So, my family was here a few days ago. My Grandpa, Uncle and Dad (GUD) came down for a long weekend and we were all over the place.
Day 1 - Wednsday: I take 2 public carros and spend 60 total pesos to arrive at the airport at 8:30 to meet up with my GUD. Hours before i had been informed that my dads plane was delayed and he wouldnt be getting here until maybe the next night. Im pretty angry at the system at that point, but realize that i still have GU coming, and cheer right back up! I spot 2 pasty white folk walk out of the gate and run up to hug my GU. We exchanged pleasantries and immediately headed to the shuttle we arranged to pick us up and take us to the hotel. We arrive at the hotel to realize the reservation was wrong (of course) so i have a stern talk with the management and we get things figured out. Its about 10 by the time we head out for dinner at this fancy place called NOAH that i have never been to because...well...its fancy. We have a great dinner of assorted raviolis and head back to the hotel to sleep.
Day 2 - Thursday: We get up around 9 and head up to our complimentary breakfast of omelettes and fresh squeezed juice, mmm. Usually i have a glass of water and a deep breath of air for breakfast, so this is a welcome change. We head out to my school from there. We get to the school were my project partner Francisco meets us and gives us the grand tour, all the while saying how GU should come back as soon as they can, even though he just met them 5 minutes ago. We walk into a few classrooms to introduce my GU and the classes stand to applaud and share a few nice sentiments and welcomes that i effectively translate into flawless english. We then proceed down to the science lab, where there is an art exhibit of project turned in by students, theme: Columbus and the indigenous people. Francisco picks up 2 random kids' artwork and gives it to my GU. Who knows what those kids will do when they realize their precious works have been robbed by 2 gringos (americans). We grab a few seats outside in the shade and just sit as recess commences and the kids run all over the place. We meet a student who is beeing recruited by the Washington Nationals, and the Clevelan Indians (Major League Baseball) and who knows, maybe we just met the next Albert Pujols. We meet a few of the teachers who are very interested in knowing what my GU is doing here and why they are only here for a few days. They proceed to tell them to come back as soon as they can......10 second interaction.
We leave the school with our stolen artwork and head out the Franciscos moms house. We sit outside here little porch thingy...and his moms asks us if we want any coffee. I know how good the coffee is here, so i say yes please but my GU dont want any of that. She makes them coffee anyway assuming that everyone in the world HAS to love coffee, it only makes sense. They reluctantly take the cup in their hands, a look of confusion and possible erratic bowl movement in their faces. They end up drinking the entire cup and proffessing their love for dominican coffee. My uncle hasn't had coffee in years and before they day would close, he would drink 2 cups.
We then head back down to my community. Hang out in my house for un chin, then walk over to the poorer community i work with. We walk over Scetchy Bridge, through Trash Valley and up Steep Dirt Hill to arrive in the town. We spend a little while walking through the community until we end up back out at the main road. We debate on what to eat for lunch, and since my dad wasnt here we had the opportunity to eat on the street, ha. So we decided to take Francisco an go to a little place called Chimi Jose, a little cozy restaurant right in the heart of the B-car route, heavily trafficked, exhaust fumes gracefully coating the rice and chicken sitting in warming trays. They order the usual and we make it out alive. We even drink water that a 50-something year old guy wearing a pinstriped american eagle v-neck shirt gets us by dippng a pitcher into the top of a water cooler. That cant be sanitary.
We make it out alive and head back to the hotel to wait for my dad. We wait for a few hours and eventually he arrives in the taxi i had sent for him. Of course, my dad used the 4 phrases he know to become best friends with the guy, almost promising him we he could take us to Santo Domingo (easily a 300 dollar trip). We quickly correct him and pay for his service. We put dads stuff up in the room then head straight back to my community. We hang out in my apartment for a bit and Josiel comes up to meet everyone. We then go to his grandmothers house to install a water filter. They newly established GUD kills it in under 20 minutes, effectively providing pure water to a family that didn't have it before. We go outside to play a game of "ninja" with the kids, and at this point half to the town is out to see who these mysterious celebrities are. We are invited back into the house to eat a typical dominican dinner. At this point it was dark outside and there was no electricity (welcome to my life) so they light a few candles and we sit down to a dinner of fried plantains, onions, fried salami, cheese and crackers. Everyone, even my dad tried and liked everything! The electricity came back in the middle of us eating and everyone was relieved. We hang out for a little bit more, talking about all kinds of stuff, then cross the river to the poor community and cram into a public car that takes us back to the city. We went to dinner at this fancy place called Satay that i always see but am afraid to try because it looks......fancy. I have an incredible steak and we head back to the hotel. Santo Domingo tomorrow.
Day 3 - Friday: We get up at the crack of dawn (6:30) to eat breakfast and catch a public car to the bus station. We get on at 7:30 and get to Santo Domingo at 10:30. We get to the hotel, put our stuff down then walk through the colonial zone to the Peace Corps office. We meet up with some volunteers then head to lunch at Pizzareli, a pizze joint, obviously. My GUD gets to hang out and meet the new peeps and then we catch a cab back to the hotel, but not before being rejected from the embassy because it looked like we were planning an attack. My dad was on the phone while GU and i stood right outside the door. Sounds really sketchy when you think about it. We rest for a bit then head out to check out some sites then make it back to the hotel around 5. We have a few drinks and a snack on the pool deck and just talk about life. Then we get ready and head out to the best italian place in the Americas (my opinion). We have a great dinner with a complimentary starters champagne and lemoncello to finish. GUD loved this place. We grab a nightcap and some ice cream back at the hotel, then sleep.
Day 4 - Saturday: We get back to Santiago at around 11. We head right out to lunch and have La Bandera, which is the typical DR lunch; rice beans chicken and salad. My dad trys cherry juice for the first time, and loves it. All kinds of new things going on, its a wonder no one had diarrhea. We had back to the hotel and right on to my community where my class starts at 3. 12 kids show up to our Celebrating the World class. The topic for the day was world religions and Afghanistan. Should have seen the kids light up in amazement when we told them Buddhists believe in reincarnation, and that in Afghanistan music is prohibited and domestic abuse against women is almost encouraged. My dad and Grandpa did a skit in spanish and slaughtered the language but the kids found it hillarious, and that was the point, ha. Afterwards we had a snack of cookies and orange soda with all the kids, and headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner.
We grab a taxi to head up to Camp David which is 2000 feet above sea level, and the restaurant overlooks the city of Santiago. Its the most breath-taking view i have seen in country. Pictures do not do it justice. We have a nice steak and head back down the mountain, where we say our final goodbyes because they are leaving at 5:30 and i like to sleep :)
Day 5 - Sunday: Everyone leaves and i stay at the hotel until church starts. Great Trip!!
So that was a quick recap of the trip. It was so much greater than that, though. I got to share my life with GUD. It makes me feel more connected with my family to show them how i live. Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and we ate at some awesome resteraunts. We crammed into public cars, and on 2 different occasions i had to sit on Grandpas lap in order to fit. Cheap and easy though, ha. A very memorable experience!
p.s. I know spelling is terrible in this, but i messed up the spell check thingy, and know it wont tell me what i spelled wrong, and i dont have time to run through it again, ha, suffer throught it.
