Profe in the DR 34

Profe in the DR 34

1-30-12

People here buy what they need in very small quantities, usually just what they need for that day or a single meal.  Back home where we might buy an entire can, jar, or bottle of something, people here will buy just a spoonful.   For example, before lunch everyday, you will see people carrying a small bowl to the colmado so they can buy a spoonful of tomato paste to make spaghetti.  Just about everything here can be purchased in a small quantity, from a day’s worth of shampoo, to a single bullion cube. 

            We have been having several tremors lately, nothing above 5 on the Richter scale.  However this was enough to put several cracks in the columns and beams at the elementary school. 

            A rat was trying to take up residence in my spare room.  I believe he left after I told him he would have to share the rent.  (Either that or he didn’t like the shovel I was chasing him with.)

            Yesterday the co-ed soccer team played their last game of the winter league.   We played Batey Cuchilla here and won 3-0.  The wind was blowing the fine dirt from the field all around, and by the end of the game I felt like I had been sandblasted.  (Grass fields sure would be nice.)

2-7-12

            Kids here carry half of a razor blade to school with them to use to sharpen pencils.  There are no pencil sharpeners in the room.

The ants are back.  For a few months, they were not to be seen, but now they are back and everywhere.  This morning I washed my one and only pot, but forgot about the lid and left if on the stove.  At lunch I put some water on to boil and covered it with the lid.  When I went to add the noodles to the water I lifted the lid and discovered ant soup!  Apparently they were on the underside of the lid while it sat on the stove and I didn’t realize it. 

It has only rained once since sometime around September and everything is dry and dusty.   Today the wind is quite strong and is blowing around the dust in large clouds.  I can’t wait until we get some rain again.  (I actually look forward to hurricane season.)

I have been working a lot with children’s literacy lately.  I added several classes in January, three of which are starting at ground zero.  Starting in infancy, children in the US have tons of toys and games that help build reading skills, not to mention educational DVD’s, computer programs, websites, books, access to libraries, and hopefully parents who read to them.  None of this exists here in the batey.  In addition, the majority of their parents most likely speak to them in Creole instead of Spanish (especially when they are mad), and many parents themselves are illiterate.  So when I say ground zero, I mean zero.  (You can also add poor nutrition and one of the world’s worst education systems to their woes.)  I am however seeing some progress, even if it is coming about slower than I am used to.

I managed to come up with another 15 books for the library, three children’s books, some old textbooks, and a few bibles.  (It’s hard to find free books in Spanish.)  The kids warned me that someone might try to steal the bibles.  I figure if someone steals one, then they have the most need to read it.

            2-10-12

            I just got back from the capital.  Peace Corps is celebrating its 50^th birthday this year, and PC DR turned 50 this week.  They had events for previous volunteers.  Over 200 returned for the event, mostly people who were volunteers before 1975. 

            While I was gone (only one night), the ants decided to avenge their comrades who fell in the great soup massacre by getting into all my food, even though it was protective containers (these are very small ants).  And to top it all off, they were laying in ambush in my towel hung over the curtain rod.  When I came back, there wasn’t electricity so I showered to the dim light of the lantern in the main room, and couldn’t see the imminent attack.  They waited until I had almost completely dried off before they initiated their well coordinated assault on all fronts (and all backs as well).  I was being bit all over, and the shower was almost out of water, down to just drips.  Luckily I keep a few 2 liter bottles full of emergency water, and quickly grabbed them and some soap to defend myself.  After a lengthy fight (and a lot of scrubbing) the battle ended, righteousness prevailing (that being me since I am writing the history and they aren’t).  Unfortunately I fear my war against the ants has just begun. 

“You can kill 10 of us for every 1 of you we bite, but in the end we will win and you will lose.”- Ho Chi Mini-ant

Today the ants got into my peanut butter that I left unguarded so I finally decided to escalate to biological weapons and sprayed where they were coming in.  They keep finding new places however to enter my house.  “Hasta la muerte, siempre.” –Che Hormiga.

2-16-12

It finally rained here a little on Monday.  It was not much more than to hold the dust down, but it was sufficient for the teachers not to come to school.  Half my students didn’t show up to classes either. 

Profe in the DR 33

Profe in the DR 33

1-21-12

Snap, crackle, pop goes the burning sugar cane as its red glow lights up the night sky.

