Here are some photos!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
D-train is back
I know its been a while folks, and i also know you definitely do not want to hear about it again, but the D-train has left the station. Were chugging at full speed, lol. Its been a long time coming, im just glad i had such a good run there for a little while. I think it was because i ate 3 day old street food........I just got greedy. Im just glad im here in my own apartment, with my own bathroom, and running water. Couldnt be under better cicumstances, lol.
Anyways, Finally have something to write about. I am graduating my first English class next friday. They take their exam next wed. and i am planning a little graduation party for them. Ill bring some sodas, a few twinkies, some candies, etc. It should be fun. I printed out their certificates. Certificates are a huge deal in this country, you get them for just about everythin. Peoples resumes are like 5 inches thick with these ridiculous certificates, with everything from recess MVP to Chess Club. Anyways, I made them for the students and now the director of the school wants me to make one for the school, lol. She wants it to say something like, "Certificate of appreciation for letting Peace Corps utilize one of the classrooms to teach english." She wants to put it up on the wall of her office.........i guess whatever makes people happy, who am i to rob them.
Im also beginning a 4 week computer repair class at the school. They have been begging me for it, so i decided to just suck it up and do it. Even though we dont have electricity half the time, ill still try to teach a computer class, lol.
Im also going to the border town of Dajabon next sunday. Its....60 miles from Haiti? Something like that....we have also been advised that there is a breakout of Cholera in Haiti......when was the last time you heard that.....anywhere.....isn't there a book thats titled "Love in the time of Cholera"? It just makes me think of a really old obsolete disease that just rose from the grave to torment the unfortunate people of Haiti. Symptoms include but are not limited to: Painful pure white liquid diarrhea and vomiting......sounds like dinner at a Dominican restaurant to me. I guess the difference is that this disease will kill you in 24-48 hours purely from dehydration. Bring it on!!!
Also, another woman has jumped off the bridge to their death here in Santiago. This is the second time a woman has jumped off this bridge. Its crazy! Its the bridge of death. Ive never really lived near a bridge so i dont know if this is normal bridge behavior, but its wild to me.
Thats about it for now. Miss you guys!
Anyways, Finally have something to write about. I am graduating my first English class next friday. They take their exam next wed. and i am planning a little graduation party for them. Ill bring some sodas, a few twinkies, some candies, etc. It should be fun. I printed out their certificates. Certificates are a huge deal in this country, you get them for just about everythin. Peoples resumes are like 5 inches thick with these ridiculous certificates, with everything from recess MVP to Chess Club. Anyways, I made them for the students and now the director of the school wants me to make one for the school, lol. She wants it to say something like, "Certificate of appreciation for letting Peace Corps utilize one of the classrooms to teach english." She wants to put it up on the wall of her office.........i guess whatever makes people happy, who am i to rob them.
Im also beginning a 4 week computer repair class at the school. They have been begging me for it, so i decided to just suck it up and do it. Even though we dont have electricity half the time, ill still try to teach a computer class, lol.
Im also going to the border town of Dajabon next sunday. Its....60 miles from Haiti? Something like that....we have also been advised that there is a breakout of Cholera in Haiti......when was the last time you heard that.....anywhere.....isn't there a book thats titled "Love in the time of Cholera"? It just makes me think of a really old obsolete disease that just rose from the grave to torment the unfortunate people of Haiti. Symptoms include but are not limited to: Painful pure white liquid diarrhea and vomiting......sounds like dinner at a Dominican restaurant to me. I guess the difference is that this disease will kill you in 24-48 hours purely from dehydration. Bring it on!!!
Also, another woman has jumped off the bridge to their death here in Santiago. This is the second time a woman has jumped off this bridge. Its crazy! Its the bridge of death. Ive never really lived near a bridge so i dont know if this is normal bridge behavior, but its wild to me.
Thats about it for now. Miss you guys!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Lately
Sorry, i have not been updating my blog very regularly. Work has taken up most of my time, so i don't have as much internet free time. I have begun work on the other laboratory in my school. So, the good new, the first one is done! Computers are all up and working with the required programs and internet. Took my long enough with the inconsistent electricity and the constant pestering of the students, lol.
Other than that, i am still carrying out my duties at the detention center. Still.....really tough, lol.
Medical Missions business is really heating up. Trying to coordinate a few missions right now.
There is really nothing special going on right now. Just working working. No cool stories or anything. Ill make sure to keep you posted though, lol.
Here is a picture of some of my Dominican friends, enjoy.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Parents
So my parents just left the country yesterday.
