I´ve been away from this blog for a season, but I can tell you that I´m stil here in the Dominican Republic. I wil now begin my third full year in country, an extension that will tke me to December of 2010. I will now work as a Regional Peace Corps Volunteer Leader, supporting volunteers, and a youth volunteer, continuing projects withing my site. While I was away, my youth decided to make it official. As a surprise they painted my house, complete with the Peace Corps logo!

A New Year always points our attention to new priorities, opportunities, and perspectives. For our brothers and sisters across the border in Haiti, the new year has also begun with tragedy. As sad as it has been to see the images of destruction and grief in the aftermath of the earthquake, it has been heart-warming to see the international aid response. As the rescue effort pours in from all over the world and foremost from the Dominican Republic, it´s apparent that the most effective way to help will be to give to organizations that will aid in thes short and long-term development of the country. Sending a donation can really help. In my next entry, I hope to provide a short list of organizations who are supporting the recovery and reconstruction of Port-au-Prince and Haiti.

One cannot begin to talk about the hopes of renewal or restoration without realizing how Haiti is and has been throughout history. As so much international attention has been focused on Haiti and as efforts are being made worldwide to alleviate suffering, may this also be a time for awakening and renewal for us as well, to look more deeply into the systemic causes which replicated the impact of this catastrophic earthuake, to werstle with our hearts and stir up our minds and will and resources to make a change happen.

Here, in my site, our work in devleopment, to increase opportunities for youth and expand youth leadership, continues. Each month, I hope to tell you about two things that are happening in my community or with me. Some days, Imight wax philosophical. Other days, I may give you a funny or poignant story. I hope you like it. I´d love to hear and respond to your thoughts and questions. So, be sure to post some comments and questions, too!

To finish the library is first on the list for the new year. The library has been an ongoing project. Wé´ve received funds, donations, and support from about all of the national, community, and non-governmental organization sthat we can. We have promises of books even from the superintendent of schools and a local senator! Time energy and creative are also at the ready. As you can see, local youth have painted the ceiling in clouds! They hope to create murals on the inside and outside. They have an amazing idea to puta tree in the center beam of the library, full of animals and creatures!! We have been waiting for a while to buy and place bars on the windows, a necessary item to maintain the books and computers and ensure that they will be accesible t all. While trying to obtain the final items, we´ve almost approached the First Lady of the Dominican Republic! Now, I´m asking you to join in to make this an internationally supported library! Your support can help make this and other improvements possible.

With the kick-start of these funds, we hope to have the first library of its kind in the East, a public library within a school campus. In an area that has over 6,00 residents and only one internet cafe, where students never have an access to a book fro fun, this library could make a world of difference. Teachers are excited about incorporating more research into their lesson plans; community organization hope to create extracurricular reading clubs for young people and kids. And, of course my youth hope to become the the future librarians!!!

As we prepare for a home strech of construction, complete with an inauguration, I hope to enlist your support to make it possible. If you would like to contribute, check out this website: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=517-347

In addition to the library´s inauguration, where will you find "Luis" this year? Most likely, I will be all over the East of the country. But, I will start in the community where I have been all along, with the people and activities that I now call home. What has been one of them?

Volleyball. Yes, volleyball. No kneepads, thank God! But lots of bumps, sets, and spikes.

I never thought that I would say this, but I love volleyball. It´s the impact of the girls´volleyball team, which has taken off in our community. Last year, we were able to participate in Sirve Con Fuerza, a national tournament, now brokeninto regional exchanges. It offers girls the chance to meet other girls, learn about nutrition and reproductive health, and increase self-esteem as they take to the court. Of course, there´s lots of teamwork building. And, it doesn´t hurt if your team wins a trophy or two!!

At 5PM everyday, volleyball has now takes over our local court. From these experiences, I´m looking for more youth exchanges and towards the next Sirver ConFuerza. These tournaments, games and practices offer a unique experience. Girls get the change to play in a country that has does not see many girls playing or local gils teams. Playing is rewarding and also fun!

