Hostal Jimesson Puerto Plata

... the next six months.  The
comforts of home with the people I love, will surely see me through. That I
know for sure-
I hope you have all enjoyed the blog.  I have loved sharing some thoughts,
albeit probably a bit superficial at times, as feelings are often difficult to
retrieve-

Thank you for following my journey.  
Please look for more pictures in the days to come.

Love,

Lani

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... imagine what it smells like, and what a health risk it is to live there.
I saw a little boy today.  He is 4 years old.  He lives with his parents and 4 siblings in a one-room "house" built out of rusted tin and tires.  Upon meeting him, I could tell that this child was gravely ill.  He contracted Dengue Fever over a week ago, was hospitalized, but released home.  I'm not sure ...

We pray for children
Who sneak popsicles before supper,
Who erase holes in math workbooks,
Who can never find their shoes.
And we pray for those
Who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
Who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers,
Who are born in places we wouldn't be caught dead.
We pray for those who never go to the circus,
Who live in an X-rated world,
Santiago, Dominican Republic lstockwell

... community (men go for seasonal work).  The women recently learned how to make candles and bracelets, which they are allowed to go outside the Batey to sell, but have to "pay off" the checkpoint guards when they enter and exit the compound.  There are so many moral and ethical issues surrounding the Bateys, too numerous to mention.  The children came running to meet us, some naked, some ...

... I had to turn away.  We educated his family on positioning in terms of comfort and stimulation, and passive range of motion.  Other than that, we advised them to continue the relationship with the doctor and team in hopes of finding some stability with the seizure activity.  That was a difficult one.
We also went to the orphanage this afternoon.  Quite a few of the children were very high strung.  One of the teenage boys was ...

... to be aware of it so that this disgusting exploitative behavior can stop. In other news, there have been a slow string of younger people staying here so I have been able to meet some new people and go on little adventures with them. So, I've explored Puerto Plata a bit more with them. Also, I went out to Sosua by my self to hang out on Sunday. I like being able to feel safe enough to catch a gwa-gwa (aka crammed cheap transportation) and take off and be at ...

... anticipated. Leanna and our dad were going to Lynette's house in Delta to spend New Year's eve and then driving to the airport, where I would meet them, at 3am. Getting there for 3am though proved to be an impossible challenge - never again will I try to get a taxi on New Year's eve - it was crazy to even get an open taxi phone line and I nearly didn't make it!! I got there an hour late, but fortunately with still lots of time to wait around and go through security ...

... me with kisses, which was a nice homecoming. I had been worried about her because my host family told me that people steal puppies all of the time. Apparently if they are driving along and see a puppy they will snatch it up and take it away. I was worried that I would come home to news of a puppy theft (I mean, Stella is pretty darn cute and who wouldn't want her?). But alas, she was alive and well and escaped the puppy theives for the time being ...

... even took us through the mangrove swamps and gave us a little ecology lesson. The food is really great. We are surprised that no one else tips for the service, especially because the staff is really friendly. Later I learned that the tip was "included" in the package price, but I still would have done it anyway. There is good mix of spring breakers, families, and couples and the resort has a great laid-back and friendly atmosphere.

... not to mention the noise! So where is the cave? And how do you find it? After all you cannot just dive into it. What if you find the side without the cave and hit the rock head first? You might be asking yourself at this point - why isn't she asking the guides. They were jumping from the top and tending to the woman that had fallen on the rock. Didn't read carefully, did you? Try to follow the ...