Hungry? Avocados are everywhere around here. There is definitely not a shortage, nor will there ever be one. They are huge too, and are usually served at every meal. It grossed me out at first, and I couldn´t figure out why all the volunteers were going crazy over them. At first I stayed away, but one time I was so hungry that I ate some, and in order to avoid the taste I mixed it with some rice. It made my stomach hurt afterwards, seriously. Not my favorite, most of you know that. My host mom in Santo Domingo knew better than to serve me avocados, I made that clear from the beginning - no meat and no avocados. But now that I am in the campo, I find myself eating it. I try to mix it with my other food to make it taste better. Its not that I am forced to eat it, but I think I may actually like it. I am embarassed to admit it. Just a little. I still don´t think its the fruit of life (as Becky claims) but I can tolerate it a bit more. You would be so proud of me.
My first night in the campo I asked my host dad what the loud noises where. It was so loud, I thought they were cicadas (spelling?) like they have in Costa Rica, but turns out that they are crickets. There are all in sync and pretty loud. Especially ´cause its so quiet, out in the middle of the different plantations. So I am eating my dinner and he points out the cricket that is crawling by our feet. He bends over, smashes it with his palm and pretty much shoves it in my face to show me what a cricket was. Right as I was chewing. Look! This is a cricket! I wanted to laugh, and was pretty grossed out, but I figured I should be greatful for the cricket demonstration. But I really did not need an up close and deadly version of it. Looks like the crickets back home, except here they are black, in case you wanted to know.
There was a foam party on Saturday night, which was pretty fun, except there really wasn´t much foam. More like litte spurts of soapy water, and only in one area of the dance floor. So much for a foam party, but it was fun to dance and hang out with the group outside of the classroom setting. Beer is pretty cheap, if you are not on a volunteer salary. Because if you are, it is EXPENSIVE. Anyone visiting me with be glad to hear that you can get a large beer for almost 2 dollars. Presidente beer. And lots of avocados.
Last week I went to visit the house that the Mirabal sisters used to live in. It was pretty eerie and cool at the same time. They still had all of their old clothes and the way the house was once set up. Old paintings, dishes, and even some of the bloody items that were found in the car or on them when they were killed. Unfortunately I could not take pictures inside, but I did take some outside of the house. If you are interested, rent / read In the Time Of The Butterflies by Julia Alvarez so that you can see what I am talking about. It takes place during the Trujillo dictatorship. Or you can rent / read La Fiesta del Chivo which is also part of the DR history. My host dad was 25 when Trujillo was killed and he has some interesting stories to tell about that time, he is like a walking dictionary / encyclopedia. You ask him one thing and he will end up talking to you about all sorts of different things. That is if he is not busy playing dominos, otherwise he is all business in the game.
Have to go...get started on my interviews and presentation for this Friday. Unless we do end up going into the city for some dancing. Nothing but merengue, bachata, y regaeton. Yay.