In the next few months, I hope to invite you in to see and experience more of our lives here in the Dominican Republic and activities like the ones above. I can guarantee that it willonly get better. As the renewal efforts in Haiti continue to remind us, w really are not that far apart. Todos somos humanos con el mismo sangre. We are all human with the same blood, I´ve heard many Dominicans say. Join with me and let´s share stories in this space. Hasta la proxima! Nos vemos!

To let you know, i've been fine throughout tropical depressions, Ike and Co. Here, in the DR, we're only mildly concerned about el temporada ciclonica, hurricane season. I have a number of things working for me- I live on a hill and my host brother says he's willing to drive me anywhere on his motor. Then, there's the Peace Corps alert system and Dominican COE, Center for Emergency Operations. Did I mention that a tropical depression is off the coast of Puerto Rico as I'm writing this? Eso no es na'

I'm sorry I haven't been in touch in so long with many of you. It's happened in the DR, too. I just saw my two host families here after a year!! My time has been just been spent up with my community. Like, what you see above. After refocusing at the beginning of the summer (June or so), we spent time with the youth group and went on trips to the river (above) to motivate and restart the group. The summer has been a time of trying to push the youth to be involved in a community house-building project, a boys and girls summer camp put on by my counterpart organization, and other workshops provided by different offices...We can say that there is not only a a new directiva or board of directors and a radio program, but a new spirit in the group...

Some things you gain and some things fall by the wayside. Everything is everything. Or, on another note, Lauryn Hill: You might win some, but you really lost one. Take basketball practice, for example. After a group of characters entered into the school bball court, it got cut by the school director. A new cancha opened, a youth took charge of coaching the kids in preparation for a tournamet and I wanted to help out, but then interest fell off (and, some kids think he ran off with the kids' money...Hmm.. ). But, by the same token, i feel i've gained in deciding where I need to spend time, re-establishing connections with my host family, and now feeling at home in the culture and language. How can I explain?

I found myself one day...

Doing shuttle democracy, discutiendo, holding an argument with one group about how they should not take jokingly down the volleyball posts and pleading with a coach to give volleyball practice to this group of "disorderly" girls.

I found myself one day...Walking around with a community leader, advising people about the coming hurricane. I'm not a saint: I can guarantee you it was her idea. I found myself one day...Floating a cooler up a river. It's a lot harder than it sounds. We ended up chasing bottles of soda back down with the current, lunging for packs of ice...I found myself one day... On the radio, talking about my youth group and praising them for doing what they do. Shoutouts to Chad and Wazir! lol.I found myself one day... Up in a tree, looking for limoncillos, throwing them down to my host-sister.

I found myself one day...

Showing off my two new puppies, Moises and Nana, to my neighbors like well, a proud dad...

We'll have to see how things go from here. We're hoping to move forward in the groups and plan to be sustainable. To get more done and get to know more people. To see friends and family. ..Erykah Badu: The world....keeps...on...moving....

Now, let me get out of the rain and go pottytrain my pups...

So, cuanto tiempo...such a long time...in which we haven´t chatted...

Here, time has been moving and, like anywhere else on the planet, one gets caught up in the demands of the moment. Probably because of this, those times of reflection, rest, and catching up with friends then become extra-special. I stop and think about all of the moments that have past. And, now get to share a few of them with you. I guess what I´m trying to say is that I´m glad you´re here! Much love...

You may ask: What´s been going on? The same with the diversity of every new day and moment. My daily schedule has revolved around basketball practices, youth group and community association meetings, English classes, and planning for two different conferences, one for the empowerment of young women, the other as a strengthening of a group of youth health promoters. But, also thrown in the time has been the recent elections in the country and Patronales, the week-long celebration of the patron saint of the city, complete with bullfights every afternoon. Some experiences are just too much to explain...Here´s a few for your imagination. (Pictures are on the way):

1. Imagine a crowd of like 35 grown men trying to wrestle, ride, pinch, smack, and generally aggravate a bull. I witnessed it during the bullfight...while standing on top of a dump truck.

