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!