We spent the day in orientation, learning about a variety of issues covering health and safety, finances, greetings, language, and public transportation, among others. Students were eager to learn about their host families, and find their new home on the city map. We ended the afternoon by talking about strategies for communicating with their families during these first few days.

By 4:15, the host families started to arrive; as leaders, we thoroughly enjoyed introducing each student to his/her family members. It's a time of excitement and apprehension, and we'll be eager to talk with the students tomorrow morning and hear how their evening went.

During the morning, CEIC staff evaluated the students’ language abilities in order to place them into groups for classes. At lunchtime, the students ventured out with their teachers to find the plato del día, usually rice, beans, meat, and salad.

After lunch, the students learned about public transportation and then traveled on various forms of transporte with their teachers to the university where the afternoon lectures will be held, to Casa Goshen (where they enjoyed jugo de limón and a brief respite from the hustle and bustle of the city), and then back to CEIC. Needless to say, their minds were swirling due to the city traffic, hand signals and commands necessary to navigate the system, and Spanish language. It’s safe to say they were relieved to be met by their family members around 4:30 and be taken home to cold (but refreshing) showers, a safe place, supper, and a bed.

Monday, January 10 is a holiday so students will spend a 3-day weekend with their families. They’ll have the opportunity to catch up on their sleep, speak more Spanish, write in their journals, and participate in a variety of family activities. We look forward to seeing them again on Tuesday morning to hear about their experiences.

After lunch, the group gathered for the first time at la Universidad Federico Henriquez y Carvajal, our new lecture location. Puro Blanco, always a favorite presenter, entertained the students with an animated talk about the 'Dominican soul.' He also discussed the various social problems in the DR, which were a sobering reminder of the reality for many citizens of the country in which we are living.

And then Wednesday finally arrived...the first Casa Goshen! Students spent the day relaxing and talking together, telling us about their interests for service assignments, and processing the first week's events since they arrived. We enjoyed singing familiar hymns, sharing stories from the time spent with families, and eating baked potatoes topped with chili and cheese. Some students sampled caña de azúcar that Anika brought, and Garrett ambitiously offered to pull down a coconut from our tree so that others could sample the coconut milk and pulp.

At the end of the afternoon, we heard one student say, "this day is over already?" It was great to spend a day together...to share, worship, eat, laugh, and learn.

Numerous examples of the colonial architecture are visible, ranging from churches and fortresses to ordinary homes. There are also a number of ‘firsts’ in this small area, including both the first cathedral and the first hospital in the Americas. In addition to visiting those sites, we explored the Fortaleza Ozama (1503), the oldest military building complex in the Americas, as well as the Panteón Nacional (1717) and the Alcazar de Colon (built from 1510-1514). The Panteón Nacional houses the remains of many important figures in Dominican history. The Alcazar (palace) was the home of Diego Colón (Christopher’s son), the first viceroy of the New World, and his wife Maria de Toledo. As with many buildings in this part of the city, it was sacked in the early 1800s by Sir Francis Drake, the English pirate with a license to plunder from the queen. The Alcazar is one of several structures in the Zona Colonial that have been restored (seen in the group photo). On the other hand, at the Ruinas de San Francisco we appreciated what remains of the Franciscan monastery’s foundations, walls, and gardens and imagined how beautiful it was hundreds of years ago (we were quite thankful the guard unlocked the gate and let us in).

During the past week it has rained at some point almost every afternoon, so we were all hoping for lots of sun and a bright blue sky. About 1/2 hour after we arrived at the beach, it rained...but only for 5 minutes...so after that, it was the perfect beach day! We all enjoyed relaxing (reading, sleeping, talking), eating (peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, carrot sticks, fresh fruit, banana cupcakes), playing (soccer, volleyball, cards, coconut bocce, frisbee), and of course swimming. It poured during the bus ride back to the city, so we were quite thankful for our several hours of fun in the sun!

We set the time to start the picnic at 1:00, and informed the families that we would begin eating at 1:30, but in reality this never happens. This year, we started serving food around 2:00 or 2:15. Of course, there's plenty of opportunity for visiting and playing dominoes (before and after we eat), so we generally just wait until almost everyone has arrived before we begin 'the program.'

We started the afternoon by singing several selections from the hymnal, treating our hosts to some good ol' four-part singing. Then the students introduced themselves and their families, and finally we ate. Goshen College provided roasted chickens (22, to be exact) and the beverages, and each family contributed a dish. The smorgasbord included: vegetable salads, potato salads, rice with corn, rice with beans, bread, casseroles of yucca and platanos and eggplant, chen chen (a corn-based dish), fresh fruit, and chocolate cake. Needless to say, everyone had their fill...and there wasn't much food left after everyone went through the line.

