10/7/08 Tuesday night
Well, we got our new PCVs. They’re two girls who were stationed in Bolivia. I think one of them was there for like 18 months and the other for 7. It seems pretty cool to be able to live in another country but at the same time, wow- that would suck! I mean, these girls were told that they had to get to the capitol in Bolivia within 12 hours and to bring all their stuff just in case they had to leave the country. Then they were evacuated into Peru, they didn’t know if they would be going back or not. Next thing you know they’re all being given the option to transfer to another country or early terminate! Poor girls had friends and projects; they just had to walk away from it all. And how do you say goodbye that fast? I think there were about 150 PCVs there at the time and just 38 of them transferred. I believe they were also given the option as to how long they wanted to stay here in the DR (one year or two). They were given a list of countries which were able to accept transfers and then asked to pick their first three choices. Amazingly, they all got their first choices. Only two of the 38 came to the DR and my health group got them both. It’s nice because we’re just down one from our original number now.
This is a short blog but I guess there’s not much to write about today. Tomorrow we’re going to the capitol to see a clinic… but I forgot which one. That should be interesting. I’m glad we don’t have to take public transportation there because Santo Domingo is so smoggy and when I’m on the guagas I get car sick. Not a good combo when you’re crammed in like sardines. Always something to be happy about!! I hope you all doing great and I get to hear from you all soon, leave a comment if you’re reading this (even if I don’t know you!) so I know its getting read by people I don’t talk to on the phone. (Oh yeah, and I changed the settings so I approve all messages first, that way I know when there’s a new one and don’t have to fish through my huge novel of a blog and waste time).
Miss you guys and home!!
Love
B
10/5/08 Sunday Lessons Learned
Some things happened on the home front these past few days which made me pretty upset. I was antisocial here at in the DR, tucked away in the safety of my mosquito net to watch Sex in the City marathons and bootlegged movies for so long my computer began to protest. I had no appetite and I know my Dona was wondering what the heck was wrong with me. She was probably worried I was getting sick or something, a BIG concern with everything that’s been going around. (another girl got sick and spent all day in her house yesterday, that puts the total up to 5 PCTs sick with whatever weird thing is going around… just three of us left to run in fear!!:(
Anyways, so my poor Dona was concerned and to tell you the truth, I really didn’t care. It seems when it rains it pours and makes one thing- which may not normally be a big deal- combined with other things a huge deal. Not to mention I’m however many miles away from the issue/home and so the control freak in me is helpless to do anything about it. So, on top of being upset, and pissy for not being able to do a thing about it, I was learning even more needed PC (and I guess life over all) traits: patience (of which I have none), trust, and dependence.
That’s right, I said DE-pendence. It’s weird isn’t it? You would think that this experience would make you more independent but, nope definitely not, at least not yet. Hopefully one day... And to tell you the truth, that in itself can be maddening, no wait; it is maddening. Normally however my lack of independence doesn’t upset me; I just kind of ignore the issue. But, when I told my Dona I didn’t want breakfast and she guilted me into eating at least toast (she made me chicken noodle soup too, with hotdogs in it but my stomach wasn’t having it), I could hear myself cursing my dependence.
So, what got me out of this awful, mean funk you wonder? Well, actually the poor girl who was sick yesterday got our Spanish teachers to agree to take us to the beach today (sympathy card all the way). Never being one to turn down the beach, I planned on going- funk or no funk. When I showed up, there was only about half of the group there. I was a teeny bit apprehensive about going to the beach because the three girls I normally hang out with weren’t going. Once we got on the road my anxieties were put to ease and after a little while I found myself sharing my story. To my surprise, they were all interested and had somewhat similar stories of their own as well as insight and empathy. What’s better than a little “friend therapy”?:) I got support from an unlikely source that picked me up when I wasn’t expecting it.
I’m so glad I left the house and went with my group. It was really nice, despite being harassed a lot by the nasty guys at the beach who never cease to amaze and disgust me with the very select words of English they have learned and also despite the fact we got rained on and kind of beat up by the beach. I had a great time and learned another lesson today: just because you think you don’t have a connection with some people, don’t underestimate the prospect of a relationship.
That’s it for now, hope all is well with you all!
Love
B
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