The other day I had a discomforting situation. My friend and I stopped at a woman’s house, she lives with 8 others, and is confined to her home—cleaning and cooking—like the majority of Dominican women. Every time I go by she basically begs for me to come in, clearly lonely and interested in the American volunteers that arrive in this community.
I’ve been helping my friend Auriel look into academic scholarships in the Dominican Republic as well as the States. I guess she got wind of it, because she started wheeling off on a strange tangent.
“When will you come back? You don’t know when you will be able to? You have to come back within this year. We are your friends. Friends help friends. You are helping this friend…so why don’t you help more than him? You will bring him to the states, so what about me? If you ask me to go with you there, I will go with you in a minute! I’ll pack my bags right now. Or you could even send us a little bit of money. She (referring to me, looking at Auriel) doesn’t understand anything I’m saying does she?”
“I understand everything. I’m just not really sure what to say.” I responded.
This situation made me uncomfortable, but with more thought...and more time here…I think I’m beginning to understand it.
More than ½ of the people in this community don’t have jobs, and more than ½ of the people in this community are fed and housed through money sent from family living in the states.
Other than sending checks, these relatives call on occasion, and the lucky ones come back for a visit, adorned with glimmering earrings from the U.S., smiling with more cherub-like cheeks and a larger waist line.
Not only are Dominicans subjected to their families firsthand experiences, but they see an idealized life on American television shows, or read about the luxurious lives of celebrities in Spanish-language US weekly magazines. They realize the difference between themselves and the American volunteers that arrive here, who pull out cash for beverages or leisurely trips to beach with ease.
All of these things subject them to a life that is far different from anything they know, and far different from the one many of them will lead.
The people here face daily realities that are unheard of in the states.
To give a few examples…
A robbery of the nicest old lady in town in the middle of the night, only to have her pay the police to investigate on her behalf and do absolutely nothing. The thief went to jail for 2 days, and is now back in the community sporting a nice new watch and fancy sunglasses that the stolen items helped pay for.
A young man hit by a motorcycle, brought to the hospital in need of an immediate operation and forced to lay on the ground with only his sister’s feet as a pillow for 9 hours because the doctor’s were aware that he was very poor. Part of his fractured skull was later given to his sister to guard in the freezer.
Children who have no idea how old they are or when their birthday is because their parents don’t care enough to retrieve/ or lost their birth certificate.
People sporting “Llego papa” t-shirts (Papa has arrived) in support of a previous ruler who did absolutely nothing for the country, but will likely be the next ruler due to his ability to buy people’s votes. The poor people in this community, desperate for some extra cash, willingly agree and now wear their t-shirts in anticipation for election day, in which they will help put into place a ruler who will do absolutely nothing for them nor their country.
Kids that go to school for 3 hours a day, and graduate without being able to spell or read. I’ve come to realize this while correcting a friend’s English homework, in which I ended up correcting not only English spelling mistakes, but basically every word in Spanish that he wrote down.
It’s through these happenings and realizations through the relationships I’ve developed with Dominicans, that I’ve been able to understand why this woman would have this strange, discomforting, but now a lot more comprehensible conversation with me…
Even though all the things I wrote are real things that have happened here... I dont want you guys to get the wrong impression. Dominican culture is rich and vibrant.. and I've seen a lot of positive things happen in this community that have given me a lot of hope.. for example:
My friend Auriel, who is incredibly devoted to learning English. He studies every night on his own accord. I was troubled because him and his friend Bingo were drinking a beer (which is completely normal/acceptable for a 15 year old here) and after confronting them about it, they explained to me that they would never drink more than one and they plan on it staying that way for the rest of their lives, because they want to have a brighter future and know that drinking can interfere with that...
My friend Miguel--who concerns himself with the issues of the people in his community more than any other person I have met, any is now working to produce an organic chinola farm & will devote 40% of its proceeds to the needs of the community..
The kids that come to the youth groups I run without fail, always bright eyed and willing to learn whatever I throw their way..
Maria dulce.. the woman who was robbed.. nearly 80 and still maintaining an unwitheringly positive attitude and zest for life
The National champion marathon runner who lives in a nearby community who although has gone to faraway places, still returns to train the young potential runners of this town, as well as put on a multi-city marathon that I'll witness in Sept...
People's hospitality, you can't walk by a home without having them invite you in and offering you a fresh juice and their complete attention
The connection between families: they never grow apart, because they usually live in the same home or a few doors down for the duration of their lives. They depend on each other heavily, and as a result will do anything for one another...
And of course the list goes on!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Josepha
…Is one of the girls here that I have become close with. She has one of the most complicated, horrible and presently-happening series of family issues than anyone I have heard here, but you would never suspect it. She is one of those people who comes into a room with a vibrant smile and a never-ending supply of energy. There is never a shortage of laughter when she is around, she loves making jokes, running around, just one of those say anything do anything sort of people.