2. Seeing any type of vehicle loaded down with people in the political party´s colors of purple and yellow after the re-election of the DR´s current president, Leonel Fernandez. It was a party!

3. Eating at the very least two mangoes every day. (I love everything about them...peeling them with my teeth and squeezing the juice out of the skin!) I plan to try all ten kinds!

The greater enjoyment of the past few weeks and months has come from the spiritual experiences. Although my examples may be specific, the themes are universal. Times of personal rest and reflection. Times when friends have said just the right words at the moments. Times of hugs, love, and laughter. What I´ve gained, not in any particular order of importance...

1. Rest is crucial. Like, just sitting back and doing things that I and only I enjoy. Seems obvious, but in this type of work, where everything is a joy, a beautiful struggle, rest becomes necessary. It not only helps recharge, etc. but it helps to just take it easy (cogerlo suave!) and...

2. Stay in and in-joy the moment. It´s difficult writing about this, because it´s something that you just do. (And, it goes against the agenda). Presence. Spirit. But, when you do or are in it, those amazing moments arrive more often, you jive with folks as well as with everything around in a cool energy. (Take a little of Him with you everywhere you go). My moments have involved star-filled nights and, you guessed it, mangoes. But, with a little less resistance to the flow of life, I know those moments will come more often. Which leads me to...

3. When you think of something that you need to do or should do, it´s probably cool to do it..a little analyzing. Regret is ugly and a nag. And, life in peace is like staring at a gem.

4. I love the folks who keep me afloat. You know who you are. I hope more time can be spent with you.

Case in point / Objective for the future: Who knew that my host brother, who has never attended my English class or even asked about it, is schooling his friends in words he´s learned from my random conversations?

Perhaps, more change will come from who I am than what I do. And it all evolves in the Now.

Interestingly enough, I’ve received this question from a bunch of different people. After almost 6 months in the country (I wasn’t just at the beach, thank you very much), I think I’ve finally arrived to answer it.

Arrived? Yup.

It’d be great to give you some slogan of some master plan that we’ve been trained to execute. For example, “Peace Corps DR: We change young minds. We develop greatness.” (If so, then you might wonder about how I do that, especially given the above picture). It’d also be cool to give you a one-word easy answer that explains it all. “I teach.” (I actually don’t teach, but I’ve always wondered how that answer explains all that is in teaching…) Since there’s no easy answer, you’ll have to bear with me for part of the history…

Arrived? Yup.

As you all know, it’s been a journey to the town where I live. But, it’s been an even greater trip to get to know people within the community and learn the issues. I’m still learning…My “job” is directly related to those strengths and those needs within the community. You can say that our vision is to work with youth to make better decisions and to work with community organizations to improve their work with youth. But, what does that mean?

Let’s call my community where I live and volunteer Nosotros. The strengths of Nosotros are amazing. In comparison to other communities, Nosotros has resources that come through the Office of the First Lady and a huge international non-governmental organization. Our community has also fought for all that it has received (I’m talking about even the house that they’ve built) as most people have moved from the country into this larger city. Nosotros has resources that are the process of helping develop the community: a community center (for informational talks, community meetings), a school, a basketball court (a work in progress), and a library (welcome, new volunteer!). Nosotros, however, exists in one of the poorest provinces, is most affected by HIV/AIDS, and is listed as one of the communities with the lowest literacy rates, among other social factors. Of course, youth are not only at the center of these factors, but also can, have, and will be the major factors for its change.

So, what do I do? Where do I fit in?

First, I work with an existing youth group to facilitate more activities in the community and, at the same time, develop their team building and leadership skills. Right now, we’re planning. But, in the future, it could be crazy. We’re thinking of sports teams, a dance group, community clean-ups, and campaigns to raise funds for the…library. The library project was started by a previous volunteer who literally got it off the ground. Now, we’re working to finish the outside and inside walls (with stucco like stuff called empañete), floor, shelves, computers, books, books, and books!! While I’ll be working with other organaizations to make this a reality, almost like a community connection / project manager, I’ll also be working with the students to make reading groups, etc. Last (at least for the main things), I’ll be working with a group of multipliers to retrain them and have them form other groups that will go out and talk about not only HIV/AIDS, but youth health in general…

So, I still haven´t told you what I do...every day? Wake up - plan the day - see who I need to visit to make one of the things above happen- try to visit some people - eat lunch (it`s so much that it literally takes an hour) - let my stomach recover from lunch - prepare for the next nightly meeting- meet - hang out with the fam until bedtime...

