Here are my two sisters and the past trainee Stephanie. The other is of my Dona and Don and their doggies:)
Hola! Buenas Dias!!
I've been saying that a LOT lately!! I realized that my espanol is NOT very good, actually I knew that but I found out its a LOT worse that I had thought. Ah well, my host mother (or Dona- say Do ya (long o)) seems to think that despite the fact that I am the worst shes had in her house when it comes to speaking spanish that I will pick it up in a week!! At least she must think that I am smart:)
I really love my host family. I was so nervous but they are soooo nice! There are three sisters and then Fransisco and Carmen. The girls are 12, 14 and 16 and the youngest is severally mentally disabled. My Dona takes the best care of her though, its refreshing.
I will be with my host fam for 3 weeks and then I go to CBT or Community Based Training out in Bani and a director was just telling us that there is a big drug problem in this country and decided to use Bani as a great example. I guess last week they found 7 or 8 dead bodies in the ditch due to drug dealers. Great.
My host family's house is NOT what I expected. It is pretty run down on the outside and is in a barrio (as opposed to a residencia) I guess a residencia is nice and more quiet. Thats the truth. I had to walk about 45 minutes to get to this internet cafe and its in a residencia. They're more tame. My group and I would have never gotten here if it weren't for Kenzie's Don. He happened to be walking in front of us when we walking here and he lead us all over the neighborhood ( a freaking maze!!!) and to this place. We would have never found it, we thought that it was in a different place all together!!!
Today a volunteer from the city came to visit our group in our training center. It was really lucky because she had lived in my house when she was in training. She came to my house after and translated for me for an hour. I learned a LOT about my family its nice to know how they are with things like church (they don't go but I'm happy bc its catholic and like 4 hours long) or how they feel about me staying in my room with my door open... I don't want to seem snotty and antisocial not being in the living room. The house is really small so if any of you want to call me I'll have to be in the girl's bedroom to talk. My Dona told me I could use the phone so feel free tot call after like 6 eastern time but before 9. I'll give my mom my number.
Theres a lot more I'd like to say but there are 5 other volunteers waiting to use the computer. It costs 25 pesos/hr to use it here which is a lot since I just get 40 pesos/weekday starting Monday (although they gave it to us already). I'm going to try to post a bunch of pics on myspace so if you have it check it. Love you guys lots and miss you tons!!!
love
Betsy
11 comments:
Wow Bets, that all sounds so busy!!! I'm so glad your family is so nice and that calms your fears. So much so fast I wouldn't be able to keep up. Can't wait to call you and hear the latest. Love you sooooo much! Talk to ya soon
mom
To Aunt Betsy...
Thank you Aunt Betsy! I love you so so much. Thank you for the letter. And I had such a good birthday. I got .. um... ponies, a leapster and a game (Dora- so I can speak Spanish like you... Hola! And Peros (pear).
I also got a horsie stable, Aunt Rachael got me a big, Gracie sized horse balloon and Little Mermaid underwear and a horsie cake. Pocket never made it out, he got sick.
I ended my birthday reading your letter. Now its time to go to bed. Goodnight aunt betsy. Please don't let the spiders bite.
Love, Gracie BUG
Dear Aunt Betsy..
This doesn't count as one of my 116 letters.
I love you, and I miss you already. Two years is a long time.
We have your magnet on our fridge. I like the list of icecreams behind your head. I bet icecream sounds really good to you right now, right? Especially cookie dough. I'll eat some for you-- how about that? Cookie dough icecream on hot chocolate brownies (hold the plaintains, please--) and strawberries for dessert?
Hey.. I just want you to know... that was all my mom typing. I wouldn't say that. It's mean.
I hope you have a great time. Please keep writing us! We got SUPER excited to see our names on your blog! Enjoy the N64 and we can't wait to hear from you again... after another 45 minute walk to the internet cafe. I'll never complain about walking to the Y again.
Love ya lots, Gabriel
I'll start stalking you tomorrow. I'm at Sarah's right now.
