Some of My Favorite Pictures of the Dominican Republic!

 

Here’s a few of my favorite photos from my time in the Dominican Republic. I took most of them but labeled the ones taken by other people. The Dominican Presidential Palace.

Plantains at the market, taken by Darin Dueck.

     
The young and the elderly.

A beautiful 15th birthday party, taken by Darin Dueck.

Dominican’s love to laugh.


On their way to church.

 
My neighbor Maria, taken by Darin Dueck. Everybody’s dad, the avocado vendor.

A little bit of gambling taken by Darin Dueck.

My favorite place to buy fruit.

Guy time. 

 
My best friend Minerva and another friend getting her nails done (very popular thing to do, and it’s cheap too).

Girl time.

They “helped” paint the blue building.

The mountain village called El Travesia.

  
Fresh coffee berries and dried ones too.

 
Fresh roasted coffee mountain style.

  

Haitian school in La Vega.

The lovely Ocean!

Who’s paying for electricity?

In an attempt to stay connected to life in the D.R. I have been checking in with my friends there whenever I have a little extra cash, listening to Spanish music all the time and  trying to stay up to date on D.R. news. Something that surprised me in one of the past news updates is that Dominicans pay taxes that go towards electricity. The paper reported that Dominicans are paying for electricity, which is calculated in the 16% ITBIS tax. "When people say they do not pay for electricity, it is only that they think they are not paying for it," as reported in Hoy. "But they pay for the service when they buy beer, milk or rice. A third of the tax that they pay everyday covers the electricity that they steal." 
So I guess I’ll no longer say that Dominicans living in barrios are “stealing” electricity. Actually, in the barrio where they seemingly pay a very minimal amount for electricity, they probably pay a lot in the taxes being that they consume a huge amount of rice, beer and milk.

Haitians in the D.R.

 
DR1 Daily News -- Wednesday, 27 October 2010
http://www.dr1.com

57,000 more illegal Haitians
Statistics released by the Department of Migration show that after the 12 January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, some 57,119 Haitians who crossed the border to the DR on market days have stayed on in the country illegally. A spokesman for the department told Diario Libre that the figure probably does not even account for 50% of those who have entered illegally. The Migration Department says that 83 inspectors have been dismissed in the past 14 months for complicity with people smuggling, serious faults on the job, allowing the departure of people with legal exit restrictions, administrative corruption, forgery of documents or links to drug trafficking networks.

I even miss the lizards

Every once in a while I’ll see something on the floor or the wall which slightly resembles a lizard or a gecko. It’s strange, but each time I’ve taken a closer look I feel disappointed to find out that it was merely a fuzz ball or a smear. So basically what I want to say is that I miss everything about the D.R. I miss the people, the warm weather, the noise and even the lizards.

Hard Homework

I’m officially a student again! I didn’t really know what to expect but I am realizing that I expected it to be a little easier than it is. Being able to read all the information, come up with a view, and write about it is something that seems to come naturally for me concerning the bible and religious things, but incredibly hard on other subjects. I laughed the other day when I read Johann Herbart’s definition of “interest”: a person’s ability to focus on and retain an idea in consciousness. According to that definition I must not not interested in many things, because I’m having the hardest time focusing on and retaining anything right now. Thankfully though, I’m told that it get’s easier as time goes on. Eventually I should get used to all the reading and writing. But for now I am really missing the freedom I experienced in the D.R. of only studying things that applied to the present situation I was in. I’m also really missing my little neighbor friends.

Getting around in the D.R.

It might surprise you, but lots of people returning from the mission field have trouble adjusting to their home culture. Feelings of loneliness, depression, and disorientation are all common. Thankfully I have a number of good resources, like a book called Re-Entry by Peter Jordan, and people I can talk to if things get difficult. 
One thing I have noticed is that I feel sad whenever I have to drive somewhere by myself. Though the picture above is not very common, it was common for me to travel around on the back of a motorcycle taxi while in the D.R.. Every time I went to town I had the driver to talk to. Or even if I walked to town I would never make it all the way there without being stopped by one or two friends who were also walking somewhere. So yes, getting around in the states is a bit lonely for me. Hopefully I’ll be able to find someone to carpool with soon!

