a life.

There are some pictures from the race, though more are comming, on my picture page.