Looking back
It is mid-April. Approximately one year ago, I took my last class at the University of Waterloo, wrote my last exam and graduated. I ended up with a Peace & Conflict Studies and French joint honours degree. Being in school, studying for exams and the excitement of being done feels like a long time ago yet I get to re-live it through my friends who will also soon be UWaterloo alumni.
Since then, I fall fallen into a routine. I currently work at a financial services company in Waterloo where I get to utilize the French part of my degree. I think I mentioned in a previous post that I do not like or want to fall into a routine; I want to be continue to be challenged and to find joy in what I do. In having graduated one year ago, I get the unique opportunity to (re-)evaluate my life. What I can end up doing with my life is no longer a huge mystery. I'm good at what I do now and I could see myself working at the company for the rest of my life. Alternatively, I could go back to school and re-align my priorities. The decision between the two is where I am struggling today. What does it mean to love what you do? Do people actually love what they do, or is it a state of mind?
Do doctors who work their whole life into getting their degrees and certifications /love/ practise medicine? Or have they finally lived their goal and also just life out a routine?
Looking back at the last 4 years of my life, the best moments I've had were those working with others. I think I can truly say I loved being a student, being a part of my residence community and engaging with like minded-people. I loved waking up every morning when I lived in Rivière-du-Loup and Cabrera, enjoying the people and the cultures around me. Life was so simple; I had something to do every day but I looked forward to it. The jobs I did there energized me for different reasons. Yet I do not find the same joys in my current life. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy the people I surround myself with but I feel like I am not "just getting by." I do not have any immediate life goals; I am not working towards anything... I go to work to fill my days and I live from day to day.
Despite how I feel about my current status, I am presented with the opportunity to go back to school yet I am not sure if that is what I want to do. I can live worry-free and work towards a second degree for another year but what happens after that? Does getting the extra degree mean I took a step towards doing what I love to do? I don't know. It would open up a lot more doors for sure...
Letting go and looking forward
It's funny where writing this blog has brought me. When I first started writing, I did not know where it would lead me or what questions I would explore. However, I know I wanted to write about letting go of the past because it's something that I can't necessarily re-capture.
When I was in school, I looked forward to opportunities. I knew I wanted to do Explore and I knew I wanted to volunteer abroad like I did in the Dominican Republic.
When I look at life now, I know some relationships are lost yet I find myself thinking back about them pretty regularly.
While I think it is good to look back to learn from our successes and failed relationships, there is a point at which we need to let go. It's silly to think about being jealous of yourself but I think I may be at that point in my life. I find myself wanting to re-do some of the things I do and wishing I can hit "redo" on some things in my life. But I know that is not possible so at this point, I hope to make a couple of resolutions... a few goals if you will.
Here are some of my goals and I hope in writing them down, I can keep myself accountable:
a) Finish my G by July
b) Learn German
c) Apply for a volunteer position -- Tutoring Beyond Borders
d) Find time for me and work on me.
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Bittersweet.
The last few weeks have been absolutely amazing. Although I´ve missed home more than I have since the start of my time here, I have also been having more fun than I have. Yet at the end of my trip here, it´s not gonig to be the 27 waterfalls I jumped and slid off of that I will miss. Neither will it be sleeping over at Playa grande or renting a villa with friends for the night. I won´t miss partying in Cabarete and dancing the night away with great company. I won´t lose sleep over any of that nor will I cry at the thought of not being able to do any of that ever again.
As I sat in bed about half an hour ago, I realized that my trip is coming to an end. In two days, I will have been here for exactly three months--the 90 day Beyond Borders immersion experience time. Yet in ten days, I will be back at home by the end of the night. It is a bittersweet feeling knowingthat I finally get all the comforts of my regular life again yet at the same time I will truly miss the vibracy of lifethat I have witnessed thus far during my stay. I sat in bed, listening to music and shedding a few tears over the things that I will, in fact, miss. As much as I dreaded doing some of these things some days, they are what kept me going. I miss going to the pre-school and breaking off into groups with the kids. I miss singing 5 little monkeys swinging on a tree. I miss helping to choose a flag leader for tomorrow. I miss reading with kids and helping them sound out words. I miss helping kids practice for their talent show and I miss playing math bingo. I miss painting the walls and improving my artistic abilities. I miss playing baseball with the kids and I miss watching the laugh during the olympics. I look through my pictures on my camera and I miss Michel smiling in every single picture he is in--candid or not. I know I will miss helping Wilmur throw a dodgeball and screaming 'a mi' over and over again with Arieri. I will miss sitting down in between olympic activities and talking with the greens. I will miss having to explain for the 100th time that I do NOT know Kung Fu. I will also miss having kids throw balls and frisbees at us to earn points in the gauntlet. But through all these things that I miss, I think the common thread is that I will miss being inspired by the optimism and authenthic happiness of the kids.
