Week 2

Bear with me team- this entry is going to be like a really rough game- not even when the Bills lose in the last minute- but when they pretty much just don't even show up. It's going to be full of emo-kid descriptions, terrible analogies, maybe some 3rd person references and general angst. You really won't get anything out of finishing except the ability to describe yourself as "not a fair-weather fan" (of Erin's Peace Corps experience).

This week has been fairly monumental- both in my life back in the states and my adjustment to Dominican life. During this first full week in my village I have met about 50 people, all of whom have names I’ve never heard before, learned to take the rather terrifying bus on my own, and eaten both chicken and fish off the bone- just putting the whole thing in my mouth and chewing the meat off. (I’m sure not all of you are aware but I have a terrible aversion to meat on the bone- except for steak- I like my chicken skinless and boneless and my fish to have no fishy remnants.) Some days I feel constantly exhausted about having to be "on" all the time. I hadn't realized how comfortable I was in SF and Buffalo where I rarely thought about what I said or did (which is probably good to be rectifying now).

I feel like both my stomach and I have gone through an enormous range of emotions this week. My stomach goes through horrible pains, weird bubbly feelings, and normalcy pretty much on the hour. It’s a little awkward living with other people while my stomach’s feelings are SO out of control.

Each day feels incredibly long too. It feels like I’ve been here for much closer to a month than a week. I feel like I constantly oscillate between wondering why I’m here and being amazed that I’m sitting in a house in rural Dominica (a country I had no idea existed until mid-December) talking to my host sisters and their mom and dad about what is happening in Egypt, health care reform, and how Subway 5 dollar footlongs really cost 5 dollars in America (they cost about $18EC).

In this week’s highlights: going to an awesome Fort and meeting the leading (and only, I think) Dominican historian, the opening of Carnival parade (see pictures below) that featured extravagant adult beverage costumes and floats and a group dressed up as Michael Jackson paying tribute to him who painted their faces white, a beach festival Carnival fundraiser hosted by the group I’ll be working with that had awesome chicken and music, and riding in the back of a pick-up truck into town (about a 40 minute ride) passing a bus of tourists which made me feel super legitimate as a Dominican.

This week’s lowlights: the passing of my grandfather (I know that made it take a real serious tone but it seems terrible to not mention when discussing the week), getting wireless at my home stay house for 30 minutes one morning and then never again giving me tons of false hope, and my stomach.

I promise that this will be my last feelings entry for a while.