Hello there...

Its good to see your face again

Its been a while my friend.

Hello there...

Its been a while since Ive seen you last

so much time has gone by.

Hello there.

So much time has passed and I haven’t updated. I apologize. I guess Im just a bad blogger.

Mat comes today which I am SUPA excited for. I have a lot of great things planned for us to do. Hopefully everything works out. Si Dios Quiere. Haha

Ok… so …

Started taking my estatutos to different offices for registration. We have now hit a wall at the Corte de Apleacion, should take 3 more weeks to get what I need back.

Havent heard anything back from my latrine grant. Cross fingers.

Took 3 boys to Camp Superman.

It was AMAZING!!!!! It’s a camp made to show boys that it is super cool to stay in school, not get aids, and respect women! Haha

They got to hike, eat, play games, create masks, plaques, capes, and bathe in the river.

The boys I brought had a super time. One boy named Jason won superman of the day and another one of my boys Joselito won Superman of the whole camp. Needless to say I was a proud mama!!!

Had an art day with my girls where they created magical pieces of art.

My chicas brillantes group is going strong with 5 girls haha.

Started selling bolitas de coco to pay for the cost of paint for a mural.

Super excited about the mural, mats going to help me this Wednesday.

OOo did I tell you I started an exercise class with my women?

It’s the funniest class I have and probably the one I enjoy the most.

My women get to stretching and get to farting and then everyone starts laughing.

Its great!

Life has been getting easier over here. I guess the longer you’re here the better it gets.

I still have my days but Im calmer about it all.

Except when my host mom steals my water.

There is a water shortage in campo. Everyone is allotted a certain amount of time to fill up their tanks and gallons. Some people take more water than they should and there is not enough water pressure if these families leave there llaves open. The water won’t go down or in some cases up. So everyone is fighting and it’s terrible.

We had a water directive meeting yesterday and it was chaos.

Made me sad. I told them I just didn’t understand why a culture that is all about compartiring “sharing” would be so selfish about water. Its like this need to fill everything you have and its just not necessary. When it comes to water some change drastically and don’t want to share. Uggh idk what to do. They say this problem will be solved when the rain comes. But we shall see.

Pero ya tu sabes… Si Dios Quiere.

All my love!

Hello there…

I guess im a horrible blogger. So much time has passed and I haven’t written.

So much has gone on.

I apologize.

I guess I will have to summarize.

My tia came to visit!

It was awesome. Traveled to Samana and Cabrera (where my grandmother is from)

Both places are beautiful.

Ate the best cheese of my life and saved some people whose boat capsized.

Came to my site where my tia got to live it campo style!

She got used to it after a day or two.

It was nice being able to share my space with her.

But time flew and then she was gone.

I also went home in March.

My sister turned 7! She’s a young girl now and idk how I feel about it.

The trip was GREAT but went by too fast.

Finished writing my estatutos.

In the process now of going to different offices to approve all of our paperwork.

My deadline for Grupo de Mujeres Maria Auxiliadora to be legalized is June.

Good news!!

After over 5 years of not having water in our school ….

We finally installed the plumbing outside!!!

Now the kids have somewhere to wash their hands at.

Big moment for the community. Although im not sure anyone was as excited as me.

Other news-

Looks like well be getting more teachers in our school for the previous year.

Ill keep bugging educacion until im sure there not lying.

More news-

Applied for my latrine grant. Hopefully I hear back from them by May.

Also applied for a Fondo Quisqueya grant to put on a art/music summer camp.

The girls group and I have been making bracelets and coconut ball candy to raise money for a beach field trip on the last day of my camp.

I will get this money.

Both grants.

=) Keeping it positive.

Oooo….

Almost forgot to mention I now have a girls group called Chicas Brillantes.

The group enforces positive self esteem in growing teenage girls.

And I just started and engineers club for boys and girls.

Next week they are going to build bridges. Should be cool.

Oh last thing…

Got scuba certified for open water.

Little intimidated at first but I got through it.

Went 60 ft and saw a shipwreck filled with reef colors you could never imagine but I hope you all get to see one day.

I realized that everything comes back to nature.

Almost everything we create is inspired by our natural world whether we realize it or not.

She is our mother and we have to take care of her.

How am I doing?

Some days good.

Some da

ys ok.

Some days sad.

Right now just trying to keep busy to not think about it.

All I can say is Im sending much love towards home right now and I hope they can all feel it.