Camp is what helped pull me through the hard days when I really wanted to be home. I looked forward to being inspired and I hope that I had and have a similar impact on the kids. Today especially, I realized that we are always concerned about 'me'. When is it my turn? Why is my drink not here yet?... the list goes on. Yet today, I also recognized that I hope to live by others. What is a few minutes of my time if it helps others?
----
A quick example is when I got to the internet cafe to write this post.. there were no computers and a lady was waiting. The worker here offered me to use the laptop so I didn´t have to wait. Frustrated, the lady that was waiting called the worker racist because she was not allowed to use the laptop during her wait. As a result, I decided to wait as to not cause any problems. I´m sure I could have just used the computer if I wanted to but I wanted to live by example, as I have been trying to.
----
I only hope that my time here has left a mark in some way, shape or form. Whether it is in my peers, the kids or the person I say hi to on the way home everyday, I hope that I have inspired them as they have inspired me. I will never know if my time here has made a difference but I don´t think it matters. I will keep my reflections in mind as I spend my last 10 days here in Cabrera and hopefully inspire through my actions.
Don´t get me wrong, I truly enjoyed all the moments I have shared with every person I have encountered along the way here. But I just wanted to pay tribute to the beautiful people that have inspired to be authentically happy. It really is life-changing to witness and I hope whoever is reading my blog will try to live not always thinking about 'me'.
Live and inspire.
As I sat in bed about half an hour ago, I realized that my trip is coming to an end. In two days, I will have been here for exactly three months--the 90 day Beyond Borders immersion experience time. Yet in ten days, I will be back at home by the end of the night. It is a bittersweet feeling knowingthat I finally get all the comforts of my regular life again yet at the same time I will truly miss the vibracy of lifethat I have witnessed thus far during my stay. I sat in bed, listening to music and shedding a few tears over the things that I will, in fact, miss. As much as I dreaded doing some of these things some days, they are what kept me going. I miss going to the pre-school and breaking off into groups with the kids. I miss singing 5 little monkeys swinging on a tree. I miss helping to choose a flag leader for tomorrow. I miss reading with kids and helping them sound out words. I miss helping kids practice for their talent show and I miss playing math bingo. I miss painting the walls and improving my artistic abilities. I miss playing baseball with the kids and I miss watching the laugh during the olympics. I look through my pictures on my camera and I miss Michel smiling in every single picture he is in--candid or not. I know I will miss helping Wilmur throw a dodgeball and screaming 'a mi' over and over again with Arieri. I will miss sitting down in between olympic activities and talking with the greens. I will miss having to explain for the 100th time that I do NOT know Kung Fu. I will also miss having kids throw balls and frisbees at us to earn points in the gauntlet. But through all these things that I miss, I think the common thread is that I will miss being inspired by the optimism and authenthic happiness of the kids.
Camp is what helped pull me through the hard days when I really wanted to be home. I looked forward to being inspired and I hope that I had and have a similar impact on the kids. Today especially, I realized that we are always concerned about 'me'. When is it my turn? Why is my drink not here yet?... the list goes on. Yet today, I also recognized that I hope to live by others. What is a few minutes of my time if it helps others?
----
A quick example is when I got to the internet cafe to write this post.. there were no computers and a lady was waiting. The worker here offered me to use the laptop so I didn´t have to wait. Frustrated, the lady that was waiting called the worker racist because she was not allowed to use the laptop during her wait. As a result, I decided to wait as to not cause any problems. I´m sure I could have just used the computer if I wanted to but I wanted to live by example, as I have been trying to.
