a whole new world

The sharp, bipolar worlds of the Dominican Republic would shock anyone who experiences or lives it. Julie and I had a chance to spend a short time in Bavaro, a resort area next to Punta Cana. My friend Jonathan, who works at one of the all-inclusive resorts, gave us a great deal that we couldn´t pass up. We left our small town, rural Dominican livestyles for 28 hours and stepped into a world of private beaches, fine dining, airconditioning, running water, unlimited food and drinks, Americans and Europeans, and simply put...luxury. It was a nice hiatus from reality I must admit; however, it was culture shock all over again. Going from one extreme to the other accentuated the lavishness and exorbitance that we North Americans and Europeans have come to depend on (myself included). It makes me wonder what the Dominican resort staff think of it all.

After living here for over two months, it was weird and oddly uncomfortable to be treated like a tourist. Many of the staff with which we conversed were often astounded when we told them we were only there one night because we had to return to work in Hato Mayor and El Seibo. I´m not sure what shocked them more, our Spanish speaking abilities or the fact that we actually knew of these two rural communities (not to mention live in them). I met a lot of staff that are from Hato Mayor but travel to the coast to work. Good, stable jobs are hard to come by here, so many work 12 days straight at the resorts and then return to their families for 3-day breaks. Despite my mixed feelings of the extravagant, foreign-owned resorts that line the coasts of this impoverished country, the economist in me can´t help but see it as a positive impact in the sense that it is creating jobs. Traveling through a community mid morning in the middle of the week often looks like people are enjoying a relaxing Sunday afternoon--men sitting in the shade playing a friendly game of dominos while sipping on an ice cold Presidente. At first I mistakenly dismissed it as laziness, but I was reminded that unemployment and underemployment are significant problems.

I had an amazing time at the Caribbean Club Princess, but 28 hours away from reality was sufficient for me. In my opinion, the best part of it all was being able to talk to the staff about their culture and relate to them in a way that most tourists cannot. The luxurious world was fun and rewarding because of my connection to the reality of local life.

happy birthday to me

It has been quite a while since I wrote...not sure if it´s because I´ve gotten busier, I´m into a routine, I no longer have internet at my house, or maybe a combination of all three. Despite my busy routine, I continue learning and trying to understand this foreign culture. The following are just some interesting observations and perhaps satirical comments on the Dominican culture:

1. I have a `niece´, Massiel, who is 7 years old and living with us during her vacaciones. That is what my family told me originally. I thought, oh vacation, that´ll be fun having her live at the house for the week or so. Well once 3 weeks passed, I asked again and realized that vacaciones really meant her entire summer vacation. Apparently the grandparents take on the role of the parents for a couple months, which isn´t uncommon here. The house dynamics have changed slightly with her around as there are always little neighbors running in an out of the house. They wait for me to come home from work and start cheering `Lindsey, Lindsey, Lindsey´ as soon as they see Beirut and me turn the corner onto our street. The other night they threw me a surprise birthday party despite the fact that none of them actually know when my birthday really is. Pretty smart idea actually because then I had to play with them. I mean, what kind of person would I be if I didn´t show up to my own birthday party?

2. The mosquitos continue to be a nuisance, but I have figured out a way to sleep without having to put up my mosquito net...turn the ceiling fan on high of course. This works most of the time except for when the electricity decides to shut off in the middle of the night. I have to frantically rush to put up the net in darkness before the mosquitos catch word of the fresh meat.

3. There is a joke here that says the Dominican Republic has two seasons...summer and hell. Well you would think that because it is hot here all the time (just different degrees of hot), the locals would be accustomed to it; however, every day I hear complaints like `ah que calor´ or `que fuerte el sol´. I just have to giggle every time. I don´t know if I should break the news to them, but I feel like telling them that they live on an island in the middle of the Caribbean and that the weather will probably be like this for the rest of their lives. Instead, I just smile and agree :)

4. I am finally feeling like I am making some friends, learning how to interact with my family, and feeling more independent. Of course now its almost time to leave. But I have met this amazing lady, Sofia, who, every time I visit her, makes me feel so welcome. I can never just stop by. The visits are always at least 2 hours long, filled with long conversation and good food. She has started her own school in an impoverished community in Hato Mayor and is always hosting large American groups for service projects in the area. It is through her that I have met other friends as well, Dominican and American.

PUERTO PLATA!

A week and a half ago (I know, long overdue) I had the privilege to travel up to Puerta Plata for 5 days and visit my friend and fellow intern, Travis. It was a great time to see where he is working and the programs that consume his time. The main event of the week was to see the conclusion of the program `40 Días de Propósito´ or `40 Days of Purpose´, based on the book by Rick Warren. The program was initiated by an intern who preceeded Travis, which then was his responsibility when she left. About 15 Haitian women were asked to participate in this program, all of whom work/worked in prostitution. Out of these 15 women, about half of them have HIV/AIDS. The group gathered every weekday for 40 days to hear a devotional from the book, presented by a local volunteer or pastor, as well as little health presentations. It was so encouraging to hear the women in deep discussion about the topic of the day despite the fact that I knew not one word of Criole. I just sat and watched intently, wondering what their lives were like outside of the little church sanctuary. Travis leaned over and told me that the one girl to my left, the one holding the baby, was 18. She had a 4-year-old son running around the church wreaking havoc and the 8-month-old baby boy that looked about 3 months old (pictured above, front center). He was so malnourished because she could rarely afford to feed it milk. Instead she often arrived to meetings feeding it juice or sugar water.

Friday afternoon into the evening we all celebrated-the women, their families, the volunteers, and the Esperanza staff. There was music, dancing, singing, food, pictures, sharing and laughter. Seeing how Travis had formed relationships with these women and got a glimpse into their lives was well worth the trip. The next step in the process is to get these women loans so that they may start businesses and provide for their families in a safe and healthy manner.



The energetic boys fighting for camera time and their angel counterparts. Riiiiight.

The trip didn´t stop there. After all, you can´t go to Puerto Plata, the biggest beach resort area in the country, and not go to the beach. Travis led a few of us girls to his favorite spot close to Sosua Beach where we spent most of the day enjoying the magnificent coastline and the chrystal clear water. After some snorkeling, reading, and sunburning (I just made that a verb), we called it quits.

Me and brother Travis. Everyone here thinks we´re related.