Ya Llege'
Trip Start
Sep 06, 2005
1
3
21
Trip End
Nov 23, 2007
Santo Domingo,
Dominican Republic
Tuesday, September 13, 2005
While here, I have also learned the art of dominos. At least I think I have. All of the boys tell me that there is no strategies, but I often catch them organizing their dominoes...hmm. I say boys because girls in the DR donīt typically play dominos.
I have also learned to cross the autopista (a major highway) that some what resembles an interstate with NO RULES! I believe there is supposed to be 3 lanes each way, but the Dominicans have turned it into 5 lanes each way.
I am attending training right now, and will be for the first 3 months. In order to get to training I have to catch a gua-gua. A gua-gua is a bus that they cram as many people in as humanly possible! It is generally so full, that even if you donīt hang on you will still be standing after the diriver routinnly slams on the breaks. Today we got pulled over by a cop because there were so many people that people wre hanging outside of the gua-gua. No worries! The driver promptly paid him off and we were on our way!
I then get into a carro public. This is some sort of public taxi. It generally consists of a small foreign car. You know, the kind you would generally put 4 people in comfortably. The driver wonīt drive unless there are 7 passengers!
Well this has been most of my adventures so far. I miss everyone a lot. Please keep me updated on your lives, so I donīt fall to far behind. Donīt forget, I included my address in the first post, so feel free to write.
Saludos,
Jennifer
Comments
From Dad
Jennifer,
Glad to hear you are having such a great time. Ha. It is good to hear the enthusiasm in your note. You painted a great picture of your new life in the DR. Please keep us up to date. I miss you very much and look forward to visiting you in the DR.
Love you, Dad
From Dad
Jennifer,
Glad to hear you are having such a great time. Ha. It is good to hear the enthusiasm in your note. You painted a great picture of your new life in the DR. Please keep us up to date. I miss you very much and look forward to visiting you in the DR.
Love you, Dad
Hi
Hey there-
It sounds like you are adjusting very quickly and enjoying yourself so far! I promise to get pictures of the kids in the mail soon for you!! If you need anything please let me know! Take care of yourself!
Christine, Mark, Reaghan, and Calen
Hi Jennifer
I really enjoyed the picture you painted with your words of the DR - especially the part about the shower head ! The stuff we take for granted here is amazing - just ask the people of New Orleans. Anyway, we all send all love and best wishes for continued success. Dont get any weird JUngle diseases or anything like that, OK? Scope out some golf courses for us too :)ALl the Southsiders say hi!
MISS YOU ALREADY!!!
It's Greg!!
Well... I'm glad to hear that you are enjoying your 'adventure.' And I'm glad you arrived safely and are doing well. Things here are staying pretty steady for me. The fraternity is progressing, and people are doing their jobs... FINALLY! I really think this semester is gonna be a change from the norm. I have been in contact with some people and we are finally gonna have a memorial service for Paluzzi. We have a quoted price, a location... all we need to do is come up with the money, and set a date and we're off! I'm obviously inviting Dr. and Mrs. Paluzzi their daughter Nicole and their family and friends and pretty much the whole community... announcements in the Tiger, G'ville news, mass email, Chamber of Commerce, President Barker, alumni, and maybe even the media!!! I'm hoping for at least 100 people to show up. It should be a nice day... I'm sorry you're gonna miss it... but we'll all be thinking of you. Other than that, we're all doing aight. I was just telling Craig and Ron how much I'm gonna miss you (along with everyone else).
Well, I hope things continue to be on the up and up for you... live, learn, experience, venture, and bring back some memories you'll never forget that you can share with everyone. Love ya, keep in touch.
~Greg
Man do I remember all that!
Hi Jen! Great to hear everything is going well. Some might think, intermittent water & electric & straining your shower water is doing well! Yep that's a good day! I hope I can return in the future and visit with you. Karla & I have wanted to go back for some time. Don't be surprised if we show up one day! Keep us posted on your adventures! P.S. Don't drink the water! hehe
Go Tigers!
Hello there! I am so glad that you are enjoying your 'adventure' so far. What an awesome experience. I will be thinking about you again tonight at our first Relay meeting...8pm at Brackett. What a great game last week!! Everyone at Clemson says hello and always asks how you are doing. Relay misses you and JB says hello. I will chat soon. Miss and love you.
