wow!! i can't believe this!! how time flies!! i am amazed!!!
tomorrow morning we leave for semana a few days to rest, sit in hammocks sunbathe!! yeah!!
but today is hard. having to say goodbye to dear friends....i try to think this is only hasta luego- we will still talk on the phone etc but even so can't help tearing up.
how dulce la paz of my new friends here
i am so grateful.
just a note checking in.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
hoy
a place of contrasts.
a tropical thunderstorm....truenos....lightening and thunder somewhat cools off the humidity.
walking down the street, I love seeing a guagua beeping along as the cabrador yells or whistles next
an old toyota truck, then two seconds later, a few beats behind is what? a boy galloping down the street on his white horse and not to be outdone... the constant roar that i've come to expect of the motoconchos...motorcycles speeding by. I love that i can see all these three within moments of each other.
classes today were wonderful! on the balcony but it threatened to rain all day so it wasn't crazy hot.
we talked about germs and then acted out the body, la piel and a wound and the roles of redblood cells and oxygen, white blood cells and platelets. So fun!! I love watching the kids zoom around acting stuff out.. having fun pretending to knaw each others arms chasing each other... it is great to see how different parts are played out!
Then Kevin, Kelvin, Maria and Ruth and I read in the library for a bit.
A student invited me over...I had met his family briefly on the way home the other day but today was to have more time there.
I don't drink coffee but was lulled in by the succulence of el cano, the sugar cane CANE. it was Such a sweet juice...you chew it then spit out the pulp. YMMM!!!
I saw the beautiful sugar cane growing in their back yard.
Clifford, named after clifford the big red dog, kept us in stiches at his hilarous antics, jumping up and sitting in the chair, the wheelbarrow and the domino table, dancing around and racing at breakneck speed down the way. He was SO funny!!
MY second initiation into dominos, they say I am good. but i 'm still mostly guessing. we pull up a few beach chairs and all huddle around a small table. My buddy is by my side coaching me as we discuss the game. Rapido Rapido as he keeps score. i counter laughingly with mas despacio!! Ya I like to slap the table hard with my domino piece.
no va when i can't put anything down. I glance across the table at my student's father. we are on the same equipo. 25 points yes!! we have the last domino that can fit in either posiition. I think...
I love the "lazy afternoons" it feels so good and so healthy to sit outside, enjoy each other, your neighbors and kids and el ambiente. I can't quite express in words how i feel to be here. I am constantly rendered speechless by the kindness i see and feel.
kisses on both cheeks for hoy y manana.
coca-cola y galletas
arroz, habichuelas y ensalada
when there is none to spare. for me, mostly a stranger. just trying to teach.
we walk 7 abreast home as i want to hold all these amazing kids hands. We pick up kids along the way and everyone is so eager to acopanarme home. I am astounded, astonished in awes. blessed
loved. almost on many counts brought to tears by the simple yet profound acts of kindness.
a tropical thunderstorm....truenos....lightening and thunder somewhat cools off the humidity.
walking down the street, I love seeing a guagua beeping along as the cabrador yells or whistles next
an old toyota truck, then two seconds later, a few beats behind is what? a boy galloping down the street on his white horse and not to be outdone... the constant roar that i've come to expect of the motoconchos...motorcycles speeding by. I love that i can see all these three within moments of each other.
classes today were wonderful! on the balcony but it threatened to rain all day so it wasn't crazy hot.
we talked about germs and then acted out the body, la piel and a wound and the roles of redblood cells and oxygen, white blood cells and platelets. So fun!! I love watching the kids zoom around acting stuff out.. having fun pretending to knaw each others arms chasing each other... it is great to see how different parts are played out!
Then Kevin, Kelvin, Maria and Ruth and I read in the library for a bit.
A student invited me over...I had met his family briefly on the way home the other day but today was to have more time there.
I don't drink coffee but was lulled in by the succulence of el cano, the sugar cane CANE. it was Such a sweet juice...you chew it then spit out the pulp. YMMM!!!
I saw the beautiful sugar cane growing in their back yard.
Clifford, named after clifford the big red dog, kept us in stiches at his hilarous antics, jumping up and sitting in the chair, the wheelbarrow and the domino table, dancing around and racing at breakneck speed down the way. He was SO funny!!
