Yesterday turned out to be an especially fun day (and demonstrates why I love my “job”). In the morning I finally finished all the interviews from the third community (20 interviews in 3 days). I have completed about 62 interviews, only about 30 to go (which will all take place in my hometown—easy)!

The afternoon was HOT. Hot for winter (thanks, global warmning) and hot for the DR. It was also one of my young friend’s 15th birthday (which for girls is like a sweet 16). So, what better thing to do than rustle up all the youth and go to the waterfall/river! So, that’s what I did. We had a group of about 10 highschoolers hike to the closest charco, which is incredibly beautiful and has crystal clean water. We played and took pictures (instead of studying for end of term exams). At different intervals the waterfall downpours and of course we all sat under the waterfall and I felt like I was on Splash mountain or something.

Then, last night marked the first night of the “gingebre”(spanish spelling is definitely off), but it’s a tradition in which every night during advent the community gets together and shares ginger tea. The person who receives the one bitter tea (it’s a surprise!) will host the tea the next night. This goes on for about two weeks; tea at a different person’s house every night. It’s a great way for the community to share (and of course a few words about Jesus are shared too). It was fun to see all the community in one place – you realize how small the community really is!

Other Updates:
• THE CONTESTANT FROM THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC WON LATIN AMERICAN IDOL!! Big deal.
• During my surveying this past week I discovered that Haitians live in one of the communities I will be working with. I knew that they worked in Hobo, but I didn’t know they lived there. That definitely mixes things up (interesting relations between Haitians-Dominicans). It was a challenge trying to interview the Haitians due to the fact that spanish is both my second second language and theirs (haha).But, I am excited because the Haitian population is definitely an underserved community (within an underserved community).
• I made my most delicious bread yet! A carrot and banana bread! Watch out, Sara Lee!
• I’ve become the token photographer in the community, mainly due to the fact I am the only person in the community that has a camera! While it is fun now, it may be tiresome in the future.