There´s of course other things, but you get the gist...as time goes on we´ll get more aquainted with the barrio of Nosotros!

Listo Para Viajar

So, the new year has come in with twists and turns in Quisqueya!! It's only fitting as I found myself ringing in the new year in front of a bonfire and an amazing azopao!

What are the Christmas and New Year's traditions here? Much is the same as in the States: big dinners with friends and family that arrive from parts of the country and even the world. Ok, really from the States. Although I wasn't travelling luxury style, in a nice Jeepeta, I was one of those who was travelling back to visit on my first host families. When I arrived, my host brothers were thrilled. First question: So, how are things in your community? Second question (esp. from the host moms and aunts): So, did you find a girlfriend over there?

Christmas was actually spent over games of basketball, sancocho, and a trip to the rio. Note to travellers to the DR: Never think a trip to a river is an easy thing. Here I am, in rubber foam sandals on all fours trying to scale rocks on the side of the river. Meanwhile, my host brothers are definitely imitating cliff divers- with no shoes.

New Year's was a little more chill- back at my site outside listening to bachata and merengue. My youth decided to amanecer- stay up till 7 in the morning. I couldn't hang; I went to bed. The coolest part: when the clock struck twelve, we went to all the families and gave hugs. More than just your spend-it-with-someone-special New Year's, everyone hugged and shouted out to everyone...In everything, you definitely feel a strong sense of family. I could feel it in the hugs of my family during Christmas and in the amount of phone calls to family (Mami en el campo!) afterwards... One tradition that doesn't exist in the States: Los Reyes Magos! January 6th is basically the day to give gifts to the kids. It's not combined like our Navidad...Kids receive cars, dolls, bikes, etc. But, the running joke seemed to be from the adults: Donde esta mis Reyes? OR Where's my gift? Some of Luis' classic responses: 1. I still have to get it. Wait 'till later on tonight. What would you like? Presidente, Bohemia?2. Reyes? Yo no se donde estan...3. Reyes? Hay un verdadero rey aqui.... You've probably been asking: when do you start working? After these vacations, things are almost up and running...

Una de mis familias...les llamo "abuelas" ahora...

El Juramento, Part I: Swearing In and Speaking

El Juramento, Part Deux: (Momma, I made it...)

Mis jovenes, Parte I

Mis jovenes, Parte II

Mi comunidad

For our juramento, one of the (now) former Peace Corps volunteers was asked to give advice for the new volunteers. His resonse: "Each day, take time out to look up at the stars and say to yourself: This is the Peace Corps; God, I love the Peace Corps."

Here are some of those moments for me during the past week:

1. Watching one of my jovenes practice pelota, or baseball, at sunset. Yup, he's definitely going to sign with one of the teams....

Honorable mention: Playing soccer at dusk in the commmunty. Watch out Brazil, the DR is coming...

2. Playing UNO with the family while enjoying a Friday afternoon breeze. When the family starts discutiendo over who says "uno" first or who "skipped" who, you know it's officially been adopted as a Dominican game and that they're addicted....

3. Tostones for breakfast. Enough said.

4. Hearing my little brother call my name every morning: "Lu-eee...Lu-eee....Lu-eee"

5. Waking up at 3AM to "amanecer" for el Dia Internacional Contra el SIDA, or International AIDS DAY. I didn't know exactly what we would be doing, but came to find out that it involved a bonfire, ginger juice (???), galletitas, and a prayer at 6AM.

6. Riding in the back of a pickup truck with 15 other jovenes to a town called Las Pajas. You might want to look up that name...