----
I only hope that my time here has left a mark in some way, shape or form. Whether it is in my peers, the kids or the person I say hi to on the way home everyday, I hope that I have inspired them as they have inspired me. I will never know if my time here has made a difference but I don´t think it matters. I will keep my reflections in mind as I spend my last 10 days here in Cabrera and hopefully inspire through my actions.
Don´t get me wrong, I truly enjoyed all the moments I have shared with every person I have encountered along the way here. But I just wanted to pay tribute to the beautiful people that have inspired to be authentically happy. It really is life-changing to witness and I hope whoever is reading my blog will try to live not always thinking about 'me'.
Live and inspire.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Same Camp, Different Issues & People
Wow. It's been a while since I wrote and a lot has happened in terms of my personal life and with camp. For starters,last Thursday was the last day of camp from the first session which means some volunteers have already left while others are settling in. It's quite the contrast in terms of group dynamics and size--there were 11 of us, 4 left and now there are 16! It's sad that our friends have left but it also means a whole new set of adventures with the new volunteers. It's a little crazy to think the first group of volunteers have already been here for a month and that I leave in less than a month!
Camp has trucked along quite smoothly, some days obviously tougher than others. For Kristin and myself, it has been a challenge thinking of new ideas but we try our best to mix it up. We've been doing different variations of dodgeball, playing some capture the flag and SPUD among other classics like octopus, what time is it mr. wolf and the like. It's definitely harder with the younger kids when they don't really understand the concept of some of the games or are just not too enthused. Sometimes the hardest thing is getting people to want to play out in the sun because apparently Dominicans don't like getting darker. It's funny because all the counsellors are expected to be out in the sun even though we get super dark and-or burn yet the kids just don't want to be in the sun because it is hot... Dominicans rarely burn.
In terms of the number of kids at camp, numbers have dropped and are now at a steady consistent few. Groups are manageable and games are relatively fun with the people who are at camp because they want to be. Fiona was away in Canada for a week a little while back but Anthony did a great job keeping camp running despite a few unforeseen obstacles that took us all by surprise. In fact, I am still sometimes worried about it but there is only so much we can do.
There is lice at camp. It's not super bad such that almost ever kid has it but a few kids have been found to have lice. It means that the wigs and props at drama are not being used anymore and no more touching kids' heads to tell them they're doing a good job. The problem posed a bit of a challenge for us because lice seems to be moreso of a North American problem. If I'm being honest, it doesnt seem to be a concern for Dominicans. First off, many of them have thick hair such that they are not susceptible to having lice. Otherwise, families simply do not have a good understanding of what lice really is. They don't think they can get it themselves or they don't think you can get lice again. Other than that, many Dominican families simply do not care--they don't necessarily have the resources to purchase expensive shampoos to wash their heads and whatnot. So when we found out about lice, we simply told everyone to get their heads checked at home and to not come back yet if they have it and get it treated. The reality is, a lot of the kids probably did not tell their parents and if they did, their parents may not have done anything about it. Shortly after, we found lice in a few more kids but I think the problem has stablizied since then. I really don't know if there will be an end to it but it definitely was interesting to see the concern for lice coming solely from a North American perspective. It's funny how something that bothers and affects us has little impact in a completely different context.
Second unfortunate event that occurred had to deal with some bad luck during a kid's time out. Apparently, they were sat on an ant hill and got bitten many times and had an allergic reaction. Obviously none of the counsellors wanted that to happen nor would we have allowed it if we knew they were sitting on an ant hill. Parents were involved and it really seemed to leave a dark cloud over camp as we were concerned about the impact it would have in terms of kids showing up. Would we have been seen as unusually mean counsellors for a kids camp? Fortunately the issue was resolved and camp has been running regularly since. We did modify our child discipline plan, if you will, to bring all matters to Anthony and Fiona so there is a central area where bad behavior is dealt with.