Anytime I have had a chance to write lately there hasn’t been any electricity so I am getting a little behind on my blog.

School officially began a week ago Tuesday, but almost no one started going to classes until this week, and many are waiting until next week to go.  The longer the vacation, the longer it takes students to go back to classes.

Our co-ed youth soccer team won their fifth straight game on Sunday.  This puts them in first place in the league.  The game was in Batey 5, and went fine between the two teams, but the fans in Batey 5 were getting more and more aggressive as the game progressed.  (These were the same fans that two months earlier got in a huge fight with the men’s team from Batey 6, throwing rocks at each other, sending a good dozen or more people to the hospital.)   After we scored our second goal, the fans began to start yelling things.  That’s when I had my players move away from the fans, and told them not to speak to anyone from five, no matter what they said.  When the game ended, I just wanted to shake hands and get out of there as quickly as possible.  The fans quieted down a bit with the end of the game, we shook hands, and I started calling the team to come with me.  Just then I look over and there was a fight between the coach from Batey 5, and a teenager who had come along with us as a spectator.   No one could separate them so I ended up having to do it.  I kicked their legs out from underneath them, and dropped them both to the ground.  From there it was much easier to separate them and I grabbed the teenager and escorted him far away from the fans.  I then had to make sure my team was OK, because a fight around here is like blood in the water for sharks.  Sure enough, people from Batey 5 were trying to fight with some of the larger boys on my team.  One of the boys got hit in the face.  I managed to stop all that before it got out of hand, and got my team away from the fans from Batey 5.  Just then, the coach from Batey 5 broke free from the people holding him back and came running after the teenager.  The coach had two large rocks in his hands, one raised and ready to throw.  I grabbed the teenager with my left hand to make sure he wouldn’t do anything, and yanked him behind me, so I could then protect him from the coach.  I then pointed at the coach with my right hand and yelled “No” as firmly as I could.  It caused him to pause.  (Thank God)  He then tried to move to the right then left so he could get around me to throw the rocks at the teenager.  I too rotated, keeping myself in the middle, right hand still pointing at him (and ready to defend myself from flying rocks.)  Finally people from Batey 5 grabbed the coach again, and I got the teenager and my team out of there.  We then walked up to my friend Elia’s house, but he wasn’t there.  The coach once again was trying to break free and they were having trouble restraining him.  The crowd around him was growing larger, and I wasn’t sure what they were going to do, but they were slowly coming our way. (Mobs get out of control fast here.)  Just then, two men came from the other direction, and started trying to pull the teenager away.  I was trying to protect the teenager from them until finally one of the boys on my team told me the men were relatives of the teenager.   Once that was cleared up, the relatives and several other people then escorted us up to the main road, and we then waited in front of the police station until the truck we were brought in came and picked us up. 

            In addition to coaching the team here, I am also in charge of the managing the six community league we formed.  My biggest difficulties are communication and transportation.  Although a lot of people here have cell phones, almost no one ever has any minutes (you can receive calls free, but to call someone you need to buy minutes).  This means that if I want to talk to someone, I have to call them.  If they don’t answer when I call, I have to keep trying until I get a hold of them.  They will never call me back.  I have on several occasions had to go to the communities to talk with someone because I couldn’t reach them by phone.  Transportation here is predominantly small 50cc-125cc motorcycles, not ideal for transporting an entire team.  Between the six communities in the league, only three have a vehicle large enough for a team.  Batey 5 has a large flatbed truck, Batey 7 has a medium size bus, and we have a pick-up.  Last Saturday, the driver of the bus in 7 was drunk, so instead we had to send the pick-up all the way over there to take the team from 7 to Batey 5.  Luckily I went along to make sure things went smoothly, because after the game the pick-up wouldn’t start, and we had to hire and wait for the flatbed to get back from Barahona so it could take the kids back home.  It was quite late by the time they reached their houses.   Transportation is quite expensive and the costs prevent a lot of interchanges between communities.  (I wrote a grant to cover the transportation expenses of the league.)

            Now that Christmas vacation is over, I have started back up all my classes.  World Vision finally gave me photos copies of a book I have for teaching reading so I have added four reading classes to my load.  There is a 13 year old girl in one of my classes who can copy down everything her teacher writes on the board in the most beautiful of handwriting, but can’t read or understand a word of it.  (Education here is predominantly copying what is written on the board.)  