It is also a tradition to take a picture of each student and his/her family members who attend the picnic. These pictures of the host families will give you a glimpse of the warm, friendly, special Dominicans who welcome our students into their homes.

Chrissy - Esperanza Abreu Rodriguez

Micah - Tita Caba-Rodriguez

Garrett - América Lorenzo Liranzo

Melanie - Joanna Almonte y Ramon Cruz

Anita - Daniel Julian King y Elsa Adames

Jesse - Ramón y Nurys Jerez

Andrea - Gabriel Vinicio y Débora Encarnación

Sarah - Xiomara Pérez

Mandi - Oleidy Calcagno

Anika - Williams y Lourdes Vélez

Nathan - Alejandro Colón y Rosany Félix

Josh - Nino Carvajal y Lennis Félix

Ben - Ruben Ramirez y Betty Muñoz

The fifth group meets at Casa Goshen and plans the lunch menu that they will prepare for the entire group. Then they depart for a large outdoor market to buy fresh fruit and vegetables. After a stop at a supermercado to purchase the remaining items on their grocery list, the preparations begin. Today our chefs were Jeff, Melanie and Nate and the feast they created included: pita pizzas (topped with cheese, ham and fresh pineapple), carrot sticks, platanitos (green plantains sliced very thin and fried), pineapple, chinola juice (passionfruit), and some peanut M&Ms that Melanie generously shared with us. When everyone arrived from their various excursions, the aroma was quite tantalizing...and the tasty spread satisfied everyone's hunger and thirst.

The group that prepares the meal is also responsible to plan the afternoon activities. Today we sang a number of favorite hymns and took time to share the highs and lows of life here during these first two weeks. There was no shortage of amusing stories as well, and one thing we are all learning is that we must laugh at ourselves every now and then as we face the challenges of the language and culture and city that we deal with daily. The progress that the students have made in just two weeks is increíble! For example, everyone now travels without family members on public transportation and has much more confidence navigating around this huge city of 3 million people. Of course there is room for improvement...especially in regards to the language. Students also shared today about the ups and downs related to communication...from "I woke up at 6:30 and said 'Good morning, how are you?' to my sister in English" to "I actually said something to my brother and realized afterwards that I didn't figure it out in English before I said it." In other words, much has been accomplished in a short two weeks and they have adapted very quickly...and yet...it has only been two weeks since they arrived and they are also realizing how much they have yet to learn. Frustrations and accomplishments all at the same time...the storyline of the first two weeks!

However in the early 1980s, there was an excess supply of sugar worldwide which caused prices to drop, and the DR’s economy collapsed because of its dependence on sugar. This caused a dramatic and painful shift in the economy from agricultural products to export processing zones and tourism.

From 1987-2003, the export processing zones (also known as zona francas or free trade zones) grew rapidly. While these zones provided tax breaks to companies who exported products to the U.S., they also included many stipulations, for instance, clothing had to be assembled from fabric made in the U.S. In addition to clothing (about ¾ of the assembly jobs), free trade zones here in the DR manufacture jewelry, cigars and electronics.

Currently, the major sources of income are tourism, free trade zone exports, remittances from Dominicans abroad (mostly in NY), and traditional exports (mostly agricultural – rice, mangos, avocados, coffee, etc.). The DR’s economy is now facing two major challenges and likely will go through another difficult transition in the coming years. 1) As of January 1, 2005 more than 40 years of import quotas in the global textile industry came to an end, and countries such as the DR will find it very difficult to compete against China; already newspapers here reported this week that 1,300 workers lost their jobs in a free trade zone in Santiago and they are predicting the loss of up to 10,000 more jobs in Santiago alone in the coming months. 2) The second challenge relates to tourism and sustainable development. Dr. Isa stated that “we are eating our country” because as tourist destinations are developed, resources are being consumed that cannot be replaced.

On Thursday, we traveled east of Santo Domingo to see firsthand the important industries past and present. In the morning, we toured a sugar factory and were fascinated by the multiple steps involved in the process of turning wagons of sugar cane into a mountain of sugar granules. We had hoped to visit a factory in a zona franca in the afternoon, but at the last minute we were told it would not be possible.

Instead we enjoyed a brief stop at Playa Caribe and the Cueva de las Maravillas (Cave of Wonders). According to archeologists, the Tainos (the early inhabitants of Hispaniola) used this cave over a thousand years ago for religious and funeral rites, as shown by a variety of pictographs painted on the walls. Fortunately, this cave (and its formations and pictographs) is now protected and will be preserved, so that visitors can appreciate its history and beauty for many years to come.

