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| My Adult English Students |
Thank you all for following my journey with me. I look forward to seeing many of you soon!
Dios les bendiga,
Tina
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
The End
I will write a more complete "wrap-up" post in the next few days, but now I'm just a few hours away from my flight home. In the past few days I've been busy visiting friends and enjoying time together before I leave. My students and co-workers threw me parties on Friday, and I've been very touched by their words, gifts, and other sentiments. I'll be back soon to visit, but never again to work like I did this year. Next fall I start teaching Spanish at a school at home. I apologize ahead of time to my future students for my Dominican accent!! Hahaha!
Thank you all for following my journey with me. I look forward to seeing many of you soon!
Dios les bendiga,
Tina
Thank you all for following my journey with me. I look forward to seeing many of you soon!
Dios les bendiga,
Tina
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
What I Will Miss
It is obvious that the number one thing I will miss is the people, so I'm just going to get that out there and say that there are WAY too many people to mention and I'll move on to things.
I am going to miss riding everywhere on the back of a motorcycle. Every trip is like a mini-adventure. Though my dad will hate this, I enjoy riding without a helmet and with flip flops. We never went much more than 30 MPH, very different than driving on the roads and highways at home, but it was fun to ride with more freedom without the protection needed to ride in MA.
I'm going to miss the market. There are parts that smell horrible, especially near the vendor that sells animal organs, heads, and hoofs, but to be able to walk through alleyways of piles of fresh fruits and vegetables and huge bags of beans, seeds, and grains is something I will miss. It makes it a lot more adventures and a lot more exciting to buy groceries.
That leads me to the fruit. We do not have fruit like they have here. Though I miss New England fruit like blueberries, apples, and strawberries, I will really miss all the mango, limes, pineapple, and papaya along with new fruits I have found like nipero, guanabana, and others.
I will miss hanging out on the corner. Life is simpler here because people don't have the money to busy themselves with shopping malls, movie theaters, going out to dinner, joining clubs or activities, so instead, people pass time with other people. They hangout on street corners, sitting on plastic chairs, greeting the neighborhood as they pass by and just generally enjoying talking and spending time together. We don't just spend time together and we don't get to know our neighbors like they do here.
I will missing learning new words everyday. I don't think a day has passed when I haven't learned a new word, phrase, or usage. Most words I learned by listening to others talk, but watching TV, listening to the radio, and reading also helped a lot. I may have a Dominican accent and I may use Dominican slang, but my Spanish is much, much better than ever, and I feel comfortable speaking in Spanish to anyone.
I'll miss having 3 hours off at lunch time! Mid-day break is really nice. It is necessary here because of the heat, but its nice to be able to go home, make a meal, re-group mid-day, and take a nap when needed. I also like having my biggest meal mid-day and having a lighter dinner. I know it is healthier, and I think it helps me sleep better too.
I'll miss drying my laundry outside. Though I can continue to do this during the summer, I can't do it all year at home. The smell of freshness and the softness of wind-tossed clothes is so nice. My clothes also get beat up less without the rough tumble cycle.
I'll miss the music. Yes, it is loud, but I like having music around me all the time. It is a little annoying when I'm near the clubs and they are all blasting different music at the same time so that it all just gets mixed up into a loud mess, but other than that, I like having a soundtrack to life.
I'll miss the music in church, too. The hymns are much more spirited and there are drums, tambourines, and rhythmic clapping that get everyone involved. The enthusiasm and joy is so contagious. It is a fabulous way to worship and praise God.
I'll miss the flowers, the trees, and the plants. Tropical plants are so beautiful. It is always green here, and I have to admit, I am jealous to see plants that only grow as annuals or house plants at home flourishing here. I miss my own garden and my plants, but there are many here I really wish I could steal!
I'll miss rain days. It is nice to have to stay inside and relax in a storm. I love the sound of the rain on a tin roof and the breeze through the palm trees. Tropical storms here are really something special and its nice that the main transportation of walking and motorcycles means that people get to stop and enjoy the storms as they pass.
I'll really miss dancing. Yes, I can (and I will) go dancing at home, but it won't be the same. There is a whole culture here around dancing. Parents and other relatives teach kids to dance from and early age so that everyone, of all ages, know how to Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata. It doesn't matter the persons age, social status, or even who they are dancing with. Everyone here dances and they dance well. It is so fun!