Aside from those two incidents, camp was super smooth and the song I did was super well received in morning circle. I did baby shark, some of you may know it. In fact, I've had this in the back of my mind for a while so I guess it really has been a while since I've blogged. But the day after I did my song, the kids requested baby shark the next day to the point where they were chanting --El Chino, El Chino...-- it was kind of funny and also very touching. There is always tons of enthusiasm for all the songs and we definitely saw that at olympic day last Thursday to mark the end of the first session of camp. We had a full day of events where the kids were divided into three houses. The oldest with the youngest, the 2nd oldest with 2nd youngest and the two middle groups together. Games were fun and super competitive because everyone wanted to win. It was SUPER close where the teams had 216, 217 and 218 points going into the final event. In the end, the Green & Red team, my team won! It is definitely a day to remember and I am really looking forward to the next Olympic day at the end of the 2nd session.
On a note away from camp, we as counsellors had a baseball day, we have been hitting the beaches still and had a games night at Anthony and Fiona's while Fiona was gone. Again, somehow my team got owned in baseball... maybe it's me? but we had fun nonetheless. Games night at Anthony and Fiona's was excellent as we played the name game again, we should definitely play when I come back to Canada to whoever is reading this. Apparently when I guess names or give clues I sound really mean and kind of like Hitler. I guess we'll see.
The new volunteers arrived this past weekend and we partied pretty hard. There was a party in the park and it was definitely the busiest I have EVER seen it. Presidente, the beer company, was hosting a party with a stage and everything and at first we just went close to the stage and danced together while everyone else kind of watched. It was kind of awkward but at the same time not because we were just doing our own thing and having fun. The next thing we know, they started asking for people to go on stage for who knows what. We ended up getting Mike and Kristin up on stage together and our host mom, Yaniris! It was awesome. Little did we know it ended up being a dance competition in pairs so we all cheered super loud for those we knew but to be honest it was well deserved. Mike & Kristin ended up winning the whole thing and won a flat of beer which we all shared in the park. Dancing ensued at the disco and it was probably the most fun I've had in the Dominican thus far in a single night. It was fantastic.
Going back to camp, today was the first day of the second session, I think I already mentioned. It was odd to start because there were ALMOST more counsellors than kids. Maybe it was the day off on Friday where we didn't have camp, or it seemed like some of the kids thought camp was over because we had olympics on Thursday but it started out pretty slow. Soon enough, fortunately, more kids trickled in and we got into our groups. Taylor, the new volunteer working at Individual Sports with me, jumped right in and we worked super well together. It is nice too that now there are enough counsellors that we have some floaters that come around to both play and help out running things back and forth for relay races and whatnot. We played some pulpo, limbo, cricket and relay races today and had a blast. The week is planned and I'm definitely looking forward to a great 4 weeks working with Taylor.
Until next time... I miss all of you in Canada :)
Camp has trucked along quite smoothly, some days obviously tougher than others. For Kristin and myself, it has been a challenge thinking of new ideas but we try our best to mix it up. We've been doing different variations of dodgeball, playing some capture the flag and SPUD among other classics like octopus, what time is it mr. wolf and the like. It's definitely harder with the younger kids when they don't really understand the concept of some of the games or are just not too enthused. Sometimes the hardest thing is getting people to want to play out in the sun because apparently Dominicans don't like getting darker. It's funny because all the counsellors are expected to be out in the sun even though we get super dark and-or burn yet the kids just don't want to be in the sun because it is hot... Dominicans rarely burn.
In terms of the number of kids at camp, numbers have dropped and are now at a steady consistent few. Groups are manageable and games are relatively fun with the people who are at camp because they want to be. Fiona was away in Canada for a week a little while back but Anthony did a great job keeping camp running despite a few unforeseen obstacles that took us all by surprise. In fact, I am still sometimes worried about it but there is only so much we can do.
There is lice at camp. It's not super bad such that almost ever kid has it but a few kids have been found to have lice. It means that the wigs and props at drama are not being used anymore and no more touching kids' heads to tell them they're doing a good job. The problem posed a bit of a challenge for us because lice seems to be moreso of a North American problem. If I'm being honest, it doesnt seem to be a concern for Dominicans. First off, many of them have thick hair such that they are not susceptible to having lice. Otherwise, families simply do not have a good understanding of what lice really is. They don't think they can get it themselves or they don't think you can get lice again. Other than that, many Dominican families simply do not care--they don't necessarily have the resources to purchase expensive shampoos to wash their heads and whatnot. So when we found out about lice, we simply told everyone to get their heads checked at home and to not come back yet if they have it and get it treated. The reality is, a lot of the kids probably did not tell their parents and if they did, their parents may not have done anything about it. Shortly after, we found lice in a few more kids but I think the problem has stablizied since then. I really don't know if there will be an end to it but it definitely was interesting to see the concern for lice coming solely from a North American perspective. It's funny how something that bothers and affects us has little impact in a completely different context.