“Vera no te desanimes, si estás aquí es por alguna razón. Si puedes cambiar la vida de una persona, estás ayudando a la familia de esa persona y la comunidad en donde trabajas, lo que te quiero decir es que a veces hacemos poco, pero vale mucho si se hace con amor y deseos de ayudar a los demás. Tú harás un excelente trabajo, si te enfocas en eso.” –Irene Words from my first Spanish teacher in country. Just read her e-mail and its nice to hear that support. This job is hard guys. It’s the loneliness that gets to me the most. I have never been so alone. Some days are easier than others. Some days I spend out of my house all day and others I find it hard to get out. Idk if it’s that I get depressed or what. But sometimes the more im alone the more I want to be alone and then it’s hard for me to get out of my funk. But now that ive realized this im trying not to let myself get into that. I’m getting out daily. One day at a time… it’s just.. Living in another country completely alone is tough. And the days where the community doesn’t feel like working you wonder what the F am I doing here!@? At the same time I feel like ive made a life here. I don’t have a home but I have a house. And I have people who are looking to me to help them. My project partner and I went to IST and it seems that my community is one of the most neediest. Or at least the community that has had the least amount of outside help. You would be surprised at how much outside funding is in this country. How many euro’s and dollars are helping people build latrines, aqueducts, schools, and bringing in empresas to work in. Where is the government? Why aren’t they helping there people? Why aren’t they making sure there people have water, a road, a school (with teachers), jobs? I have no idea. From what ive seen the politicians work for show. Everything they do has a sign right next to it to let you know who it was that brought this to you! They promise during their elections- give out a whole bunch of stuff and then turn their faces one elected. Do you know that out of the 70 homes in my community 22 do not have latrines? There is a 63% unemployment rate. And 30% of the community has never gone to school. Only 25% have made it to about 6th grade- what can I say? They get tired of the walk and money talks a lot faster than education. Except when they leave school to find employment there is none. There is definitely a need. Not a fancy project like other volunteers may have but a real grassroots kind. The one which develops latrines. Tries to get teacher for the school. Legalizes the women’s group. Tries to bring in an income generation project. And maybe with God’s grace builds real bathrooms and installs running water in the school. Vamos a ver what I can do. Vamos a ver how long im here for. Today was a successful day. Actually a successful week. The water directive I started met Monday and has started collecting 25 pesos monthly from each house hold to have funds for if the bomba breaks again. Tuesday- Met with the directive from my womens group and began writing there estatutos. And… Made 52 gallons of Mistolin. This needs to sell quickly so we can sell again. Profits go to our legalization fund. Thursday- had a vision and mission charla. I feel like I really got through to the women. Got them thinking about why they are getting together and what they are trying to accomplish. This is the vision they came up with- Mujeres unidas trabajando para desarrollar nuestra independencia, logrando varios proyectos que ayudan nuestra asociación y comunidad. I think the goal we got today was to one day become a Mistolin empresa. I hope… I pray… that the women sell the remaining gallons by next week. That we get all the fiao money back in 2 weeks and that we sell another batch of Mistolin in March. Sounds easy? Ha - Legalization here we come! Hey after 32 years of luchando they deserve it. Tomorrow- going to start a chicas brillantes group. A group to help jovenes with their self esteem. So I know that this blog is everywhere. You may not understand and that’s okay. Half the time I don’t understand. But time is flying. And im hoping I can do real work out here. I hope I can find the strength I need. Some days im stronger than others. Today im feeling good. Tomorrow im feeling will be a good day. Its all an outlook right? Ha- Don’t lose sight of yourselves. All my love!

P.s... Got a street puppy. Hes cute. Named him Vito.

Other side of my room. Still havent bought a drawer so all my clothes are in suitcases.

My room. Mosquitera.

Other view. Excuse the mess i was working.

Main room/entrance

Work station/where i eat when i have light

Where I cook

Where I wash my dishes

Mi casa.

1/17/2011

Im sorry I couldn’t fill you guys in on everything before. Ill try and make up for it now.

In December I held a Christmas show. I started with about 30 kids and slowly the number dwindled and I ended up with 12 girls and one boy. Do I feel defeated? No. That night was amazing. Many times I have questioned what I am doing here and then there are moments of clarity. The jovenes show was one of those moments. We had been rehearsing for about a month and what began as once a week practice soon became an everyday thing. The jovenes that stayed with me wanted to reunite. It made them happy and it made me happy.

