Mosquito nets and Hurricanes

I have been here for a little over 48 hours and it feels like a week, maybe two. Since we all got off the plane, gathered all of our bags and made lines at customs, we stepped out of the airport and were greeted by a ton of current volunteer with "Welcome to PCDR", "Bienvenidos" and "I'm going to the beach after this" signs and screaming and chanting! It was quite overwhelming but definitely welcoming! We were given tags to put on our bags to be sent straight to our first host families and were able to keep a carry on with just enough clothes to last us 24 hours and any other toiletries or necessities we would need at the retreat center for the first night. We hopped on two Guaguas (small buses) and headed straight to the retreat (it looked like a catholic retreat center with crosses and religious figures everywhere. It was nice to be off the plane and not traveling - which we had been doing for about 12 hours straight. We got a room with two roommates and were told to go to the conference room where we did some admin stuff, got our first rabies vaccine, got our malaria pills, tried on helmets since we will be riding moto-conchos (small motorcycles - we are the only Peace Corps country that allows this) and took pictures for our Peace Corps ID. We then got to hag out in the courtyard until dinner!

Driving to the retreat center!!

Hanging in the courtyard with some amazing people!

The first night in the DR was nothing but interesting. All 43 of use had to get creative in trying to figure out how to hang our mosquito nets without any hooks on the wall.... we use hangers, shutters, mirror corners and made it happen! We were all excited about this minor accomplishment! after dinner wew hung out for a while talking about where we're from, why we're here and just getting to know each other. We all went to bed and around 10:30 I woke up with with a crazy burning sensation on my face. I was freaking out and din't want to get out of bed for fear of getting bitten by a mosquito and contracting some diarrhea ridden illness. I heard some people out in the hall way talking about it so I sprinted out of my room and got confirmation hat it was not just me. So far we have narrowed it down to it being the treatment on the mosquito nets but aren't for sure. The medical staff here has been really helpful during this. First night in country and we are already having side effects - haven't had the malaria dreams yet though...

We did it!

The next morning we all bonded over our burning faces and were taken to" El Cuerpo de Paz Centro de Entrenamiento" (training center)

Here we learned all about expectations, Dominican sayings and phrases, how to bucket bath efficiently, how to flush a toilet with a bucket and how to greet Dominicans. We were then informed that due to the impending hurricane we would be transported to a hotel and not be moving in with our host families. More days living out of a backpack and carry-on...

Peaceful grounds at the training center

Our first training class

Spanish class

Things I have learned thus far in my Spanish class:
- There are some other native Spanish speakers with me and they are all wicked cool people!
- Dominican phrases and words cut out about half of the letters I am used to
- "que lo que" means what's up
- "como tu ta?" How are you?
-"en que tu ta" - what're you doing?
- "montame" - talk to me (yes...we all giggled when our  instructor went up to one of us and said "montame")
- the responses to this are random but make sense...kinda
- you clap when there is an Apagon (lose electricity - which has happened a few time during Isaac)

Checking into a 5 star hotel

Today we were supposed to go back to the training center to go over medical stuff but they kept us at the hotel - we aren't allowed to leave.

Last night we decided to go for a dip in the pool and chill in the infinity edge'd hot tub! we then went for a delicious buffet dinner. There is a piano bar down stairs where we all gathered to listen to live merengue and have a presidente - yes this is the life of a Peace Corps Trainee during an emergency!

Our medical session: I am now terrified of getting Dengue, Malaria or Cholera. Though they gave us everything in our medical kits the symptoms and signs sound terrifying. We learned everything you could possibly know about drinking potable water. I decided that from here on out I am just going to boil everything. I know I have iodine and purification tablets but I'll follow those up with a nice boil. We learned how to make re hydration salts at home, different types of diarrhea (yes there are many) and a ton about diarrhea management. you have no idea how close PCV's become when going to training like this. TMI is not even an issue!

                       We walked out of our session and were welcomed by the beginning of Isaac


SO far I have met some incredible people that I will be training with. I am excited and nervous to meet my host family tomorrow but am hoping it will be a smooth transition. I will be updating this as much as possible but cannot promise much.

So far I know that:
- I will be in Core training for 3.5 weeks, living with a host mother and her daughter within walking distance to the training center
- I will then go to a Batey that is to the east of Santo Domingo for 5 weeks of technical training
- I have a ton of oral and written exams, presentations to give and a debate in Spanish in order to qualify for service
- I get my cell phone next week
- I really like the natural, non-hormone pumped chicken here
- in no way, under ANY circumstances, no matter what DO NOT DRINK THE WATER

ok...time to skype while I have a few hours of internet left!

love and missing everyone back home!

Happy Reading!