Santo Domingo
Our dogs Pinky and Chuchi...they kill wild chickens that fly onto our patio in the middle of the night. As you can see, Chuchi is much more friendly, Pinky's the killer.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
y asi comienza la vida universitaria!
Hola a todos!
Classes are underway, books have been purchased and the labyrinthian concho route to school has been mastered. I feel almost settled here in Santiago, although each day seems to present new challenges and opportunities.
For example, the concho. A tiny beat up car, usually Toyota, that Dominicans use for public transportation purposes. They are like fifty cent taxis that take designated routes though out the city. Five Dominicans (and the occasional gringa) pile into the back, oftentimes sitting on eachothers laps, and two sit in the front seat. It makes me laugh to think how Americans play ice breaker games at college orientations and summer camps where you have to sit on somebody else's lap and everybody giggles. Just part of everyday life in the DR. All you can do is hope the person you're snuggled up against has been able to take a shower that morning. Anyway, you yell at the driver "donde pueda senor" when you reach your destination, the people pile out, set you free, then pile back in. Eavesdropping in the conchos is fantastic. Fights, break ups, political debates, singing....I love it.
My classes are wonderful so far, there are still two that I haven't had yet. This semester I'm taking Contemporary Dominican Literature, Latin American Film and Society, History of the Caribbean, Dominican Socio-Political Processes, Advanced Spanish III, Drawing and Latin Dance. Superior education is very different here; the students tend to present the material through a series of research projects and power points instead of the professor lecturing. Lots of group work and the tests are based on word for word memorization of the material. ayayyay. Fortunately for me my professors are known as the exception and they encourage class discussion and analysis. My favorite, Dr. Ramirez, grew up in Cuba, received his first PHD in Havana, floated to the US in a raft, became a citizen and painted houses while he worked his way through college again and then went on to get his American PHD. I also have a wonderful Puerto Rican professor and Dominican/Chinese prof. I did not realize how prestigious PUCMM was when I decided to study here, but talking to the students (and seeing the cars they drive) reveals that their parents are company owners, politicians or have dual citizenship with the US. The Haitian students work very hard here and usually work on campus or elsewhere full time. I've met quite a few and its inspiring to see how much they struggle to be here, and yet their main goal is to go back to Haiti with their degree and work as doctors, nurses and engineers.
Home life is just swell, I am so blessed. Generina is a total spaz and her energy can be overwhelming at times, but I love her! Last night I came home from Santo Domingo and she surprised me with sushi for dinner. She also took me along to this make up party, like a tupperware party but her friend was promoting this european cosmetic line. These two tall Dominican women who could have easily appeared on the cover of Vogue took off all our make up, put our faces under a black light, told us everything that was wrong with our skin (terrifying) and then gave us full facials. Champagne and fancy hors d'oeuvres were served; I just giggled inside and out wondering "how did I get here?" I didn't buy anything but Generina was totally sold.
Santo Domingo was absolutely beautiful! We walked all over the Zona Colonial, visited the old Spanish forts, Churches, convents and government buildings. The colonial district truly looks like photos of Havana from years past. I'll post some here! The city center was what really blew my mind. There were so many different ethnicities, Lebanese, Italians, French, Spaniards and lots and lots of Chinese. There was a giant China town right in the heart of the city, where people blared salsa, merengue and reggaeton. The outskirts of the capital will always be stamped in my mind. This was the first time I had ever seen a cardboard city. Built on the inland hills surrounding Santo Domingo were thousands of tiny structures, not even worthy of being called shacks, where the poorest of the poor eek out a living and raise families. Still trying to process the images.
I can't thank you all enough for supporting me with your prayers, they make all the difference in the world. Please continue to pray that God would strengthen me from within and bring just the right people into my life this semester. Un abrazo desde La Republica Dominicana, I love you all.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
ADDRESS
Here is my new dominican address, you know how much I love to get mail....
Katy Sauer
c/o Lynn Guitar
CIEE Programa de Artes Liberales
PUCMM, Campus de Santiago
Santiago de los Caballeros, Republica Dominicana
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Mis primeros dias bajo las palmas
Sitting in the living room of my new Dominican house, watching telanovelas with Generina, sipping thick coffee and listening to the tropical birds on our patio...how did I get here? God is good.
This is my third day in Santiago de los Caballeros, La Republica Dominicana. I ran though the airports, barely made my flights, lost my luggage and arrived four hours late on Generina's doorstep. The house is beautiful, we live in a hilly neighborhood, sandwiched in between other brightly colored homes. Ours is yellow! There's no AC in the Dominican Republic so the entire house is open with bar covered sliding doors instead of walls on one side. We have a balcony and down stairs patio shaded by palm trees and full of wild chickens. Speaking of wild, on one side we live next door to seven year old triplet boys and on the other side a lovely couple that blairs merengue untill 2am (I love it. Everywhere you go here there is music, even the library). My room on the second floor is small with a high ceiling and a giant fan. I sleep with the windows open to let in the breeze, no covers, just my mosquito net overhead. The chickens and dogs make a lot of noise and motorcycles roar by at all hours of the night, but I'm getting used to it. No hot water to shower with, but its so hot and humid outside that cold water feels just great.
Generina is sixty five and lives alone. Her niece Cesarina is over a lot. Regina works in the house and waits on me hand and foot which is uncomfortable to say the least (working on it). She is Haitian and very very sweet. The food here is incredible. We eat a lot of eggplant, fresh bananas, mashed bananas, fried bananas, cooked bananas, beans, rice, fish and avocados. YUM!