The jovenes sent out invitations to the campo. My mom sent me some Christmas bells and lights. (Thanks mommy dearest)

That night the whole town came out. The kids sang 8 songs and I was filled with joy. The community had never had a Christmas show before, never had a childrens show before.

The kids were filled with pride and it made my heart smile.

Not a big change. Maybe not even a small change.

A moment.

A moment that will live in my heart and in the hearts of those 13 children.

I had another moment of clarity today. You see my town has been without water for about a month.

La bomba broke. All the people in the town stayed with their arms crossed except this one luchadora named Gladys. God bless her.

She fought and got our bomba fixed for about 18,000 pesos. Got the sindico to pay for it.

Finally when the water was released people got greedy and the water didn’t reach many homes because some wanted to fill up every single tanke that they had.

One of the other women told Gladdys to go home that she didn’t have say over anything and this broke her heart and she swore to never help the community again.

You see she is the one that helped me solicit education to get the kids another professor. We were supposed to go again tomorrow.

In campo people talk- they talk a lot. They also chismed and said that the water didn’t go down because my project partner had hogged it all. This hurt her because her and her husband are the reason the town has any water at all.

How quickly people are able to tear down when they have gotten what they wanted.

So you see Dominga and Gladdys are the two essential women in my community. Without them no one moves. Its unfortunate but it’s the way it is for now.

The community takes them for granted and both of them want to give up.

Today I spoke to them both individually and then together.

I explained to them that what they do many do not have the courage to do. That they do things for the good of doing good. That if they give up they will not be happy because they are truly happy when they are helping. Its something that God has given them. And it is the spirit that pushes them. People will always talk but they cannot make them feel inferior without their consent.

We talked about many things until we came to an understanding.

When I left them and Dominga had decided to let her husband be in the water committee I was forming and Gladdys decided to go with me to solicit education again. I felt good.

I felt like I had accomplished something. A lot of times we look for big things and we over see that it’s in the small connections that we make a difference.

Without these two women I wouldn’t be here because they are the ones that fought to bring me here.

It is important that we stay strong and united.

Everywhere we go there are negatives trying to tear us down, keep us away from what we are supposed to be doing.

Remember that these deferments only have the power if we give it to them.

I hope and pray that my town can come together and get organized enough to start a water directive. One that will work.

I hope and pray that I will be able to bring this community a latrine project.

I hope and pray that we will get more professors for the kids.

I hope and pray that more men and women will stand up and luchar to better the community.

Somos mas fuerte unidos.

All my love!

Live True.

Hola mi gente

I know its been a while since Ive posted. Merry Christmas- Happy New Years!!!

I hope that you are well and happy and feeling blessed. I cant believe its 2011. I must say that i did not feel the change as much over here. Holidays are weird. Christmas didnt feel like christmas- it was just like any other day except we had way more food.

It was sad to be without my family. But im proud of myself i did not allow myself to wallow in tears. I know that i had it in me to ball but i only allowed myself a few tears. Me estoy madurando!!! Plus my mom got me a great christmas present... a flight home in March!!!!

Im coming home March 10th people get excited!!!! I know im excited =)

So... I moved out of my host family's house and moved into my own home!!!!

I am so happy to have my own space. Even though i can still hear my dona yelling at everyone from where i am its still great.

Ive only been on my own for a little over a weeek but i feel the change already.

The move took a week- my uncle changed a wooden wall to block and me and my dad painted a couple of rooms.

Paint makes everything better. haha

I have about 5 rooms. My room, family room, dining room, kitchen, and another room to wash the dishes. Hardly any furniture to fill it but its great. Here we sit on plastic chairs until i can save up for a mesedora =)

My project partner took me shopping for my furniture which was really nice of her and her husband. They are really great with me. My project partner is my best friend in my site.

I have a fridge with a freezer! A bed. And a 4 burner stove and tank.

Went shopping for food this weekend and spent all of my money. Now i have 300 pesos left to last me until the end of the month. Hmm... may be a problem seeing as i have to pay for me and my project partner to get to IST at the end of the month.

May have to pull from my US account. =/

Dont worry floks ill be alright.

Anyways i have to run but i will try and write soon. There is still a lot left to tell. Will write soon.

Until then... enjoy the photos!

There are pictures from the christmas show i put on with my jovenes.

Picture of my family. Me riding a burro. And me with two of my good friends out here Estacy and Robin.