            I have been slowly forming a little library in the community center.  We now have about 30 picture books (like Curious George), about 30 chapter books, a dozen text books, and several picture books in English.  Most people just look at the pictures.  Those that do read, predominantly read the picture books (including adults).  Once in a while I see someone reading a chapter book.  Its hard to come across children’s books in Spanish, most of the titles are books translated from English, like Charlotte’s Web.  Books here are expensive.

            It is an election year here so there are tons of construction projects being carried out by public officials wanting to get re-elected (They do nothing until the final year of their term, then undertake a ton of projects all at once.)  Here in the batey, they already fixed our park, and our now putting in cement curbs.  There is talk of asphalt streets to follow.  I don’t know about sidewalks.  Of course, all of this depends if they can get it done before the election, because everything usually stops after the election, especially if the incumbent loses. 

            After two months of being inactive because of my back, I am able to exercise again.  I have been getting out on the bike in the morning and playing soccer in the evening.  My muscles are sore every day and I am feeling my age, but little by little I am getting back in shape.

 (As I am writing this, six chickens just walked through my house, in the back door, and out the front door.)

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 23^rd, 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.

Profe in the DR 31

Profe in the DR 31

12-22-11

Went to the capital on the 14^th to see the back doctor.  He said I was improving and didn’t need to wear the brace all the time, only when I had to sit for long periods of time. 

Third day on bike after taking off the brace I broke the ball bearing case in the bottom bracket again.  Now I have to wait until I go to the capital again to get parts to fix it. 

The co-ed soccer team beat Batey 9 yesterday 2-1.  Batey 9 has a strong team and this was the first time we beat them.  The kids were very excited.  It hasn’t rained here in a long time so there were several inches of dust in the play.  We threw water on the field before the game, but it was still a very dusty affair.  

The temperatures here in the morning are a bit on the cool side (everyone here says its cold).  The little boys who usually run around naked all the time actually put on some clothes.  One little boy had on a large t-shirt that completely covered his hands and feet, so only his head was sticking out.  It looked like a shirt was walking down the street.

Some of the evangelical churches go out every morning at 4am and walk up and down the streets, singing and playing drums for the entire month of December.   I haven’t had a good nights sleep since November.

12-27-11

The population of the batey has about doubled with all the people returning home for the holidays.  It’s amazing how many people from here live in the capital.  They always return dressed in some of their nicest clothes, and seemingly trying to impress everyone here with the fact they live in the capital.

What little celebrations of Christmas there are here take place on the 24^th.   The colmados started filling up around noon.  At night, people ate a special Christmas dinner, that seems to always include fried chicken, and possibly some other type of meat, pork or goat.  Unlike the states, they don’t all sit down and eat together, but rather serve people as they drop by.  It is a much more subdued affair than in the states.   I was invited to two houses to eat. 

There are however Voodoo celebrations on the 24^th.  Because Haitian slaves had to hide their African religions from their French masters, they held Voodoo celebrations on Catholic religious days.  There was a lot of dancing, playing of homemade musical instruments, eating, and drinking, which went on all day long.  There were two processions in the streets, one in the early morning and the other at noon.   They were led by a bull with a colorful decoration draped over its back.  Then came a tall man with a long whip he would swing around over head and then crack on the road.   Then came a man in a straw cowboy hat, a red bandana, an empty machete scabbard, and with a whistle in his mouth.  He seemed to be in charge of the ceremony and guided the procession.  He carried a decorated rattle, and a wood bowl with a bottle and other things in it.  He would also draw the Voodoo designs on the road at the intersections.  Crossroads have importance in the Voodoo religion.  He would also occasionally take a sip of rum and then blow it out of his mouth in a real fine mist, covering anyone nearby.  He was then followed by the group of dancing women, all dressed in the same solid green homemade dresses.  They would stop at every intersection and the women would dance in a circle.  They were then followed by the young men playing the homemade instruments.  These included long pieces of bamboo about 3-4 inches in diameter.  They were painted brown with white spots.  The young man would blow into the bamboo while they hit the outside with a stick.  Other instruments include the end of a brass horn (possibly from a semi truck) attached to a long tube; pieces of perforated metal that resembled cheese shredders that they would play by rubbing something up and down it; and other homemade trumpets.  The spectators made up the final group in the procession, often dancing along as they followed. 