Second unfortunate event that occurred had to deal with some bad luck during a kid's time out. Apparently, they were sat on an ant hill and got bitten many times and had an allergic reaction. Obviously none of the counsellors wanted that to happen nor would we have allowed it if we knew they were sitting on an ant hill. Parents were involved and it really seemed to leave a dark cloud over camp as we were concerned about the impact it would have in terms of kids showing up. Would we have been seen as unusually mean counsellors for a kids camp? Fortunately the issue was resolved and camp has been running regularly since. We did modify our child discipline plan, if you will, to bring all matters to Anthony and Fiona so there is a central area where bad behavior is dealt with.
Aside from those two incidents, camp was super smooth and the song I did was super well received in morning circle. I did baby shark, some of you may know it. In fact, I've had this in the back of my mind for a while so I guess it really has been a while since I've blogged. But the day after I did my song, the kids requested baby shark the next day to the point where they were chanting --El Chino, El Chino...-- it was kind of funny and also very touching. There is always tons of enthusiasm for all the songs and we definitely saw that at olympic day last Thursday to mark the end of the first session of camp. We had a full day of events where the kids were divided into three houses. The oldest with the youngest, the 2nd oldest with 2nd youngest and the two middle groups together. Games were fun and super competitive because everyone wanted to win. It was SUPER close where the teams had 216, 217 and 218 points going into the final event. In the end, the Green & Red team, my team won! It is definitely a day to remember and I am really looking forward to the next Olympic day at the end of the 2nd session.
On a note away from camp, we as counsellors had a baseball day, we have been hitting the beaches still and had a games night at Anthony and Fiona's while Fiona was gone. Again, somehow my team got owned in baseball... maybe it's me? but we had fun nonetheless. Games night at Anthony and Fiona's was excellent as we played the name game again, we should definitely play when I come back to Canada to whoever is reading this. Apparently when I guess names or give clues I sound really mean and kind of like Hitler. I guess we'll see.
The new volunteers arrived this past weekend and we partied pretty hard. There was a party in the park and it was definitely the busiest I have EVER seen it. Presidente, the beer company, was hosting a party with a stage and everything and at first we just went close to the stage and danced together while everyone else kind of watched. It was kind of awkward but at the same time not because we were just doing our own thing and having fun. The next thing we know, they started asking for people to go on stage for who knows what. We ended up getting Mike and Kristin up on stage together and our host mom, Yaniris! It was awesome. Little did we know it ended up being a dance competition in pairs so we all cheered super loud for those we knew but to be honest it was well deserved. Mike & Kristin ended up winning the whole thing and won a flat of beer which we all shared in the park. Dancing ensued at the disco and it was probably the most fun I've had in the Dominican thus far in a single night. It was fantastic.
Going back to camp, today was the first day of the second session, I think I already mentioned. It was odd to start because there were ALMOST more counsellors than kids. Maybe it was the day off on Friday where we didn't have camp, or it seemed like some of the kids thought camp was over because we had olympics on Thursday but it started out pretty slow. Soon enough, fortunately, more kids trickled in and we got into our groups. Taylor, the new volunteer working at Individual Sports with me, jumped right in and we worked super well together. It is nice too that now there are enough counsellors that we have some floaters that come around to both play and help out running things back and forth for relay races and whatnot. We played some pulpo, limbo, cricket and relay races today and had a blast. The week is planned and I'm definitely looking forward to a great 4 weeks working with Taylor.
Until next time... I miss all of you in Canada :)
Monday, June 27, 2011
Camp Esperanza
Today marks the beginning of my 8th week here in Cabrera. Last week, 8 new volunteers arrived and joined Carissa, Brittany and I on our adventures together this summer. Sadly, some of the volunteers leave in 3 weeks but most of us are staying for another 7-8 weeks. We are anticipating new volunteers later in the summer too but we have a good group of wonderful people.