Love u!!!! Take care of yourselves!

Hola!!! 12/12/10

I hope that you are all doing well.

Things have been up and down for me. This month has been hard. One positive is that I went and visited some other PCV’s in the south. I got to spend 3 days on the beach. Its crazy that some volunteers get a beach site. Talk about being blessed and living the life!!! I saw Barahucco, Los Platos, and San Rafael. My favorite was San Rafy’s . The river water literally flows into the ocean. Beautiful beautiful. If your ever here skip the all inclusive and go to the south, there lay some of the last untouched beaches in the country.

During my trip I met an American couple who had built a house on top of a mountain in San Rafael. Took the guy 13 years but he has a great lay out. Trying to start an eco-tourism project and swims/surfs every day. This is a couple that’s doing it. Living outside the mold and couldn’t be happier.

Living here makes me question a lot. I wonder if I will ever be able to live in the US again. Not that I don’t love where I come from but Miami is super expensive to live in.

What I pay in rent is what you pay for your electric or water bill.

Whats wrong here?

Im just going to say it. Americans have way too much and still want more. What happened to simple living? Were we all convinced by what the media told us we should want and have? Do you know that I barely use a whole bucket of water to shower every day? Think about how much water you use. Is there ever a time where you could turn some water off soap up and then turn the water back on to wash off?

Here I don’t have internet and I have to go to a certain spot to get reception to use my phone. When I think of how much time some people my age spend on changing their FB status or texting or watching television it makes me sad. It’s like an itch that we need to scratch. Have to get that new I-phone because it will make us happy… until the new one comes out and then were not satisfied with the one we have. All these things that supposedly make us happy but they are just things! Things don’t make anyone happy.

All that time that people waste on their phones when they are actually hanging out with their friends or family. And for what?

What is it that we have to prove?

When did we get like this?

When did we grow so disconnected from each other?

Im not judging anyone im just stating some things I have seen along the way that I do not understand from my generation.

I love to see spending real time. I love to see people sharing and going out of their way to help someone else. I love to see people say hi to one another. That is what I see here in the DR.

It is in the US too. You just have to look a bit harder. I believe there is a silent revolution going on. One where more people my age are becoming aware of the truth. And there getting mad and there talking to their friends about it. But unlike the 60’s were not making noise like we should.

I’m rambling. I am aware. I just think that some of these things should be said.

During this Christmas season and throughout the whole year, your whole LIFE… spend time with the people you love.

Tell them you love them. We do not have all the time we think we have.

Ill tell you one thing I don’t think I can truly be happy without my family. Im happy but its not the same. I miss my sister’s laugh and words of wisdom that make me question if age means anything at all. I miss my mom so much, just sitting down and talking to her. Miss watching football with my step dad and dancing with my brother.

I miss my friends. I miss so much. This Christmas will be the hardest one of my life. But I pray that the Lord will give me the strength I need.

I’m here for a reason. And for however long I am supposed to be here I will be here.

So send your love and strength my way because Im going to need it. Until next time… I will leave you with a Whitman quote from 1855-

This is what you shall do.

Love the earth and the sun and the animals.

Despise riches.

Give alms to everyone that asks.

Stand up for the stupid and crazy.

Devote your income and labor to others,

Hate tyrants, have patience towards the people,

Take off your hate to nothing known or unknown,

Or to any man or any number of men.

Go freely with powerful uneducated persons

And the young and with the mothers of families…

Re-examine all you have been told at school

or church or in any book and

Dismiss whatever insults your own soul.

Sending you all my love,

Vera =)

So thats what my site looks like!!!

Beautiful mountain terrain. In La Loma.

Those are the kiddies i live with. They are beautiful and very loving. Happy to be able to unleash my affection on them.

So Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

Much to be thankful for...

Gods grace, beauty, and love.

Family love and support. They are they driving force in my life.

Friends support and love.

My campo.

My project partner who is a blessing.

Food.

Mosquitero!!!

What Ive been up to...

-Well counted that 58 kids were commuting to the middle school thats 1 1/2 away. Went with two other ladies from my community to solicit Education in Bani to see if we can expand the school in Los Jobitos to 8th grade. There is room and definitely enough kids. Just no teachers or supplies. The director said we have a chance of getting some teachers in February. Pray for us guys because this is a change my campo really needs. Until then ill keep bugging education so they dont forget our campo.