Allergic Reactions

I went to visit my dad in the recovery area after his successful back surgery when I suddenly felt a bit dizzy. I tried to stay focused as the nurse gave me care instructions but when everything went fuzzy and black I interrupted her and found a place to sit down. After a few minutes I felt fine again yet I was a little disturbed as to why I got dizzy.
The nurse laughed at me when I told her I might have an allergic reaction to hospitals, and yes I know it sounds a bit bazaar. Yet the only times I can remember getting dizzy or sick like that during the past three years have been when I was with someone else in a hospital. Once I was with a team leader who had kidney stones, as the nurses were caring for her I suddenly felt sick and quickly occupied the other bed in the room. Another time, a few months ago, I was caring from my friend at the hospital, but about midnight I got sick and spent the night emptying out my stomach as well as trying to be a help to her. And then once again yesterday, while getting instructions on how to help my dad. Is there any connection here? Could I be allergic to hospitals???

First Impressions

I’m back in the U.S.A. now, slowly getting rested up and attempting to transition into the American culture. Here’s a few of the the things that have stuck out to me so far……

So many paper towels: Lots of my friends who have returned from overseas get overwhelmed in grocery stores, by the vast variety, especially on the cereal isle. I’ve never really had this problem. However, during my first trip to the closest Fred Meyers I was a little shocked that half of a very long isle was full of paper towels options. Why would anyone need so many different paper towel choices!?!

Seat belts!?!:  My dad was speeding in a construction zone so it made since to me why the police officer pulled him over and asked for his license, but why did she ask for mine? She informed that I didn’t have my seatbelt on right and could give me a $200+ ticket. I couldn’t believe it! I didn’t realize there was a wrong way to wear a seatbelt. I thought as long as it was buckled in it was the right way. Well now I know, a new law was passed a few years ago and it’s highly against the law to put the seatbelt under you arm!

Bathrooms and faucet water: A little thing that makes me happy every time I leave the D.R. are the bathrooms. Even the bathrooms on airplanes are great; warm water to wash your hands with, clean water to brush you teeth with, and decent tubing which allows you to flush t.p.! 

Noise Please: The peace and quiet is almost annoying. I’ve been at my dad’s house for a few days now and haven’t seen any of his neighbors, their pets, or moving vehicles. It’s almost hard to sleep without dogs barking, music playing, or motorcycles buzzing by!

Good Eats: One thing that I definitely love about the states are all the great food options. I’ve already had Korean barbeque, fish and chips, an espresso milkshake, and some tasty salads. I look forward to Thai food, Indian, Moroccan, and so much more!

Lots of Goodbyes

The official goodbyes started Saturday morning when my little friends put their money together and prepared a little breakfast for our last meeting. Together we enjoyed a variety of salami, cheese, crackers, potato chips, suckers, and soda pop. (I guess that doesn’t really count as breakfast).

Then in the afternoon, Aneudy surprised me with a gift and small presentation while leading kids church. 

On Sunday a bunch of friends came over and together we made all kinds of desserts and treats. I made Chocolate Cheese Cake and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, tall Aneudy made Tres Leches Cake, short Aneudy made a creamed filled Roll-up Cake, Adriana made Deviled Eggs, Yuneris made a Pasta Salad, and the twins made Platano Spiders. It was quite a feast! Unfortunately I was so busy eating that I forgot to take pictures.

On Tuesday night Michel’s cell group made popcorn and played some games in my honor, as well as said lots of nice things about me. 
Afterwards my little neighbor friend, Gabbi, informed me she had asked her mom for permission to come over because I’d be leaving soon. We made smoothies and played a few games.  
On Wednesday the T.E.A.R.S. School staff made me my favorite Dominican meal, Locrio (Chicken with rice) with pasta salad and potato salad!

Then on Wednesday night the TEARS team threw me my final goodbye party. Together we watched slideshows from the past ten years and ate cake. They also gave me a few presents, prayed for me, and said lots of nice things about me. I tried to say nice things about all of them as well, but besides the fact that I’m not good with words I also think it’s impossible to express how much of an impact each of them have made on my life. I’ll miss all of them so much!

 

Quick Travesia Trip

Even though I’d already said goodbyes to all my friends in the Travesia a few weeks ago I couldn’t pass up getting a ride up there to say goodbyes one more time. Bau had to check on a work project up there, so nine of us headed up in the giant red ministry truck for a quick day trip. I visited as many people as I could, drank lots of coffee, ate lots of bananas, took some pictures, and enjoyed a great rice and beans lunch. It was a beautiful day up there (cloudy but no rain)…. so glad I got to go up there one more time.