For Holy Week I did like the Dominicans do, and went to the beach. Diana, Antonio and I went to Cabarete, got some serious sun and saw our favorite Dominican merengue singer, Omega.
The next weekend I went back to Hato Viejo for a day. Pulling into the campo was such an amazing feeling, I felt the rush of coming home as I waved to people working in the fields and sitting out on their porches. I passed some good time chatting with my family and playing dominó. We got a look at the house, it was almost completed!
On Wednesday of last week we had a killer bee invasion upstairs. They would disperse by night and swarm back in the thousands by day. We were banned from going upstairs on Wednesday and passed a lot of time in the library. Had some good laughs and good naps. Luckily Bruno, Geronimo and Hector (lovely ILAC staffers) took care of it by using palms, halved coconuts, bug spray and a cereal box stuffed with smoldering newspaper. I love this country.
Location: Hato Viejo. Date: Friday. Mission: House destruction. We went back again on Friday to knock down the old house and bless the new one. Walking through the new house, fully decorated and welcoming as ever, I got chills and choked up for you could simply feel the gratitude and joy in the woodwork. Knocking down the old house took a mere hour or two and a lot of fending off of the bugs. I had another run-in with a spider…on my neck. I was lucky this time and lived to tell the tale. The blessing was wonderful and the mother, Francisca, was moved to tears with her thanks. We sang a song that got us all clapping and dancing; “Quiero llevar este canto amigo, a quien lo pudiera necesitar. Yo quiero tener un millón de amigos, y así más fuerte poder cantar.” (I want to bring this song to my friendo, to anyone who might need it. I want to have a million friends so I can sing louder and stronger.)
Speaking of going back to the campo… Yesterday (Sunday) Elizabeth and I made the trek back up the mountains to Saban de San Isidro. Of course it rained, and of course we had inadequate clothing and foot ware on… you’d think we had never been to a campo before. But through the pouring rain, it was so totally worth it. Here’s my top 5 from the day: 1. Gossip session on my front porch with the mamis, 2. Secret sharing with my mami outside the latrine, 3. Our means of transportation… cough cough, 4. Walking hand-in-hand with my sister-in-law, María la Virgen, 5. Taking in the views and bottling the wonderful feelings of going home.
Other than that, I just turned in the final draft of my 30 page paper. Check it off the list. Next up = study for finals… Spanish is on Tuesday and Kyle’s is on Thursday. After that it’s our 10 day re-orientation before returning home to the States. Time is flying by and I am trying to hold onto every second so I can squeeze the life and memories out of every passing moment.
“I’m weeping warm honey and milk that you’ll stay surrounding me, surrounding me.”
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