Profe in the DR 32
Saw a dead body in the middle of the road on the way to the capital. They had covered it up with branches, but let it lay in the middle of the road as the police directed traffic around it.
1-4-12
Finally got gas for the stove yesterday. I ran out on December 23rd, but with the holidays it was hard to find someone who could take my tank to the next town and get me more gas. Spent several days eating crackers and peanut butter.
The other day while I was sitting in an old mini van in Barahona, waiting for the slow ride back to my site, I was watching several young men who earn their living shinning shoes in a small park. They appeared to be mute, as they were communicating with signs and gestures instead of words. Unlike sign language in the states, they were using their entire body, often repeating gestures because they were not being understood. It looked more like a game of charades. There are no services outside of the capital for anyone with special needs, so children who are deaf or mute don’t go to school, and don’t learn sign language. The young men had invented their own signs and gestures.
I bought some soap at the colmado next door. All she had was some soap made with carrots. I told her that if I am attacked by rabbits it would be her fault.
The hand washing of my clothes is really taking its toll. The elastic is shot in all my boxers, and the collars in my shirts are stretched out. The drying on barbed wire doesn’t do much for them either. The family also uses a lot of bleach, which the white spots on my shirts and jeans would confirm. However, the family needs the money they get from washing my clothes. The mother has several times already had to ask to be paid a few days early.
1-5-12
Woke up to an earthquake at 5:30 this morning. At first I thought someone was pushing my bed, but then I figured out what was going on. According to the news it was 5.2 on the Richter scale, and as of noon they hadn’t heard of any damage.
1-6-12
Today is day of the kings, and parents who can, give their children a toy. (They don’t exchange any gifts on Christmas.) Last year the gift of choice was cap guns, this year it is plastic BB guns.
1-7-12
Today a huge group of kids were yelling, and following someone holding some small animal as she walked around the batey. Older kids, and adults went running to see what was going on. The attraction was a little pig “born with the face of a human”. My friend came over to borrow my camera to take the little pig’s picture. The pig had been born with its snout and mouth more or less fused together and its forehead protruded greatly. I couldn’t quite make out the “human face” myself.