MY second initiation into dominos, they say I am good. but i 'm still mostly guessing. we pull up a few beach chairs and all huddle around a small table. My buddy is by my side coaching me as we discuss the game. Rapido Rapido as he keeps score. i counter laughingly with mas despacio!! Ya I like to slap the table hard with my domino piece.
no va when i can't put anything down. I glance across the table at my student's father. we are on the same equipo. 25 points yes!! we have the last domino that can fit in either posiition. I think...
I love the "lazy afternoons" it feels so good and so healthy to sit outside, enjoy each other, your neighbors and kids and el ambiente. I can't quite express in words how i feel to be here. I am constantly rendered speechless by the kindness i see and feel.
kisses on both cheeks for hoy y manana.
coca-cola y galletas
arroz, habichuelas y ensalada
when there is none to spare. for me, mostly a stranger. just trying to teach.
we walk 7 abreast home as i want to hold all these amazing kids hands. We pick up kids along the way and everyone is so eager to acopanarme home. I am astounded, astonished in awes. blessed
loved. almost on many counts brought to tears by the simple yet profound acts of kindness.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
a moment
Every day is SO different!!
A week in and WOWSEERS!! i love it!! The kids are amazing and so fun!!
So much energy so many characters- so many varied experiences....wow!! where to begin??
today was actually an intense day! I taught on the balcony and it was really hot!!
I wasn't sure how much was connecting with the students....we played some games!
The broom balance game with tape at various spots along the handle representing at what level we focus on.... so i had to do my hardest NOT To burst out laughing when antonio chucked the broom over the edge into the pool!! Hhaha hah!! you have to admit it was hilarous! there was a class in the pool at the time and SWSZZZOMMM down comes a flying broom!!!
ON the walk home, i stopped in at a peluquria---a woman was getting her nails done, eyebrows tweezed... i love the open-doorways so inviting to come and visit! After chatting for about a half-hour, i hadn't walked more than 2minutes down the street-- el callejon when
A little boy asked me for juice... soon i was surrounded by 5 neighborhood kids all talking at once... i sat down and soon we were all talking away. I love kids!!! So loving, so giving so sincere and true. then 2 girls from the Dream center came up and covered my eyes... i was soon invited over to their house, along the way we picked up other students and neighborhood children.
When we arrived at the calmoda-we were quite a crowd. I thought it might be untoward with out any notice but my friends assured me that I would be welcomed by their mother.
She was getting her hair down but bought me a pepsi and we preceeded to chat the afternoon entero. it was wonderful!! I love how relaxed time is here. You really do enjoy the moment- the people you're with with out having to run and plan out everything.l... or feel crazy stressed....
Carpe Diem!!!
A week in and WOWSEERS!! i love it!! The kids are amazing and so fun!!
So much energy so many characters- so many varied experiences....wow!! where to begin??
today was actually an intense day! I taught on the balcony and it was really hot!!
I wasn't sure how much was connecting with the students....we played some games!
The broom balance game with tape at various spots along the handle representing at what level we focus on.... so i had to do my hardest NOT To burst out laughing when antonio chucked the broom over the edge into the pool!! Hhaha hah!! you have to admit it was hilarous! there was a class in the pool at the time and SWSZZZOMMM down comes a flying broom!!!
ON the walk home, i stopped in at a peluquria---a woman was getting her nails done, eyebrows tweezed... i love the open-doorways so inviting to come and visit! After chatting for about a half-hour, i hadn't walked more than 2minutes down the street-- el callejon when
A little boy asked me for juice... soon i was surrounded by 5 neighborhood kids all talking at once... i sat down and soon we were all talking away. I love kids!!! So loving, so giving so sincere and true. then 2 girls from the Dream center came up and covered my eyes... i was soon invited over to their house, along the way we picked up other students and neighborhood children.
When we arrived at the calmoda-we were quite a crowd. I thought it might be untoward with out any notice but my friends assured me that I would be welcomed by their mother.
She was getting her hair down but bought me a pepsi and we preceeded to chat the afternoon entero. it was wonderful!! I love how relaxed time is here. You really do enjoy the moment- the people you're with with out having to run and plan out everything.l... or feel crazy stressed....