I'm sure there is much, much more that I will miss, but this is a good list for now. I won't miss the bugs, the heat, doing my dishes twice to avoid cholera and other sickness, the crazy drivers, seeing poverty, abuse, and cruelty towards people and animals, machismo, and everyone being late all the time, but really, there is so much more that I will miss, and I'm glad to know I'll be back here soon enough to visit my friends and the city of San Pedro.
Dios les bendiga,
Tina
I am going to miss riding everywhere on the back of a motorcycle. Every trip is like a mini-adventure. Though my dad will hate this, I enjoy riding without a helmet and with flip flops. We never went much more than 30 MPH, very different than driving on the roads and highways at home, but it was fun to ride with more freedom without the protection needed to ride in MA.
I'm going to miss the market. There are parts that smell horrible, especially near the vendor that sells animal organs, heads, and hoofs, but to be able to walk through alleyways of piles of fresh fruits and vegetables and huge bags of beans, seeds, and grains is something I will miss. It makes it a lot more adventures and a lot more exciting to buy groceries.
That leads me to the fruit. We do not have fruit like they have here. Though I miss New England fruit like blueberries, apples, and strawberries, I will really miss all the mango, limes, pineapple, and papaya along with new fruits I have found like nipero, guanabana, and others.
I will miss hanging out on the corner. Life is simpler here because people don't have the money to busy themselves with shopping malls, movie theaters, going out to dinner, joining clubs or activities, so instead, people pass time with other people. They hangout on street corners, sitting on plastic chairs, greeting the neighborhood as they pass by and just generally enjoying talking and spending time together. We don't just spend time together and we don't get to know our neighbors like they do here.
I will missing learning new words everyday. I don't think a day has passed when I haven't learned a new word, phrase, or usage. Most words I learned by listening to others talk, but watching TV, listening to the radio, and reading also helped a lot. I may have a Dominican accent and I may use Dominican slang, but my Spanish is much, much better than ever, and I feel comfortable speaking in Spanish to anyone.
I'll miss having 3 hours off at lunch time! Mid-day break is really nice. It is necessary here because of the heat, but its nice to be able to go home, make a meal, re-group mid-day, and take a nap when needed. I also like having my biggest meal mid-day and having a lighter dinner. I know it is healthier, and I think it helps me sleep better too.
I'll miss drying my laundry outside. Though I can continue to do this during the summer, I can't do it all year at home. The smell of freshness and the softness of wind-tossed clothes is so nice. My clothes also get beat up less without the rough tumble cycle.
I'll miss the music. Yes, it is loud, but I like having music around me all the time. It is a little annoying when I'm near the clubs and they are all blasting different music at the same time so that it all just gets mixed up into a loud mess, but other than that, I like having a soundtrack to life.
I'll miss the music in church, too. The hymns are much more spirited and there are drums, tambourines, and rhythmic clapping that get everyone involved. The enthusiasm and joy is so contagious. It is a fabulous way to worship and praise God.
I'll miss the flowers, the trees, and the plants. Tropical plants are so beautiful. It is always green here, and I have to admit, I am jealous to see plants that only grow as annuals or house plants at home flourishing here. I miss my own garden and my plants, but there are many here I really wish I could steal!
I'll miss rain days. It is nice to have to stay inside and relax in a storm. I love the sound of the rain on a tin roof and the breeze through the palm trees. Tropical storms here are really something special and its nice that the main transportation of walking and motorcycles means that people get to stop and enjoy the storms as they pass.
I'll really miss dancing. Yes, I can (and I will) go dancing at home, but it won't be the same. There is a whole culture here around dancing. Parents and other relatives teach kids to dance from and early age so that everyone, of all ages, know how to Salsa, Merengue, and Bachata. It doesn't matter the persons age, social status, or even who they are dancing with. Everyone here dances and they dance well. It is so fun!
I'm sure there is much, much more that I will miss, but this is a good list for now. I won't miss the bugs, the heat, doing my dishes twice to avoid cholera and other sickness, the crazy drivers, seeing poverty, abuse, and cruelty towards people and animals, machismo, and everyone being late all the time, but really, there is so much more that I will miss, and I'm glad to know I'll be back here soon enough to visit my friends and the city of San Pedro.