I have been doing an anti-parasite campaign for the last week, and Josepha, Katherine (another fun, fiery teenager) and I headed out apart from the nurses to go door – to – door together distributing the medicine for the campaign. Since its nothing but hills and forest here, we traipsed through it together and it turned out to be one of my funnest mornings here yet. On the way to a house her friend told us we could pick whatever we wanted on his farm. So we filled my backpack to the brim with nearly 30 Chinolas and took tons of pictures. They found this long sugar plant (the plant I’m holding in the picture), I don’t remember what it is called, but the girls had a guy cut off the sides of it with a machete and we just bit into it, sucked on it to retrieve the sugar, and spit it out. So strange and delicious!
Josepha and I made juice later and went running. She is training for a marathon that will take place in the community in a few weeks. I’m so happy she has a positive outlet that might lead to success for her. At the track, I met a national champion who apparently lives in a nearby town and is offering his time to train the kids from this community who are participating in the marathon. Josepha has been in a lot of marathons in the past and has done amazingly well. He said she has plenty of potential to make it here, but she lacks ambition at times. I noticed it that night. She seemed like she had something on her mind and wasn’t running nearly as fast as I have seen before on our jogs together. She mentioned to someone that her mom was returning home that day from a trip to Haiti, so that could very well be the reason…
Another friend of mine here is having a really hard time. His cousin was hit by a motorcycle on Sunday night, a big party night here. He is in intensive care right now and he explained to me what had happened. They took him to the hospital after the incident, and there were no beds and not enough space, so he held his cousin on the floor for nearly 5 hours before he could get help. Now they are having a huge campaign in the street, with a string blocking the road and posters pleading for donations. When accidents like this happen families have to pay directly out of pocket, and unless it’s an operation that needs to be done immediately they refuse treatment until the doctors can see the money in front of their eyes. As much as I have lashed out against the health care policies in the U.S., its nothing like it is here…
I have been doing an anti-parasite campaign for the last week, and Josepha, Katherine (another fun, fiery teenager) and I headed out apart from the nurses to go door – to – door together distributing the medicine for the campaign. Since its nothing but hills and forest here, we traipsed through it together and it turned out to be one of my funnest mornings here yet. On the way to a house her friend told us we could pick whatever we wanted on his farm. So we filled my backpack to the brim with nearly 30 Chinolas and took tons of pictures. They found this long sugar plant (the plant I’m holding in the picture), I don’t remember what it is called, but the girls had a guy cut off the sides of it with a machete and we just bit into it, sucked on it to retrieve the sugar, and spit it out. So strange and delicious!
Josepha and I made juice later and went running. She is training for a marathon that will take place in the community in a few weeks. I’m so happy she has a positive outlet that might lead to success for her. At the track, I met a national champion who apparently lives in a nearby town and is offering his time to train the kids from this community who are participating in the marathon. Josepha has been in a lot of marathons in the past and has done amazingly well. He said she has plenty of potential to make it here, but she lacks ambition at times. I noticed it that night. She seemed like she had something on her mind and wasn’t running nearly as fast as I have seen before on our jogs together. She mentioned to someone that her mom was returning home that day from a trip to Haiti, so that could very well be the reason…
Another friend of mine here is having a really hard time. His cousin was hit by a motorcycle on Sunday night, a big party night here. He is in intensive care right now and he explained to me what had happened. They took him to the hospital after the incident, and there were no beds and not enough space, so he held his cousin on the floor for nearly 5 hours before he could get help. Now they are having a huge campaign in the street, with a string blocking the road and posters pleading for donations. When accidents like this happen families have to pay directly out of pocket, and unless it’s an operation that needs to be done immediately they refuse treatment until the doctors can see the money in front of their eyes. As much as I have lashed out against the health care policies in the U.S., its nothing like it is here…
Sunday, August 7, 2011
The Many Pleasures of Third World Living
Hello All!!!
So last week and this coming week the health clinic here (that is right next to the preschool where I have volunteered at as well) is being shut down :/ due to lack of funding. So we have been painting, reorganizing, etc, and getting ready to open up an alternative in place of the clinic: an education center. Its going to be a place for the kids here to come after school, to work on homework and also have classes (english, yoga, etc.. depending on current volunteers skills) for the community.
This week I'm going to continue working with the girls clubs (teaching english, multiplation, kootie catchers) as well as work on an anti-parasite campaign. I'm going to go door to door with the help of the kids from the youth clubs handing out pills and information.
