A sad announcement: the next few months will be without many blogs or pictures. Yesterday, my computer died, citing a ¨fan error¨. I will be fixing this in November stateside. Until then, I will be relying solely on internet cafes.
Also on a sad note, the aqueduct engineer stood up my community, once again. Very disheartening.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Okay, so FINALLY here is an update. April-May was pretty slow (as stated in previous blogs), but June is flying by! Thus, I haven’t had much time to write or post!
So what have I been doing?
• Graduated two 11-week nutrition classes, with a total of about 28 women, men, and youth graduating!
• Graduated 14 youth from the 12-week sex-ed class, “I choose my life” (Escojo Mi Vida).
• Hosted and attended multiple sex-ed class exchanges with other communities (and other volunteers)
• Finally got the water system engineer to come back to our community with the measurements, plans and budget
• Celebrated my birthday with my visiting friend from the United States and went to the beach!
• Went to an all-inclusive resort in nearby Puerto Plata for a sex-ed youth conference (beach + American food+ other volunteers!). Paid for by Peace Corps!
• Watched the Celtics vs. the Lakers in my community (yes, some people here live in 3 room houses but still have a dish)
What will I be doing in the near future (in the coming 3 weeks)?
• Starting up a youth sex-ed class in another community
• Starting a new 12-week class “healthy homes”. It ranges in theme from diarrhea to waste management to reproductive health.
• Starting to fundraise for the aqueduct!
• Attend a Peace Corps health promoter conference
• Celebrate patronales (annual community party) in the town next door (think dancing for 9 days straight)!
• Begin to work with the women in my community to make Lysol and Vick’s Vapor Rub to sell locally (economic development)
Other updates:
• My cat and dog have become fast friends. They spend their time scaring away the locally raised chickens and playing together. My cat has even started to catch mice! Woohoo!
• Summer weather has arrived here with a vengeance. 9am and already 82 degrees and rising.
• My family has started to build my little house! Finally they have purchased all the materials and have already started digging. I expect it to be done within 5 weeks time! I’m debating about color choices- mango, yellow or brick red? White trim is definite. Let me know your opinion!
So what have I been doing?
• Graduated two 11-week nutrition classes, with a total of about 28 women, men, and youth graduating!
• Graduated 14 youth from the 12-week sex-ed class, “I choose my life” (Escojo Mi Vida).
• Hosted and attended multiple sex-ed class exchanges with other communities (and other volunteers)
• Finally got the water system engineer to come back to our community with the measurements, plans and budget
• Celebrated my birthday with my visiting friend from the United States and went to the beach!
• Went to an all-inclusive resort in nearby Puerto Plata for a sex-ed youth conference (beach + American food+ other volunteers!). Paid for by Peace Corps!
• Watched the Celtics vs. the Lakers in my community (yes, some people here live in 3 room houses but still have a dish)
What will I be doing in the near future (in the coming 3 weeks)?
• Starting up a youth sex-ed class in another community
• Starting a new 12-week class “healthy homes”. It ranges in theme from diarrhea to waste management to reproductive health.
• Starting to fundraise for the aqueduct!
• Attend a Peace Corps health promoter conference
• Celebrate patronales (annual community party) in the town next door (think dancing for 9 days straight)!
• Begin to work with the women in my community to make Lysol and Vick’s Vapor Rub to sell locally (economic development)
Other updates:
• My cat and dog have become fast friends. They spend their time scaring away the locally raised chickens and playing together. My cat has even started to catch mice! Woohoo!
• Summer weather has arrived here with a vengeance. 9am and already 82 degrees and rising.
• My family has started to build my little house! Finally they have purchased all the materials and have already started digging. I expect it to be done within 5 weeks time! I’m debating about color choices- mango, yellow or brick red? White trim is definite. Let me know your opinion!
Friday, June 4, 2010
highlights of the past week with my visiting friend, anna;
1. 27 charcos(a nature reserve where you jump off waterfalls over 20 feet high!)
2. baking myself a funfetti cake for my birthday
3. seeing the local brujo (witch) and having him tell me about my future luck
4. going to playa grande in puerto plata (one of the best beaches in the DR.. we were two of 8 people on the beach!)
5. eating lots of delicious food on vacation including sour cream and onion chips, blue cheese burgers and pizza hut pizza!
pictures will soon be posted.
it has also been monsooning every day since i have returned to my village. hmm.
1. 27 charcos(a nature reserve where you jump off waterfalls over 20 feet high!)
2. baking myself a funfetti cake for my birthday
3. seeing the local brujo (witch) and having him tell me about my future luck
4. going to playa grande in puerto plata (one of the best beaches in the DR.. we were two of 8 people on the beach!)
5. eating lots of delicious food on vacation including sour cream and onion chips, blue cheese burgers and pizza hut pizza!
pictures will soon be posted.
it has also been monsooning every day since i have returned to my village. hmm.
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