- Started a jovenes group. Turn out was astounding. We will be working on a Christmas show, filled with songs and quizas acting =)

-Working on a recycled paper project. Working on perfecting the consistency of the paper and cards. Its coming along. Im excited about it.

-Helped the women make and sell mistolin which is like Fabuloso. Very unorganized but cool. Right now were looking at raising funds to get them legalized.

-Came to the capital for Thanksgiving. Was in a swimming relay and in a talent show.

Another PCV sang a rap and i sang the hook and the chorus. It was awesome! We sang about the change that we have forgotten that we have the power to actualize.

Miss my family though. Its hard being away from them but im becoming madura. I dont cry anymore because i dont have the privacy to and in this country people dont cry.

So i dont know how i feel about that but Im fine.

One day at a time. Sometimes it hits me, Oh im living here for two years...

This is my life. Its a weird feeling. But im happy.

So im thankful for you. And all the change that we can bring about if we come together. Im thankful for this opportunity.

I hope you are great and happy!!!

All my love!!!!

http://www.rogerdp.com/music/projects/105/april%20jams%2001.mp3

http://www.rogerdp.com/music/projects/105/april%20jams%2002.mp3

Check out these jams I did a while ago.

All improv so dont judge. Laugh if youd like hahaha

Enjoy. =)

Breathe In- Breathe Out

Meditation

"El Play"

One of my favorite little Boys!!! =/ CBT

So much has happened and i will try and do my best to explain it all.

Lets see...

Went to Los Jobitos. Very green. Im in the middle of a Loma. 259 inhabitants. Go to the bathroom outside. Shower outside. hahaha but hey its not bad. Just boil your water and its almost like taking a hot shower with no water pressure hahaha

My family is very nice. I live with abotu 8 people. All who look to the Don and Dona for guidance even as adults. No one can make deicsions alone in this household.

But there are three beautiful kids in the house and 11 month old and two 3 year olds. Tehy bring joy to the house and im happy they are there.

Im not going to lie. When i got there it was overwhelming. Its this wave that hits, how am i going to do this? What am i going to do for 2 years?!

But everyday was better than the last.

I am super upset abotu the school system there.

Note: DR education SUCKS! children go to school supposedly for 4 hours a day, 3 hours of which they are learning if the teacher shows up.

In my campo there is a school that goes up to only 4th grade. The 5-8th graders have to walk an hour everyday to a school in the next campo.

I made the walk folks and it is not fun.

So an hour walk in the hot sun. Sometimes they get home in the afternoon around 2 p.m. Where is the public transport? Idk but im going to work on something.

To add... if the drop out rates werent high enough. The children from my campo have to take a 30 minute moto concho ride to the pueblo to go to escuela secundario.

If your family doesnt have a moto or money then your stuck.

Super frustrating!!! Unfortunately education is not valued here.

Going to try and start a jovenes/tutoring program.

Vamos a ver lo que Dios quiere.

The womens group seems nice but needs a new vision and focus.

Campo life is flojo. Need to get used to it. Also need to start my interviews (diagnostic when i get back)

Mucha que hacer. Dios ayudame.

Ok... so the story continues.

Got back to SD for the week of swear in on Sunday. A group of us went to the Rinconsito to see some live Salsa music. It was beautiful!!!

On tuesday PC finally gave me a phone.

That night i was talking to my best friend Cami for about an hour. We were talking about how short life is and how we all think were invincible but none of us are. How we have to truly live life because we never know when our time will be.

I was talking to her on the sidewalk right next to my house. I turned around and i saw a man walking towards me. I immediatley knew.

Next thing i knew he pulled out his gun from his pants. I screamed. He told me not to scream and to give him my phone. I could not believe this was actually happening.

In that moment i had full clarity. I now realize that it was God acting for me and not myself.

I tossed him the phone and ran. I had thought about not running but i knew there was a possibility he would shoot me if i stayed and shoot me if i ran. I chose life.

As i was running i heard him fire a shot and when i realized i wasnt hit i thought why did he fire?

I ran into my house hyper ventilating. Next thing i know chaos breaks out. My host brother had been shot. Supposedly he had come out with a bat becasue his cousin had called to warn him that someone was coming to attack his girl cousin.

The man shot my brother and the bullet went in his chest-out-in his arm- and out again.

All for a phone. A phone that probably cost 30 US dollars.

Thank God im okay and so is my brother.

All the glory and honor goes to God. Who was definetly with me and protecting me.