Friday, January 21 was the Día de la Virgen de La Altagracia, the most important religious holiday in the DR that celebrates the nation's patron saint. Thousands of people gather in Higuey, a city about 3 hours east of Santo Domingo, for a procession and prayers of intercession. Monday was el Día de Duarte...well, January 26th is actually the real Día de Duarte, but the government moves certain holidays and this year they declared that the holiday would officially be celebrated on the 24th…therefore, a 4-day weekend. This special day is in honor of the Father of the Country, Juan Pablo Duarte, who led the country in its independence fight.

Today, students returned to language classes in the morning and a lecture in the afternoon. Pierre Philippe, a Haitian who has lived in the DR for 32 years, shared his life story with us as well as his perspective on Haitian/Dominican relations. He told us about his work in the sugar cane fields and life in a batey, the barracks in the cane fields where cane cutters are housed. In two weeks, we will visit a batey to see firsthand how many Haitians live here in the DR.

Last week we also heard about the Dominican health care system from our unit doctor, Cathy Scheraldi. She provided a number of tips on staying healthy as well.

The group picture included in this entry was taken when we visited the Cueva de las Maravillas last Thursday. Thanks to Sarah for sharing this digital foto with us!

After lunch, we enjoyed singing together...in fact we were practicing for our upcoming performance in Chrissy's and Melanie's church. After the family picnic, Melanie's host father was so impressed that he invited us to sing during their worship service. Most of us will be attending the church this coming Sunday; we also decided that a little more practice is in order so we'll take the hymnals along on our upcoming field trip!

This afternoon we also discussed strategies for dealing with the various challenges the students are facing…mostly regarding the language and host families. And congratulations are in order...public transportation has been conquered and is not on the “challenge” list any longer!

Most students agreed that it’s hard to believe they are halfway through the six weeks here in the city, yet it feels like they’ve been here a lot longer than that. Certainly that’s evidence of all the activities and learning taking place. And it means everyone is looking forward to a break in the schedule with our first overnight field trip on Friday and Saturday, as we head north to the Cibao region of the country.

Our first stop was the Mirabal Musuem near Salcedo, which commemorates the lives of three Mirabal sisters who were killed by the dictator Trujillo because of their involvement in a resistance movement to overthrow him. The group has enjoyed reading a historical novel about the Mirabal family, In the Time of the Butterflies. While the visit was a somber reminder of the tragedy the family endured, it was very meaningful to meet the fourth sister who was not in the jeep on the fateful day when the others were visiting their husbands in prison. Doña Dedé graciously greeted us and answered our questions about her sisters, her nieces and nephews that she and her mother raised, and herself. We felt privileged to meet a living legend and hear her share about the family story.

The second stop for the day was Loma Quita Espuela Scientific Reserve which was created in 1992 with the objective of protecting two of the rarest ecosystems in the world: both the rain and cloud forests. This reserve is about 72 square kilometers, and is rich with biological diversity. Before 1950, the entire area was covered by tropical forest but the trees disappeared due to slash and burn agriculture, cattle farming and demographic pressures. Fortunately the creation of the reserve has stopped the destruction of the forest, and efforts to guarantee a balance between conservation and reasonable use of natural resources have been developed.

We ate lunch under a pavilion in the reserve, which was a delightful way to satisfy our hunger and enjoy the natural beauty surrounding us. Our hike was divided into two parts; the first took us through part of the forest at the base of the mountain, as well as to the vivero where members of the local association grow organic vegetables and tree seedlings that can be planted in the reserve or sold to campesinos (farmers). We observed their worm composting project and learned how they create organic fertilizer.

The second portion of our hike led us up the steep Loma (mountain) Quita Espuela itself. We walked through cacao groves and tasted the flavor of the fresh cacao beans. Cocoa from these trees is the principal crop in this zone, and much of the cocoa produced is exported to Europe and the U.S. The pods grow on the trunk and branches of the tree…see if you can find them in the picture with Ben, Anika and Trisha.

Most of the group climbed about halfway up the mountain, and thoroughly enjoyed the panoramic views, the rush of the wind, and the various trees and fruits we found along the way. Our guide cut open a chinola (passionfruit) and many savored the fresh, rich taste of the pulp.

After the invigorating hike, we traveled to San Francisco de Macoris and our hotel for the night. Many students appreciated the hot showers with strong water pressure! Small groups ate supper in restaurants around the town square, after which we treated everyone to some delicious ice cream produced by our favorite ice cream company, Helados Bon (more explanation on that to follow at a later date).

We spent about two hours on a walking tour of their land and the community, winding back and forth across the nearby river, greeting the people whose homes we walked by, sampling mandarinas (tangerines) and guava, and learning about the process used in the lab to start the organic seedlings. Don Jose is encouraging local farmers to grow strawberries as their main crop because they can harvest and export them in the winter when northern countries don’t have favorable growing conditions. In addition, less land needs to be cultivated with strawberries because a family can earn a satisfactory income by farming ½ tarea of strawberries compared to 50 tareas of beans. Therefore, the destruction of the forests is reduced while at the same time increasing the standard of living.

