Dominican Life.... So Far

The view from my bedroom window this morning

Clinic hallway - after hours

The "Dryer"

Our ambulance:
a gift from Spain - unusable since the repair parts are unavailable here

Today marks my tenth day in the DR! In honor of this milestone, I'd like to take this post to describe day-to-day life here as I experience it, and save clinic work for another time.

I'll begin by answering a FAQ: Why is it so loud at night?
I live close to the Malacon (sp?), which is the popular seaside boulevard with ice cream shops, cafes, bars, music, etc. This certainly accounts for some of the noise, since it is a popular place to go any night of the week. However, I think most of the noise I experience is caused by the following chain reaction: Many, many cars and trucks have several huge (maybe 3ft. tall) speakers installed in the trunk or on top of the vehicle. They blast music up and down the streets, creating both incredible sound and tangible vibrations in the ground. This, in turn, sets off every very loud car alarm in the surrounding area. And this sets off another alarm: a very excitable and friendly chocolate-colored dog who lives in the yard next door. Between this speaker-alarm-dog chain, the Malacon, and the passing motorcycles (the major mode of transport here), it can be pretty loud. I like the dog; he fights fire with fire!

Another FAQ: What is my host family like?
My host family is lovely. Father Guelmy is outgoing and talkative. Every night at dinner, he starts speaking loudly and slowly (that's how I know he's talking to me - and it's helpful!) and asks me to describe what I did today and what I will do tomorrow. He knows that I'm really trying to practice my verb tenses. AND he's already fixed my computer twice!
Father Guelmy's wife, Reina, is much quieter but equally kind. She's a fabulous cook and is always singing around the house. Reina is pregnant, due in early November. Yesterday she had the ultrasound that told us that the baby is a boy! We jokingly started thinking about names last night. I think I like "Oscar"....
Fr. Guelmy and Reina's daughter, Yaisa (sp?), is fourteen and speaks a little English. She has a good sense of humor and is not afraid to correct my Spanish or help me translate, which I appreciate. The family gets along really well, though I'm pretty sure that Yaisa's pretty sure that she's right all the time - Some things about being fourteen are the same everywhere!
Reina's sister, Claribel, is also staying with us. She's nineteen and will begin the equivalent of college in January. She's planning to study either tourism or French/English. I think the tentative plan is for her to stay here to help Reina in her last trimester and with the new baby.

The last FAQ for the day: Say more about the food!
The food is delicious, more sweet and savory than hot and spicy. In the DR, the big meal of the day is at noon, and we always have rice and beans, some meat, fruit/veggies, and lots of juice (since the tap water is not drinkable). It's great, but pretty hot for such a big meal! I like breakfasts and suppers, especially this sweet cream-of-wheat-type dish and these cheese-stuffed fried dough things. We eat avocado with vinegar at nearly every meal - wahoo! Occasionally, there's some food I recognize from home, but always with a surprising twist. For example, the other day we had hamburgers, which were tiny pads of meat wrapped in a bun three times as big. Or, when we made meatballs a couple days ago, Reina taught me to add garlic, onions, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs, oregano...and then the juice of two limes! Mmmm. I can't identify the majority of fruits and vegetables we eat, but when it tastes this great - who cares?!

In other news, I have a mailing address! It's the equivalent of a PO Box, so it can take mail about four weeks to arrive from the States - not good for time sensitive stuff. It's also not such a good idea to send anything fragile or valuable, since things get tossed around and/or opened. Life is surprisingly different without homework, and I have already torn through all the books in English that I brought. If you are interested in sending any second-hand books that you're finished with, I'll take them! Once read, I will donate them to the new Books-in-English collection we're starting at the conference center. My mailing address (green box), along with a list of books I already have here (tan box), can be found in the right-hand column of this webpage. Also, be sure to check out the listed websites of other YASC'ers in their time abroad! Love and thanks to everyone - I will write again soon!

P.S. More pictures (of people!) to come soon, once I get a feel for it.

