Dry rivers.
Small, red, wiggly, wormy thingys.
Meeting in DaJabon-bought diapers for Naomi and chancletas for TiTin-too small but he wears them.
EE Conference at the end of August-I've got two charlas.
SPA grant. $$$! But... I have less than a month to fill out the application with a TON of information I don't have yet.
Rifa-That's a raffle! It was a bed spread and we sold tickets for $25 pesos each. We raised $2,290 pesos!
Softball practice solo. Loved it.
River trip with 15 munchkins and lugging gallons back up the ridiculous hill.
Next Update:
Meeting the Ambassador of the DR. He was amazing and shared more of himself professionally and personally in 45 minutes than I could have imagined.
My boss, Mary-Also met her! It wasn't much but she seems great.
Sam's visit (blog to come!)
Census! Though I wasn't able to, my committee took the entire day last Sunday and did a census of Mariano, el Cruce, and Vara de Vaca. In total, we have 488 people that could benefit from our Biblioteca Tecnológica. 205 children in all grades. And of all the adults, 68% only attended and/or finished primary school (1st-8th). 18% attended and/or finished high school and only 8% have pursued or are currently pursuing a college career. Striking numbers... More estimates on location and materials are in the making as well.
GRUJDECO meeting with the community on Thursday-went really well! We cleared the air although the person who is fighting against us the hardest wasn't there. There is a distaste for the fact that the entire committee is made up of only people from the Cruce. This was not something done on purpose. Ideally, yes, we would have a few from here, a few from the Cruce, and a few from Vara de Vaca to fairly represent all. But I told them a little bit of my story, and I meant every word I said. I was originally in another campo far from here. I was going to be there working for two whole years. But it was 8 months. I spent those 8 months searching, fighting, searching, and crying out for people like these 4 I've got in my Committee. And in 8 months, I never found them. For that very reason my boss changed my site and sent me out here. I have complete faith in them and fully believe in their capabilities and drive. They are better than I am. And I love being able to say that.
And with an applause to follow my speech, we left the meeting motivated and calm.
Staph infection. Gone! That was ugly and I'll save the details :) But with a whole left in my right leg, it's no longer swollen and I'm walking normal! Woo!
Saturday (yesterday). After three trips to the river Friday and two early Saturday morning, I was able to get enough water to wash my clothes. Afterwards, I disconnected the plugs and went to rinse off my hands. What I didn't realize was that the still-connected extension cord had fallen into that bucket of water. I put my hands in and ZIP, total body electrocution to the point of which I fell over and cut open my infected leg. Shit did that hurt. Haha shaking for a while, I laid down and soon felt better. I then was able to go pay for my internet, help a friend get an injection to cure his Staph (yea, it's spreading around my community but I didn't start it!), and started working more on Escojo Enseñar Conference planning. Casilda stopped by and we made a few more phone calls to get estimates on computers. That was when Francheska came in and asked where Baraquito was. Since I had gotten back on Wednesday, he wasn't here. Everyday they told me he was at his mother's in Tierra Sucia. He always goes there by himself, usually doesn't tell anyone, but never stays more than a day. I thought it was strange that he hadn't come back yet but they assured me he was there. But then Francheska said that his mother had seen Nena Thursday and asked where Baraquito was. Nena thought he was here, in Mariano. My head spun. He left Wednesday, but then his mother basically said he wasn't with her Thursday. It was now Saturday. Casilda saw my face, understood my worry, and went with me to investigate more. Asking more questions and talking to more people, no one really knew where he was. But they all said I couldn't go to Tierra Sucia that late 7pm because not even motos enter there, it would only be afoot and it would be dark before we arrived. I looked at Casilda with tears pouring down my face and said, "I don't care about that. No one knows where he is and his life is more valuable than walking." She simply replied, "Let's go." I couldn't have loved her more than I did at that moment. We gathered up a group: her, her cousin who is my age, Osiris (the only one who knew the way), Estarlin, and Francheska, grabbed flashlights and water and left. What a trek. An hour and a half later through the hills and woods, we arrived in the dark of the night...
And there he was. I cried so hard and hugged him. We explained to his mother why we went and that if he was happy, being fed, and loved, that he could stay. We weren't looking to take him away from his mother, only to know that he was safe and well. His plan, however, was to return to Mariano the following day alone so he decided to just leave with us. He cried too, and for a moment I just held him, knowing he didn't want to go back and face his father but knowing he had to.
Another hour and a half back and we made it, singing, shouting over the mountains that we found the treasure and were bringing it home, and soaking in the breeze that blew through the tops of the hills. His father was waiting for us when we got back. But of course, the conversation went nowhere (even turned into how, dizque, everyone in Mariano is smoking marajuana... Yep.). I stayed in my Doña's house waiting for his father to leave so I could be sure he wasn't going to hit Baraquito. But at midnight, he grabbed his two little ones and called for Baraquito to follow him home and sleep there.. For the first time since I've gotten here, he was going to have his son sleep abajo with him. My heart sunk and my chest burned. But there is always a limit to how much you can protect someone. And I hit that limit hard.
Problems have now arisin with this trip and I fear for the consequences. I fear them not for me, however, but for how they will affect Baraquito and maybe my work here. But despite it all, it was worth it. And I would go and search for him all over again if given the chance to go back in time.
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