As I sit here writing this blog, I feel content. Life has been so good here in the past 7 weeks but it is nice to also have a change of pace. Camp Esperanza started last week.
Every morning I wake up at around 7:30 to get ready for camp. We eat breakfast together, buy our snacks for break time and then head to the camp to set up. It´s amazing because although we have to be there a little early to set up, there are always kids already waiting at the campgrounds waiting to get in. In a way, its nice to know that people are looking forward to the work we are doing.
Camp started last Tuesday and we were told that there may be a low turnout in the first week until word got out that camp has started. Slowly but surely, we reached the highest numbers Camp Esperanza has ever had. In fact, there were more than 150 children at camp one day making some activities difficult to lead. To say the least, dodgeball, limbo, volleyball, relay races or bean bag tossing is all very difficult when there are 30 kids standing there waiting for their turn. A few adjustments had to be made and a 7th age group of kids were made to make smaller groups. Camp is going along smoothly... (except we didnt have camp today because it was thunderstorming in the morning).
A few interesting things have happened at camp. On the first day, one of the girls in the oldest group asked me if I was married. All the kids on the first day were so excited to be there we just kept playing and dancing in the rain. I have also become a LOT more comfortable speaking Spanish since camp has started. To say the least, my spanish commands, especially in the negative have become quite good, haha. Having to explain rules and understanding complaints etc., I have spoken a lot more Spanish recently. I am beginning to love the language once again like when I was first learning it. I think that will only help me :)
Kristin and I work really well together, planning activities, and dividing groups up so they are a more manageable number. To date, some of the favourite activities have been Drip, Drip, Drop (a variation of Duck Duck Goose involving water), Bean Bag Pong(like beer pong), Dodgeball, Limbo and the various relay races that we have had. Weve also learned a few games from the kids that we have incorporated into our arsenal of activities. This week, we´re looking at non-stop cricket, parachute games, volleyball, badminton and some more relay races. Hopefully we don´t run out of ideas... fortunately we only get each age group 3 times a week. If anyone has any ideas for individual sports/games (or even teamy things), please comment as we would love to incorporate any great ideas!
This past weekend, Camp Esperanza also had a stand at Cabrera´s fair. We set up shop by the square nad held games and activities for the kids that showed up. We shot off bottle rockets, made paper airplanes, played some bean bag tossing and washers and just hung out with the kids painting sidewalk chalky things and doing speedstack cups (I did 6 cups in 2.81 seconds!!) It is nice to walk around town and when the kids see us now they stop by and say hi all the time. It´s really nice to see the ocean of smiles.
Saturday was also Christie´s birthday (one of the girls at our house). She had a wicked Minnie Mouse themed party with all the decoratings, a pinata, musical chairs, delicious food and a gorgeous cake. It was a lot of fun being at a childs party and seeing all the kids play. Things got a little out of hand when it was pinata time when all the kids were crowding around almost to the point where they would be hit. When the candy came down, DOG PILE for the candy... it was quite the sight. We also danced a bit with the girls and our host family afterwards... an overall solid day.
As for the group of volunteers we have, we get along great. Everyone has come into this experience with the right attitude and looking to have a great time. It´s amazing when we are all together but some quieter nights of cards with a few of us are fun as well. It´s always interesting when we go to the beach as a group of 11 or so, trying to fit into a guagua and seeing how many people we can fit into one in addition to the passengers already there.
On a more personal note, not that it is very pertinent, I think I may have jammed my thumb yesterday trying to do a handstand under water... it still kind of hurts. I am slowly tanning away but also realizing I look super white if I show my thighs--the contrast is actually quite disturbing. Also, mosquitos seemed to have let up on me. Sure, I still get mosquito bites but it is now at the range of a normal person, haha. I get about 10 mosquito bites or so a week, I think and they do not turn massively red like they used to. Life is good :)
As I sit here writing this blog, I feel content. Life has been so good here in the past 7 weeks but it is nice to also have a change of pace. Camp Esperanza started last week.