Around 1:00 we were treated to an awesome feast under the large thatched roof gazebo in the middle of Doña Nati’s beautiful flower gardens. The meal included: tayotas (a type of vegetable/squash) stuffed with meat/onions/peppers, moro (rice and beans cooked together), yuca bollitos (sort of like a fritter), fried ripe plantains, tostones (fried green plantains), salad, and a dessert made of tayotas, coconut and spices. We ate like royalty! And of course we were also served fresh coffee, grown by Don Jose and his team.

On our way back down the mountain, we stopped at a waterfall to enjoy the scenery. One by one the students hesitantly entered the water…which was a bit chilly! After numerous shrieks, everyone made it in and shivered together until the group photo was taken. Then they made a pretty speedy exit! It was an excellent group bonding experience to end an educational and fun-filled two days.

Xiomarita Pérez, Sarah's host mother, is the Director of National Folklore, a newspaper columnist for the Listin Diario, as well as the director of her own dance school. She welcomed us into her home, and shared her knowledge about these topics. After identifying the various elements that shaped Dominican culture (Spanish, African and Taino), Xiomarita talked with us about a variety of instruments, Carnival masks and costumes, and different types of dances.

And finally, Xiomarita and her daughter Nathalia taught us the dance steps for merengue and bachata...two popular styles of Dominican music. We were all jealous of the ease with which Xiomarita and Nathalia demonstrated the dances. We'll have to keep practicing!

Joel, Mandi and Nathan took over the kitchen today and provided a tasty, nutritious meal...baked beans, Caeser's salad, garlic bread, pineapple and papaya (both for eating and in the form of juice). And there was a special treat for dessert...which was tasty, but maybe not so nutritious...an improvised version of s'mores!

Our afternoon activities included: singing hymns, playing dominoes, discussing the upcoming field trip, and playing guitar. In addition, we (Brent and Cheryl) met with a number of students individually to talk about service placement options to make sure we come up with the best matches possible. The "puzzle" is coming together and hopefully by the end of next week everyone will know where they will be going and what they will be doing for service.

We depart bright and early Thursday morning for a 4-day field trip to the southwest part of the country. We're all looking forward to another opportunity to explore this island and spend time together.

As we left Santo Domingo, we observed the change in scenery from the bustling city to the slower rural life. We passed sugar cane fields, plantain and banana trees, and tomato and potato farms. We drove through a number of towns, and gradually entered the desert-like mountainous southwest part of the country. Cacti and scrub-brush grow freely everywhere, and the rains are few and far between. In between two mountain ranges, we finally spotted Lago Enriquillo, a salt-water lake that is slightly larger than the island of Manhattan. It is also three times saltier than the ocean, as well as the Caribbean’s lowest point below sea level. We enjoyed the vista of the lake from the Cueva de las Caritas, a nearby cave that displays some Taino face carvings. In the Parque Nacional Isla Cabritos, we came face-to-face with the menacing-looking, but harmless, rhinoceros iguanas, and had a close-up look at the lake.

After lunch, we had our first glimpse of the DR/Haitian border near Jimani, and walked through the border market there. We also saw much evidence of the damage from the floods in early 2004 that ravaged this area of both countries.

As we circled around the south side of the lake, we came upon a truck laden with a special variety of toronjas (grapefruit). We bought 120 for 120 pesos…about US $4.00! While Brent and a few students were counting out the grapefruit, several kids were intrigued with Ben’s guitar and wanted to play it…so Ben and Joel helped them experiment and their faces shone with delight.

We arrived in Pedernales around noon, and visited the border market where Haitians and Dominicans meet twice a week to sell produce, shoes, and clothes. Our purchases included mangoes, some shirts (see Micah modeling his in the photo), and water shoes (for Sunday’s river hike).

Following a tasty lunch, we checked into our hotel and changed into our swimsuits. The late afternoon and early evening was spent at the Cabo Rojo beach, where we walked, collected shells, swam, played dominoes, savored the grapefruit we bought the day before (see Nathan in action), and appreciated the colorful sunset.

Some of the stark differences between the two border towns were visibly evident…Pedernales has paved roads, Anse-a-Pitres has dust-filled streets; the houses in the DR are mostly made from concrete, those in Haiti are rarely made of concrete and look much less sturdy; cooking in the DR happens most frequently with gas while the wood/carbon cooking fires across the border are commonly seen outside the homes. There is no electricity in Anse-a-Pitres, so individual generators were running in a few places. Joli told us that there isn’t much work for the townspeople to do besides fishing. Those few who have motorcycles earn some money by ferrying others to various destinations.

