More on my new life..

Okay..finally I have some more time on the internet. I don´t like using internet at my familys house because we were told during training to keep phone and internet minimal at the house because Dominicans usually keep it quick. But I have snuck away to an internet cafe. So much has happened here I do not even know where to start! The first week of training officially begins tomorrow but we had training all of this last week. Today is our day off, and I do not know when I will have another. Training is from 8 to 5 right now, and will be 8 to 6 later. I will be in Santo Domingo for these next 3 weeks but then the volunteers in the Community Economic Development sector will travel to the northern part of the Dominican Republic for Community Based Training for 5 weeks. Then we will return back to the capital for 2 weeks and then take a visit to the communities where we will live for the next 2 years. Then we return to the capital and swear in on October 28th. If we qualify as a volunteer and meet certain criteria.

Okay..mas sobre la vida aqui en la Republica Dominicana. More about the life here in the Dominican Republic. My family is so sweet. I literally sit around with the kids and sometimes mom and dad and play Dominoes, Uno and chat for HOURS on the porch. Last night a few other girls from Peace Corps and I played soccer in the street with the kids and it was SUPER fun. Our neighborhood is VERY hilly and we went running this morning, which was super hard for me with the hills. My little brother Maverick came with. I am actually feeling extremely comfortable here and very welcomed. Dominicans love to share things, so we have been told that if we dont want to share something...to keep it put away. I have been trying to share things with the kids especially....whether it be cookies, cake, my beads and hemp...little Diana, my host sister, loved my crosses to put on jewelry and used them all...but I decided she probably loves them more than me because shes a kid, she deserves them.

Training can really wear me out. Right now we are basically just covering health and safety and we are also doing some cross cultural studies to learn more about distinguishing the differences between cultures. This next week we will begin our Spanish classes. We had a conversational test on Friday, and I will know how I did tomorrow most likely. I need to pass into Intermediate Mid-High on the ACTFL scale to swear in as a volunteer. So, I am crossing my fingers. Oh que mas...I have probably been speaking at least 5 hours of Spanish everyday which means that I could possibly be fluent in 2 years...maybe. Vamos a ver...

Tomorrow we will learn how to ride the guaguas which are like van buses and people like hang out the sides of them...it seems a little dangerous but that is one of the ways I will have to get to the training center from my barrio, neighborhood, and also carros publicos. Well wish me luck on a wonderful week of training and I hope everyone is seriously considering visiting me..because the culture, the people and the atmosphere here are just wonderful and I promise it would be the trip of a lifetime. Hasta luego and I miss everyone very much.

Andrea