On the 25^th I headed up to Los Rios about an hour west of here and celebrated Christmas with about a dozen other volunteers.  Sarah and Masa put together a big Christmas feast with turkey, mashed potatoes and all the fixings.  It was incredible.  Unfortunately my stomach isn’t used to such rich food in such quantities and I filled up immediately.   The next day we headed out to see Lake Enriquillo, iguanas, and cave drawings left by the Taino Indians.  The drawings look like smiley faces that have been deeply carved into the rock.  The lake was quite impressive, it is very long and lined by mountains on both sides.  It is a saline lake and boasts the highest concentration of crocodiles in the Carribean.  The iguanas that live near the lake were about 2-3 feet long mini dinosaurs, which scared two of the women in our group.  We finished off our little tour by stopping by a park and had something to drink in the shade of large trees as we sat in the middle of one of several crystal clean streams running by.  A very enjoyable day.

Profe in the DR 30

Profe in the DR 30

11-28-11

            I got a hold of several young children’s books in Spanish in the capital, like Curious George and such.  Since I got back to my site Friday night, tons of kids have been coming over to read them (or just look at the pictures), including lots of teenagers and a few young men.  I haven’t had much success however trying to get anyone to read chapter books yet.

            The doctor wants me to keep wearing the back brace for two more weeks.  I still have a little numbness in my left foot, but it is better than before. 

            While in the capital I picked up 30 soccer balls from World Vision that their country director promised me.  They are for our soccer league, five for each community.

I also spoke to a young Haitian man on Sunday about him coaching the team.  He showed up at practice today, and said he wants to coach starting Wednesday.  Hopefully things will work out.  For this program to keep going after I am gone, it’s important we find a good coach.

12-11-11

The soccer team won their game last Saturday against Batey 7, 1-0.  I had to ref the game since they couldn’t find anyone there to do it. 

            The soccer team continues to work for an hour on the soccer field every Sunday.  Mostly cutting back the thorn bush, and then burning it once it’s dry.  Its dirty, painful work, the thorns go through everything.  We often encounter wasps.  One twelve year old last week had a branch bounce back and smack him in the eye really hard.  It left a blue spot on his eye.  Hopefully it will go away soon.  However, all the hard work has been good for them.  They now have the biggest and I believe best soccer field among the bateys. 

            The Sala de tareas has been going very well.  We have been focusing on addition and using lots of games involving dice, flashcards, playing cards, and bingo cards with addition problems written on them, and a few games on the computer.  The children who have been coming regularly have really improved in a short period of time.  The challenge is getting them to come regularly.  The computers really help motivate them, but for some it is not enough. 

            The chess club has been growing with more and more young children and girls coming to play.  A 58 year old man who just moved to the batey has been joining us as well.  He used to play a lot 16 years ago.  Once he dusted off the cobwebs, he has been showing the teenagers a thing or two.  Adoni however has managed to hang with him, winning as many games as he loses.

            Art club has grown to the point I don’t have enough places for everyone who wants to participate, and have to turn them away.  I think I need to add another session to accommodate the demand.

            All my other classes and projects are going well.  Once the winter vacation starts here, many of my classes will come to a halt until January.  The kids asked for a break during the vacation.

            I spent two days at the beach in Los Patos.  I hardly ever take RR days, as I am always working; however, I think I need to work them into my schedule more.  It was nice to just relax and sit in the sun by the ocean.

Profe in the DR 29

Profe in the DR 29

11-17-11

Saturday the soccer team had their first game of the new league against Batey Cuchilla.  They lost 1-0 even though they were a much stronger team with more experience.  For some reason or other they just didn’t have their heads in the game.  I suppose it was just as well.  After the game we had to wait an hour and a half for our ride home.  The people in Batey Cuchilla might have been less agreeable to us waiting around had they lost the game.

Saturday night it rained hard, filling the batey up with mud and puddles.   Sunday the soccer field was too muddy to play or work on, so they decided to work on the field on Tuesday. 

I spent some time Sunday and Tuesday loading a few children’s educational games into the computers.  Its difficult finding good programs in Spanish.  Wednesday, Aiden an IT volunteer came over and checked up on all the computers, fixing a few things and making sure they are all running well.