With much to think about, we returned to the DR side of the border, and headed to Bahia de las Aguilas (Bay of the Eagles). The remote beach that circles the bay is accessible only by boat or 4-wheel drive, and currently lies in a national park. While we were able to enjoy the unspoiled natural beauty of the area (and continue savoring our grapefruit and mangos), it is a question as to how much longer the setting will remain as it is. The government is planning to develop this region of the country into a tourist destination. We hope that efforts to preserve the natural resources and biodiversity of the area will succeed, and that sustainable models of eco-tourism will be pursued.

By 9:00 a.m. we began the trek back to Santo Domingo. After a couple hours of driving, we arrived in San Rafael, a tiny village located along the coast where a river empties into the ocean. Our pre-lunch exercise consisted of a hike up the river, climbing over rapids, logs and rocks, and lending a hand to help each other out along the way. It was a beautiful, exhilarating jaunt under the cover of lush vines, trees and flowers.

After the hike, we changed into dry clothes and headed for some tables on the beach where we enjoyed fresh fish, moro, tostones y refrescos. By 2:00 we piled back on the bus, and arrived in the city by 5:30…happy to be home, but happy to have experienced the desert southwest.

The batey we visited actually had more of a mix of Haitians and Dominicans. Some of the Haitian men, who are either single or leave their families in Haiti, have had children with Dominican women. Even in the bateys where all residents are Haitian though, most of them still learn Spanish. Creole is spoken in some homes, but not by all.

For many years, the bateys had no electricity, no schools, no health care, and only one water source for the entire community. Conditions in the bateys have improved somewhat in the past number of years, often due to the efforts of social service agencies and church organizations who provide various services and advocate on behalf of this population.

After we had a tour of their classrooms, the children were allowed to leave school early and we all gathered in the church building to sing songs. First, the children put on many performances for us. Then it was our turn to sing songs for them; they especially loved joining us to do the motions to “Father Abraham.”

Then we walked through the batey and observed the living conditions. We were warmly received, especially by the children...in fact, it’s safe to say they mobbed us! They held our hands, jumped on our backs, and played with our hair. A game of baseball (Garrett was the winning pitcher) and Duck, Duck, Goose broke out as well. It was difficult to leave our new friends, and hopefully they gained as much from the interchange as we did.

Thursday afternoon, we were privileged to tour the Palacio Nacional, the equivalent of the White House (although the president does not live there). The building houses the executive offices, official reception, dining, and meeting rooms, a ballroom filled with mirrors, and other administrative offices as well. It was designed by an Italian architect and constructed under the orders of the dictator Trujillo in the late 1940s. The palace is outfitted with mahogany furnishings and woodwork, Italian and Dominican marble floors, pillars and carvings, imported crystal chandeliers, and artwork depicting important historical events.

We were able to walk through a number of rooms in the palace, but unfortunately we did not meet the current president, Leonel Fernández. However, we were treated to an afternoon snack of donuts and Coke in one of the dining rooms!

Friday and Saturday students are venturing out in small groups of 3-4 to various pueblos for their “village study” assignments. We provided them with a name of a town that they are to explore; they are responsible to find their own transportation to the town, their lodging once they arrive, and then conduct interviews with people they meet during the two days. We look forward to hearing their reports on Monday.

The following list includes observations, quotes, and anecdotes that the students shared with us today:

“What a great view of the stars!”

“We aren’t lost; we just don’t have anywhere to go!”

“We were watching a baseball game and someone asked if we were baseball scouts.”

“Our biggest lesson learned was to negotiate prices ahead of time!”

“Don’t blow off anyone in a small town; it will come back to haunt you.”

“The main crop in the area near our town was piña (pineapple) and we saw trucks loaded with them every half hour, but we couldn’t buy one anywhere!”

“We met a Catholic priest and some seminary students and had a conversation about our religions, but it was pretty hard to explain what Mennonite faith means in Spanish.”

“We [the two males in the group] played baseball and a number of guys asked us if the two females who were with us were our girlfriends. We said ‘no’ and then they asked if they were our cousins, and we said ‘no’ again. Soooo, while the females watched the baseball game, they were swarmed by lots of friendly, young men!”

“One elderly woman asked what we were doing and the only word we could come up with to explain was ‘investigation’ which resulted in her asking us if we were part of the CIA.”

During the second hour of class, we (Brent and Cheryl) led a discussion about service, and encouraged students to reflect on the possible roles they might take during the upcoming six weeks. We also distributed LOTS of mail, which was probably the highlight of the day since it had been almost two weeks since the students had received any.

Anika, Anita and Garrett were this week’s lunch team…and they served a tasty meal of spaghetti, sauce, carrots, cucumbers, avocado, garlic bread, and pineapple. In addition, they managed to stay within budget and treat everyone to chocolate cake and brownies as well. Some ice cream mysteriously arrived with the Faro a Colón Exploration group, so needless to say, everyone’s sweet tooth was definitely satisfied!

