Sorry about the lack of writing or pictures lately! My
camera suffered a sad fall and I’m waiting on a new one being sent from the
states. I'm excited to go on a photo spree when it arrives! Until then, I’ll be
posting a few photos I snapped from my friend's phone J
Life has been ridiculously busy on this island! We’re
winding down the school year, and just like any school, there are piles of
paperwork, exams to grade, and graduations. Meanwhile, we are also trying to
plan our summer school programs and my roommate and I are navigating the moving
process in a foreign country. (Lease signing is intimidating enough in English…)
Today I’m preparing to go propane tank shopping, which reminds me, I may want
to confirm that “propane” is in fact “propano” before I go.
 |
| English classroom at ANIJA |
 |
| Sometimes we do violin lessons at recess :) |
On a bright note, I was successfully able to schedule
apartment showings on the phone in Spanish and negotiate a lease! We’re moving
very close by and will be one floor below another Kids Alive missionary. We are
so excited about this! If you’re interested, I believe our new address will be:
“Near the hotel, down the hill, past the cows and sometimes one donkey with the
fields of “mystery crops” on the right, a colorful house on the corner with the
big heavy brown gate, Jarabacoa, La Vega, DR.” This is roughly how I will be
ordering pizza!
But it may just as well be easier for me to pick my pizza up
than have it delivered, because I also was able to buy my first car! (It’s been
a month full of firsts!) Not exactly the car I dreamed of, but I’m learning
that all black windows really do have their perks. Not that there are any
traffic rules anyways, but I feel a little less conspicuous hidden in my car.
One way street signs are really suggestions, headlights are for the rich, and
whoever goes first has the right of way. The roads are full of deep holes so
much so that when I bottom out less than twice a week, I count it as a good one!
If that happened in the states, I would probably panic and have the next appointment at my local car shop.
I recently returned from a short trip to the states to
celebrate my sister’s wedding. It was a really special time with family as
everyone has been dispersed since Christmas. In the last 7 months, 2/3 of my
siblings have tied the knot! We had a great time meeting the other family,
riding around in golf carts, and of course, trying to keep up with the dancing of
older generations. They far outlasted the 20-something crowd.
 |
| Family photo from the rehearsal dinner. |
For those of you in the states who I was able to grab coffee or a meal
with, give a hug or even say a quick hello, it meant a lot. I was really
encouraged by so many of you and your interest in the lives of my students
here. Goodbyes were hard last August, but this trip was a good time to catch
up. Thank you for your ongoing love and
support!
