So I promised you I would write about politics. But, in truth, I am tired of the politics that have dominated the DR and my community for the past month (1. I couldn’t participate, 2. Corruption is frustrating, 3. Politics pins community members against community members). I will therefore make this entry short.

There are two main political parties, PLD and PRD. PLD is currently in power, dominating the legislative bodies. This past election was the congressional election, so the people were voting for senators, deputies and local mayors who will rule for the next 6 years. People here are obsessed with politics due to the power and money it brings. If your party wins, you will benefit (as a community and as individuals); if they lose, you despair (jobs will be lost—school bus drivers, govt nurses, town hall employees will all turn over). Here in my province, specifically in my community, we are PLD supporters. My boyfriend was very active in this election and was actually paid for much of the work he did, as registered member of the PLD party (money=good, tainted money = bad). In short, the elections were all around me. My main observations were as such:
1. Many votes were bought on election day with the excuse “if we don’t reimburse people for their transportation, no one will vote”. Many voters actually claim the same excuse, saying “if no one pays me, why would I vote?”
2. PRD and PLD interactions around the elections were petty and violent. I went to a dance where there was a PRD candidate voodoo doll being burned. Also, caravans of both parties would charge through communities whipping and taunting signs of the other party’s candidate. A bit too intense for my liking.
3. Everyone in Guayabo knew everyone else’s political affiliation. This led to lots of gossiping and occasional confrontations between people of different political parties. Drama for no reason, really.

So the election outcomes? PLD won senador and deputy, but lost mayor (which is the most important for me). The current mayor helping with the aqueduct lost the reelection.. Maybe I can woo the upcoming PRD mayor with my “blonde” hair and American accent (lets hope!). Unfortunately, the election outcomes mean that many local jobs are in jeopardy due to the turnover from PLD to PRD which could affect some people in my community. Vamos a ver.

Other Updates:
• I have a new cat as of 2 days ago! His name is Sebastian and he is about 1-2 months old. He is white with yellow patches. I’ve uploaded a photo. While he is cute and cuddly, he refuses to sleep at night and meows frantically for hours on end. Hopefully within a few weeks he will adjust and start catching the rats and cockroaches in the house!
• I’ve discovered that my host family’s house is a black hole. Anything you put down will either be lost, misplaced, or used by someone else (I guess that is what happens when 6 people + 3 animals live in a 4 room house). My boyfriend has lost multiple textbooks, motorcycle keys, papers, etc. Being the detective I am, I found both the lost motorcycle keys (under the bed, duh) and my boyfriend’s textbook that was vital for his final (in the trash.. hmm..). My discoveries were definitely a highlight of this week.
• It has been raining most afternoons which brings down the temperature. Last night for dinner I made tortilla soup for the family and it was surprisingly delicious (and easy/cheap to make)!