My life a little south of Paradise (literally...the closest pueblo is called "Paraiso"

I haven't been here a month and I am so happy in my new site. Everyone is so motivated to work with me and the youth are ready to learn. Usually they are the hardest to motivate. I have already given 2 charlas to my women's group, 3 to my youth groups and 1 to my Chicas group.

I have been thinking about secondary projects as I walk around the community and this is what I have come up with...

 - Food Security
there are about 100 families in this community that sometimes go a few days without being able to cook or provide food for their family. I have been talking with a good friend of mine in the community about building them a garden where they will have a constant source of vegetable and viveres..hopefully. We will give them an orientation on proper gardening maintenance and how to re-use what you harvest.

- Literacy
 so many kids, and adults, don't know how to read. Many of them want to participate in community activities but quit early on when they realize the activities may involve reading or writing. A lot of 14-15 year olds I know are not only pregnant, but don't have any literacy skills. So, the house that I will be moving into has a huge section that used to be a colmado. I will be converting this into a "sala de tarea" which is a learning center where the kids can come and I can help with homework, teach them reading skills, be creative, etc. The goal here is not only literacy but to also begin to work on that part of the brain , analytical and creative, that is never touched in the education system here. I will be working on inventing some games and activities with recylced materials but...IF ANYONE WOULD LIKE TO DONATE TO MY LEARNING CENTER, IT WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED BY NOT ONLY ME, BUT MY COMMUNITY MEMBERS. A LOT OF CHILDREN WHO MAY NOT HAVE A FUTURE MIGHT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO WITH CREATIVE ACTIVITIES!  

        THEY CAN BE:
BOOKS
COLORING MATERIALS
CLAY
LEARNING MATERIALS OF ANY KIND
YARN
COLORING BOOKS

                                      IF INTERESTED SEND ME AN E-MAIL

- Latrines...?
I am very interested in doing a latrine project. How, when and where is a whole other question. I am trying to prioritize projects considering my time here. I love this community so much that I would love to do it all...but, only time will tell!

Here are some pictures of how I have been spending my time

the girls love to color pictures - they give them to me to hang up on my wall :)

A day at the beach with some of my Chicas!

Yes, that is me having my Morning coffee

We cooked lunch and made this cave our "base"

In the spirit of trying to spark creativity, I told them to find a way to make a fort with what they could find on the beach

Stop. Rewind. Start over again.

"Hi. My name is Laura, but they call me Jocelyn"

Yes, in my short time here I have adopted my first nickname!!!

I will be at my new site almost a week now and it feels like I have been here for longer. Not because it is dragging but because I feel like I know so many people in this community already. Los Blancos is a small town with a campo feel of about 550 houses. It is right on the southern coast of the country and has beautiful scenery. I am living with a host family again, just for one month while I settle here and will then move to my own place which I have already picked out. I will  be working with two women s associations that are already going here and have already formed two youth groups. I will be starting our meetings this coming weekend and am so excited! This community is very motivated and I have had a lot of people ask to participate already.

This is an agricultural community where the primary focus is coffee. The women I hang out with everyday sell all sorts of produce that their family grows in the mountain. This community sits right at the foothills of the mountain overlooking the coast..ya tough life, I know. So the women sit under this large, breeze inviting tree all day and I relax right there with them.


My typical day here has consisted of the following:
- wake up around 7 am
- do a cross word puzzle or two while sipping on coffee on a rocking chair
- shower, get dressed and go outside to sit under a tree for an hour or so chatting with women and eating mango for breakfast.
- I take a walk to visit other houses
- Come back and wait for lunch while sitting under the tree with the women
- Have lunch
- have coffee under the tree with the women
- Have mango for dessert
- Sit in the rocking chair planning some work stuff
- take a break to have another mango or two
- read or take a walk
- 5:30 I go on a coastal run to the nearby town of Los Patos
-shower
-have dinner
- in bed by 9:30

I am loving life right now and am so grateful that the stars aligned perfectly to put me here. I love the people in my new community and am already getting so much support. This is a beautiful place, with beautiful people.

Leaving my project partner's house - heading home

Standing at the front door of my host moms house. the torquie blue you see is the ocean!

PCVs rent a house in a nearby town right on the water for R&R

and play Settlers

San Rafael House - PCV renters

waiting for the guagua with fellow southerners

my kinda- host sister...i have about 50 pictures of her posing...domminican style

my best girlfriend so far..yes shes 14

finishing up for my first charla

the green house with the white picket fence is my host family's house...yeah i know...Peace Corps?

one off my youth helping me figure out how to hang it

my invention for not having a stand or board...one of the girls in my escojo group

MANGO!

So much floss is necessary after this

one of the women I spend hours a day with chilling under the tree and just looking out into the ocean!

my running route

A month of goodbyes...in the states AND in the DR

I landed back in Santo Domingo on Monday night. Waiting for my taxi dude to pick me up I was surrounded by American tourists complaining  about the heat.  “Ummm, hello people – did you not come here on vacation to escape the ridiculousness that is winter 2012-2013?” I guess it was a good transition back to my reality. Once back at the hostel I was able to relax and reflect on my trip home. It was then that I realized I was glad to be back. Primarily because I could get going on my life down here again and, hopefully, start working and being productive soon.

I had a total of 11 days in MA and it was amazing. I feel re-energized to start over but i won't deny that there is still some anxiety about re-integrating.