My roommate left a week ago, so I've been living alone but everything has been going fine. I have a few consistent friends in the community so I hang out with them in my freetime! I have also taken up a new (and extremely Dominican) hobby... dominoes! It is really fun. Usually I'm realtively disinterested in organized games but I'm starting to become addicted. I played today after lunch, and I think I am starting to get down the rules a little better. It was nice having some time off and being here on a Sunday because I got to frolick around and spend time with people here. It is impossible not to walk down the street and get invited in. If I say hi to someone (usually only if I've met them before, which I've met a lot) they immediately yell ENTRA! and invite me in. The family I was playing dominoes with today are hard-core dominoes players, so they have a big sunday shindig and play all day.
In addition to walking down the street and being invited in, there is never a time when I leave my house and do not come back hopped up on coffee and really full from what people hand out. I had already eaten lunch before going to dominoes and after we played they put a giant plate of food in front of my face, haha. It was a soup with a potato, plaintain pieces, fruit pieces, avocado and rice. I also had juice, coffee, and came home with a bag of bananas from a few other houses that I stopped by,. Ha ha. People are so amazingly generous with their food and drink, and incredibly hospitable. Offering up a seat immediately when you walk in is also very common.
Unfortunately, the food sharing comes with a downside: illness passes QUICK. Right now everyone in the community has "gripe" (the flu)
This might also be due to the fact that water pipes bursted in the area, and there is no running water. There is not going to be water indefitenitly, there is no use bugging Diego and Rita (directors of a Mothers wish) when it will be on because I already know the answer. Nobody knows, and we will be lucky if the government gets on it anytime soon.
another third world 'pleasure'... lack of electricity. It goes in and out every day and when it comes on everyone blasts the music as loud as they can and screams "HAY LUZ!!" (There is light!) and often there is applause. Ha ha. Its interesting thinking about the little fusses we have in the states (complaints about broken dishwashers or heaters, etc) in contrast with what happens here. When I get back there is no doubt that I am going to appreciate how orderly everything is and how lucky we are to have so many ammenities at our fingertips.
I'm excited about the campaign next week so I will let you all know how it goes :)
So last week and this coming week the health clinic here (that is right next to the preschool where I have volunteered at as well) is being shut down :/ due to lack of funding. So we have been painting, reorganizing, etc, and getting ready to open up an alternative in place of the clinic: an education center. Its going to be a place for the kids here to come after school, to work on homework and also have classes (english, yoga, etc.. depending on current volunteers skills) for the community.
This week I'm going to continue working with the girls clubs (teaching english, multiplation, kootie catchers) as well as work on an anti-parasite campaign. I'm going to go door to door with the help of the kids from the youth clubs handing out pills and information.
My roommate left a week ago, so I've been living alone but everything has been going fine. I have a few consistent friends in the community so I hang out with them in my freetime! I have also taken up a new (and extremely Dominican) hobby... dominoes! It is really fun. Usually I'm realtively disinterested in organized games but I'm starting to become addicted. I played today after lunch, and I think I am starting to get down the rules a little better. It was nice having some time off and being here on a Sunday because I got to frolick around and spend time with people here. It is impossible not to walk down the street and get invited in. If I say hi to someone (usually only if I've met them before, which I've met a lot) they immediately yell ENTRA! and invite me in. The family I was playing dominoes with today are hard-core dominoes players, so they have a big sunday shindig and play all day.
In addition to walking down the street and being invited in, there is never a time when I leave my house and do not come back hopped up on coffee and really full from what people hand out. I had already eaten lunch before going to dominoes and after we played they put a giant plate of food in front of my face, haha. It was a soup with a potato, plaintain pieces, fruit pieces, avocado and rice. I also had juice, coffee, and came home with a bag of bananas from a few other houses that I stopped by,. Ha ha. People are so amazingly generous with their food and drink, and incredibly hospitable. Offering up a seat immediately when you walk in is also very common.
Unfortunately, the food sharing comes with a downside: illness passes QUICK. Right now everyone in the community has "gripe" (the flu)
This might also be due to the fact that water pipes bursted in the area, and there is no running water. There is not going to be water indefitenitly, there is no use bugging Diego and Rita (directors of a Mothers wish) when it will be on because I already know the answer. Nobody knows, and we will be lucky if the government gets on it anytime soon.
another third world 'pleasure'... lack of electricity. It goes in and out every day and when it comes on everyone blasts the music as loud as they can and screams "HAY LUZ!!" (There is light!) and often there is applause. Ha ha. Its interesting thinking about the little fusses we have in the states (complaints about broken dishwashers or heaters, etc) in contrast with what happens here. When I get back there is no doubt that I am going to appreciate how orderly everything is and how lucky we are to have so many ammenities at our fingertips.
I'm excited about the campaign next week so I will let you all know how it goes :)
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