Caribe Surf Hotel Cabarete

... plague most developing-world beach dogs. Since we didn't really have an itinerary ahead of time, I hadn't told her we were coming and I had no idea where she lived except "Cabrera." The town was not the tiny place that we had expected, so we thought we'd have no chance of finding her - but apparently expats can't hide as easily as they may sometimes wish! We had an awesome lunch (where I learned that they only use the term "habichuelas" for beans ...

... seen. They almost have a strip-mall feel to them - shop after shop, power cables criss-crossing the street all over the place, and no real center. There's nothing pretty about them. The towns we've seen do have a Plaza Central, but life doesn't seem to revolve around it as it does in many places. I can't seem to find the town's anchor. One thing that does give a sense of character is that everyone is out on ...

... 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

... aren't spoiled by anybody,<br>Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,<br>Who live and move, but have no being.<br>We pray for children who want to be carried,<br>And for those who must,<br>For those we never give up on<br>And for those who don't get a second chance.<br>For those we smother,<br>And for those who will grab the hand of anybody kind enough to offer it.<br> -----by Marian Wright Edelman 

... 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> 

... come out of the wave, very James Bond's girlfriend (I pictured myself a little thinner than I actually am to fit into the idyll). Two things are worth mentioning here. First, the only way to get to that bay was by water, which inevitably entailed paddling on your board, because there was no one to carry the stupid thing for you. Now, a Bond's girlfriend can certainly afford to look a little beaten up, because everyone will still think she's cool, but she is definitely not ...

... internet and cell phone reception even, and everyone here is related to one another. It's a small campo, country life. Greetings Folks both Near &amp; Far, As you know, I've been in Peace Corps training for about 6 weeks now and I wanted to give a broad overview of how it's all going. The first three weeks of training were all about the basics of life in the Dominican Republic (DR). Training focused on how to get around the country using public ...

... 8 and sinus pattern, power and depower the kite and safety systems etc). Next step was to fly a little 1.5m stunt kite quickly followed by a 5.5m LEI kite. I exercised launch, land, water re-launch and other basic kite flying. As well I practiced once using the release system. Last thing was sitting on my butt on the beach, flying the kite in a figure 8 and getting dragged a bit by the kite. So, nothing spectacular today... looking forward for tomorrow! Tue ...

... way. My aunt pointed out the natural fences which were required in the 1960s by the president to maintain the country's natural resources. It was great to see lines of trees separating the farms from the road. We stopped at a lovely roadside bakery that is famous for the most beautiful restroom in the area. Juan and I bought some delicious Dominican treats while there, such as coconut cookies and "orejones," which is one of Juan's all-time ...