The DR?

Where to start....I have been in Santo Domingo for about two weeks now and sometimes it feels like it has been a day, other times years. My Don and Dona are really cool, but they talk really fast so I can't understand much of what they say to me. It is kind of like trying to learn english from someone from the Bronx. Language classes are going okay, but we have lectures in the afternoons about stuff like how not to get herpes or what to do if you start exploding from either end of your body and I would rather just have more language classes because I am definitely struggling with it and I get really frustrated that I can't communicate. There isnt a whole lot to do here besides compartir-ing with host families and other volunteers (compartir=sitting around). We play a whole lot of dominoes. I suck at dominoes. I didn't know it was possible to suck at dominoes but apparently, it can be done. My team always loses. The old men (and women, and young men) here are incredible. They know what dominoes everyone has within like 2 minutes of the game starting, and proceed to pass you and laugh at you because they know you cant play anything. at the end of the game when you have to add up points, they look at the pile for like 1/2 a second and then say, Oh! 47 points. Ridiculous. Some of the other volunteers have started to pick up on the tricks, but my little brain cells are too tired from learning spanish to learn dominoes.

Spanish Class...not too shabby
but hot

Too much has happened to put it all down but I will give you all a few highlights.
On daily life:

• We do technically have running water and electricity. However, the water is off more than it is on, and seems to have no regular schedule. Therefore, there are huge trashcans full of water everywhere that we fill up whenever the water is on. I take bucket showers, which takes getting used to but gets the job done. The power shuts off a lot but everyone has generators so you don't really realize.
• We have chickens, ducks, rabbits, a dog, and a cat. I have confirmed that I hate all fowl. They are disgusting and huge and gross. The dog is on a very short leash. Yesterday he didn't move. at all. May prod with stick today.

Dog to be Poked

• Sweat
• I f-ing hate mosquitoes
• Day in the life: wake up, shower, bug spray, breakfast, bug spray, walk to center, language, bug spray, lunch, lecture, home, bug spray, compartir, bug spray, compartir, bug spray, compartir, bug spray, dinner, bug spray, compartir, shower, bug spray, bed. Have used up about half a bottle already. There is no cleaner feeling than when you take a bucket shower and then spray yourself with sticky bug spray and the process of spraying makes you already sweat through your shirt.

On recreational activities:

• As I said, my spanish sucks. My Dona one day asked me something that I thought meant, do you want to take a bath with us outside. I thought, this can't be right, I thought I knew the word banarse but I must be confused. I wasnt. She whips out this baby pool and her and her two grandkids jump in (wearing clothes...ish). So, being the cultural immersionist that I am/hot as hell, i go and put on some running clothes and join them. This is fine for a while. The little boy pretends my legs are a bridge and gets a huge kick out of splashing me and spiting water on me (yummmm bacteria mouthwash). Then he casually says "pipi", stands up, and proceeds to pee in the pool. Lovely. What did I learn from this experience? kids peeing in pools is apparently universal.

The scene of the crime, our backyard (sans babypool/toilet)
ps: note the chickens, gross.

