A quick update

I haven't spent much time blogging lately. This is mostly because I don't like blogging about work-type stuff and I have been doing a lot of work type stuff lately. Such is life.

I will tell you that I am working at an english immersion camp for the organization that solicited me. Because we didn't have enough American volunteers the first two weeks I had invited a few Peace Corps Volunteers to fill in and therefore have had plenty of time to bond with some PCV's while they stayed with me at my home. I have also had a great time getting to know the American Volunteers who are down here for differing lengths of time during the summer. I will let it be known that I have taught them all how to play spades so my evenings have been filled with some pretty intense bonding.

I set it up a last weekend to take the volunteers to Santiago. This was probably going to be their last chance to get out of Puerto Plata for a while, so we met up with Chris and went to the Centro Leon museum in the city. I'll have to find a link to the museum, because it really was worth the price.  I also bought the coolest book I have ever bought. It was written by children from across this country. USAID and some other organizations put it together. The illustrations were added and the text was typed up. It is really well done.

The rest of the week was camp.

The Fourth of July was a lot of fun as well. Most of the PCV's in this country were heading east for an event, but I stayed in site with Conner and the volunteers. I am trying to spend a lot of time in my site right now, really getting to know the gente here in Muñoz. That has really been working out. I like having the volunteers here, but I have wanted my neighbors to know I am not just here for the summer. Conner and some of the girls and I went dancing in Cabarete for the evening. It is super close to my site, but I hardly ever go.

All right. I shall add in some photos and you will see them and be happy. Unless you are reading this from the DR and have slow internet… I suggest killing the page, because the pics are already on the fabu! 

Centro Leon Peeps. The two girls on the ends helped at camp. 

My new room mates and the guy hitting on them. 

I was embracing big hair and Facebook blew up over it! 

Cutest book in the world. 

Yogen Fruz and packed carro publicos in Santiago. 

My shower wasn't draining so I had the landlord let me help work on things. He was shocked when I told him my mom and Uncle taught me about "house-stuff". He didn't let me help much, but it was cool to see how the DR handles plumbing y etc. 

Fourth of July in Cabarete. I love this girl. Also, I look tan. 

Not in America

"That would never happen in America!"

Today I was buying ice cream. When the cashier handed me my treat I took a bite. Then she tried to hand me another. 

The other cashier was waving her arms. "Wait! You have the other persons ice cream!" 

Sad face. I looked at the woman ashamed. "I'm sorry!" She took the ice cream. "But... I already tried some." She waved it off and we both paid for the correct ice cream. 

That would never happen in America. 

Visiting Santiago!

I have a friend in the education sector that lives in the second capitol, Santiago. 

His name is Christopher and he is happy. 

My experiences with Christopher tend to revolve around our curly hair. We are the "Curly Cousins" of our Peace Corps training group. We both experienced unwanted shortening of our curly locks just before coming to to serve. 

I also have a few things to say about visiting education volunteers. 

(Keep in mind, this is opinion based on my experiences and observations.)

1. Education Volunteers are happier than Business volunteers. 

2. Educations Volunteers Language Level increases much more rapidly than Business Volunteers Language Level. 

3. Education Volunteers work a lot and they work very hard. They are tired, but rarely bored. 

4. Education Volunteers are a lot less likely to be on informal ET watch. 

5. The life of an education volunteer might make you hate your life if you don't prepare yourself to realize their experience in the Peace Corps is very different from your own before hand. 

All of that aside, I loved the chance to see Santiago from a volunteer perspective. It was nice to see the school. It was interesting to realize we went into the city from the site 3 different times in one night without batting an eye. I appreciate the hospitality I was given with my friend. 

Thank you Chris for being able to understand and relate to my natural hair talk. 

Thank you for the tea. It was wonderful. Really, wonderful enough to mention. 

Thank you for just being you, and letting others be them. 

Three days

Hats how long it takes for me to read every new blog in my blog roll and feel done with wifi. Good thing we leave right now.

Maize

You know how sometimes you are leaving the grocery store and all you want is a hot corn on the cob? You are already in your car, but a guy standing on the corner with hot corn is just the ticket. Block the exit, roll down your window and ask for two hot cobs. One with salt and one without. Don't worry, he has handy plastic baggies to put the corn in... And off you go. Happier than you were two minutes ago and eating something you didn't realize you wanted when you weren't even hungry.