A New Wind
Trip Start
Aug 19, 2008
1
15
29
Trip End
Oct 29, 2010
Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic
Friday, February 6, 2009
PREPARING FOR 3-MONTH IST (IN-SERVICE TRAINING): has been a flashback to college; writing papers, researching for pertinent information, and creating a presentation to accompany the paper. This of course, all has to be done in Spanish, the native language of the country. I have been getting in final interviews of community members and the artisans from the association that I'm working with, taking pictures of Bahoruco, and collecting previous information that has already been written about my town. I keep thinking it's finals week all over again the only thing that is missing is Red Bull and pizza.
MY HOUSE ON THE BEACH: has finally entered my life! I am now the proud renter of a 3 room, 1 bathroom beach shack (okay, so it's more than a shack, but it has palm board for walls and a zinc roof). It has been a lot of work up keeping the house; cleaning, fixing doors, buying and preparing food, shopping for furniture (meaning plastic chairs), and putting my things together in a homely manner. The best part of all is at night when I can hear the waves before I go to bed. This move has made me feel so much more independent again, not relying on my host family for everything. It's more work definitely, but more rewarding, plus, I'm right on the beach!!
THE CONFERENCE: was overwhelmingly informative, in a great way! I gave my presentation with a community partner and friend, Pepe, who came through for me at the last minute when my project partner cancelled. The presentation seemed to be received well and we spent the rest of the week in workshops such as Action Plans, Leadership and Capacity Building, and general development training. Part of the conference was just for volunteers (after our project partners left) and we had more specific workshops on Ecotourism, Business Plan Competition, and were able to ask general questions about our service. I feel really excited after leaving IST because now I feel like I have more project ideas but also ways to implement them in my site. It was just nice to be with the other volunteers for a long time as well.
PROJECT IDEAS: I think in a previous entry I mentioned some of the projects I would be working on, but after this IST we had to make a list of possible projects that we would wish to accomplish over the next two years, here are those projects and how I'm going to be working towards them:
Artisan Association of Bahoruco
-Strengthen the group with educational workshops on marketing and promotion, leadership, accounting, customer service, and new product ideas
-Meet more frequently
-Solicit for outside funds to start more projects
-Help with community-driven projects and group activities
-Search for international clientele
-Create a website, email address, and business cards for the Association
-Attend Artisan Fairs around the country
Larimar Experience
-Create an ecotour of the mine, the central artisan workshop, the beach, hiking paths, the beach, and jewelry shops
-Tourists are able to make their own piece of jewelry in the workshop and collect their own rocks
-Offers more community jobs and more production for the artisans
Larimar Festival
-Artisan fair to exhibit the craftsmanship in Bahrocuo and teach the people are Larimar specifically (have a Larimar Day in Bahoruco on the day of the festival)
-Invite other artisans from around the country to sell their merchandise
-Coordinate with the Secretary of Culture and other organizations
Brigada Verde (Green Brigade)
- Work with established group in environmental education within the schools
- Plant trees along the river and the boardwalk to work against deforestation
- Beach cleanups
- Get more community trashcans
Business Plan Competition ("Construye tus Sueños")
-Teach the interested adolescents about running a business (budgets, accounting, marketing, customer service, feasibility study)
-Work with the Larimar Paper Supply Store and Library, winner from the 2007 Business Plan Competition
-Bring participants to the competition for more workshops
English Classes
-Community English classes twice a week in the mornings
-English classes for the employees of Casa Bonita
-Incorporate American activities (and other cultures that speak English)
Health Fair
-Work with Global Health Force (medical mission)
-Pass out information about Healthy Living to the community members
-Include other volunteers to translate
Community Murals
-Paint community murals that educate around the community
-Receive financial support from the Plan International Art Department
-Have an art competition to choose the community murals
Youth Newspaper
-The youth write a community newspaper with community information
-Receive financial support from Plan International
-The youth will read and sell the newspaper to the people of Bahoruco
Celebrando el Sur (Celebrate the South)
-Choose youth to participate in the conference
-Give presentations and have activities about geography, diversity, and culture
Homework Room
-Help students before or after school
-Homework help in various subjects and educational activities
-Health, Environment, and Culture education