Deb
Que bien!
Yo estaba entrevistando un hombre de Haiti hoy y me hace pensar en ti. Espero que todo vaya bien--suena como una aventura! I know you don't like me talking to you in Spanish, but we both need the practice=) Miss you and will be sending you the pics of the bars/Clemson/summer as soon as I get them developed. Te hecho de menos mucho!
Con carino,
Jenny
Hey!
It is good to know you are doing well. Thank you for the great picture you have painted in my mind. I am so glad you are getting to experience so much. I know you will really enjoy it. Keep us updated on your life and life in the DM. Take care Jennifer and let me know if you need anything. I am sending you a letter tomorrow!
Love,
Sara
hola chica
wow the dr sounds sweet and that is why i am going to come and visit you sometime! hopefully soon i miss you tons! i am so glad to hear that you have electricty and running water (somewhat)! the next time i take a shower i will be very greatful there is nothing over the shower head to catch trash! i am sure that makes for an interesting shower!
that is great that the family is nice and lives in a nice neighborhood!
i am sending you pictures soon-the cuban and john both said they are going to write you a letter so i am waiting for those to send!
hopefully sleeping will come easier for you
love you miss you
tiff
Hola!
Hey J! I'm glad everything is going well. Wash cloth over the shower head huh? Nice. At least you get running water and electricity most of the time. Well let's see here...I'm still working at Chili's and I took that job with Ameriprise Financial, but it doesn't start until the beginning of November cuz I had to get four different types of licenses so I can trade stock and tell people what to do with their money...haha! I'm a little scared about getting the clients but once I get them, it should be a lot easier. i will be working 60-70 hours and eventually I'll be moving up to Keystone...my mom and dad said they would help me buy ahouse...yeah!I'm glad everything is going well...you sound excited...that bus sounds like the CAT bus...stuffing as many people as possible at one time...I'll send you a letter this week...keep us updated...miss you love you
Brittney
just returned!
hi baby! i just got back from my two week trip out west with my brother. it was unbelievable. yosemite is the coolest place on earth. we hiked 17 miles in one day to this place called half dome that is exactly a mile drop off a sheer cliff once you hike to the top. i have a picture of me on the 'diving board' which is a little ledge that hangs over the edge that looks like a diving board. bet you never thought i would do that! the hike was insane and i am still in an imense amount of pain. we had to hike down the last 4 miles in the pitch dark with headlamps. i'm so glad you're enjoying the DR. it sounds like you are having a wonderful time and an incredible experience. i am so overly joyous that you experiencing such a memorable and favorable environment. i hope that this adventure will have a very compelling impact on your life as you dream it will. i miss you very much as i always will and i hope that remain very safe and enjoy your time influencing others less fortunate. please take care of yourself. go tigers! by the way we lost to miami in triple overtime, but it was a good game. at least in boise via the internet! miss you!
que pasa??
hey j! Sounds like you are getting tons of rest and smell really good. You never realize how valuable sleep is until you dont get any for a week straight, or how great a shower feels until you dont take one for 3 days. After last summer at camp, I came to appreciate the smaller things in like, like not having to wear shoes in the shower...or in your case, running water and not having to put a washcloth over the shower head. I think i would love it. Keep your ears open for any medical things that I could come and volunteer at. If i ever work, Ill steal you a pair of scrubs, but school is kicking my ass, so it might be a little while. Hope all is well. maybe ill send you some earplugs.
Haylee
Well Hello Captain Bires :)
Hi jennifer, (it's kempe in case you were confused)
So life sounds pretty crazy down there in the good old DR! Although I have to say I would love to drive on a highway with no damn rules!!!!(I got a speeding ticket in martinsville last week on my B-day!) Other than than i'm not doing anything too crazy, still working on getting into med school. I sleep in my apartment but i would trade you in a hot second. You should sleep in your mosquito net out in the back yard. Sleeping under stars is awesome, that's where i love to do my talking God. But then again i always was a bit odd....so who really knows. Well i hope things continue to be great for ya, nothing but love!!!
Peace and Butt Grease,
Chris kempe