Classes were held from 9:00-12:00 in the morning, and there were four groups of students which allowed for much individualized attention from the teachers…Ana, Juan, Marta, and Dilcia. Students appreciated the opportunity to learn from and interact with their teachers outdoors, in gazebos in the garden area.

After final individual evaluations this morning, we all gathered together to celebrate the culmination of classes. First, the teachers presented their students with certificates of completion. The students gave flowers to Ana, Marta and Dilcia, and Juan’s group prepared a rap for him as a gift. Then we were treated to asopao, a traditional Dominican soup that is prepared by cooking a wide variety of ingredients together: meat (1-4 kinds…ours had chicken and pork), a combination of roots and vegetables (yucca, potatoes, plantains, carrots, celery), rice, and seasonings.

After exams (on lectures and readings and geography) and evaluations (of host families and the past week’s activities and the language institute), we asked students how nervous they are (on a scale of 1-10) about going on service. The average was probably about 5…a good combination of anticipation for new experiences and apprehension about the change.

We also celebrated Andrea’s and Jeff’s birthdays, which will occur during the first 10 days of service. And after a few more hair trimmings, eventually everyone said hasta luego!

Chrissy’s host family consists of Pastor Timon and Rosita, two very warm, energetic people. They have five children and twelve grandchildren, many of whom live in and near their home, and everyone eats lunch together. Chrissy says she loves the activity in the house and having a close extended family nearby.

Most of the kids that live in Don Juan and the batey attend the public school in Don Juan during either the morning or afternoon. A number of children also attend the batey school. Chrissy works there three days a week, with one group of kids in the morning and another one during the afternoon, both consisting of 8-10 year olds. The sessions begin with prayers, songs and a bible lesson, then move on to arts and crafts, and if there is time, she teaches them some English. Chrissy’s sister Milka is a teacher in the batey school, and they work in the classroom together. In the evenings, Chrissy also helps several members of her immediate and extended family learn English.

We drove into San Pedro de Macoris for lunch, and happened to cross paths with our chofer, Jose Miguel! So he joined us for lunch and ice cream at Helados Bon, and showed us a store where Chrissy could stock up on her supply of mosquito repellant.

When we arrived, we met Micah’s grandmother who promptly served us coffee. Then we walked to the park and Micah introduced us to his friends Gordo and John Kerry(!). We also met several young children with whom he plays cards in the park. Some afternoons, Micah visits with and reads to Doña Maria, and he took us to her home as well. She offered us two types of dulces (sweets or candy) to take along when we said goodbye. After lunch at a local restaurant, we also visited with Micah’s host parents…Ramirez and Jasmine.

Micah spends his time exploring the town, visiting with a variety of the locals, playing dominoes and cards, and teaching English at the high school. We observed him teach an English class on the past tense of several verbs with the fourth year group, and they energetically repeated the English sentences he wrote on the board. Micah has also visited several nearby villages with the Catholic priest, and traveled with his grandfather one day to see the coffee farm that he supervises.

Half of the time, Nate and Garrett live (camp) in Cachote at the already constructed environmental education center, and assist the local workers in building the first of four cabins where future visitors will stay. So far they have leveled out the cabin floor, painted the corrugated tin roof with rust-proof paint, mixed cement, and hauled stones. When they are done with their tasks, they play dominoes and enjoy the majestic view. They have also explored the various trails in the cloud forest on top of the mountain range. They both said the sunsets are beautiful (when the view isn’t obscured by clouds), and they have enjoyed sitting around a fire at the end of the day with the other workers (which provides the only light after dark since there is no electricity).

When they aren’t in Cachote, they each have a host family in Paraiso. Nate lives with Rosario, and has a brother Zafiro and a sister Kiki, who has a young daughter. Garrett’s family consists of Doña Esbelta (who proudly told us she is 80 and 6 months!) and several other younger family members. During the time when they are in Paraiso, Nate and Garrett are also going to teach English classes from 4-6 each day to some local youth.

Jeff’s host family consists of Dilandia (his host mother who is a nurse), sisters Judy, Joedi, Julema and Jelisa, and brother Eddie…they range in age from 14-27. Joedi and her husband also have a 10-month old daughter, Wendy.

During his spare time, Jeff has played baseball with Eddie and other teenagers, and traveled with Laura to visit a couple of other local Peace Corps workers and a large mercado (market) in a nearby town. He also spends time with other friends in town, and took us to meet the director of the school, Antonia, and her daughter Marielene when we visited.