Carpe Diem!!!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Happy 4th of july!
it is afternoon. there are a few people in the pool, me and missy are chilling here tableside checking email and using the internet. Tengo calor-- its so humid! thee cool breeze is amazing and very refreshing.
we have some beats going on....
this afternoon me and a few friends were invited to have lunch with some fellow volunteers--cheesy sphaughetti- tostones- refresco!! SO good!! i ate to filling!! we took some amazing pictures! then we all pulled the table chairs out, sat under the palm tree and talked the afternoon
here we are toasting to la salud y la concinera!!!
ok, now im going to help a friend do dishes because i'm always invited to eat with them and i never bring anything...so por lo menos, this is something i can do. let me tell you, arroz, pollo-- ahhh SUCH good food!!
chao! hasta pronto. i'll try and write more often, but there is so much to be enjoyed and i have no desire to sit in front of a computer when the world awaits!! seriously, there are people and places to explore. but i will check in.
happy 4th!
the plan tonight- go to the beach-dancing learning the bacchata and merengue-- way fun, a big group of people.... i can't wait!!
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
wow! where to begin... there is SO SO SO much wonderful things that happen every single day!
From the airport we made a group of 7 volunteers--from Utah to Miami to the DR--from the cold airport to the sweltering humidity-- it was a day of contrasts.
Exhausted- Nate met us and we took a guagua from Puerto Plata to Cabarete.
First thing on our list- hit the beach!! How we had energia, i don't know....the water felt like a bath but super salty!!! A stream of volunteers have been arriving here as we took it easy, getting to know the town and people. We already have friends at the fruit stand that give us discounts on the freshest pina y mango ever!! It is so good- dripping down your chin!
We all met as the DREAM team for dinner and with a live band it soon turned into a rockin pool party dance-party!! i learned the bachata from my friend yunelka y lisolott!!
They are these awesome girls from san francisco- appox 4 hours in un guagua to arrive here!!
They arrived on sunday, i took them to el supermercado rosa-- the only place open!!!!
Iglesia was awesome too! We went to a young adult class and everyone was so nice.
I can't even describe the love i feel already-- there is something in the words of our landlady-- who is german and moved here--- FOR THE LIFE. it really is the lifestyle-- late afternoons the sun streaming through windows,
From the airport we made a group of 7 volunteers--from Utah to Miami to the DR--from the cold airport to the sweltering humidity-- it was a day of contrasts.
Exhausted- Nate met us and we took a guagua from Puerto Plata to Cabarete.
First thing on our list- hit the beach!! How we had energia, i don't know....the water felt like a bath but super salty!!! A stream of volunteers have been arriving here as we took it easy, getting to know the town and people. We already have friends at the fruit stand that give us discounts on the freshest pina y mango ever!! It is so good- dripping down your chin!
We all met as the DREAM team for dinner and with a live band it soon turned into a rockin pool party dance-party!! i learned the bachata from my friend yunelka y lisolott!!
They are these awesome girls from san francisco- appox 4 hours in un guagua to arrive here!!
They arrived on sunday, i took them to el supermercado rosa-- the only place open!!!!
Iglesia was awesome too! We went to a young adult class and everyone was so nice.
I can't even describe the love i feel already-- there is something in the words of our landlady-- who is german and moved here--- FOR THE LIFE. it really is the lifestyle-- late afternoons the sun streaming through windows,
Monday, June 22, 2009
testing my wings
Two days before Blast-off!! I am so excited!
A small group of BYU students and I will be living in Cabarete, DR for the next 6 weeks! Along with several other universities! Lookout world! Here we come!!
I will be co-teaching a life-skills class to the youth group of 9-13 year olds! There is so much unknown, so many new experiences waiting !
My feelings: A little nervous but definitely MOre excited--my mindset is- RELAX. ENJOY. LIVE IN the MOMENT ON PURPOSE and TO THE FULLEST CAPACITY.
A small group of BYU students and I will be living in Cabarete, DR for the next 6 weeks! Along with several other universities! Lookout world! Here we come!!
I will be co-teaching a life-skills class to the youth group of 9-13 year olds! There is so much unknown, so many new experiences waiting !
My feelings: A little nervous but definitely MOre excited--my mindset is- RELAX. ENJOY. LIVE IN the MOMENT ON PURPOSE and TO THE FULLEST CAPACITY.
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