Dios les bendiga,
Tina
Saturday, May 14, 2011
50 Things I've Learned Living in Dominican Republic
1. Patience - there is a lot of waiting around here and a lot of things run late, but I've learned that a lot can be enjoyed while waiting - like the sun on your face, a cool breeze, watching children play (you get the idea.) I've also had some of my best conversations with people while waiting for something.
2. That pencil sharpeners are a luxury item that only some kids can afford. Those that can buy them end up sharing them with all of the other kids who can't and they get dull or broken very quickly.
3. A red light doesn't mean stop, but proceed with caution and yield to those with a green light if you feel like it and other such traffic "laws."
4. Beans can be a dessert - Habichuelas con dulce
5. Painting your finger nails is ill advised if you are sick or on your period. Apparently, the cold temperature of the polish is bad for your health.
6. A plastic grocery bag has MANY uses! They are perfect shower caps if you get caught in the rain, they can be used for storing items dust free, they make wonderful kites, and if you get a whole bunch of them, you can make cushions and pillows out of them.
7. 5 people can ride together on a motorcycle.
8. 22 people can ride together in a 9 person van.
9. Boiled unripe bananas are delicious.
10. Old shoes that are shined up and well cared for can look new for 10 plus years.
11. I love avocado smoothies.
12. Cockroaches make a very loud crunch noise when you squash them. Bonus: they also grow to be HUGE in the DR.
13. My hair does not do well with humidity and tight pony tails with headbands to hold back the fly always and lots of hairspray is the only style that will stick for more than an hour.
14. How to prepare and wash food and dishes so that I don't get sick from food or water contamination. Bleach and boiling are my friends!
15. I take running water, clean water, electricity, school buses, public Special Education, my car, and many, many other things for granted.
16. Public bathrooms do not have toilet paper or hand soap, so bring your own, even in the Public Health headquarters building and hospitals where they promote hand washing and sanitary bathroom usage as the best ways to avoid cholera.
17. Lizards sometimes crawl into my house, but they are friendly and only stay for a bit.
18. How to buy and bargain for groceries in the open air market. Yes, I'm a white, blond, American, but that doesn't mean I don't know your trying to charge me more!
19. How to wash clothes by hand when necessary.
20. That drying clothes outside on a line (or railing, or window sill, or tree, or whatever will hold them) is actually a great idea and leaves clothes soft, fresh, and in better condition than a rough tumbling dryer cycle.
21. How to get just about anywhere in San Pedro de Macoris.
22. How to get around some parts of Santo Domingo and how to get to and from the city by bus.
23. The Gua-gua (bus) routes of San Pedro and how to use them.
24. That woman don't give blood because they are told it is bad for their health and will effect their period cycles and that men are afraid to give blood, so often people need to pay donors off the street to get the blood they need for surgeries.
25. How to carry large loads on a motorcycle. A shopping cart full of groceries, 2X4 planks, 10 ft iron rods, gas tanks, stand up fans, etc.
26. That it snows in Dominican Republic - "black snow" is what they call the ash that floats around in the air when the sugar cane factories are burning cane. It makes a horrible mess of dust everywhere and you have to be careful not to get caught wearing white when it falls cause it will smudge your clothes.
27. How to paint and add designs on to my nails like a professional.
28. How to brush my teeth without using tap water.
29. How to cure a cold with a tea made from chinola, herbs, and halls cough drops.
30. How to find, pick, prepare, and eat mangos, guanabanas, chinola, guaba, nispero, bananas and plantains fresh from the tree.
31. How to to find the shade while walking down the street to avoid the hot sun.
32. How to make pie crust from scratch.
33. That Dominican News programs show very graphic images.
34. That woman wail uncontrollably at funerals.
35. That white is a funeral color along with black.
36. That woman don't play sports here other than volleyball.
37. How to cook eggplant.
38. How to cook beans.
39. How to cook rice from scratch including white rice, yellow rice, fried rice, rice with vegetables, rice with kalbasa, rice with chicken, and rice and beans.
