September 17th was my one month mark in the Dominican Republic. I am grateful that this country has taken me in and given me food, housing, and warm reception. I would like to take this time to briefly relay some of my favorite moments and experiences thus far.
Our first weekend in Santo Domingo a group of us were invited to a baby shower. We were told that in the Dominican Republic both women and men participate in baby showers. This is awesome because women and men both help make babies so both should celebrate this beautiful creation! Leading up to the baby shower we made a soup called asopao (spelling?). They cooked it in a big pot outside using whatever was around to nurse the fire. I enjoyed this because we were in the capital cooking out like that. It was like a bootleg bbq. And ya’ll know me: the more janky the better.
Another thing that feed my soul was playing Dominos late into the indigo velour night with my host family in Santo Domingo. Im not very good but I love to play. My performance is contingent on who my partner is and how good they are. However, one night I played with Dustin’s host mom Swell and we MURKED our opponents. I even took that last game like a BOSS.
A few weeks ago we all went into the “field” to visit a volunteer in their site to see how they live and see what projects they run. I went to visit Batey Monte Cristi outside of San Pedro. It was fun getting out of the capital and was enlightening to see how people live outside of the city here in Dominican Republic. I visited an orphanage while on my visit and it was intriguing. It was up until then, the most organized place I had seen in this country. It highlighted for me how many worlds there are within this world. It was a Catholic organization so I couldn't have my tattoos exposed. At first they told me to put bandaids over my arms...awkward. Finally, someone found a long sleeve shirt for me to wear. Only issue was it was a medium. I wear XL or XXL. So I got to walk around reppin a damn baby-t but it was all good. And it made me look buff so thats a plus. I feel like they were giving kids a pretty good life there although it was a bit stifling. Its hard to put value on because sometimes something is better than nothing and sometimes it is not. A kid there invited me into his home to listen to some of his music and gave me a cd of his work. That was awesome for me and I am glad he felt open enough to share with me. Dude goes in!
No one has pronounced my name correctly yet. When they act like its a weird name I tell them its Biblical which throws a bit of salt in they game (since they’re catholic or evangelical). I never had any nicknames before so I see it as filling that void. Woo!
Here in Monte Plata, where i’m living for 5 weeks, a few of us play baseball in the street with kids. Thats so fun! My host mom, Ramona, feeds me super well. Her lime juice smacks too hard! I got a hair cut from Tristan’s host brother Euris. Dude hooked me up! He gave some sweet side burns and a pencil line and errrrthang! I got a design in the back too. And he cut my eye brows...so I was sitting in the chair just feeling relaxed and letting him do his thing when all of the sudden he slicks my eyebrows with some paste type stuff. I brushed it off mentally thinking he was just slicking them down so i’d look cooler or whatever...and then in one stroke of the blade I was left pointless! For those who do not know me this may seem irrelevant but those who know me and my pointy eyebrows imagine seeing me without them...weird I know! But its all good. I am grateful for the fresh cut.
The Peace Corps made it seem as if my tattoos would be a huge deal here but it hasn't played out that way. I feel like their warnings reflect their desires to deter certain types of people from service. IT DON’T MATTER THOUGH CUZ WE UP IN HERE DUN!
On the day of our one month we went to this sublime water fall and swam around for a few hours. That night we had a party. I played bones and danced. I finally got some swag to my bachata game. Woooo! Watch out!
This is all I have for now. Peace, Love, and Respect to all mines. BOSS UP!