I surprised everyone at home – none of my family member knew I was coming home. When I landed in Fort Lauderdale and turned my phone on I couldn't help but call my brother. No answer. He then texts and tells me he is in an important meeting and if everything is ok.  I texted him back and asked him “can you call me when you get a chance pleaaase?” ( I know see how he could have thought something was wrong = sorry Daniel!) Immediately he called and I asked if he could pick me up at Logan at 4pm…”what? Why? Is everything okay?” I respond with,“yes, I just decided to take a last minute vacation instead of sitting in the capital!”  “yes, okay I’ll be there! This is awesome!”

I land in Boston incredibly excited, especially after seeing the city from the plane! I sped to the transportation area where I would meet my brother. Suddenly I see his new car speeding to the area and he gets out and gives me a huge hug!!! So exciting! I hop in the car and we wind around the city trying to get to my sister’s work. From Logan to the Pru – why was it so complicated? I don’t know – my brother had set it up so that he would be picking her up and they were going to go out to dinner with my parents as my dad had just gotten back from a 2 week trip in Africa. On our way I am immediately overwhelmed by the masses of people getting out of work with their earbuds in and looking down – hello, watch where you are walking! We were at a stop light talking and catching up and all of a sudden I am taken a back and seriously overwhelmed and over stimulated. It was a swarm of people who look like ants – all dressed in black, hands in pea-coat pockets and not acknowledging a thing that is going on around them.

So, a couple blocks from the Pru, I go to the trunk of his Mazda CRX – 9 (I think that’s what it is) and we drive – he tells me when she’s about to get into the car and tells me to be quiet. We had planned out a cue. They are talking for a long time about work and other life happenings and then Dan says “have you talked to Laura recently?” she says “no I haven’t” the he says “ I wish we could just call her right now” and I pop up and say “well I’m right here!!” My sister jumps from her seat and says “what? What? What? Why? I don’t get it? Why are you here?” we get out and hug each other and I explained everything to her.

The three of us headed home as my heart started pounding – my parents have no idea I am here and they probably think I quit the Peace Corps. Unfortunately, I had to surprise them separately but it was great! Neither one of them passed out but we all cried and it was happiness all around!

We headed to my favorite sushi place for my first American meal –how ironic! I then went directly to a craft beer place where I bought all sorts of deliciousness to take to dan’s apartment where I would be surprising my best friend from home. It was an amazing surprise!!!

I ate my way through the week (Subway, Chinese, tons of home cooking, Trader Joes, Chipotle, Greek salads, pizza, etc.  I finally had privacy for the first time in 7 months. I took some hot baths. I walked barefoot in my room. I vegged out on the couch. I had a ton of lunch dates. Watched movies on demand (on a television screen instead of my laptop!) And, the best surprise of all….I got to visit the classroom that I have been sharing my experience with.

 Peace Corps sets volunteers up with an American classroom to do cross-cultural education! We have skyped before and exchanged a ton of e-mails sharing information about Dominican culture and learning about the kids in this classroom! When I got there I was walking down the hall and heard some girls behind me whispering loudly “ is that her? I think it is? Omg, it is!” I felt like a celebrity – to them, I was! It was so awesome to see all the kids in person and answer questions – they were dying to know about why I left my site. I carefully danced around some questions and answers –not knowing how much to disclose. The kids were smart enough to figure out what was going on and even asked if what they thought was right. HA, kids today! I was shown a bulletin board that they all made in the school hallway about me and my Peace Corps experience. It made it so real I couldn't believe it!

1st skype session with the kids

Each student wrote down a question to ask me 

Bulletin board in the hallway

Technology is amazing!

me and the teacher of the class - my favorite neighbor  and just all around such a  good person!

when i answered their questions they were told to draw out my answer

This is inside the classroom - teaches more about Peace Corps

I was able to be home for Easter too! which meant candy and deliciousness! And lots of wine! AND, per usual, inappropriate, hilarious, LMAO dinner table conversations!

Mom preparing dinner!

Dig in!

Talkin about cars...i'm sure

AND I went out in Boston a lot which was awsome!!!

Completely unable to handle the cold

I got to see my girlfriends from college!!!

My roomate's absolutly adorable baby!

I have officially packed up from my site, Consuelo. It was so hard to say bye to all my friends especially to my little 4 year old roommate/best friend. She gave me a hug and said “you’re going to be happy” – yes she’s 4! Im ready to move on but I will be in this limbo stage for another week or so. 

Today when I saw lai she says " Laura, I'm going to miss you so much, I love you." about 30 seconds later: "your going to be happy" such a mature 4 year old nugget! so cute!

                                   Here are some pictures of my last day in Consuelo

He went nuts when he saw me

Finally let me play with him without biting

Mi Mai

He was so calm with me - its like he's a different dog...i wanted to take him with me so badly but the security person said no :(

I Love You Zenny

My best friends!

Partner Organization peeps

such a cute nugget - the whole time she wouldn't let goof my hand

my favorite sisters

<3

One of my womens group leaders

One of my youth leaders

My "living on my own" family :)

My Dominican Dona - when I moved out on my own she took such good care of me. fed me all the time, and kept an eye on everything

the jeepon filled with everything

Everything all packed up

To top everything off........

for those of you who remember about the awesome couple who restored my faith in humanity...well here's the box!!!