12.23.2012

Adjusting to a life I once knew

I've been home almost a week now. Tuesday morning will be exactly one week. The transition back came much easier than I imagined, which is what I feared. I've since slowly moved from listening to Latino artists like Plan B, Juan Luis Guerra, and Romeo Santos to the indie Malaysian artist Yuna, reggae artist Alton Ellis, and Alicia Keys. I no longer hesitate to throw toilet paper in the bowl itself, I'm back to an all vegan diet, and I've already snatched a few items from my older sister's wardrobe. Yep, it's almost as if I never left. One of my friend's from studying abroad told me that he's afraid of the whole experience turning into a dream. And every time he began to reminisce about our time in the Dominican Republic I would tell him not too. I suppose I feared the end all along. Now that its over, it all does seem like a dream. No one truly understands what I've just experienced. A phone call from my best friend from the trip brought it all back to me, and for a moment I felt at ease. There's some things you never want to forget, for that reason I took up photography. The pictures give a snippet of an event, a day, a moment that impacted me. My dilemma now is learning how to remember the stories, the experiences, the achievements of these past four months. I feel different, but I don't know if I seem different. Travel does that to you. I heard a Fulbright ETA fellow make a statement about traveling to different countries. This quote reflects my personal experience. "...It changes you... living abroad. You always take something away with you. And it makes your worldview more complete. And it makes you more open to new experiences and it makes you a more interesting person." -Elly Hopper (Colombia ETA 2011-2012).

I also came across another quote that relates to my sentiments about departing a place you've come to know, and returning to a place you once knew. I've never really been a quote collecting person, but these two have really helped me understand this transition.

“You get a strange feeling when you’re about to leave a place, like you’ll not only miss the people you love but you’ll miss the person you are now at this time and this place, because you’ll never be this way ever again.”

                                                                       -Azar Nafisi, Reading Lolita in Tehran
On another note, and because I'm such a list person, I thought I'd try to document some changes I've experienced in the last week. So here's what's new in my life:
1. I'm embracing the holidays full force. Christmas music 24/7, spiced drinks, and plenty of festive sweaters
2. I'm now a thrifter... I didn't really trust my thrift shopping skills before this trip, but since I've returned it's all I do.
3. I've caught up with some old friends, one is my best friend from high school and the other my sorority sister who moved to NY last winter. Love that we were able to just pick up where we left off.
4. I've made my motto Mind, Body, and Soul... Three things that I think encompass so much (my faith walk, academics, nutrition/physical fitness, etc.). I think I'll take this with me into the New Year.

12.18.2012

Una despedida

This fall semester, I took a Photography course at the PUCMM Architecture school. As the only international student in the class, I was quite challenged at times. I don't regret one minute of the experience. I've learned so much more about using my camera, and I had a great time with our trabajos (assignments) throughout. Here's my final project for the class. The topic was: What is making you uncomfortable/What are you disagreeing with right in this moment? 
Qué es su disconformidad del momento?

Una Despedida: Mi Salida de la República Dominicana
Decir adiós a la gente, los lugares, y las cosas que yo he llegado a conocer y amar.

 (1) Esperando el momento de despedida/ 
Awaiting the moment to say goodbye
 (2) Un abrazo fuerte en la esquina de calle 4 y calle 7/ 
A big hug at the corner of Street 4 and Street 7
(3) Saludando con la mano arriba a las personas que dejamos atrás/ 
Waving goodbye to the people we leave behind

Mi Salida de la República Dominicana

If home is where the heart is, then mine must be shattered in a thousand places around the world.

7:18PM After waking up late and rushing to the airport with my good friend, John, I finally made it to the Santiago International Airport (Cibao) to begin my journey back to the United States.

8:10AM We paid the taxi driver and rushed up to the kiosk with our big bags, only to be given some tough news so early in the day. I knew I was late, but I thought I would have substantial time to make it onto my 8:40AM flight. Nonetheless, at check-in I was told that my bags could no longer be checked because boarding had already begun on my flight . My only options were to: (1) Travel to Punta Cana and fly to Miami that way, (2) Take the same flight the next day, or (3) Take a later flight in the day to New York, then travel to Atlanta. I chose the third option. Everything works out for a reason.

10:00AM After finally breathing for a bit, John and I got a chance to just sit and chill in the airport for a few hours. We Skyped our friend Jana who left the day before, and I enjoyed my last Dominican meal, while John dreamed of the Whopper he planned to devour later on at JFK.

12:15PM I bid farewell to John, thinking I might have the chance to see him before boarding, or at least in JFK. Unfortunately, customs pushed things along so fast, that I didn't get to formally say goodbye. Sorry, John! Te extraño! I went through customs, having to run to a cajero (atm) in the midst of my stress to get some extra cash for overstaying my visa.

