Nice Welcome home
Trip Start
Sep 07, 2003
1
32
48
Trip End
Nov 26, 2005
Arroyazo, Constanza, La Vega, Dominican Republic
Saturday, November 13, 2004
I had the wonderful opportunity to be able to hook-up with some friends while I was in the states. I want to thank Erika and Donald again for everything and as hope and pray for you and I hope you will do the same. It was awesome to see Tiffany, George, George's friend, and Daniel in DC. No matter how much time can pass or will pass there those individuals who you just can pick right back up where you left off. Tiffany, I love you death and you know you mean a lot to me.
I thought it would be difficult to get on the plan Tuesday morning, but it was like my body was functioning without me. The night before, I had the wonderful pleasure to hang-out with some interns from the children's defense fund. Otherwise, I would have been at the hotel room alone for the evening
This is my wonderful community
. The rest of the other beat the odds recipients had left earlier that day. My flight was at 8 the next morning. Needless to say, slept was not a high priority that night. We chatted and wound up cooking a chicken stew and watching a movie. One thing I notice about a lot of people this weekend was there ability to be open and let people in there lives without really thinking twice about it. I had only known some of these individuals for a few days or more, but I feel like I am know them far longer. To those who opened there hearts and made places for me, I thank-you. I think too many of us have been hurt and to open-up is not easy so I commend each one of us each and every-time we step outside that box that has become a prison over the years. Tearing down those walls is not easy, but baby steps begin to loosen the foundation.
I was up at 5am, and took a cab to the Airport. I thought about taking the metro, but with a backpack, duffel, suitcase, and small pack, it would not have been pleasant experience. Besides, I wanted the my last morning in the states to include smiles not the opposites followed by some words not yet written in the dictionary.
Peace Corps has taught me many wonderful things, but one that I will treasure and hopefully will not lose upon returning to the states is taking time to build relationships and trust with people. I would not want to work with someone whom I did not know or whom I did not trust. Would You? Also, just taking the time to ask how someone is doing. I guilty of looking for the quick responses "good, fine, ok..." However, in doing so who are we helping no one really. America is a fast society. We want is now and we have a specific way we want it because we can do that. I have no problems with this, but don't lose yourself in the fast-pace and hum-drum of the society. I challenge, including myself, to take an interest in a child. I know that you have heard this, but they are our future. you would be surprised how much just asking how you are doing or a simple smile can do for a child.
Well, on to other points of interest. So I get back to my community and everyone is shocked that I returned. They assumed that I would stay in the states even though I told them several times that I would be returning. I guess you can call it selective hearing on their part.
So it had been raining for days in my community and no body feels like doing anything in the rain. The just stay indoors and watch TV if there is electricity. I was so bored, I just pulled out a book and started reading, then moved on to a little studying. I did make it out to visit a few homes and find out how people were doing health wise in the community since the last time I had spoken to people.
I went to bed Thursday night with a candle (always). For some reason, it is just to dark in my community to sleep without any light. No I am not scared of the dark, but when you are living where I am living it might be useful to have a light to figure what just crawled in bed with you if you know what I mean. So I wake up around 12:25am a little groggy and half-dreaming. I feel this sharp pain in my pinky finger. It takes me a few second to realize that a rat is having a midnight snake with my pinky. So I jump up really fast, but for some reason I cannot get out of my bed. The rat was not in my bed. I have a mosquito net covering my bed. My hand was resting against the net, which was then resting against the wall.
So I call the Peace Corps office the next day, and she said she wanted me on a bus to the office right then. As much as I despised the idea that I might have rabies. It was pouring outside and the thought of traveling made me think twice. I also assumed that I would be going back to the my site today, however, I need two injections, in which the second will be given on Monday.
Why is it that when you are in a hurry, things never move the way you want to do something will always go wrong. Or in my case, when you are waiting for a ride, there will always be the most annoying old guy hitting on you. The sad part is that there is nothing that you can do to make it shut-up. Whether you are nice, angry, or you just ignore. Nothing will work. So seeing the ride come was salvation on so many different levels.
Well, I have to go for now, but talk to you and hope to hear from you all at some point.
Courtney