Arrival

Saludos de la Republica Dominicana! I have arrived - safe and sound - in the Dominican Republic! My bags followed me only a few days after (missing two zippers, one lock, and with some damage) and I am now in fresh clothes, a good feeling. I understand that it's a small miracle that my bags took only a few days to get here, and estoy muy agradecida - I am very grateful.

Currently, I am staying with the family of the assistant priest of the Episcopal parish nearest the clinic, San Esteban. In many ways, I am very lucky, with shower access, my own room, screens on the windows, and, since Father Guelmy happens to be a computer whiz, very fast wireless internet access! Father Guelmy, his wife and daughter, are all welcoming, though we struggle to communicate sometimes. Humor is the best way to cope I think - we all laughed yesterday when I asked if I could please help the phone, instead of use it....

Yesterday, I was given a tour of La Clinica Esperanza y Caridad (Clinic of Hope and Charity), a building converted from an old school. Dr. Dohn showed me the new lab, a small, kitchen-type room with one microscope and a dorm-room-size fridge as its main attractions. We saw the laundry - the single washer and the "dryer," as Dr. Dohn calls the open courtyard where line after line of sheets and towels hang. One overstretched generator powers this entire compound, including the church, the clinic, two priests' homes and the conference center. We lose power frequently, but not for very long. I saw a new wall and fresh hallway paint donated by an American charity. One staff member said, "It almost looks too nice; we might lose funding." In many ways, the clinic is so different from a healthcare building in the States, it's beyond description. However, many things are familiar and inspiring: a dedicated and friendly staff, hopeful families waiting in the hallway - and evidence of everyone trying his hardest. I look forward to joining this community in the coming year.

This afternoon, Dr. Dohn and I will travel to a city neighborhood not far from the clinic to continue the clinic's community health census. Though it is not geographically far, few of the city's services reach this neighborhood, and there is little access to clean water. We will ask questions about family size, access to/uses of water, and frequency of illness. I saw some of the neighborhood yesterday, and will have to save description for another post since it will take some space. I'm excited to take part in this important work, but am a little nervous about what I might see.

So that's it for now! Thank you all so much for your support - both for the financial contributions and the wonderful farewell messages - I appreciate it more than I can say. And now, I say goodbye with a few random thoughts: It is so hot here; the food is wonderful; it's incredibly loud at night; and verb conjugation is very important in Spanish. Adios for now!

Getting ready

Welcome! You've reached the website where I will share reflections, stories, and pictures from my upcoming year as a member of the Young Adult Service Corps (YASC) in the Dominican Republic. My service work will be in healthcare in several communities along the southern coast of the country - working in an AIDS/HIV clinic, a public health program, a residential home for the elderly, and a new clinic along the Haitian border. I'll be learning Spanish, teaching music, working with kids, and (probably) living with a family while I'm there; I can't wait to get started!

Fundraising update: I have reached my fundraising goal and will soon be on my way. Thanks to all for your support and generosity!

I leave for the city of San Pedro de Macoris in the Dominican Republic the morning of Saturday, July 21st (That's one week from today!). I started work on the logistics for leaving several weeks ago and now, after many To-Do Lists, am feeling ready to depart. For those who asked: I do not yet have a mailing address in the Dominican Republic (which I think I'll start calling the DR for short). If you'd like to know the address when available, just send me an email.

There is some internet access in San Pedro, so I will be reachable via email. (This site doesn't show my email address, but you can find it on my fundraising letter or you can feel free to contact my family.) This website will also be updated regularly. If you'd like to receive an email whenever this site is updated, please send me an email (or click on the "comment" option below this posting and type a comment) and include your email address.

To close, a word about the title of this site: Saludos! "Saludos" means "greetings!" in Spanish, so the direct translation of the title is "Greetings from Kate!" Something I like especially about sharing this greeting in Spanish is that the first part of the word, "salud," is the Spanish word for "health." I like to think of "Saludos!" as both greeting and a wish for good health. In one week, I will embark on a new adventure in service, love, and grace. To my Dominican hosts and to my supporters at home: Saludos!