40. That lasagna is considered and American food, and being American, I am expected to cook it for parties and events.
41. The many varying skin tones and names for dark skin.
42. The difference between Salsa, Meringue, and Bachata music.
43. How to dance all 3 - but I'm only good at Bachata.
44. Many Spanish swears, especially thanks to my neighbor who gets very vocal when he's drunk.
45. Full meals like spaghetti, fried chicken, and rice and beans are what should be eaten at the beach or on a picnic, not sandwiches.
46. That thousands of Dominican children don't have birth certificates because there parents haven't gotten around to it yet. They usually do it before they reach 8th grade and they need documentation to continue on in school.
47. How to mop old-school. Swiffer is missing out on a HUGE market by not being sold here.
48. How to teach without technology, printers, copiers, textbooks, or other materials I take for granted in the US.
49. That a faithful and loving church community can really make a difference in people's lives, especially for poor and struggling families.
50. How to speak Spanish (and with a Dominican accent).
2. That pencil sharpeners are a luxury item that only some kids can afford. Those that can buy them end up sharing them with all of the other kids who can't and they get dull or broken very quickly.
3. A red light doesn't mean stop, but proceed with caution and yield to those with a green light if you feel like it and other such traffic "laws."
4. Beans can be a dessert - Habichuelas con dulce
5. Painting your finger nails is ill advised if you are sick or on your period. Apparently, the cold temperature of the polish is bad for your health.
6. A plastic grocery bag has MANY uses! They are perfect shower caps if you get caught in the rain, they can be used for storing items dust free, they make wonderful kites, and if you get a whole bunch of them, you can make cushions and pillows out of them.
7. 5 people can ride together on a motorcycle.
8. 22 people can ride together in a 9 person van.
9. Boiled unripe bananas are delicious.
10. Old shoes that are shined up and well cared for can look new for 10 plus years.
11. I love avocado smoothies.
12. Cockroaches make a very loud crunch noise when you squash them. Bonus: they also grow to be HUGE in the DR.
13. My hair does not do well with humidity and tight pony tails with headbands to hold back the fly always and lots of hairspray is the only style that will stick for more than an hour.
14. How to prepare and wash food and dishes so that I don't get sick from food or water contamination. Bleach and boiling are my friends!
15. I take running water, clean water, electricity, school buses, public Special Education, my car, and many, many other things for granted.
16. Public bathrooms do not have toilet paper or hand soap, so bring your own, even in the Public Health headquarters building and hospitals where they promote hand washing and sanitary bathroom usage as the best ways to avoid cholera.
17. Lizards sometimes crawl into my house, but they are friendly and only stay for a bit.
18. How to buy and bargain for groceries in the open air market. Yes, I'm a white, blond, American, but that doesn't mean I don't know your trying to charge me more!
19. How to wash clothes by hand when necessary.
20. That drying clothes outside on a line (or railing, or window sill, or tree, or whatever will hold them) is actually a great idea and leaves clothes soft, fresh, and in better condition than a rough tumbling dryer cycle.
21. How to get just about anywhere in San Pedro de Macoris.
22. How to get around some parts of Santo Domingo and how to get to and from the city by bus.
23. The Gua-gua (bus) routes of San Pedro and how to use them.
24. That woman don't give blood because they are told it is bad for their health and will effect their period cycles and that men are afraid to give blood, so often people need to pay donors off the street to get the blood they need for surgeries.
25. How to carry large loads on a motorcycle. A shopping cart full of groceries, 2X4 planks, 10 ft iron rods, gas tanks, stand up fans, etc.
26. That it snows in Dominican Republic - "black snow" is what they call the ash that floats around in the air when the sugar cane factories are burning cane. It makes a horrible mess of dust everywhere and you have to be careful not to get caught wearing white when it falls cause it will smudge your clothes.
27. How to paint and add designs on to my nails like a professional.
28. How to brush my teeth without using tap water.
29. How to cure a cold with a tea made from chinola, herbs, and halls cough drops.
30. How to find, pick, prepare, and eat mangos, guanabanas, chinola, guaba, nispero, bananas and plantains fresh from the tree.
31. How to to find the shade while walking down the street to avoid the hot sun.
32. How to make pie crust from scratch.
33. That Dominican News programs show very graphic images.
34. That woman wail uncontrollably at funerals.
35. That white is a funeral color along with black.
36. That woman don't play sports here other than volleyball.
37. How to cook eggplant.
38. How to cook beans.
39. How to cook rice from scratch including white rice, yellow rice, fried rice, rice with vegetables, rice with kalbasa, rice with chicken, and rice and beans.
