I made it back to the capital. This morning I woke up cold and with a sore throat. I was dreading taking the cold bucket bath, but my dear host mom boiled some water so I could have a warm bath. She knew I had been feeling sick. I had forgotten how nice it was to have warm water...but I don´t think I will be boiling water everyday. I was wishing for hot weather, and couldn´t wait to get back to the capital - but now that I am back, I am sorry I didn´t enjoy the cool mornings-nights a bit more. It was sad to leave my first campo home, and I promised to visit. I just hope that I will make it back, especially becuase I want to see my brother´s baby which is due in January. My last campo night was spent laying about and talking with my family by candlelight as there was no electricity. We talked about peanut butter, and how yummy it is.
The other day I was reading my book in the living room while the others were watching a novela. I was so into my book I didn´t even see the mouse that ran by. My host dad calmly and quickly got up and smashed it. I looked up to see it squirming under his foot. He then dragged it out the door and kicked it into the bushes. That was the end of that mouse. I think it was the one that had been hiding out in my closet, because I never heard it again. Oh well. One less mouse in the house. And it reminded me to not lay around on the floor, since its guts were just dragged across the house. But, my host mom does mop every morning, so I wasn´t too worried about the germs. She gets up at 6:30 every morning just to start cleaning. It would wake me up, especially because the walls don´t reach up to the ceiling or zinc roof. It is open, which means that I can hear what is going on in the bathroom or in the other rooms. So I am sure they heard me snoring or talking in my sleep, even though they were too polite to say so. One thing about zinc roofs - it is SUPER hot in the summer. It holds the heat, almost like a sauna. And when it rains, it sounds even stronger than it really is, but it´s soothing in a way.
Back to the city life for a few days. Monday means knowing where my site will be, another vaccination, and meeting up with the other trainees from the other sectors. I had forgotten how much tigueraje there is in the capital. Tigueres (tigers) are men who whistle, shoot slimy looks at you, and try to get your attention with super cheesy lines or piropos. It is a cultural thing, and an ¨honor¨ to have the attention. It just weirds me out. Tigueres are all ages and its a bit creepy. The doñas are always warning us about the tigueres, that they are no good, and by the looks of most of them, I believe it.
It is nice to come back to my Santo Domingo family, everything is so clean and aside from my first rat experience, I feel more comfortable. Plus, my host mom knows I like my veggies and beans, instead of the fried cheese and eggplant. She did mention that I looked a bit more fuerte than when I left, but not much. I think she was just being polite. I was even filled in on the barrio chisme. Either way, it is nice to be back. To have someone excited to see me again. Even to see the boys, although they were too busy playing video games to pay much attention. They did mention wanting to play Uno again, which thankfully I have taken a break from in the last five weeks. So I am up to playing a few rounds.
I am having trouble uploading pictures on this site, but there are a few new ones on the other site I had mentioned in my previous post. A look at my family and activities.
Special note:
Happy 25th Birthday Tony-Baloney!!
