Que Vaina Mi Vida

Here are some of the highlights since the last blog. Thanksgiving: all the volunteers got together in the capital to party and have a big feast. There was a talent show, and I decided to perform the most played out bachata song on the radio, so everyone knew it and got up and danced to it, fantastic.

I went to a “bela”, which is a gathering for the anniversary of someone’s death. At these belas, I have found, you basically go and sit in plastic chairs and talk to people, and then at about 12:00, they come around and pass out take out boxes with lunch in them, everyone eats, and then leaves. I’m still not sure who it was that died. Anyway, this guarantee of free food often attracts uninvited guests, which I happened to meet this one particular day. I found myself sitting in my plastic chair, talking to an old man and two younger ladies, who were trying to arrange for all of us to go up to the mountain to do the dirty. I later found out, the two ladies were prostitutes that work at the local brothel and came to the bela to look for extra business and score some free food. I also found out that one of these prostitutes is the mistress to one of the leaders in my community, and my neighbors warned me not to mess around with her; I informed them that while I appreciate their concern, they need not worry because I prefer not to pay for sex.

On the 13^th of January, I went home to be the best man in the wedding of my friends Wes and Michelle. I stayed for Christmas and was back in the DR on the 26^th. I have started my English class again, and I will be doing the land survey for my water system this week. I should also be moving into my own house at the end of the month.

Here is a list of things that I have noticed while living here that are funny or peculiar:

1. My host grandfather, every night after dinner, instead of brushing his teeth, swishes around water in his mouth and then spits at the wall next to the dinner table. He only has 3 teeth left.

2. My host brother, at 7 years of age, on a nightly bases, enjoys blasting regaeton while he performs inappropriate dance moves such as grinding a broomstick.

3. We found a dead baby pig at the bottom of our empty pool, and nobody could explain how it got there. The crazy part is that nobody was really too worried about solving the mystery.

4. Rain gives you the excuse to forget about any prior responsibilities you had before it started raining.

5. While looking for tux measurements before the wedding, I went to a larger town, and asked where a tailor was. I found my way to the tailor shop but when I got there, it was closed. I asked a man on the street where the tailor was, and he explained that the tailor wasn’t there because he had died. Disappointed, I went home and asked my host mom if she knew someone who could do tux measurements. She walked me two blocks from our house to another house where we found a man sitting in his front yard with a sewing machine. The man gladly did all the measurements for free. When I got to The States and tried on my tux, the shirt was extra fat with sleeves up to my elbows, and the coat sleeves covered my hands.

That’s all I got for now. I’ll try to have more regular blogs now that I found a place close by with reliable internet. As you all know, Haiti is a complete disaster right now. I felt the ground shake from here but thankfully there was no damage in the Dominican Republic. However, many Haitians live in my community and all over the DR, and the whole country is doing what they can to help out our neighbors. I encourage any of you to do what you can to help. Any donation will be of help as these people are literally left with nothing.

Hope everyone is doing well! Let me know if you want to come visit, I’m already looking forward to having visit Wes, Michelle, Jessica, My Dad, and Mark, in that order!