So i was shooken up and didnt know what it all meant. Why this had happend a day before swear in.

Dan who lives in the same round about with me called PC and took care of everything. he has been amazing through this all.

I ended up staying in a hostel for the next couple of days. The day after the incident i was okay. I had prayed a lot. Talked to my mom about it. Had decided to swear in.

But when i got to Entrena and saw all my friends it was too much for me. I ran into the bathroom and started balling.

I just couldnt. Couldnt face all of my peers. They were so happy. And why wouldnt they be? They had worked so hard to get to this moment and so had i but for me it had changed.

PC became real. Its not just a fun long trip. Its a serious commitment, one where everyday your putting your life at risk.

But i rather go down as a freedom fighter.

I finally found the courage to make my way to the tent. And there was my name front row and center waiting for me.

When i sat down i took about 5 deep breathes and prayed. 5 seconds later we all swore in. I cant believe i almost didnt make it. But i did. And i graduated.

Im an official PCV!!!!

That night a couple of my friends came to be with me in the hotel. They decided not go and celebrate with the rest but be with me during this time.

These people, my family are amazing!

They pulled through and were there for me when i needed them most. I appreciate you and love you. You all know who you are.

My family was also incredible. I cant even imagine what my mother was going through. I could here the desperation in her voice, how she felt powerless because i was so far. But i felt her strength and her love. Its what got me through.

I thank you.

I thank you all. For your prayers, thoughts, love, and support. I feel it all. I appreciate it all.

But most of all I thank God. Who has a plan for me. One which i will accomplish.

And now...

Im feeling better.

Im trying to look at this in a positive light. Ok something bad happend. Could have happend anywhere. Happend to me. Now i will move forward and have a great 2 year service.

I will not be afraid. I will be cautious. I will be alert. Most of all, I will put my faith in God and he will protect me.

Had this come at another time i know i would have been a mess. But my conviction is strong and the Lord has filled me with peace and love. For that i am grateful. I am grateful for many things.

So my friends.

Live truly.

Do good.

Be good.

Give thanks every day.

-Vera

Hello People. Hope you are doing well.

CBT is coming to an end and I have no idea where the time went. It flew by. Training is almost entirely over. Im about to go on my site visit. But I must say that I have learned a lot. Its been going good for me.

2 weeks ago we went to a youths business competition. There were 30 participants all competing to win to start there own negocios. It was very nice to see all these youth so focused on what they wanted. They all spoke very well and were very motivated. I know that I want to be a part of this next year. Hopefully I can get youth from my community into the competition.

During the conference I started a chant for the kids to get them Pumped!!!

It was a SUCCESS!!!

The chant was sung the whole weekend. It was a nice pat on my back =) haha

And guess what more…

We found out our sites that same weekend.

I am going…

30 minutes outside of BANI!!!!! Don’t know what it all means or how it will be but I/we will soon find out.

I will get more details on my project this Monday but as far as I know I will be in a long campo working with a grupo de mujeres on an income generation project.

Anyone know how to make hand fans? Because I think that’s what im going to push for. Thoughts???

Other news.

This past week we went to visit 27 charcos. AMAZING!!!!!!

If you visit the DR you have to do it. Its cheap and beautiful.

You hike and then jump off 27 falls all the while your swimming in breathe taking views.

Yesterday- Alanna, Gabby, and I gave our very first Spanish charla in our community.

35 people showed up. Fue un Gran Exito!

I felt great. We did a great job. The charla was on how to ahorrar dinero. The people participated and everything flowed very well.

Im on way folks.

Today we took the kids in our community to la loma and I led a meditation session with them. It was great. They were very receptive. Told me they could feel love in their hearts and hear the wind blowing in the trees.

Makes my heart =).

Well..

My life is about to change again. Ill be in my new home soon.

And on October 27th I will be an official PCV!!!

I hope you are all happy and perusing what you want. Remember that nothing is outside of your reach.

Live Love. Live True. Live Free.

Hello world… theres a song ive been singing… Come on get HAPPY!

Im in Fundacion in Altamira and I love it. This campo is more like a pueblo and I really lucked out with my family. They are awesome and my dona is always hanging out. The town comparten mucho con todo. This weekend we all rode in a guagua to Mao to watch our towns softball team play. As soon as we left the car shut down because there was no gas. Can we say adventure?!@ hahaha

The experience was cool. We passed a point where the roads were only filled with dirt and dust was flying everywhere and before I knew it all the Dominican women had shower caps on. All the men and women in the truck were screaming at us Americans, “tu pelo, tu pelo” hahaha I couldn’t help but laugh.

