Gracias A Dios

This has been a truly amazing week. We visited our service sites, learned more about getting around the city, and learned lots of Spanish!! (Courtesy of Edwin) This week has been an adventure of learning about the culture, the way of life, and about the people I am living with, all things I will need this semester to get the most out of this program. Highlights of the week include going to get ice cream on Tuesday night, taking the guaguas and taxis, and going to the mall Thursday night, getting more ice cream, and listening to some live music! And we can't forget about our first night out on the town Friday night!! I got to practice my Bachata and Merengue, and get a taste for modern Dominican culture (and Presidente)!!! Then there was also the beach on Saturday...my first time in the Atlantic Ocean. It was so salty!!! But gorgeous, warm, and blue. It was so relaxing rolling around with the waves and letting them carry you through the ocean. It was definitely a great day!

In addition to the fun stuff, there was also some pretty tough experiences in their too. We visited our potential service sites, Cien Fuegos, Hogar Luby, Hospicio, and the Caritas. Cien Fuegos is a community outside of Santiago that is right next to a garbage dump. The community is very poor and when we visited the school, the kids were obviously excited for the attention that they were getting. They climbed all over us, holding our hands, giving us hugs, just begging for attention. We caused so much havoc in the school!! The teachers had to spend a lot of time corralling the kids back into the classrooms when we were leaving and it was time for school. This is the site that I will be at primarily. I am excited to get experience working in a school, and to have the benefit of experience in a different kind of school than in the United States.

Another place I hope to visit a lot is Hogar Luby, an orphanage for kids with developmental disorders. This was the hardest thing I saw all week, with kids running around with full diapers, diapers that didn't fit, and wet pants that needed to be changed. This was also hard because nothing is being done to help these kids. They do not receive any kind of therapy, and are hardly cared for at all by the few workers that are there. There are just not enough funds to support what is necessary for these kids to have. It is heartbreaking, especially considering that many of the kids will not make it to adulthood because they are not receiving the help they need. If you want to hear more about this site, email me. There is a lot to share, but it is truly depressing.

Hospicio was a nursing home and the Caritas are a feeding center for kids who can't get a decent meal at home. The feeding program provides a meal for kids, homework help, and a social worker that comes once a week to help out the kids that need it. Many come from broken homes and need someone to care for them and take an interest in their lives. At the hospicio, the people just needed someone to talk to and share their stories with.

Overall it was a great week. I learned a lot and I thank the Lord that I was given the opportunity to experience these things and put these lessons to use in my life. This is shaping up to be the best semester I've had yet, and I know it will turn out that way.

Day 1

It's my first full day in the Dominican Republic, and I am having a blast!!! The weather is gorgeous and ILAC is beautiful! We rode the guaguas into Santiago, and I SURVIVED!!!!! 25 people stuffed in a van with the door open and the operator hanging out...quite the adventure! The transportation around here will take some getting used to. Santiago was definitely different from the cities I am used to. It wasn't too busy since its Sunday, but I'm glad because I needed to get my bearings. It will take a few more trips to the city to get comfortable, but I think I will get there. I exchanged all my dollars to pesos, and now I am ready to go! This week is orientation so there will be a lot more to come, but let me just give you a taste of where I am living. ILAC is paradise, and I feel like I am living in a fancy resort and am going to leave in a week. NOT TRUE!! I get to stay here for four months!! Here are a few pics of ILAC, and some of the surrounding neighborhood and Santiago.

Two Days Left!

Just testing out the blog...I leave for the Dominican Republic in a couple days, so I'll share what I'm up to on my blog:) Exciting, huh!! I can't wait to leave!!! I'm really nervous by also very excited and I know it will be a great experience. I'll keep you posted on how it goes and all the different things I will do there! Enjoy:)