One of Joel’s projects is to build a fence around the community center so the youth can plant a garden and keep the animals (goats, sheep, chicken) out. Because of a water leak, they decided to take advantage of the opportunity and use the water to help grow food that the kids can either sell or provide to their families. Joel’s “posse” of 9-11-year olds accompanies him to the scrub desert to cut palos (sticks) in order to build the fence. In conjunction with the garden, he hopes to conduct a couple of classes about plants in general, and have a project on seed germination.

Joel has also traveled with Ann and her youth team to a nearby batey two days a week where they teach classes on HIV/AIDS prevention, and other topics related to making responsible decisions. Peace Corps also has a servir y jugar (serve and play) program to help kids learn the principle of serving their community and then reward them for doing so. Joel will present a soccer ball to the kids after the fence is built.

He often plays basketball with the older youth in the evening, and has plans to help with two painting projects…the youth group will paint a map of the DR on a wall in the local school and a world map on a wall in a nearby high school.

(See the web posting for Josh's and Nathan's service assignment to find out why we surprised Joel with another visit.)

What do they do? So far, Nathan and Josh have mixed cement, hauled cement in buckets, prepared the foundations before they are poured, and carried blocks. They usually have only a 20 minute lunch break, and relish the cold showers at the end of the work day!

They both live with families who were recipients of Habitat houses. Josh lives with Aida (who works in the Habitat office) and Chito, and their 16 year-old daughter Miriamny. Nathan’s host family is Dani and Iraida, and sons Daulinson, Loan, Denzel, and daughter Daniela, who range in age from 10-18.

When they aren’t working with the building crew, they hang out with their friends, play cards with Nathan’s brothers, play dominoes, or read. Every evening they sit in the park with their dads, talking and listening to bachata music.

After our lunch in Barahona with Josh and Nathan, we scoured the local mercado for the type of grapefruit that is grown only in the southwest (the kind that makes the juice that the whole SST group loves…and Josh and Nathan enjoy frequently) and finally found a vendor with 6 dozen to sell. We loaded them into our jepeta with plans to distribute them to as many students as possible as we conducted our remaining visits. In fact since it was so close, we decided that day to return to Joel’s site to say hello and deliver some toronjas to him!

Ben lives with Sylvia and Bitiliano, an older couple who have three adult children and several grandchildren. Two of their children live nearby and visit often; one son is a farmer and has taken Ben to see his finca (farm). Ben also spends time with Dr. Mendieta and his family which includes three older youth. He plays chess and dominoes frequently, and hopes to do some hiking in the mountains that surround his town.

Mandi works at the school most of the day on Mondays and Wednesdays, and during the afternoons on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She has already organized the library, and usually spends the afternoon in the library helping students use the resources and being available for tutoring. Since the school will be moving soon to a smaller location, in the mornings Mandi sorts and organizes various records, teaching materials, and other items the school has accumulated over the years. Mandi will also teach the two classes normally taught by the school’s director when she is gone for two weeks…one is an adult class and the other consists of high school youth.

Andrea lives with Tomaza and Augustin, and their children Anderson (14), Emerson (13), and Crissony (11). Mandi’s host family includes Juana and Pablo, and their daughters Kohely (15) and Paola (11). When we stopped by their homes, only their mothers were there, but we were able to also meet one of Andrea’s brothers and one of Mandi’s sisters at the school later in the afternoon. Both GC students enjoy playing cards with their siblings, as well as spending time together on Fridays (their free day) to explore San Francisco and appreciate its bookstore, library and parks.

Sarah spent the first couple of weeks observing classes and teaching English at a public school run by the Catholic church in Puerto Plata. More recently, however, she has started working at an agency where victims of domestic violence report their cases and receive assistance. Sarah takes information from the people (mostly women) who come in to the office and helps answer the phone.

Jesse spends his mornings in the public school in Monte Llano where he is helping in a fourth grade classroom. He assists students with their English, grades assignments for the teacher, and tries to maintain order when the teacher leaves the classroom. He has also been playing soccer with the local youth soccer club.

Other activities that keep Jesse and Sarah busy are playing dominoes, listening to music, going to the beach, making juice and tostones for afternoon snacks, and spending time talking, playing and painting with several local shoeshine boys. When we visited, we ate lunch in Puerto Plata, and then rode the cable car up Mount Isabela de Torres (2600 ft. elevation) and enjoyed the panoramic view of the city and surrounding countryside.

Anika is working with Peace Corps volunteer Margaret Jackson. She has assisted Margaret with two projects so far. Last year Margaret and two community members, Maria and Agripino, installed 40 water filters. Now, Anika has been accompanying them to follow up on the project, to see if the filters are working properly, to provide maintenance information, and to conduct a survey about their usage. Anika will then compile the information into a report that Margaret will provide to the Peace Corps. Anika also assisted Margaret and two other nearby Peace Corps volunteers with a program for International Women’s Day. She went to four villages to spread the word about the program, and was involved with the presentation.