Having good hair here is importante!! Didn’t you know?

After the game we all went out and compartimos unos cervezas con el otro equipo de softball. The domincans don’t say were going to grab a beer before we go home they say, “vamos a compartir antes de regresar” Awesome way of putting it.

This weekend was awesome because my family also took me to the beach in Isabella close to Puerto Plata. Its literally a beach in the mountains. Gorgeous!!! Everyone needs to come visit la R.D. The water felt amazing and we feasted on fish and lobster. I just kept thinking I love my life, I love my life, and thanking God all the while.

Im learning a lot during my Community Based Training. Here is where I learn the bulk of what I will be doing for the next 2 years. I feel like my program is very diverse in the areas I can work in. I can work in anywhere from health to NGO’s. We shall see where I end up.

I have been praying a lot about it. Ill let you know as soon as I know.

Well the days are long here but they go by fast. I have been spending my days in class, working, playing dominos, talking with some of the families in the community, watching novellas with my family, compartiendo, eating, drinking juice, going to Agua Verde (a nice river where were at), oh and DANCING!!! Hahaha

I keep craving pizza and tea tree oil which I know sounds super weird. Haha

Oh but good news im eating salad in Campo and I couldn’t be happier.

Today im going to go by the market to get garbanzo beans so I can make hummus. I miss my mommas cooking! But im happy with the food most of the time. Getting used to it. Eating tons of garlic to keep the blood suckers away haha. I eat garlic here like its my job! Hahaha

Well I hope that this message finds you all in good spirits and that your all …

Living Love…

Living True… and

Living Free.

Keep your eyes open for the truth and you shall see!

Love you all

Talk to you pronto =)

Someone send me BUBBLES!!!!

Hola!!!!

Espero que estas bien!!!

So i got out of the capital to visit another another PCV who lives in Los Bueyes and it was beautiful!!!

Super hard to get there your literally in a camion for 3 hours, when it should only be and hour trip. I was stuck in the back with three adults who all had bags. But hey im not complaining it was raining and i didnt get stuck in the bed of the truck.

Her house is this cute little quaint house on top af a gorgeous view! Vegetation everywhere an enjoyable breeze =)

I sat out under a tree and for the first time had my BIJA tea that i love so much and just looked out in wonder. Thanking God for these moments and opporunities I have been given.

I feel God everywhere out here. I feel his love in abundance and I am grateful for it.

On Saturday we walked 3 miles down hill to a water fall. Holly molly... everyone once in there life should make this trip.

Took my breath away. Beautiful beautiful. There was a guy working there and he helped guide me to climb it. I was doing good, got pretty far. You would have been proud and scared at the same time. But at one point I lost my grip, found it again, then psyched myself out and threw myself back in the water. Back first. Don’t worry im okay nothing happened.

If at first you dont succeed... dust yourself off and try again!

I tried this time from the top going down. I was very scared but the guy working the waterfall helped me a lot.He kept saying CONFIA EN MI! CONFIA EN MI! But its scary when you cant see where your putting your feet bc the water is falling so hard and trusting that something will be there.

But I made it and JUMPED OFF!!! We only get one chance one life to live. I choose to live it to the max!!!! Live True. Live Free. Live Love.

P.S ill post pics when i can, its super hard out here!!

Hola amigos y familia!!!!

Hoy llegue a Moca para visitar otro voluntatria.

Manana vamos a ir a Los Bueyes, un campo muy pequeno pero lleno de beyeza.

It is supposed to have one of the nicest waterfalls in the DR. Very excited!!!!

My experience so far in the Dr have been great.

Went dancing at our local ¨car wash¨this past weekend. hahaha

and visited the local beach.

Very crowded and full of noise. But all of la buya goes away when you begin to float.

Everything goes away and you-i forget where I am.

But oh was i happy to swim!!! To be in the water again.

My family is awesome. I feel at home with them but soon, thursday i will be leaving for 5 weeks to Altamira for CBT. Community Base Training where i will learn more about my program.

Time is going by fast and yet slow at the same time.

Everyday is an adventure, everyday brings something new.

Oh.... some chisme for you.

The other day I was coming back from the Colonial Zone with one of my pc friends and a fight broke out in the guaga. Guagas are always full to extra capacity so it was crazy!!!!

