git er done: i don't know what it is about this place... maybe it's just the different pace of life... but i've never been somewhere where i feel like i'm so busy all day and then when i stop to look back on the day, i have to wonder what exactly i've done!! i don't know, it's hard to explain, but it's like everything moves so slow and after 11 months i'm still having problems adjusting! there are tons of things that i am trying to get done before i leave (in less than 6 weeks!). first of all, i'm trying to get a lot of stuff done in the special needs house. i've worked with the kids a lot this year, but i'm trying to do some things that will last after i'm gone. i've been working with the physical therapists and we've been creating information sheets about all the kids that tell about them... their problems and specific ways to work with and help them, etc. we've also been trying to teach the tías more about special needs kids, so they can be more effective working in the house. we are also trying to make schedules for both the tías and the kids, so that there is more structure and routine and that the house can continue in a forward direction. in addition, i've been trying to get a lot of other random projects done. i have been making a brochure type thing, with information about the house and kids so that visitors can look at it while they are here and i've been trying to get the visitor program to have a little more order to it... organizing the visitor house with rules, guidelines, information, etc. but it's just like the simplest things here seem to take forever. like at home, if i want to make a copy it's done in 2 seconds in the office or i jump in my car and run over to kinkos. but here, it's like there's no ink, or there's no electricity or i have to wait for this or that or find someone who is driving into the city who can take me with them. i don't know, it's just seems like all these things shouldn't take so long... but for some reason they do! plus, i've been trying to just spend as much time with the kids as possible, because that is going to be the hardest part of leaving. all in all, this week i feel like i've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off! but anyway, i'm determined to get all these things done in my last couple weeks here... hopefully i don't go crazy in the process!
cooking classes: in addition to all the "work" i've been trying to get done, there are also other random things that i've been trying to do before i leave. one is learn how to cook at least 1 dominican thing. in general, i don't think i will miss the rice and beans too much... but after a year of eating rice and beans for lunch every single day, i will probably feel the desire to add at least a little more rice into my diet back home. plus, when we went to the beach a couple weeks ago, my tías in santa rosa made this really delicious rice and chicken that we brought with us and they told me that they would teach me how to make it. so this tuesday was cooking day. on monday i went to the store and bought all the ingredients and on tuesday morning, my tías gave me my first dominican cooking lesson. it was really fun. my tías are so sweet and they were so surprised when i told them i don't eat rice every day back home! but they made this really delicious rice with carrots and onions and corn and this very tasty chicken to go on top... yum :) in the afternoon i continued the day of cooking, by giving paola an american cooking lesson... we made ants on a log (hormigas en un tronco). apparently celery, peanut butter and raisins is a very weird concept here. paola liked it, because she'll eat just about everything, but everyone else that we tried to give one to gave us a look like, "are you kidding me? i'm supposed to eat that?".... oh well.
primera dama: wednesday was also a crazy day, because on tuesday afternoon we found out that the first lady of the dr was going to stop by the home for a visit. this kinda threw everyone into a frenzy. we all spent all tuesday afternoon and wednesday morning cleaning and getting everything ready. the kids did a bunch of yard work and everyone cleaned up their houses. some kids started preparing and practicing a song of welcome, while others organized a dance to do for her. the day was pretty crazy. we thought she was coming in the morning... then after lunch... then we found out she wasn't coming til 4. then we were all ready, we had the kids lined up at the front gate to greet her as she arrived, but as we waited, the big black clouds rolled in and it started to just pour! we all ran to the school and got re-setup in there. finally all her security guards showed up and about a half an hour later she finally came into the school. the kids and the national director welcomed her and then she spoke for about 10 minutes. it was still pouring though, so she didn't get to see or do anything other than the inside of the school. it ended up being rather anti-climactic in the end. but everyone was excited about it and i suppose its good that the president and his wife know about and show interest in the organization! "what we are doing may seem insignificant, but it most important that we do it." -ghandi
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