I met downtown Santiago today, my first glimpse of the urban third world. Crumbling buildings, seas of Dominicans shoulder to shoulder, women selling bright colored fruits from baskets balanced on their heads, old men playing dominos outside colmados, used clothing laid out for sale on the sidewalk, dogs everywhere. Women wearing gold, high heels and dresses step around hungry Haitian children. Payless shoes is found right next to the traditional cigar rolling shop. My head was swimming.
As I was told, the Haitians do stand out. They stand out because they are so unlike Dominicans. They speak softly, they walk with their heads down, their eyes are ten times brighter against black black skin. They lurk and scurry, that's the only way I can describe it. I took my language placement test today with two Haitian students and after I persisted for thirty minutes they finally began speaking openly with me. I'm learning that racism is institutionalized in many ways in the DR. Signs on certain bars read "No Haitians allowed." I can't believe my eyes sometimes.
The university is a beautiful. It is a green bubble with tropical flowers and fruits, tall trees and lovely buildings...all surrounded by tall iron fences and very friendly security guards. They call it "el pulmon de Santiago" or "the lung of Santiago" because its bigger and greener than any park. Exited to run there:)
The CIEE staff is great. We had our orientation at a conference center in the JUNGLE!!!! There are 25 students in our group, mostly from the East Coast. I get along great with all and have made several wonderful friends. The personalities in the group are well balanced.
I register for classes tomorrow! I hope I get placed on the second or third track so I can take more classes with Dominicans but I won't get my language exam results hasta la manana. I start classes Thursday, no classes on Fridays (ever!) and we're going to Santo Domingo this weekend.
All is well in the DR, I am learning so much. Those things that are challenging and disheartening are far outweighed by the beauty and opportunity that is all around me. I know I will be very happy here for the next four months. Thank you all for your prayers, please continue to pray that God will place me just where He wants me with my teaching (find that out tomorrow as well!) and that I can reflect God's love in my home, with the group, in the classroom and even on the street. Time to put on more bug spray and meet friends for jazz in the park! I love you all!
This is my third day in Santiago de los Caballeros, La Republica Dominicana. I ran though the airports, barely made my flights, lost my luggage and arrived four hours late on Generina's doorstep. The house is beautiful, we live in a hilly neighborhood, sandwiched in between other brightly colored homes. Ours is yellow! There's no AC in the Dominican Republic so the entire house is open with bar covered sliding doors instead of walls on one side. We have a balcony and down stairs patio shaded by palm trees and full of wild chickens. Speaking of wild, on one side we live next door to seven year old triplet boys and on the other side a lovely couple that blairs merengue untill 2am (I love it. Everywhere you go here there is music, even the library). My room on the second floor is small with a high ceiling and a giant fan. I sleep with the windows open to let in the breeze, no covers, just my mosquito net overhead. The chickens and dogs make a lot of noise and motorcycles roar by at all hours of the night, but I'm getting used to it. No hot water to shower with, but its so hot and humid outside that cold water feels just great.
Generina is sixty five and lives alone. Her niece Cesarina is over a lot. Regina works in the house and waits on me hand and foot which is uncomfortable to say the least (working on it). She is Haitian and very very sweet. The food here is incredible. We eat a lot of eggplant, fresh bananas, mashed bananas, fried bananas, cooked bananas, beans, rice, fish and avocados. YUM!
I met downtown Santiago today, my first glimpse of the urban third world. Crumbling buildings, seas of Dominicans shoulder to shoulder, women selling bright colored fruits from baskets balanced on their heads, old men playing dominos outside colmados, used clothing laid out for sale on the sidewalk, dogs everywhere. Women wearing gold, high heels and dresses step around hungry Haitian children. Payless shoes is found right next to the traditional cigar rolling shop. My head was swimming.
As I was told, the Haitians do stand out. They stand out because they are so unlike Dominicans. They speak softly, they walk with their heads down, their eyes are ten times brighter against black black skin. They lurk and scurry, that's the only way I can describe it. I took my language placement test today with two Haitian students and after I persisted for thirty minutes they finally began speaking openly with me. I'm learning that racism is institutionalized in many ways in the DR. Signs on certain bars read "No Haitians allowed." I can't believe my eyes sometimes.
The university is a beautiful. It is a green bubble with tropical flowers and fruits, tall trees and lovely buildings...all surrounded by tall iron fences and very friendly security guards. They call it "el pulmon de Santiago" or "the lung of Santiago" because its bigger and greener than any park. Exited to run there:)
The CIEE staff is great. We had our orientation at a conference center in the JUNGLE!!!! There are 25 students in our group, mostly from the East Coast. I get along great with all and have made several wonderful friends. The personalities in the group are well balanced.
I register for classes tomorrow! I hope I get placed on the second or third track so I can take more classes with Dominicans but I won't get my language exam results hasta la manana. I start classes Thursday, no classes on Fridays (ever!) and we're going to Santo Domingo this weekend.
All is well in the DR, I am learning so much. Those things that are challenging and disheartening are far outweighed by the beauty and opportunity that is all around me. I know I will be very happy here for the next four months. Thank you all for your prayers, please continue to pray that God will place me just where He wants me with my teaching (find that out tomorrow as well!) and that I can reflect God's love in my home, with the group, in the classroom and even on the street. Time to put on more bug spray and meet friends for jazz in the park! I love you all!
Friday, August 20, 2010
Embarkation
"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes" --Marcel Proust
Tomorrow I leave for Santiago de los Caballeros, La Republica Dominicana. I will be studying, working and traveling there for the next four months with the Council for International Educational Exchange (CIEE) and Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Nuestra Madre y Maestra (PUCMA). Details will follow as my Dominican routine takes shape and I hope this blog will allow you all to share in the adventure! Time to pack a suitcase. Love to all.
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