Bienvenidos a la Republica Dominicana

Hello from Santo Domingo. Well everyone, I am here. Training has begun and everything finally seems very real. As our Country Director told us, “we are not in Kansas anymore.” Since I left the states, things have been pretty crazy and fast paced. Staging in the states was short with a lot of information. My PC training group is wonderful. There are 59 of us and we have quite the group profile. There are many remarkable people here who are a lot like myself. At Staging it was great being surrounded by people who really understood how I felt. We were all nervous, excited, anxious-the whole 9 yards. We all survived the grueling application process and wanted to just jump in head first. On Thursday we all headed from D.C. to Santo Domingo together at 2 am. As if trying to adapt to a new country is hard enough, we came with no sleep. I arrived here in the DR in the afternoon where we were taken to a like 12 hour retreat. The staff began telling us about training, rules and regulation, safety, etc. etc. Needless to say, it was so overwhelming that by the time the evening was over I was pondering whether or not I made the right decision coming here. However, Friday after some good sleep we left for the training center and again we discussed logistics all afternoon. I felt much better after everything was slowed down and we had more in depth meetings. Did I mention the training center is in paradise? The property has gorgeous tropical gardens and our little classrooms are little open air spaces with tin roofs. (Picture to come soon.)

Since I have arrived everything has been logistics. There are so many rules, I forget it is a federal agency so they do have to cover their butts. The training is very intense and we really learn how to be Dominicans. People pay the big bucks to get the training that we will receive. Not only do we learn the language, but we learn about the culture (dance, cook, transportation, dominos, etc.), medical know how (how to clean lettuce with non-purified water, how to rehydrate yourself, how to ride as a passenger of a motorcycle, etc.), technical training (I am a CED -community economic development- Advisor, so we have classes in microfinance, accounting, ecotourism, etc.), fieldtrips… The list goes on. Our training usually goes from 8 am to 5 pm with a lunch break, so there is a lot that we will be learning.

Just a little information about my schedule for the next ten weeks. I will be here in Santo Domingo for three weeks, then I will be traveling to the North end of the island for our technical training as a Community Economic Development Advisor for five weeks. I will return to Santo Domingo for a few days where I will learn about my assignment. I will be given a Project Partner from that community and will go visit the community for five days where I will be doing my next two years of service. I will return to Santo Domingo, if all goes well, swear in as a volunteer and leave the capital to my place of service.

So how do I feel? A little nervous, excited and happy. The people here are amazing. My host family treats me like I am part of the family. I am living with my mom or “dona” her two daughters, granddaughter, nephew, two chihuahuas and three parakeets. Neighbors and extended family are always going in and out of the house. It is a great little barrio with windy roads that look like they go on for days. Our street is very crowded. The Country Director told us that the DR is the loudest country in the world and I believe it. The music doesn’t ever stop! We live in front of a few convenient stores, a salon and a men’s gym. The PC is definitely easing us into everything very slowly-I have toilets, showers, electricity (even though the lights and water go out frequently) and the family even has a computer with internet. I have been walking around to get to know the barrio. The only thing is during the day it is VERY humid. Yes, I am sweating buckets. Dominicans shower like four times a day and hygiene and proper dress is very important to them. I am very thankful that I can wear skirts-great airflow!

Our first week of real training began today. Figuring out public transportation is one of the goals for this week. I am very excited to learn all about the country and the people. I know this post is a little disorganized, there is just so much that has happened in the last few days.

What I have found interesting thus far:

-How open the PC staff is (we talk about everything-literally)

-Dominicans are very particular about dressing professional and looking “put together”

- In the past five years, 59 PC volunteers have gotten married to other Dominicans. (Not for me)

-You will be sent home to the States if you don’t wear your motorcycle helmet

-Meeting people for coffee in their homes-networking- is considered working once you are in your community site for service

-Our Group Profile is very interesting amongst the 59 of us we have: travelled to over 60 countries, speak 14 languages, have worked for over 176 organizations and come from more than 25 or so U.S. states. Truly amazing.

-If you are in a room with another person and the door is closed, you are having sex (this is what Dominicans think at least)

- 7 people can fit in a small taxi and 7 people can also apparently fit on a motorcycle (have yet to see this)

-The DR is the only country in the PC where you can ride on the back of a motorcycle

-My volunteer neighbor has a bisabuelita (great grandmother) who is 105 years old and looks great

-We can buy a horse. Some parts of the country it is your only means of transportation

What I need to get used to:

-sweating buckets

-my legs burning from 25% deet bug spray day in and day out

-cold showers. I think I have figured this one out. I am going to do a morning run before my shower so that the cold won’t bother me. Even with this humidity I am still a baby and don’t like to bathe in cold water

-hissing in the streets

- Carrying a heavier object or water bottle when I run to avoid an attacking stray dog (“just in case” said my friends host dad)

-cleaning my undergarments when I bathe

- the Dominican dialect. Como tu ta? That means, como estas. They chop a lot of their words.

-fresh fruit juice everyday. Hard life, I know.