DR Dias 4 y 5

Monday, March 14, 2011

3:30pm (since Daylight Savings Time kicked in in the states, we're on the same time schedule now!)

First of all, I feel like I've forgotten how to write, since my brain has been trying so hard to learn Spanish. So, lo siento if this sounds stiff (or if I spell every Spanish word wrong). I said grace at lunch today; fortunately, God understands English, French and Spanish, so He knew exactly what I was trying to tell Him! 

It's such an adventure being immersed in a language that I don't understand at all. If I ever finish learning Spanish and want to experience this again, I decided I'll just go to a different country. All of the sudden I'm obsessed with languages. I could go to Denmark, Italy, China, South Africa, Korea, Russia, Egypt...but I'm getting ahead of myself.

 

Yesterday we took the metro and a taxi into the historical district of the city with Katy; the buildings and streets there are beautiful. (Note: if you are a blond-ish white girl, wearing a red dress may elicit stares.) After walking around for a while we called a taxi and headed back to Antonia's house. On the way back I saw a man selling coconut water in the street and Ashley told Katy I wanted to try some, so we looped back around and the taxi waited while the man lopped off the tops of the coconuts and filled up cups with ice and coconut water. Now, anyone who has traveled to a Latin American country knows that you should not drink the water, and that includes ice. However, I was too shy to tell him no ice, so Ashley and I braced ourselves and drank it (and we were fine). It was slightly tangy and bittersweet and clear like water. 

Merengue class started at 3pm (in the breakfast portico, with Katy and the girl who lives with them as our teachers and YouTube providing the music). Katy told us, "The hips are sensual. You move the hips, not the ass!" Well, us white girls can neither move our hips nor keep time with the music, so we just made up what we didn't know and had fun dancing the modified merengue. 

El perro es "Doggie"

We went to church for the lively Sunday night service. I carefully rehearsed my introduction: "Hola, me llamo Rebecca. Soy de Vermont, pero atendio la Universidad de George Mason y me gusta fotografia." After we introduced ourselves on stage, Pastor Juan explained that I wanted to take pictures for my class, and pointed out several people who would want their pictures taken. Right after we walked off the stage, he asked Ashley if we were single. She said, "I have a boyfriend but Becs is single!" so he proceeded to tell the whole congregation I'm available. (At this point I was wishing more than ever that I could understand what everyone was saying! Of course, all the boys still went to talk to Ashley after the service, since she can actually speak with them.) Antonia also told me I need a Dominican boyfriend so that I'll come back and visit. All single girls back home, now you know where to go.

Karina Miller's Dominican twin

Joaquin (one of Ashley's new friends)

Shy of the camera

Not at all shy of the camera

After church we took pictures and I got to speak to Feyani (spelling?), a Haitian girl at church--she was very gracious as I stumbled through a few sentences in French! Then we went to a very American-like dinner--Pizza Hut at the mall!--with the Santos' (Pastor Juan, Miriam y Hernán). 

We stayed at the Santos' beautiful new house and woke up to the sound of roosters crowing (in Spanish, according to Ashley. And they're still crowing as I write this!). I woke up late--Ashley interrupted my dream with "Becs! Wake up!"--and we ate breakfast with Juan y Miriam and then Ashley skyped with her boyfriend Tyler (who happens to be coming to the DR on a missions trip in July!). Later we picked up Hernán from school, ate lunch, and played "Uno" (ironic, it's one word that I know). He teased Ashley about her laugh and I said, "Hernán, do you know the word 'punk'?" He knows a little bit of English, but that was a new word for him. Then Ashley taught him "Oh my lanta!"  

 

Tonight we're going to host an English class/conversation time for people in the church who want to practice their English. Until then we're just enjoying the extremely laid-back culture down here! They don't pack their days full of activities and plans; they just go with the flow. Está bien!