It was an exciting time. They arrived last thursday afternoon and left yesterday afternoon. We squeezed a lot of stuff into a small window. We visited Yasica, Cabarete, Puerto Plata, Santiago. I had some amazing meals, slept in AC, had hot water, swam in a pool. IT was so nice. It was great to get to see the fam also.
Now, im back to the ol grind. 5 people showed up to english class today, so i can see the interest is waning.
Not much else really going on here though. Just same ol same ol.
Anyways, adios and cuidanse
It was an exciting time. They arrived last thursday afternoon and left yesterday afternoon. We squeezed a lot of stuff into a small window. We visited Yasica, Cabarete, Puerto Plata, Santiago. I had some amazing meals, slept in AC, had hot water, swam in a pool. IT was so nice. It was great to get to see the fam also.
Now, im back to the ol grind. 5 people showed up to english class today, so i can see the interest is waning.
Not much else really going on here though. Just same ol same ol.
Anyways, adios and cuidanse
Friday, October 1, 2010
Pica Pollo!
Pica Pollo is fried chicken...and made my first batch of fried chicken last night!!! So pumped! There was this pre-made pica pollo mix at the store, picked it up slapped some on a few drum sticks let those bad boys sizzle. Delicious! My cooking portfolio is expanding greatly here. The other day i made scalloped potatoes. Just sliced a potatoe and threw em in the frying pan with some veggies for a few minutes. Super simple, cheap, easy.
I also would like to say that i have been in relatively good health for almost 2 months. Ever since i moved into my own house, i have been feeling so much better. There are a lot of reasons, i think.
1. Im home. I lived with 3 different families over the course of 4ish months. All the moving around and adapting to different environments was stressful.
2. No one washes their hands here, that would be ok if they didnt serve the food by sliding it on your plate....with their hands..
3. Everyone "rinses" cups and plates of with tap water aka devils juice. They dont get that ever bead of water contains a bajillion little parasites.
4. Im eating smaller quantities. Im not eating until i throw up anymore just to appease my host family and feel socially accepted.
Life is pretty sweet.
On the flip side, i saw a woman jump from a bridge yesterday. I think she intended to kill herself, but it really wasnt high enough for that. She ended up landing on the sidewalk with severe injuries.....man that must suck. Whatever she was going through before is now tripled with physical pain....but God obviously had some other plan for that woman.....makes you think.
Well i gotta go teach english now.
Adios
I also would like to say that i have been in relatively good health for almost 2 months. Ever since i moved into my own house, i have been feeling so much better. There are a lot of reasons, i think.
1. Im home. I lived with 3 different families over the course of 4ish months. All the moving around and adapting to different environments was stressful.
2. No one washes their hands here, that would be ok if they didnt serve the food by sliding it on your plate....with their hands..
3. Everyone "rinses" cups and plates of with tap water aka devils juice. They dont get that ever bead of water contains a bajillion little parasites.
4. Im eating smaller quantities. Im not eating until i throw up anymore just to appease my host family and feel socially accepted.
Life is pretty sweet.
On the flip side, i saw a woman jump from a bridge yesterday. I think she intended to kill herself, but it really wasnt high enough for that. She ended up landing on the sidewalk with severe injuries.....man that must suck. Whatever she was going through before is now tripled with physical pain....but God obviously had some other plan for that woman.....makes you think.
Well i gotta go teach english now.
Adios
Monday, September 27, 2010
Med Mission Week
So thats where ive been this past week, Santo Domingo. Ive been participating in a med mission specializing in ear reconstruction. The perks were amazing. We got to stay in an amazing hotel. We were taken out to dinner every day for lunch and dinner, and not to just any old place, to AMAZING resteraunts. Just a preview of some of the food i had..... Angus beef tenderloin with melted gorgonzola cheese on top, Veal scaloppine, Beef Filete, Smoked pork chops, etc. Needless to say it was incredible! AND i did not have any intestinal distress!! Big week!
As far as the work went.....We worked for our food and accomodations. We put in five 13 hour days in a row. I have never worked so hard for so long. We were running back and forth between the operatin room and the post-op. I was removing IV`s and discharging patients with instructions on how to mantain their scars....Laura eat your heart out...haha. I got to scrub in on surgeries, holding peoples ears that were dangling by a thread as the surging dug for a hole. I got to fill needles with local anesthesia. We had a lot of responsibility, more than i ever would have in the US, lol. Our main responsibility was to translate for everyone, doctors, nurses, etc-It was a mind changing experience, though. The dominicans were so patient and soo appreciateve of the service we offered. It was refreshing to see the family element. Whoel families rallying behind their children as they came to and from surgery. To see their eyes light up as their little girl/boy was wheeled into post-op, still half asleep. The families would stay for hours. There were tears, hugs, laughter all that junk. The medical team that we assisted was incredible. 3 dedicated surgeons, and a handful of nursing staff. They were all super nice, and patient. They also paid for all of our meals, lol. Days were rough, and it felt liek we never got a break, literally we took 10 minutes for lunch. But, at the end of the day when you've worked your butt off for something bigger than yourself, it feels pretty good. It was miserable, exhausting, stressfull, mentally tiresome, but i wouldnt trade any second of it for anything else. This is the best thing i do here.
