Rain or Shine

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  Barahona, Dominican Republic
Thursday, May 28, 2009

EL VELORIO:  Last week a woman died in my site.  It was of natural causes, but I knew something happened when I woke up in the night to screams from a few houses down.  In the Dominican Republic, people do not hide their emotions when it comes to death.  They scream, cry, and wail until they feel it sufficed.  I didn't know the woman who died but the whole community came together for the days following her death.  Everyone in the community paid their respects, even the little niņos and niņas that didn't understand what had happened were in their best clothes for the funeral.  These moments are what I find so touching about this cultural - that an entire community can come together for another family.
 
NOCHE DE INGLES: Since my English class ended, I have been asked my multiple people in my community, adults and kids alike, to start another class.  Teaching English is not my favorite thing in the world, and even though there is a big demand for it in the community, I feel there are better ways to spend my days of service (and bigger needs).  This is when I thought to put on a 'Noche de Ingles,' (English Night) where people are not aloud to speak Spanish, only English.  I made guacamole, popcorn, cookies, and bought some soda.  It was a good turnout and they seemed to enjoy the night, where I had them introduce themselves in English and play charades with easy words.  Some highlights:
- one student said that if Jackie (another volunteer who came) and I kept speaking English as fast as we were, "I go." (he stayed)
- one student asked what cookies were called in English and after I told him, another student asked the same question and he said, "Cookie!," like the other student should have known.
 
RAIN RAIN, GO AWAY:  The rainy season has officially begun and boy did it begin.  I thought that my little palm board, zinc-roofed shack was going to blow away.  The wind was howling, the clouds were booming, and the lightening was striking with force.  The rains, of course, were nonstop for hours on end.  My bathroom eventually flooded because the little holes in the roof expanded when the hard rains came.  It was definitely a little scary but since then it has calmed down and things have been somewhat normal weather-wise.  We're fixing the holes in my roof very soon (I hope).  It is unfortunate though because everything just stops when it rains - my projects, work, transportation, and even school!  Apparently even though it is the rainy season, this is abnormal for this time of the year.  I hope that's the case because this Southern California Guy does not like this weather.
 
SURFING COMPETITION!: Randomly in my town, a quiet fishing village in the Southwestern region of the DR, arrived a weekend long surf competition.  It was cool to see stands set up with food and drinks, surfboards galore, and surfers speaking Spanish.  I guess being from southern California the style and culture wasn't new to me, but everyone in my town was
 
CELEBRANDO EL SUR: is a conference that I'm helping to put together for Dominican youth to learn about diversity within their country, the world, and themselves.  Celebrando el Sur (Celebrating the South) is for youth in the southern region of the Dominican Republic to value the differences in themselves and find out more about the world outside of the DR.  We are trying to raise money to support the costs of the camp, so if you could donate, we (volunteers and the youth) would really appreciate it!  Please donate at the following website: https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors.contribute.projDetail&projdesc=517-299
 
 

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