March 11, 2013. Today a PCV came in to do a team building exercise. He threw a bunch of items in the middle of our circle and told us to race and grab one. I made my way in but didn't fight so I snatched a green rubber bracelet that was left among a paper clip and stamp. I picked it up and it said, Believe. Talk about perfection. That has been my favorite word since I was a kid and it seems to pop up everywhere. He then instructed us to share our name, where we're from, what we learned from our host families this weekend and what our item means to us (so glad I didn't get the stapler or bug spray!). So my turn came and I shared that I learned that my host sister is just like me and how language barriers aren't the end all for forming relationships and briefly explained. Then my bracelet. I first said I grabbed it because it was green, my favorite color. But then the word. It has been a word I've lived by. I shared that it was all I had to hold on to coming here. I've only ever been to Canada. All I've done is graduate college. But a PCV came in to talk to my sophomore college class and I walked home, called my dad and said, "I know what I'm doing when I graduate." I've never traveled, never volunteered for another big organization, and never spoken much of another language. There was no foundation for me to stand on and say, "I can do this. I'm going to do this." So I relied on faith and belief and here I am...
Since then we've had Spanish class and two more shots. The one hurt and she laughed when I flinched and said "ooh, that muscle was hard, you must be strong!" Haha Spanish class is going to be great. She speaks slow, enunciates, and repeats if necessary. I can actually understand her! My group is a level 3 out of 10 which is sad haha but! We only have to get to a 5 by the end of the first 3 months! Win! She's shooting for us to be at a 6 :) Buenas Suerte!
We then had a presentation by one of our doctors here about Water and the illnesses it can cause. Great. So my risks here? Malaria, Dengue, and Cholera. All involve diarrhea and fever among many other things. Cholera is the one to worry about since people can die within hours of getting it. In the DR, they had no outbreaks for over 200 (?) years until Haiti had its awful earthquake in 2010; and now it's spreading here... So we learned all we can do to prevent it but also a homemade rehydration solution if it's needed. It consists of water, salt, and sugar. We were sitting in groups of 4 and had a big coca cola bottle of water at our table and she came around with sugar and salt. We mixed and added a wedge of lime to help with the taste... It was still awful. I said, "It looks like a Corona with a lime! I can do this!" To which Lisanne said, "Yes! Corona de Cholera!" We died laughing. And I don't think I'll ever be able to drink another Corona in the same way... She then said that it would be better cold, so maybe when she's on her own, she'll make some ahead of time and store it in the freezer. So I said yea, so when you need it, you'll be on the toilet, sobbing on the phone with the PCMO (Peace Corps Medical Office) and licking your ice cube Corona de Cholera, trying to stay hydrated. Hahahaha oh goodness my stomach hurt laughing about that image (which is another symptom, by the way). Later on, a few of us were chatting after training and we realized hey, we need water, sugar, salt, and citrus? Can we add some rum and make our Rehydration Solution a Margarita?! If so, bring it on cholera! hahaha At least we can laugh about this crazy possibility...
Total side note, but I've finally accepted that I indeed have a "make-fun-able" face. This was what a cook said back at The Cheesecake Factory when he started picking on me for no reason. It's been that way my whole life and I've learned to accept it but never know why... So. I thought hey, new country, new home, new friends = no more face that screams, "Pick on me!!" Si? No. I'm now the new target for a few PCTs and it's now a running joke that they're going to do it so much that I'll leave by the end of these first three months of training. Now, it's all in jest and it's all good, but really?? Here too?? Ay Dios mio. I must wear a sign that only I can't see.
Anyways, back to more interesting things. After training, a group of us went to Andy's ("Two-Toned" because his forehead is half burnt :P) place to meet his Dona. She was amazing, just as sassy as he is, and has four dogs, lots of bunnies, and roosters. It was awesome. I was finally able to see a dog, hold it, and pet it. I haven't been able to do that yet since I've only seen street dogs. Oy, and the cat with the huge scar across the top of her one front leg which no longer reached the ground so she limped :(. Anyways, we walked home after that and I sat and played cards with Paola, then volleyball, then I ate sopa de vegetales (which was delicious and I learned that garbanzo beans are called the same thing here! Except it sounds way cooler here, of course). We then played hopscotch and chatted about what I had learned in school that day. I feel like I could understand so much more and it was wonderful to be able to hold a conversation! I'll master a conversation with the adults eventually... I swear. At 8:30, the adults finished playing Dominoes and mi Dona and Paola took me to la banca (not the bank; it's where you can buy lottery tickets and gamble). Back at the house, I asked them what three dishes are native to the DR for my homework and was successful. I finished a few sections in my workbook, am currently typing this, and very sleepy. So off to shower and bed I go. My new routine? Shower, brush my teeth (remembering to spit, spit, think about it... and spit), rinse my sexy mouthguard with my drinking water, take my contacts out, turn my flashlight app on my iPad on and lay it on my bed, turn my bedroom light off, hang my mosquitera back up, crawl under, tuck it under my mattress, play Temple Run 2 or iAssociate or Mayhem or Kingdom Rush, possibly reread this to make sure I didn't forget anything, turn alarm on...and! Sleep. Phew! Things are going crazy well. I feel more comfortable here with my host family, I don't feel so hopeless in my Spanish class, I really enjoy the other PCTs, and I'm loving this juice I'm drinking (no clue what it is though... it's from some sort of yellow fruit though. And no, it's not banana juice). My only wish is to be able to talk to my family and Nate. We couldn't get internet at the training center today and I was going to start my blog so at least everyone at home knows things are well. But goodness do I miss them and simply hearing their voices. I did look to the stars on the way home from la banca and tell Nate I love him... Lame, I know, but I hope he could feel it. Anyways, until next time (if I ever get this thing posted online...) Buenas noches.
No comments:
Post a Comment