On My Own

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  Barahona, Dominican Republic
Tuesday, November 11, 2008

ELECTION DAY:  Was my first time out of my site since getting situated there.  Myself and about eight other close-by volunteers got together to watch this historical election day in the big city in our region, Barahona.  Half-way through the election, the power went out, but in true Peace Corps fashion, one volunteer brought her guitar and we all started singing.  Of course I played the crowd favorites (Back Here - BBMak, Champagne Supernova - Oasis, and Collide - Howie Day), but it really just made me smile being in a pitch black room, singing with the other volunteers, waiting for the lights to come back on in utter desperation to see the outcome. 
 
A BETTER UNDERSTANDING - I've realized that I have given a much detailed account of my experience here, but not a very good background of the country.  For example, what the typical food is, music, phrases, etc.  Hopefully the next few sections will help you understand the Dominican culture in all of its complexity.
 
MUSIC & DANCE:  Bachata, Meringue, and Regaetton are the three most popular types of music here.  You dance differently to each other them; bachata and meringue being more formal with vueltas (turns) and two-step movements, whereas regaetton is more of a bump and grind, get that booty on the dance floor type of dance.  Due to my professional nature, I refrain from the latter in public.  I do have a few bachata and meringue moves up my sleeves though, so it gets me by looking like I somewhat know what I'm doing.
 
FOOD:  To begin, I love food. I really do.  In the states, you have everything at your fingertips - fast food, restaurants, grocery stores, and farmers markets with every kind of food imaginable.  Here, not so much.  The typical dish is called La Bandera, which consists of rice, beans, and some kind of meat.  I am fine with that, but I never realized how much food plays a role in my life.  My mouth waters at the mention of a sandwich or lasagna, even for things that I never really liked in the states, like hotdogs.  My dreaded enemy, the plantain, is forever in abundance in the south region.  Platanos can be boiled, fried, baked, and everything in between.  I have yet to enjoy them, but I'm sure I'll have to at some point.  The great thing about the Dominican Republic, however, is that avocados are everywhere and during the summer, it's mango season where they seem to just fall from the sky.
 
A FACELESS RACE:  The history of the Dominican Republic is interesting in that it had only received its independence less than 2 centuries ago, in 1844, from Haiti.  The island was discovered by Christopher Columbus, where Spaniards came and wiped out the Taino people whom inhabited it (sounds familiar).  African slaves were brought to the country to work and the Dominican race was then created.  In this sense, the DR does not really have a distinct characteristic because some people identify more Spain, others Africa, and most, neither.  Dominicans also have many words for different types of skin color because they do not want to be considered 'black,' but something lighter, mainly because Haitians are very dark skinned and do much of the manual labor in the country.  Artisans in the North produce a faceless doll to represent the Dominican identity, which is constantly being defined.
 
PHRASES TO KNOW:
-         Si dios quieren:  "God willing" (people say this phrase as an indirect way of saying, "I'm probably not going")
-         Una vaina: "thing" (used for anything and everything)
-         Tiguere: "A player" (can be a good or bad thing, but usually describes a male who gets with a lot of women and makes trouble)
-         Buen provecho!: "Bon appetite" (except they use it before, during, and after you eat).
 
LIFE: in general, is fine.  It is difficult to finally adjust to being on my own, but luckily some other volunteers are close to me and we are able to get together to speak English and vent a little.  I am getting to know my community little by little, but again, it is not the most easy thing to do to gain up the courage and talk to random people in another language.  There are already some people in Bahoruco that are warming up to me, yet, I realize these things take time.  Fortunately, people here are accepting and know that I have come to help them develop their community to be something better than it already is.

Oh, and my phone still works, give it a try 829-894-0303 (hint hint)

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