Aparta-Hotel Lomar Puerto Plata

... which is built up along the entire coastline. As such, it really looks like you are on a tropical island when you drive through the north, and it is SO different from the south - much more beautiful, in my opinion. We stopped for lunch in Cabarete, which was quite good, but the service was very, very slow. After that, it was full steam ahead to Luperon...which turned out to be quite tricky to find. We almost missed the turn-off, and then made our way ...

... gives me the fortitude to be a good mother and role model for my<br>daughter.  Someday I'll share stories about these people, and I hope that<br>by doing so, my daughter will grow up to be sensitive and caring, and<br>hopefully, will have the same opportunity to offer her time and expertise to<br>those less fortunate than her.<br>I'm certain that I will be staying home for a while.  Only two semesters left<br>until graduation, so I have a long haul ...

... he said, "I don't have the money or the time."  It was maddening.  I truly believe in my heart that this child will not survive this illness, just because of his living situation.  It was difficult to walk away-<br>Please offer your positive thoughts, good karma, prayers, or wishful thinking to this little one tonight.  Maybe they will help.<br>Missing all of you,<br>Love,<br>Lani

... never get dessert,<br>Who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,<br>Who watch their parents watch them die.<br>We pray for those who can't find any bread to steal,<br>Who don't have any rooms to clean up,<br>Whose pictures aren't on anybody's dresser,<br>Whose monsters are real,<br>Whose nightmares come in the daytime.<br>And we pray for those who will eat anything,<br>Who have never seen a dentist,<br ...

... pass us by around Thursday afternoon, thanks in advance, Bill.  It rained all night last night, and looks like Thursday will be a wet day as well.  <br>I'm attaching a very recent pic of my little one, taken last week.  I think she's learning to play the piano in my absence, and definitely growing up too fast while mommy is away.<br>Take care.  Hope you are all well-<br>Love,<br>Lani<br> 

... Ascension to shop at some of the fair trade stores run by her volunteers, as well as some of the inhabitants of the village. Yesterday and today are our free days, so we've been spending a lot of time at the beach. Yesterday we took a monorail-type-thing to the top of Mt. Isabella before going to the beach. We then watched the movie "In the Time of the Butterflies" back at Crossroads. Today we attended a Christian church service (in ...

... to drop Shaz at the marina there so she could catch a taxi into town, find a hotel near the airport and fly to Fort Lauderdale the next morning. The reason for Shaz's early departure was her scheduled lazer eye surgery. We had taken way too long in St Thomas and again in Puerto Rico and there was no way we could get to Ft Lauderdale in time for her appointment. So it was adios Shaz and the remaining 5 of us would continue on up through the Bahamas to meet her in a ...

... awkward about going in and not buying anything. In this situation, I try to find their supply of Mamba's, because the percentage of time during the day I don't want Mamba's is 0%. Well, either Jeff has a distaste for Mamba's or just likes frivilous gambling. Jeff: How do we get to the airport? Clerk: Get on I-94 heading into Minneapolis, you'll see signs for it. Jeff: Ok. Give me $50 worth of scratch-offs. We get back on the road and use the lights from ...

... home, take a hot shower, wash your clothes, and order some Chinese food. Well, this week during the rain that feeling started to set in . . . except instead of thinking, "I am going home on Sunday," I am thinking "I get to go home in 2008." But once the rain let up that feeling started to wear off, and I am happy again. Overall, life is good. I think of you all often and look forward to my next shipment of love and care, in the form of candy, from home :) I miss you all! Take care. Love, Mags

... We were told, during orientation, not to drink too many pina colodas or other fruit beverages as we might get stomach cramps and become ill. The pina colodas were delicious and hard to stay away from in the beginning but after a day of diarrhea you quickly change your mind. The resort had one main buffet restaurant, one specialty restaurant and a snack bar. There was always allot of food, nicely presented but after the first couple ...