Were talking about 35 people in a 15 person bus!

This lady was upset and did not want to pay the fair so she started yelling at the cobrador and the driver.

The chouffer stops the car and starts yelling back and she yells,

que vas hacer, tu no vas hacer nada!!!

he comes at her by the throat!!!

evryone scrambling to pull them apart.

you can tell she is embarrased and in this country no one likes to loose face so...

she starts punching him.

Note... these are two adults, man and woman in ther 60s.

He gets embarassed and pushes her again as his pants are falling down

This time she takes off her shoe and starts beating him with it!!!!

CRAZY!!!!!!!

Everyone is yelling and the fighting stops and the bus continues.

Do you think she gets off the bus...

Nope she just starts again with the cobrador. hahaha you gotta love it.

Well ill fill you in more later, voy a ir pasiando con la otra americana.

Besos muy grande te mando !!!!!

Hello friends and family I have arrived safe to the Dominican Republic.

Woohoo!!!

To get here was no easy feet. I will tell you the story...

Left to DC on the 18th, was awake by 5 a.m. Spent all day at a training!!! Everyone was falling asleep but all the volunteers were-are super nice. Its not like FIU where no one wants to talk or know your name. We are all here for mainly the same reasons and everyone is very open to converse with eachother.

After training i went with a group to have some Etheopian food.

AMAZING!!!!! What better way to get to know a person than to eat with your hands with them.

Hands in ladies and gentelman, if you havent tried it then start now. B´c you are in the U.S and you can do it!

Well i took a slight nap, i say this b´c i had to wake up in 3 hours. We all woke up at 130 a.m to take a 7 am flight! Brutal. Flew back to miami where i had a 2 hour lay over and then flew into DR.

Finally we all arrived, we wizzed by immagration.

What a relief bc i vacumn sealed my pillow and if they would have checked my bags then it would have been over. I was carrying a lot of weight folks.

They then proceded to blind fold all of us and take us to our retreat center. hahaha just kidding!!! They took us to some catholic church that had many rooms where we had more orientations. Remember we have been up since 130 am!!!

We got more information, mosquito nets, malaria pills, and the rabbies vaccine. Awesome!!! haha

I tried going to sleep at 9 pm, you heard it right. I spent 3 hours tossing and turning bc of the heat. I should be used to this having lived in miami all my life. But we must remember that Miami has AC!!!! hahaha

The next morning we went to ENTRENA for another 8 hours of schooling. But i will say this, our training center is very beautiful and i consider myself very lucky.

Around 5 pm all of the DoÑas came to pick up their new children. What craziness. My DoÑa has been doing this for years. She has 9 kids...whose kids have kids... whose kids have kids.

They all live together on a dead end street. And if they dont live on the block they are always there. Its cool because one is never alone.

Reality set in that i was in country when i rode to my house in a small car stuffed with 7 people. hahaha Wake up Christine were not in Kansas anymore.

My house is nice. Its just very hot and hs lots of mosquitos everywhere. My DoÑa is very loving and treats me well. I cant complain.

All that i feel... loneliness, uncertainty, eagerness, awkardness is part of the process.

I find myself spending lots of time rocking on the rocking chair.

This is how we pass our time.

I need to buy some dominoes or jacks or something for entertainment.

But... I do have a mosquito net and my own fan and I have taken a bucket bath!!!

I miss my family and friends like crazy. I have not allowed myself to break down and become emotional. I am too scared i wont be able to stop. Those of you that know me know how emotional i can be. So this is a triumph for me. But i do shed tears here and there. But i hope to madurarme. This journey will be hard but it will have lots of rewards.

I ask God for strength everyday and I feel my friends and families love all the time.

Thank you for all your love and support. It is much needed.

Know that I am well and as happy as i can be.

Im taking this journey one day at a time.

Waited 6 months to see this image....

Took a deep breathe, flipped it open and saw...

I just laughed!!!

I imagined myself opening up this package

several times but I never could see where I

was going or how I would feel.

I thought maybe I would feel a bit disappointed

with my country, but I was thrilled.

I am so happy to be assigned to DR,

my mother land!!!

You see... I am a third Dominican.

How great it will be to be able to serve in my

grandmothers country and learn more about where

I come from.

She sacrificed so much to give me the

opportunities I have today and I feel blessed in having

the opportunity to give back to her country.

So... I say yes to this invitation!

What awaits me?!!?

Everything.

I embark August 18, 2010.