Anika’s personal “project” is taking care of three abandoned puppies. She is feeding, bathing, and playing with them, and treating them for parasites and fleas. When she has restored their health, she has found three homes that are willing to adopt the puppies. Anika also spends time walking through her community and visiting, playing dominoes and baseball, and she has made friends with several young girls who often walk and play with her.

Melanie’s placement is with Peace Corps volunteer Jessi Hanson, and Melanie has been helping Jessi with the various groups she has organized. For example, one week at the mothers’ nutrition group, Melanie talked about the importance of clean water. She has also traveled with Jessi and her youth group to Bani (a few hours west of their location), Santo Domingo, and a few nearby towns to conduct HIV/AIDS and life skills presentations. The day we visited, Melanie, Jessi and Nairobi (one of the youth group leaders) were going to hold a meeting to train other youth to conduct some of the presentations.

Another project is an upcoming anti-abuse campaign with school and community leaders, and Melanie is assisting with the planning and promotion efforts. She is also going to begin working in the local preschool several times a week. On a daily basis, Melanie loves to play with the neighborhood kids, and has been gradually breaking out the toys and coloring books & crayons that she brought along. When we arrived, the children proudly showed us their works of art, and Melanie showed us her well-worn deck of cards!

Trisha lives with Divina & Juan, a couple in their mid-40s, in a little barrio on the outskirts of Constanza. We visited the hydroelectric plant where Juan works, which is nestled in a narrow crevice just outside of town. The picture of Trisha and Anita was taken near the plant (Anita accompanied us on a couple of our visits since her service assignment is in Santo Domingo).

Trisha’s service placement is with Adia Major, a Peace Corps volunteer. One of their main goals is starting a worm project. The objective is to provide a revenue source for eight local children so that they don’t have to work in the fields. The children instead help Trisha and Adia with the worms…they are using the worms to create organic soil that can be sold to locals or companies interested in organic gardening.

Four days a week, Trisha also assists Adia with some English classes. They have four different groups (2 for teens, 1 for kids, and 1 for adults), three of whom meet for an hour one evening a week and one that meets for two hours one morning per week. In addition to these activities, Trisha reads, runs, walks into town with Adia, and spends an hour or so each day talking with two 13-year old girls.

There are three main components to Anita’s service assignment. She teaches two English classes on Saturdays for three hours each. Both groups consist of teenagers; the advanced group has five students and the intermediate group has about 15. Anita’s second task is to teach/coach basketball with two different groups. From 4:30-6:30 p.m., she meets on T/Th/F with some 12-16 year olds from the neighborhood. On M/W, she works with students who are in one of ICHADI’s English classes…and she is supposed to conduct those sessions in English so the students continue practicing the language. Anita’s third project is translating part of the book Living Your Strengths from English to Spanish. When Daniel asked her to do this, he explained that he would like to use the material on finding one’s spiritual gifts in his church. Anita spends 3-4 hours each morning working on the translation, and commented that this task is certainly helpful for learning Spanish!

In addition to visiting Trisha with us, Anita traveled to San Francisco de Macoris when we saw Andrea and Mandi. In her spare time she enjoys working out at the gym and taking in the peace and beauty of the Botanical Gardens.

We'll let the pictures illustrate the day's events...see if you can figure out who was at Casa Goshen for the longest period of time! (And, you can be sure that we will all enjoy the special toronjas that Nathan and Josh brought back from the southwest for everyone to savor at the final retreat.)

Sunday, April 3 students are with their host families for their last day in Santo Domingo. Monday morning, everyone will gather here at Casa Goshen by 9:30 and take a couple of Spanish exams. By late morning, we will load everyone and everything up into our favorite guagua Stephany and Jose Miguel will take us to Playa Esmeralda where we will have our final retreat. We'll spend the remainder of Monday and all day Tuesday there, and very early Wednesday morning we will depart for the airport. The last batch of pictures of this group's activities here in the DR will be posted sometime on Wednesday, April 6; so who knows if you will see those pictures first or if you will see the students in person first upon their return to Goshen that night!

During the remainder of Monday and all day Tuesday we spent time sharing (both informally and as a group), swimming, eating, playing games, savoring our last toronjas, singing, dancing, laughing, soaking up the sunshine, and sleeping (a little bit). We also celebrated Ben's and Garrett's birthdays (March 22 and April 5, respectively).

This morning, we loaded all the luggage and students into our favorite guagua Stephany for the last time. By 5:30 a.m., Jose Miguel was driving the group to the airport, and at 7:15 we waved adios as they passed the security checkpoint; so they're on their way back to Goshen where some of you will greet them tonight. Buen viaje!