7. Giving my host mom and dad a "pela" as my host brother and I beat them in domino two games in a row....

Hasta el proximo, si Dios quiere...

In the time since I´ve last cherchar-ed with you, I´ve met a bunch of older volunteers, officially become a Peace Corps volunteer, and crossed the country (lugging EVERYTHING). Now, I am officially am where I will be, si Dios quiere, for the next two years y pico. Whepa!!

1. What was quite possibily the most joyous-weird day ever...

So, after much ado (I will save telling you of the days of training, etc.), we were officially sworn in to the United States Peace Corps. Note: that oath included a promised to "defend the Constitution of the United States" and a "so, help me God." We started the day by receiving warm hugs from everyone. A nice gesture, since it would be the last official training session. (And, of course, I would be the one to show up late.... ). Next, we took a trip to Carrefour. Carrefour? Think Walmart. We get there in a public guagua, squeezed next to a doña who was explaining how she received a wrong bill for thousands of pesos and it was sent to her address; we walk in to a store with every imaginable commericial item available. After two months in the country, let´s just say the experience was a little jarrring. I couldn´t even muster the power to buy anything. I just stood in the middle of an aisle, trying to calculate whether all the shirts were really a good deal in pesos....

Then, came the juramento. With the Consulate on hand, we had an opportunity to celebrate entering into this new stage and thank our Dominican host families as well. As an aguacero, a downpour, opened up arouund us and caused everyone to get a little closer, a couple people gave speeches (a certain someone was honored to be among them....don´t worry, the text is coming...). Then, we went and ate cake. As someone mentioned at the afterparty, finally, after more than a year of applications, training, etc, we are PCVs!!

2. Another town, another family...

Or at least, so it seemed, at first. After the juramento came the conference. For me, it was an amazing opportunity to meet other like-minded persons. Folks in my same area of the country. And, folks doing similar work. Like Charlene, I wanted to say: How cool!! What may be the best may not come through in this format: the drive, determination, openness, and general spirit of everyone. Time spent with them learning and festejando is only a foreshadowing of the future...

Now comes the real deal, in the site, with the family, learning with the youth group. But, como dicen aqui, a continuacion....Stay tuned!

Friends and family: ¡Que lo que! It´s been a while, but I´m so glad to get back into contact with you and hope all is well, Dios mediante. We´ve been training for the last five weeks and the tormenta hit....but all is safe and sound.

Ok, the highlight that you can only find in the DR...

1. It´s not Christmas, but Noel came anyway...

Rather unexpectadly, la tormenta showed up about two weeks ago. Gracias a Dios, we were rather high up and didn´t get hit too bad. But, we were holed up, incomunicados, for about three days. The highway had a couple of mudslides and the small, dirt bridge that enters to our neighborhood was washed way. Funnily, this was our entertainment. Each day, the rain would stop (probably, the different bands of the storm) and my familia would say: vamos al puente! With about 30 other people, we watched the bridge gradually disappear, saw random garbage float by, and watched as some locos of the community cut two really weak pines and crossed multiple times. It´s really more entertaining than you think, especially as people comment on every part of it. The rain would come again and we would be presos (or, prisoners) again. Which meant that we either slept or ate. As my doña says: la lluvia da mucha hambre....After a little while, things were gradually coming back into shape.

The rest of the country has been hit pretty bad, especially in the South. 4 Rivers make up a large part of the DR and they simply overflowed. Maybe you´ve seen the images; homes and families lost, bridges destroyed. And, the waters haven´t gone down. So, daily, you see people refuged in schools, etc. waiting for food and water from the government or some organization. Water is still inaccessible in a lot of the pais, including Santo Domingo.