• We went to three walmart-esq stores in a row last sunday. No me gusta walmart, even the dominican version.
• The other day, after an afternoon of playing (and losing dominos) and a little Presidente (beer) with some of the other volunteers, I returned home for dinner. There was a woman I had never met before in the kitchen but this is not unusual so I introduced myself and ate (fried egg, boiled potato). Then I went and changed because I was stupidly wearing jeans and was hot and sweety (shocking). I slipped on some lovely and attractive running clothes and headed out to compartir for a little bit before going to bed. Unfortunately, I somehow overlooked the massive family gathering that was occuring right across the street in my Dona's mother's house. As soon as I left my room in my ever so flattering outfit I was whisked across the street to meet the whole family. Everyone was dancing and drinking and having a good time and I plopped myself down next to a baby (making faces at an infant is a very effective way to avoid sitting silently and smiling stupidly) and made small talk in my broken spanish ("I Washington DC from me have 23 years, teacher was I"). My Don, ever vigilant, kept my little beer cup full to the brim. One of the nieces came over and asked me if I wanted to dance. I laughed and told her that I dance like a gringa but she kept insisting so I said "maybe when this beer is finished." She got a big smile on her face and announces to the whole group "She is coming!" Whoa, coming where? I soon discovered that the plan was not to dance at the house, but to go to a club and dance. Now, I enjoy a little dance party as much as the next person but there were several reasons not to go to the club: 1. I suck at spanish, and heading out with a bunch of inebrieated Dominicans to an unknown location seemed less than intelligent. 2. I can't dance. 3. I was not nearly drunk enough to approximate dancing nor appreciate a club-like atmosphere (Parents, I have never been drunk, nor been to a club. In fact, I don't even know what a club, or a beer, is.). 4. My Dona wouldn't let me. The nieces kept insisting (including an 8 year old grandniece, peer pressured by a kid! weeeeakk) and I joked around and kept avoiding saying yes. I tried the "I have nothing to wear" excuse but they shot that down, explaining that one of the sisters had a tube top that would look great on me (I am going to go out on a limb and say that was a falsehood). Anyway, I ended up saying I had to go to the bathroom and then barricaded myself in my room. In the dominican, I am a square.
• I played dominoes at another volunteer's house the other day (I lost) and a group of us ended up having a conversation with her dona about religion (and by us having a conversation I mean everyone but me was participating in the conversation, I was just trying to keep up and did not think me saying "religion bueno" would add much to the conversation). The teams were: the dona and her family (not sure what brand of christian but "reborn), vs a nonpracticing jew with various members in the middle or staying silent. It got pretty heated (not in a punch you in the face kind of way) and was interesting. More importantly, I actually understood about 80% of what was said! bueno.
• Lost at dominoes a couple more times, plan on looking up tricks of the trade next time I am in an internet cafe...

On food:

• All I eat is fat, sugar, and starch. Most interesting meal so far? a GIANT bowl of french fries and fried salami.That aside, the food is actually pretty good. Lots of rice and beans and veggies, which is essentially what I lived off of in college except my dona and the staff at the center actually know how to cook.
• My Dona seems intent on making me explode. The other morning I woke up and my breakfast was waiting for me. It was SIX grilled cheese sandwiches. Six. I enjoy a grilled cheese as much as the next person (especially if I get to fling them right out of the pan against the wall a la preston) but six seems excessive, even for someone who frequently ends a meal feeling like they are going to boot cause they ate so much. Another time I was sitting at the kitchen table dutifully eating the half a watermelon put in front of me. I had taken about 3 bites when my Dona walked in and said "Do you want more?" No, I think just a half will do.
• The other day I was reading lunch and my Dona's nieta was reading a science textbook. I stumbled across some strange looking meat pieces and stealthfully avoided them because I couldn't figure out what it was. Then I looked over the the textbook and saw she was reading about birds. There was an interesting section that had close-up pictures of bird feet. Mystery solved.

On transportation:

• To get anywhere you have 4 options: 1. walking, this is my preferred means of transportation, especially given the obscene amounts of fats and carbs I am currently consuming. The downside? You arrive at your destination looking like you jumped into a pool. 2. Taxis. These are more expensive, and frequently fake pirate taxis that kidnap you and steal your money. I avoid taxis. 3. Carro republicos. CRs are shitty beat up cars (REALLY shitty) that bump along the road and will hold 7 people at a time. They cost a set amount and you just scream STOP when you want the car to stop. They pretty much just drive up and down the highway all day. Downside? sitting on a strangers lap, wont take you exactly where you want to go, always afraid part of the car is going to fall off. 4. The guaguas. Guaguas are "buses" which are pretty much all old VW vans. A guy hangs out the side and if someone flags it down he bangs on the side of the guagua to get the driver to stop. This is the cheapest option. The downsides are the same as the CRs, upside is that they are a little cheaper and go further into the city.
• Today, I went to the store in a guagua with another volunteer. I had to sit near the guy that hangs out the open door. He proceeded to ask me for my number while hanging out of a van going 50 down a highway. I told him I didnt have a phone. He persisted, saying I could call him. I told him I didnt have a pen. He then has the whole guagua full of people looking for a pen and paper so that he can write down his number. The guagua got to the place we wanted to stop before he finished writing down his digits. He had the whole guagua wait while he finished. Awkward? slightly. Daniel/Juan (there were two numbers and names on the card) if you are reading this, sorry I didnt call. I legit don't have a phone but admire your persistence.

On near death experiences:

• Lightning hit the training center. Plaster went everywhere. almost peed my pants.

Training Center...including tower thing that got hit