Ok, enough seriousness with all this education business.
Last weekend I was at a soccer game that some of my friends organized for their youth project and we had a funny moment. The game was in full swing – teenage/20-year old guys battling it out as intensely as you would expect (Dominicans are pretty competitive) – when suddenly both teams were on the ground. Seriously, I’m standing on the sidelines chatting with some fellow PCVs and we look back to see everyone spread out around the field on their backs. Huh? Is this some kind of weird Dominican half-time tradition? Completely baffling… until we see SWARMS of black things flying towards our heads like locusts. We threw ourselves down, laughing at what was probably 100 people lying prone around the field under clouds of insects. Turns out they were bees. Good thing I got down, I think I’m allergic… Note to self: do as the locals do.
Momento parecido: I was swimming in a river in Brazil, and all the Americans were in the water but our Kayapo friends were not. We finally asked them why they didn’t want to swim and they were like, “Oh, we don’t like electric eels.” Oh, right, ok, thanks for letting us know. Ah!!
Speaking of rivers, on Saturday a few of us took a long walk to a river in the campo, despite the terrifying warnings that we’ve been given... Let’s just say that Peace Corps seems to think fear is the best policy when it comes to medical risks such as a relaxing swim in potentially diseased waters. Lots of Dominicans were swimming, and the water didn’t look particularly dirty, so we decided to take our chances and enjoy it. It may be too soon to tell, but I don’t feel any less healthy than I felt a few days ago, so hopefully I came out unscathed. I’m not sure that I can say the same for all the jovenes who were inspired to show off for us Americanos… sometimes I find it incredible that anyone survives childhood. We swam down river a ways to find a bunch of teenage boys goofing off in the water. Once they saw us, they started jumping/flipping/diving into the river off of branches and a sketchy piece of rope hanging from a tree high above the (relatively shallow) water. There’s definitely no sense of water safety here. Despite many MANY close calls, we witnessed no crises… gracias a Dios.
The walk through cane fields to the river.
Tranquilo...
And today I got really lucky and ended up at the beach in Miches (about an hour north of El Seibo) instead of spending the afternoon sitting in the kiddie pool my doña just set up in our front patio. This is apparently a Semana Santa tradition. I guess it makes sense – can’t afford to go to the beach? Don’t have a vehicle to get you to the river(/don’t want to walk 45 minutes like those crazy Americans)? Set up a kiddie pool in your front patio and sit there all afternoon with your closest friends and family! Lucky me, I went to the beach with my friend Nikki's family instead. It was beautiful. And one of those, “I’m in the Peace Corps? Are you sure?” kind of days. Those are about to get fewer and farther between, because in just over a week I will know where I am going to live for the next two years! I anticipate a steep downgrade in amenities, but am super excited to find out what my life is going to look like and to get started on some projects!
Also, if you would like to know what my life sounds like (pretty much 24/7, no matter where I am in this country), listen to some of these songs and imagine motorcycles roaring by in the background… maybe throw in some roosters too for good measure:
Prince Royce: Stand by Me, Corazon Sin Cara, El Amor Que Perdimos
Don Omar y Lucenzo: Danza Kuduro
Hector Acosta: Me Duele la Cabeza
Carlos Baute: Colgando en Tus Manos
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