We arrived at 2:30 in La Cumbre and it was then I realized how close we were to my old home. I knew I somehow had to get there. We hung out and visited random family members, ate, and figured out sleeping arrangements. At night, Nena, Ramón, an older man from there, and I headed to a place that apparently had music, food, and dancing. When we arrived, it was a little dead. We stood around for a second, chatting, scoping it out, when suddenly, someone familiar walked up to us. I literally had to double-take to believe it. It was Fredito. We hugged and 5 other guys from 59 came up behind to say hello. What a whirlwind. Unfortunately, my group wanted to leave so we weren't left with much time to hang out and catch up. But I told him I'd see him the next day.
Sunday morning around 7am we were up and sitting around. I was itching to leave but wasn't sure how to go about doing it. I finally asked my Doña what the day's plans were and if it were better if I left then or later. She said right then because the reunion was later. I booked it. Waited on the side of the thruway just like old times and at 10am, arrived in 59. Passing many along the way, I made it to Dulce's. The poor thing had gotten surgery two weeks prior and was still hurting. Moreno is also not working due to his physical health suffering. But we drank coffee, chatted, and laughed at how bad my Spanish used to be. I then went up to her mom's and saw Fredito, David, Alex, and Lili. Eventually I went down to see my godson. Linda wasn't there, sadly, but I got to hold him. And... He cried the entire time. Haha. I did get to see his beautiful eyes this time, though.
At 1pm, I knew I should head back-or that I already should've left :P. Fredito took me back and the reunion had already started. Luckily they were just eating and a plate was saved for me. We ate, every click introduced themselves and the head family members that planned it all shared their purpose. They only ever reunite in tragedy. It was time to reunite in alegría. And the next one will be in 6 months. It was short lived but beautiful. Cousins got to meet cousins for the first time. Aunts and uncles met grandparents and nieces and nephews. And I spoke with two older women who spent 12 years working in Argentina. After the clean-up most people left with plenty of time to make it home. We went back to the house we were staying at and hung out, eventually ate dinner and just chatted. I loved it. Around 9pm another surprise showed up. Fredito. Haha He said that a few people that weren't there that morning were in el Puerto (a little bit closer than 59) and asked if I wanted to see them. Of course! I left with him and saw Luis, Domingo, and the father of Lili. We danced and shared some more of our distant lives that used to be so close. I didn't want to leave.
That night after going to bed late, the Doña of the house getting up at 4am to make yucca (????), and again at 6am for good, we were all up. At 11am, the same bus that goes all the way to Restauración was scheduled to pass where we were. After long goodbyes (just like our family!), we made it and my legs cramped up before even sitting down. Haha The bus was already packed so my Doña and I headed to the cocina again with three Haitians and three roosters in sacks. An old man boarded and had to stand due to a lack of seats so I gave him my seat and happily stood. Hours later a seat opened up and I sat next to an old Don. He was amazing. Talking about the loss of love and how much it hurts him to see young couples lacking in affection (all the while grabbing my hand and pulling it close to his heart to show me how things should be). He is more in love with his wife now than he was when he married her. Faith? Revived :). In Santiago he left me and I stood again. Between there and DaJabón I went between sitting and standing. When we arrived in DaJabón, the noisy roosters left with one of the owners throwing up in the back as he stood to get off. Mmmmm. There were seats but again, I was happily stretching out my legs in the aisle. Until.... BREAK!!! goes the guagua as to not crash into a woman crossing the street and flying backwards I go. I landed hard on my left ass cheek. Of course with embarrassment filling my cheeks, I shot up and sat down as a pain in my left leg started to creep down to my foot. Not five minutes later, BAM!! I swear it was a gunshot right next to me as I saw every head on the guagua duck down and get covered by hands. It wasn't a gunshot after all, but one of the tires directly under my seat that had blown. In Loma we changed it and arrived at 5pm in the Cruce of my site. Wow... Talk about an adventure.
Immediately upon arriving, I limped to the river to fetch water. I hadn't bathed the day before due to a lack of water at the house we were staying at and after that long trip? I was desperate to clean myself of the weekends events. I then got word that a softball game had been set for Thursday-the day of our next community meeting about the internet center/library. Planned by Kelvin, our VP of the committee. Haha. I went back to the Cruce and talked with Kelvin and Casilda. We came to the conclusion that no one remembered the meeting (it was planned on a holiday-had no clue) and that softball games are already impossible to reschedule so! Crash! goes the meeting. But it's okay :) It's still early in the project and the board members and I still had our meeting planned to keep moving forward.
Finally, exhausted and overwhelmed (not all bad), I fell into my bed and slept.
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