Also, on a more selfish note, i won 6000 pesos in the casino while in Santo Domingo. I keep winning, lol.....
So im back home now. Back to high schools and prisons, lol. Quite a change of pace, but im ready to be back-
Love and miss you guys tons. My parents are coming in 2 weeks!!!
As far as the work went.....We worked for our food and accomodations. We put in five 13 hour days in a row. I have never worked so hard for so long. We were running back and forth between the operatin room and the post-op. I was removing IV`s and discharging patients with instructions on how to mantain their scars....Laura eat your heart out...haha. I got to scrub in on surgeries, holding peoples ears that were dangling by a thread as the surging dug for a hole. I got to fill needles with local anesthesia. We had a lot of responsibility, more than i ever would have in the US, lol. Our main responsibility was to translate for everyone, doctors, nurses, etc-It was a mind changing experience, though. The dominicans were so patient and soo appreciateve of the service we offered. It was refreshing to see the family element. Whoel families rallying behind their children as they came to and from surgery. To see their eyes light up as their little girl/boy was wheeled into post-op, still half asleep. The families would stay for hours. There were tears, hugs, laughter all that junk. The medical team that we assisted was incredible. 3 dedicated surgeons, and a handful of nursing staff. They were all super nice, and patient. They also paid for all of our meals, lol. Days were rough, and it felt liek we never got a break, literally we took 10 minutes for lunch. But, at the end of the day when you've worked your butt off for something bigger than yourself, it feels pretty good. It was miserable, exhausting, stressfull, mentally tiresome, but i wouldnt trade any second of it for anything else. This is the best thing i do here.
Also, on a more selfish note, i won 6000 pesos in the casino while in Santo Domingo. I keep winning, lol.....
So im back home now. Back to high schools and prisons, lol. Quite a change of pace, but im ready to be back-
Love and miss you guys tons. My parents are coming in 2 weeks!!!
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Me Fui
Sorry for the last gap in posts. I recently told you had a super fast internet card, well it was taken back by the original owner, so i dont have it anymore. Back to the ol 30 minutes of internet a day thing. Which i am kind of glad about. The internet took up probably 80 percent of my time in the US, rendering me useless to the outside world. Without i have had a chance to rediscover so many other things like reading, hanging out with neighbors, traveling, working more. Its a releif to not have internet constantly at my fingertips, although sometimes it would be nice...lol
Anyways, im here in the computer lab trying to continue formatting all the computers. Its such a pain in the butt! But what else do i have to do, i have precious little electricity so i have to bag em out as quickly as i can.
Im leaving for La Capital tomorrow for the next 10 days. I will be on another medical mission. This one is ear reconstruction and its going to be intense. Aside from all the administrative duties that we have, we will also be taking dominican patients into the pre-op rooms, prepping them for surgeries, outfittin gthem with sterilized gowns and such, then walking them into the surgery room, translating between the doctor and anesthesiologist, and then wheeling the patient into post op and waiting for them to wake up to offer support and care, lol. It sognna be an adventure, but we get to stay at a super fancy hotel with AC and hot water, TV and a full service gym. Everything is paid for, so for the next 10 days i will not be paying a single peso for anything....love it.
Anyways, thats about it, gotta get back to work. Tenga un buen dia, adios
Anyways, im here in the computer lab trying to continue formatting all the computers. Its such a pain in the butt! But what else do i have to do, i have precious little electricity so i have to bag em out as quickly as i can.
Im leaving for La Capital tomorrow for the next 10 days. I will be on another medical mission. This one is ear reconstruction and its going to be intense. Aside from all the administrative duties that we have, we will also be taking dominican patients into the pre-op rooms, prepping them for surgeries, outfittin gthem with sterilized gowns and such, then walking them into the surgery room, translating between the doctor and anesthesiologist, and then wheeling the patient into post op and waiting for them to wake up to offer support and care, lol. It sognna be an adventure, but we get to stay at a super fancy hotel with AC and hot water, TV and a full service gym. Everything is paid for, so for the next 10 days i will not be paying a single peso for anything....love it.
Anyways, thats about it, gotta get back to work. Tenga un buen dia, adios
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