I will buy the calling card first thing in the morning-- and will call you tomorrow night between 6 and 9. (that's eastern time, I hope).
IT TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH TO ADD SOMETHING TO YOUR STINKING BLOG. I've been watching it like every hour. 45 minutes of walking... BAH! SPEED IT UP, DOODLES!
I miss you very much. And I am looking forward to tomorrow. It's nice to see that you're not with a crazy host family. And hopefully the spider bites aren't too bad.
Love, #2
My turn!! :)
Ok, I did add that sentence in about the cookie dough icecream in gabe's comments... but look on the bright side, I don't like cookie dough icecream... so you don't have to worry about me holding to my word on that one.
We are having baked mostacholi on Monday before Rach leaves though... sorry.
Thanks for all your contact info. I am a bit confused though-- are you in Santo Domingo right now, or are you in Bani? Your address says Santo Domingo. If we send to the address you initially gave us-- will it get to you now? I hope so!
Your first package is on it's way... one from me and one from Rach... as well as several letters. Let's see if they actually make it there in 1 week! They're all dated.
We sure miss you. I know you hear it a lot-- but I think it takes on new meaning when you're sitting in an odd country eating avacados and not understanding a full sentence in the room around you.
:) I'm off to show Rach your pictures of swimming in the pool with Gabe when you were here!
Love ya...
#1
Hi Doodles!
Dad here and glad to see/hear U landed safely over there. I've been real sick all week, ran a 102-103 fever for 5 days then popped a blood vessel in my right eye, then went in to see Doc. I'm on heavy doses of Augmentin 4000mg/day, and feeling much better now. If it's any consolation, it's raining out here today, but nothing like the storm (Gustav) that greeted U upon Ur arrival there. Just a crappy little drizzle here, but enough to keep one inside. I was wondering how U fared through that one out there though as I'd watched some news clips about a big mud slide that happened in Santo Domingo where U are staying! I hope that all's well and that it wasn't too close to where Ur at. Let us all know in Ur next post. But it sounds like Ur on Ur "great adventure" in spite of the foot or so of rain that dampened Ur arrival there... So, Welcome to the Camen Islands??? Er... I meant Dominican Republic... Uhh, close enough! :) Have fun, exchange knowledge, and be safe.
Love,
Dad
PS: I've been vacuuming up all the little spiders in Ur room while Ur away so U will have a "safe" place to come back to! :) Also got a few nice wooden (oak) switch plate covers for U now too. :)
Hi Bets,
Dad again. Didn't U bring Ur laptop w/U? And are there no hot spots U can hook up online at with it? Also, are they all 220V like some foreign countries, or 110V like us here? Let us know, but if U have to pay for computer time we'll understand. I'm checking Ur myspace occasionally too for anything U might be posting there.
Love,
Dad
PPS: It looks like I should have said, "Is it my turn yet"? :) And what ever in the world would Mom have written that would have caused the blog administrator to yank it???
Love,
Dad...
PPPS?: This is so much fun. :)...
I just had the boys paint your room bright white again!!! Just kidding!
Gracie got your postcard today from Miami.
That was super sweet.
you should have seen her face glow.
Thanks, Bets.
#1
Wow! I had no idea you had been to the internet store so many times since you arrived....my gosh you already have a life time of stories to tell. I am visiting your blog for the first time thinking I would be lucky to see even one line from you yet - especially with all that incliment weather out there - and here you have a novel going. It sounds like you have a real adventure on your hands. The host family look like some very wonderful people, and it sounds like you are going to adjust to life there rather quickly. Don't feel bad about not liking the food. I, like you, have a hard time with certain foods and I'm a lot older. What I'm trying to say is: find a store that stocks PB and buy lots of it! (lol) Seriously, you will find something you like there, and will probably have to supplemnent with vitamins, because you won't get the variety of foods you need for proper nutrition. You can not live on PB and snickers (SORRY IT DOESN"T WORK). We love you and miss you and will get something out to you soon (I hope). Keep the stories coming.
Love from Aunt Cindy Uncle Jeff and Ami and Brian
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