Hello and Bienos Dias! It's night here just got done eating *and drinking( on the beach eating pineapple, banana curry pizza that i vow to make frequently when i return home. So i've been in Carbarete for 5 days and its a great little tourist town that Amie and I have grown an affinity too. Could probably get a job here serving on the beach...volunteering or teaching at the Dream Project that we are involved in at the moment. Finished our second day helping out in their brand new preschool. Yesterday was very challenaging for me, not speaking much spanish and listening and trying to communicate was MUCHO Defacil...*very hard(. but today i let go of tryig communicate in the way i'm used to and just set out to enjoy myself and be good for the kids...and i think i succedded. Got to contribute with some of my stron expertise in organization and caligraphy skills. Anyway, school was fun and then we ventured out of one street beach town *finally( and went a few miles down the road to the surf spot. With is amazingly beautiful, much having to do with the lack of people...so chill. So we start surfing saturday, with our first leccion. Watch a surf competition that day then we are renting a board for the remainder two weeks and hopefully we will go most every day.
We volunteet mon thur thursday 8 til 1 around, and just help around the class room putting in our two senses when we can. It so weird to work with kids that have never used scissors or crayons before! Todays there was this non profit program called LISTA that few in from texas to do an documentary and help raise funds. ITs a really awesome program, helping kids that don't have much of a chance here where proverty is common and most families don't have two parents, and most mothers dropped out of school early *girls are not aloud to attend school if they become pregant, just adding to the mass numbers of uneducated people here( which can be seen in many ways by the number of people chilling outside their houses with there many kids all day, and by the mass amound of garbage everywhere! It makes tropical paradise drop of few points off the way cool meter, but hey, it's still Great!
so our apartment is off the stip in surrounded by dominicans in a family neighbord. We have a 3 story roof which has great sunrises and starry nights, not to mention the stealth look out of much of the neighbor. Most people send there nights, and many days out on their poaches hanging out, playing domininos, listening to music REALLY loud and chit chatting outside local colmados *small local convient stores(...Its fun to see everyone, most people great with a huge smile and a spirited Hola or what not.
so, might move out of our humble 2 bedroom apartment. Complete with kitched for 200 for three weeks for us to split. Might manage a few place for the rest of the month at a much nicer place with airconditioning and probably no ants or mice*...mucho ants. But i am thankful warm water and a solid bed, now i am very spoiled with my own room now and balcony...its sweet.
Alright so planning some day trips. Cascading, rapelling and jumping around waterfalls and maybe a mountain bike excursion are in the works.
But we are very happy and me and Amie are bonding closer by the second. We are both learning a lot of the same lessons and are much of an asset to each other...especially her spanish for me, even though it helps we to learn very slow..b/c i don't have to try!
So i hope your are all well. I miss you and would love to hear from you via comments, my space or email! Much Dominican love from your girl down south. Will be in Carbarete for the next 2 weeks...at least!
Love, Peace and jOy
Amalea