40. That lasagna is considered and American food, and being American, I am expected to cook it for parties and events.
41. The many varying skin tones and names for dark skin.
42. The difference between Salsa, Meringue, and Bachata music.
43. How to dance all 3 - but I'm only good at Bachata.
44. Many Spanish swears, especially thanks to my neighbor who gets very vocal when he's drunk.
45. Full meals like spaghetti, fried chicken, and rice and beans are what should be eaten at the beach or on a picnic, not sandwiches.
46. That thousands of Dominican children don't have birth certificates because there parents haven't gotten around to it yet. They usually do it before they reach 8th grade and they need documentation to continue on in school.
47. How to mop old-school. Swiffer is missing out on a HUGE market by not being sold here.
48. How to teach without technology, printers, copiers, textbooks, or other materials I take for granted in the US.
49. That a faithful and loving church community can really make a difference in people's lives, especially for poor and struggling families.
50. How to speak Spanish (and with a Dominican accent).
My Favorite Photos
I have 1 month left in my 10 month trip here, so I think it is time to start to reflect on my trip. Here are my 50 favorite photos (okay, so there are 57) from this year. Some I've shared before here or on facebook and some are new. I hope you enjoy!
Dios les bendiga,
Tina
Dios les bendiga,
Tina
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| Lissandra painting and decorating my nails |
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| Juan John Harry, Bienvenida, Isabel, and Evani after church at Centro Buen Pastor |
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| The street view of Centro Buen Pastor |
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| Miguel and I on his bike - how I get around everywhere |
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| Bienvenida playing in the mud with my rain boots |
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| Yaneidy playing Chinese jumprope to learn directions in my classroom |
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| My English classroom |
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| Trying Rice Krispie Treats at our English class Halloween Party |
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| The crayon box for 2nd grade before I added to it |
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| My Thanksgiving Turkey |
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| 4th grade Christmas Caroling |
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| A second grader showing off his 3D Snowman |
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| Sister Priscilla with some of the kids of CBP |
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| Jairo learning to make friendship bracelets |
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| Madeline making her first chocolate cake |
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| The open air market |
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| Wilson and his Valentine's Day card |
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| Jairo eating cookies he made |
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| Making a Mardi Gras mask on Celestino |
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| A food sale to raise money for the youth group at San Esteban Church |
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| My 4th graders |
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| Some of my adult English class students |
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| The Estrellas |
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| The 4th grade classroom |
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| Julio and Ivanessa |
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| Celestino using the new basketball court |
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| Drying our nails |
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| Evani, Isabel, and Bienvenida |
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| Bienvenida while playing with my hair |
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| Juan Francisco playing Uno |
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| Jairo pointing out the DR |
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| Teresa and her son Angelito at the beach |
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| Madeline's grandmother's funeral |
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| Kendi reading to Peter before my English class |
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| Visiting with some of our friends who visited Boxford 10 years ago when my family visited me in Novemeber |
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| My Thanksgiving |
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| Preparing Christmas gift bags for all the students of CBP |
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| Evani and Bienvenida showing off the fun Christmas gear my aunt Carol sent me |
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| My high school English class |
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| Juan John Harry in his front yard |
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| Laundry day in my apartment building |
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| The CBP Independence Day Parade through Barrio de las Flores |
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| Maryland working hard in 2nd grade English class |
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| Adrian and Yulaidy showing off their Easter baskets in my Middle School English class |
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| The San Esteban Palm Sunday Parade through Miramar |
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| The campo |
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| Making crosses out of Palms on Palm Sunday |
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| Easter Saturday service at CBP |
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| Juan John Harry being pushed by Deni at the park |
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| Juan John Harry, Angelito, and Deni |
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| Watching a big oil tanker coming into the harbor |
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| My 2nd graders playing Duck-Duck-Goose with visiting volunteer Tyler |
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| Tyler and 2nd grade |
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| 4th grade running in Gym class |
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| Miguel and Tyler in La Romana |
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| Dancing with Tyler's friends on the beach |
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| Miguel and I on his bike in the campo |
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