1:15PM Did I mention I've been carrying around a 50 pound carry-on bag this entire time? Yeah, that happened. Thankfully if fit into the overhead storage and on my flight to JFK.

5:00PM I made it through customs in JFK and walked to baggage claim, where I found my Uncle and cousins happily waiting! It was literally the best welcome committee I could have ever asked for. I hardly never get to see my cousins because of school, and our crazy schedules, so this was a real treat. They helped me with my luggage, and we traveled from JFK to LaGuardia where I would take my final flight.

6:00PM At LaGuardia, I checked my bags again, somehow managing to get both of them in for free. My Uncle, cousins, and I enjoyed a few snacks in the food court before saying goodbye. It was so special to have those few hours together, and for that reason I think that missing my early morning flight was a real blessing in disguise.

7:00PM I finally settled at the gate and found myself passing the time just people watching. New Yorkers are so unique. So far, it has been most fascinating to see how people express themselves through clothing here. I didn't really think about it before. Having lived in a country where people don't really take too many fashion chances, the airport styles I saw today came as a real shock. Even still, I had the opportunity to kind of reflect on my time in the Dominican Republic and my interactions with strangers there, which I think is another huge contrast with my experience back in the United States already.

9:10PM After much delay, my flight to ATL finally arrived. People were definitely getting cranky, but some rough weather situations delayed the flight from arriving at its original boarding time of 7:50PM.

12:10AM I arrived. After almost an entire 24 hours of travel, I finally arrived in my home state. I found my parents at the American Airlines baggage claim and dropped my bags before grabbing them both to give them a huge hug. I've never been so excited to see the parental units.

I'm so happy to have made it home safely, and I feel so incredibly blessed to have had this opportunity. I will never forget the memories that were created, and the people that changed my life over the last four months. And to the Dominican Republic, just one more place where my heart lies... nos vemos ahorita!

12.10.2012

Be all here.

I've not always been the type of person to live "all in the moment." I'm a dreamer in that sense. Almost always considering what will happen later on in the day, the week, the future. I know it's not great to think this way, that it often makes you miss out on the present. For me, always thinking about the future has truly thrown me some pros and some cons. I've learned to seek out opportunities (internships, travel grants, scholarships, etc.) that I would have missed out on had I been focused only on today. But also, on a more serious note, I've really struggled to get through the mundane moments of the present. For that reason, I think I put things off a lot. I'm definitely a procrastinator, but also a creative mind... so the two somehow work together to help me produce some of my best work. Even still, I think that I'm always considering the future because it's a bit of an escape from the more prevalent boring and less interesting moments of the "here and now."

Now more than ever, I want to live in the present. I have exactly one week left in the Dominican Republic before I will return home to the United States. My feelings are so mixed about it all. I want time to slow down... just a little bit, so that I can savor these last few days.

Here's my list of things to do before I leave the DR:
  • Get a gift for your host mom-- Friday, Dec. 7th
  • Visit Centro León Museum Day-- Saturday, Dec. 8th
  • Go to an Aguilas Baseball Game-- Sunday, Dec. 9th 
  • Enjoy the music at Soho Rooftop's Jazz night-- Monday, Dec. 10th
  • Complete Final Examinations-- Wednesdy, Dec. 12th
  • Go souvenir shopping near Calle del Sol & Bella Terra Shopping Center-- Thur, Dec. 13th
  • Eat at Naturalis Té Vegetarian Restaurant & try their Boba Tea-- Thur/Fri, Dec. 13/14th
  • Get hair cut, died, and straightened-- Saturday, Dec. 14th
  • Attend Church in the Dominican Republic-- Saturday, Dec. 15th
Update: 12/23
So I was able to accomplish almost all of the items on my list. I also went to the beach (Sosua) one last time on Friday the 13th. Feeling content with what I was able to accomplish in my last week here.

12.09.2012

Volunteering + Enjoying Santiago 08.12.12.

On Friday CIEE Liberal Arts Santiago enjoyed a beautiful Fiesta de Despedida to celebrate the memories of our past four months in the Dominican Republic. There were dance performances, speeches, and plenty of gifts. I'll never forget this night. Afterwards, we went out to one of our favorite Discotecas, Sahara, to continue dancing the night away. We were there for about an hour when I my good friend Polo (Paul) showed up! Couldn't have celebrated it any better, as I had all my best friends around, it was an amazing ending to this incredible adventure!

On Saturday, I went to volunteer with an organziation called un Techo: para mi país. To help solicit food donations for the construction project coming next week. It was great fun, and I've never spoken Spanish so fast to so many people. Having to make a sales pitch every 5 seconds will definitely get you out of your comfort zone.

After volunteering we went out to Los Jardínes to enjoy some empanadas and later we somehow managed to make it to the Centro León, where we enjoyed the exhibit of contemporary art and a Fiesta de los Palos (drumming fest). It was definitely a great day!