In our community, the cause of stress was different and something you might not normally think of after a storm. As the region is a agricultural region, many of the crops were lost. And, as the people are day laborers, many went without food for almost a week. It was interesting to see the donations of food, how they get dispersed at the local level. And, it´s made me appreciate the donations that come from other countries. (Give! Being on the ground in this storm, I can tell you that it definitely makes a difference). My host dad, also president of a neighbor´s association organized and, at times, was in charge of handing out food and medicine to the community. You see people who have little giving to those who need it most. And, you also see or hear of people going without or being taken advantage of. Or, you see images of people fighting for food. Or standing in line, across a river to pass food to another person. I´ve seen and heard a little of it all...(maybe, I´ve been a part of it too much- a bunch of missionaries from the US came to give medicine and, while meeting me, were asking where my family was from cuz they thought I was Dominican!) What´s amazing is within all of the spirit of the people, still looking towards the future....alante! alante!

2. "Bet you haven´t...." or....La Misericordia con la Pastoral Juvenil.

So, training: Working with the youth sector means collaborating with community organizations, schools, and youth groups on different projects that will benefit the community. Service learning, life skills, education are some of the general themes. Over the course of a few weeks, as a group, we´ve helped to paint murals and community centers, organize trash clean ups, and create sports tournaments. What does that really mean? Well, one night I found myself on the back of a pickup truck, catching a bola, in the rain to one of the Catholic church´s youth groups. But, it also means hanging out with the youth here who have so much cool energy. The niños are amazingly cute. (I also worked with a homework help center- there´s nothing like playing dodgeball at recess with the kids yelling- Luis! En el medio!) And the jovenes, teenagers are too much...Everyone is so willing to compartir: merengue, bachata, jokes, cuentos, dominos. They are always talking! There´s an opinion on and for everything. I got to know the town pretty well and everyone´s invited me back to spend Christmas there...

3. The making of an americano tiguere...

A. Get sick the first weekend in another town...in front of the colmado with whole community watching. (yes, Dr. Jane: think E.V. in Kenya)B. Take a hike up a mountain then jump into an ice cold charco... (see above)C. Have your brothers (above) teach you tigueraje. And, the Sammy Sosa dap...Estoy pasao... D. Have a conversation with a family member who is trying to learn English. When he asks a question in English and you respond, he says "I don´t know" eight times in a row. E. Buy tighter jeans.F. Talk trash in dominos with a local doña....

G. Have your family jokingly re-name you after spending five weeks with them: No longer am I Derrick, I am now: Luis Jose Pichardo Ferrreira. More to come...si Dios quiere. Te prometo that it won´t be too long in between posts now...

Just wanted to let you know that all things worked well and that I´m here in the DR. Things have gone so well. A great group is with me and we´re all learning and integrating into the community. More will come soon when I have access. Until then, let me give you a few of my new favorite pasatiempos, all involved with what it means to "compartir:"

1. Sitting on the patio with the Don of my house listening to a thumping bachata from across the street.

2. Sitting outside a fiesta de cumpleanos, eating spaghetti.

3. Gathering around the telenovela and trying to catch Dominican slang.

Sound familiar...

1. From my ICP and CMEA family: No words, just refer to the above...2. Ms. B: "You'll be fine. They're going to recognize that you're a child of God"3. E.P: "So, how many stamps should I put on my cards to the DR?"4. B.D.: "Peace and prayers (and love and music)"5. (Referring to his belief that I will come back with a Domincan model)My cousin : "All I know is that she better speak English..."6. Ms. P: "Just keep God in front of you. Keep looking forward and don't look back."More to come...

"So are you excited?"

An excellent question, but hard for me to find an answer.

I'm content, I'm satisfied, I'm ready.

But, not necessarily excited.

Don't get me wrong. I can't wait. With all of the papers to sign, luggage to pack, last minute things to do, and trips to Wal-mart and CVS, there are also constant reminders of what I'm leaving and what I'm going towards. From mom's spaghetti to sancocho. From my hard-as-a-rock bed to, well, rock. From ICP, CMEA, to who knows?

It makes me laugh, sigh, dream, and shake my head at the same time. It makes me take time to savor each hug, good wish, each day.

I got an unexpected chance to sit down with the old folks on Saturday. They said that my life has been a blessing. I'll hope you'll ride along with me to see where it takes me...