We have been having problems with young children while we are trying to play chess at night.  They are running around the outside of the refugio, yelling, throwing rocks, turning the lights off on us, and trying to bother us as much as possible.  No one ever watches over their children here and they all just run wild, doing whatever they please.  Like I said before, they remind me of a bad scene from Lord of the Flies.

Monday a general strike was called.  I don’t know if it ever actually took place.  They very seldom do.  However, most people stayed home anyway, some out of fear of a strike, others because it was a good excuse for not going to work.  (Strikes can be very violent affairs, usually ending in several deaths.)

My two Sala de tareas (tutoring class) are going well.  All or the kids are already showing progress in math.  All other projects are going well too. 

11-24-11

            Happy Thanksgiving.  Not quite the same when you’re away from family. 

Last Saturday the soccer team had their second game.  The kids played very well, staying in their positions, and passing the ball.  They won 7-0.  Three of the younger players all scored goals.   

            Sunday I headed to the capital for meetings Monday through Wednesday.  Today I am planning to head back to my site.  I have a lot of things to get done.

Profe in the DR 28

Profe in the DR 28

11-3-11

Sunday the soccer team worked for an hour again cutting back thorn bush.   They are saying they want to do an hour of work on the play every Sunday then play soccer.  I met with the computer lab volunteers in the evening and went over how to run the lab.  Monday they opened the lab officially.  However, by midday it was clear that the volunteers weren’t charging everyone to use the internet.  Several of the volunteers were letting their friends use the internet without paying.

There was a large spider living in my shower for almost two weeks.   I was just about to give it a name, but another slightly larger spider came along and ate it and took up its place.  I didn’t trust this new one, but luckily it left after two days.

Tuesday I headed to the capital to see the nerve doctor.  I ended up having to stay until Thursday.  The doctor explained to me how the two herniated discs in my lower back were pushing against the nerves that go to my left foot, and that is why it is numb.  He said they shouldn’t need surgery, and prescribed two medicines and a wrap around brace.  No lifting, no riding on the back of motorcycles, boards under the mattress, and a few other suggestions.  Hopefully in 3-4 weeks things will be back to normal.

While in the capital I went to the movies for the first time in this country.  In true Dominican style, everyone was yelling at the big screen.

11-11-11

I have been super busy this week and there has been very little electricity so I have not had an opportunity to write at all.  I started up two new sala de tareas (tutoring groups).  I am focusing on addition, and am using older students to help the younger ones.  The first games of our new soccer league are this Sunday and I have been busy getting things ready for this.  Our league now has six co-ed teams of 12-17 year-olds, two more than last time.  Transportation continues to be our biggest problem.  My APCD (Associate Peace Corps Director) dropped by on Wednesday to see how I am doing.  My art club has decided to display some of their drawings in the community center.  There has been a sudden surge in interest in chess, unfortunately surpassing the number of boards we have and leading to a little unrest.  The soccer team continues to work on cutting back the thorn bush and getting ready for this Saturday’s game.  I added another English class on Fridays. 

The computer lab continues to have problems.  There are a handful of young men who are dominating the lab, not allowing the kids to use the computers.  They spend all their time on facebook, and refuse to pay.  They bully the younger volunteer workers.  After speaking with the computer committee president Monday evening it was decided that we would block facebook.  Jason an IT volunteer came over on Tuesday to block facebook, but when the young men heard what he was going to do, they came over yelling and shouting and practically starting a small riot.  Amauris intervened and asked that we wait until they could meet with the computer committee that evening and discuss matters.  The meeting lasted about 2 hours.  The young men insisted that everything was fine and that we didn’t need to change anything.  (The children would all disagree.)  They also argued that the internet should be free.  (World Vision who donated the computers said we should charge for the internet and not for things that were educational so that the center could someday be sustainable.)  In the end, nothing was decided, three of the committee members left, possible quitting.  A meeting called for Thursday never happened and no new date has been set.   The computer center is still open.  The younger volunteer workers have been replaced by slightly older volunteers, and someone (not from the committee) decided that they weren’t going to charge anymore, but only allow people to use the computers for a half hour (some volunteers are already allowing some people to use the computers for an hour or more while other people wait outside).   Things are currently somewhat peaceful, but the state of the committee, agreement on rules, a final decision on to charge or not, a calendar of who is going to work in the center, etc. has all been left in the air.  I am speaking with the committee and other key people involved encouraging them to have another meeting involving the community to resolve these issues.