Dajabon y Monte Cristi 30.11.12

On Nov. 30, I went on my final CIEE excursion/pasadía to Dajabon and the northeastern town of Monte Cristi. This region has been the site of many historical events in terms of Dominican-Haitian relations. Around here and other border towns, the Trujillo Regime ordered the Parsley Massacre/ La Masacre del Perejil of 1937, in which an estimated 20,000 Haitian civilians were murdered. It is said that the fate of these innocent citizens was determined by their ability to correctly pronounce the Spanish word for parsley: Perejil. Those who could properly pronounce the word with the "r" trill were allowed to live, for they had proved their Dominican identity. However, for many many Haitian civilians, speakers of French or Haitian creole, in which the "r" is not pronounced the same, their needless fate was predetermined.

Today the area is an epicenter of Dominican-Haitian relations. As a bordertown, Dajabon in particular, is a crucial element for both economies. With constant traffic across the border, Dajabon finds itself especially bustling on Mondays and Thursdays every week, when the Mercado Fronterizo de Dajabon, also known as the Bi-national market is open.

At first glance, one would assume that Haitians are the ones benefiting the most from this market. They are the ones crossing the border to sell their goods and make a profit at the market. However, as our Resident Director, Lynne Guitar, shared, it is really the Dominican economy that profits the most. Haitians must pay to utilize the space, and so a portion of their much needed profits is going straight to many of their original "benefactors."

Having already crossed the border and visited Haiti, I had an idea of what to expect at the market. Nevertheless, my actual experience was unimaginable. I've faced lots of crowds; at concerts, at stores, at theme parks. Most all are stressful, however, as I've found, travel is a sort of cure for many issues. It has helped me to overcome my germophobia and claustrophobia (both of which were mild cases accrued amidst both sterile and pro-individualist settings in the USA). Nonetheless, the overall aura of the market in Dajabon was just different. It was stressful yes, it was overwhelming yes... but it was also confusing, sensuous, and indignant. Very few smiles could be found. Customers (mostly Dominican) walked through the market and bargained with discontent vendors. The whole experience was an incredible blur of noise, touch, and odor. I walked, or rather pushed my way through the market with my friend Rae, who within our first 20 minutes there, had her sole 500 pesos stolen from her back pocket. I left much of my money behind, but still carried a few hundred pesos as well as my Minolta camera, so that I could attempt to capture the experience.

We entered the newly-built market building, and the smells of thousands of bodies became compounded. Many women, old and young, laid on tarps or on the bare ground, surrounded by an array of shoes, clothes, purses, and linens hoping to make a sale. Elsewhere, men sat atop the walls of the stalls yelling out at people passing by. I saw women and men carrying impossibly large sacks of goods on their backs, people running through the mud (lodo) of the outside area, and vendors trying to finish their bowls of rice in the midst of the chaos. Somehow, I managed to take a few pictures and to make one purchase. I bought a large red, white, and blue sweater... almost entirely futile in the Hispaniola heat, but something which I can definitely use in the States. The group reunited, feeling utterly exhausted after only an hour and a half, and we soon made our way to Monte Cristi.

It was also interesting to me to consider the source of many of the goods for sale. Most of the items, not all, were charity shop products, the unwanted products that ended up getting sent to developing countries to give to people in need. What a concept then, for me, a U.S. American to go to this market and purchase that sweater. Imagine the journey it has been on... The whole experience kind of made me reflect on the impact of both capitalism and international aid in the realm of the Dajabon market. It appears that these clothes were not used as they were originally intended when they were sent to Haiti. Instead they are now intended to make a profit, to form a source of income. Now that's certainly something to consider.

After the market, we almost had to skip out on going to the Playa detrás del Morro because of a road block (caused by Hurricane Sandy). Thankfully, we were able to enjoy this spectacular beach that I'd hoped to visit for much time. Monte Cristi was an awesome ending to the series of pasadías we enjoyed throughout the program, and once again, I was reminded of the spectacular natural beauty of the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean.

12.05.2012

Tercer mundo- un poema de disconformidad














Tercer mundo
Siempre detrás, nunca desarrollado,
Como mar y sol se queda mojado,
Mi país, mi patria ha formado su futuro,
Sus cantinas tan secas, sus espaldas desnudas.


12.02.2012

Weekend in Samana 11.23-25.12


 
 
 
 
 
1. Pueblo de los pescadores
2. Khemani poses on the new DR-8 highway
3. Salto al Limón
4. Aftermath of running into a barbed wire fence with my head. (Choque con un alambre de púas)
5. CIEE staff on the catamaran at Port Samana
6. Samana Bridge on a cloudy day
7. Bridge jumper at puente de Samana
8. My friend Kassy takes in the sites of the Bay
9. Kimberly gets a few shots as the catamaran sails away from the port
10/11/12. Parque Nacional los Haitises
13. Our tour guide gives us an overview of the Manglares (Mangroves) in the national park