Friday, June 3, 2011

Summer Changes

As I mentioned before, some of my projects are going to change as summer approaches. I am still working with my Escojo groups, and this summer we will have both a Regional and Sub-Regional Conference for Escojo Mi Vida in my area. My mentoring group, however, will be graduating in a couple of days and will thus end my work at the school for the summer. In place of my mentoring group I am teaching a business class that teaches youth how to begin small businesses. I began “Construye Tus Suenos” last week and the first day went really well. I’ve got a couple of animated boys who I am excited to work with, as most of my work thus far has been with females.

I’ve got two more small projects to work on during the summer months before my August vacation to the States. I will be conducting interviews with sexually active youth about their decision to (or not to) take an HIV test. This is part of a barrier analysis study that the Peace Corps youth sector is conducting through PEPFAR funding. I will also begin to introduce a composting project to El Mani, the community next to my own barrio.

I just finished supporting La Conferencia Nacional de Ninos/Ninas/Adolescentes de Alto Riesgo (National Conference for Extreme Needs Youth) that my sector leader has organized. It’s a three-day conference for youth volunteers who work in the extreme needs sector and their organizational project partners. I have had a positive experience helping at this event, and it’s not only because I get delicious food, a gym, air conditioning, and free wi-fi for three days. I have also had the privilege of listening to representatives of well-known organizations in the development world: Save the Children, Catholic Relief Services, World Vision, UNICEF, USAID, etc. Even more, I have been able to listen to Dominican professionals who work as psychologists, social workers, and public health workers, and their perspective on social issues in the Dominican Republic. It has been refreshing to see the “professional side” of the DR, as I normally spend my time with the marginalized populations of Dominican society (obviously, as a PC volunteer!). But to spend time with Dominican nationals who are working toward the same goals as PC has definitely been an inspiring experience.

Today I will be going back to my site, and in less than one week will be my 25th birthday!! Ahh I can’t believe I’m already turning 25… time goes fast. Two months until my trip to Portland!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

DR: A Love-Hate Relationship

Along with my 9th month anniversary in country came the feeling that I have more or less become accustomed to living in Bani. While acculturation required an understanding of Dominican life, it also required that I adjust to living and working with people who live in poverty. The culture of poverty is distinct and, in many ways, is cross-cultural. Nevertheless, poverty in the DR is more intense and more delicately affects Dominicans’ survival than it does Americans. For this reason, there has been a lot to adjust to, and in reality I will continue to face related challenges throughout my service. Still, I have a feeling of adjustment to life in Dominican culture, and I seem to have developed a love-hate relationship with this country. Here is a list of what I love and what I hate relating to the cultural aspect of living in the DR:

I love Dominican food; I hate that there are no other food choices but Dominican cuisine.
I love the natural beauty of the island; I hate that it’s abused by trash.
I love that Dominicans don’t work when it’s raining; I hate that Dominicans use any excuse they can to get out of work.
I love the laid-back lifestyle; I hate the lack of ambition.
I love how blunt Dominicans are; I hate how men talk to women.
I love how much Dominicans value family; I hate that family planning is non-existent.

Then there are some things I just hate…
I hate how it’s common knowledge that men sleep around and have multiple families; I hate even more that women have accepted this.
I hate how poorly Haitians are treated; I hate that nearly all Haitians in the DR are nice and ambitious, and that they are still at the bottom of the Dominican totem pole.

And others that I just love…
I love how Dominicans are nearly always friendly and willing to share anything they own.
I love how you can depend on people without any doubt that they will pull through.
I love how you can visit neighbors without any prior planning… and that they automatically give you coffee or juice.

SO you see, adjusting to life in a new place is an on-going process. There are moments when you love life and the adventure, and others when all you can think about is going home to air conditioning, family and friend, wi-fi and normal food. Living here is certainly a roller coaster. As a matter of fact, my schedule is soon going to change with the arrival of summer... and for the better, fingers crossed! More on that next time...