Every morning I wake up at around 7:30 to get ready for camp. We eat breakfast together, buy our snacks for break time and then head to the camp to set up. It´s amazing because although we have to be there a little early to set up, there are always kids already waiting at the campgrounds waiting to get in. In a way, its nice to know that people are looking forward to the work we are doing.
Camp started last Tuesday and we were told that there may be a low turnout in the first week until word got out that camp has started. Slowly but surely, we reached the highest numbers Camp Esperanza has ever had. In fact, there were more than 150 children at camp one day making some activities difficult to lead. To say the least, dodgeball, limbo, volleyball, relay races or bean bag tossing is all very difficult when there are 30 kids standing there waiting for their turn. A few adjustments had to be made and a 7th age group of kids were made to make smaller groups. Camp is going along smoothly... (except we didnt have camp today because it was thunderstorming in the morning).
A few interesting things have happened at camp. On the first day, one of the girls in the oldest group asked me if I was married. All the kids on the first day were so excited to be there we just kept playing and dancing in the rain. I have also become a LOT more comfortable speaking Spanish since camp has started. To say the least, my spanish commands, especially in the negative have become quite good, haha. Having to explain rules and understanding complaints etc., I have spoken a lot more Spanish recently. I am beginning to love the language once again like when I was first learning it. I think that will only help me :)
Kristin and I work really well together, planning activities, and dividing groups up so they are a more manageable number. To date, some of the favourite activities have been Drip, Drip, Drop (a variation of Duck Duck Goose involving water), Bean Bag Pong(like beer pong), Dodgeball, Limbo and the various relay races that we have had. Weve also learned a few games from the kids that we have incorporated into our arsenal of activities. This week, we´re looking at non-stop cricket, parachute games, volleyball, badminton and some more relay races. Hopefully we don´t run out of ideas... fortunately we only get each age group 3 times a week. If anyone has any ideas for individual sports/games (or even teamy things), please comment as we would love to incorporate any great ideas!
This past weekend, Camp Esperanza also had a stand at Cabrera´s fair. We set up shop by the square nad held games and activities for the kids that showed up. We shot off bottle rockets, made paper airplanes, played some bean bag tossing and washers and just hung out with the kids painting sidewalk chalky things and doing speedstack cups (I did 6 cups in 2.81 seconds!!) It is nice to walk around town and when the kids see us now they stop by and say hi all the time. It´s really nice to see the ocean of smiles.
Saturday was also Christie´s birthday (one of the girls at our house). She had a wicked Minnie Mouse themed party with all the decoratings, a pinata, musical chairs, delicious food and a gorgeous cake. It was a lot of fun being at a childs party and seeing all the kids play. Things got a little out of hand when it was pinata time when all the kids were crowding around almost to the point where they would be hit. When the candy came down, DOG PILE for the candy... it was quite the sight. We also danced a bit with the girls and our host family afterwards... an overall solid day.
As for the group of volunteers we have, we get along great. Everyone has come into this experience with the right attitude and looking to have a great time. It´s amazing when we are all together but some quieter nights of cards with a few of us are fun as well. It´s always interesting when we go to the beach as a group of 11 or so, trying to fit into a guagua and seeing how many people we can fit into one in addition to the passengers already there.
On a more personal note, not that it is very pertinent, I think I may have jammed my thumb yesterday trying to do a handstand under water... it still kind of hurts. I am slowly tanning away but also realizing I look super white if I show my thighs--the contrast is actually quite disturbing. Also, mosquitos seemed to have let up on me. Sure, I still get mosquito bites but it is now at the range of a normal person, haha. I get about 10 mosquito bites or so a week, I think and they do not turn massively red like they used to. Life is good :)
Thursday, June 16, 2011
(Some) People Always Leave
Quick update: Camp starts on Tuesday so we have just been preparing like mad to get things ready. Lots of painting, moving things to the field and really getting down to the knitty-gritty of actually planning things to do! We have finally gotten some good weather again which has led to a rare sunburn for me, on my shoulders. I got my first haircut in the DR; I went by myself and managed to communicate with Spanish and actions what I wanted haha.. I'm pretty impressed by myself. Carissa and I went around town to get some more clothes cause weve been getting ours super dirty. Recently, we've been hanging out at the park like locals at night and I've found chinola juice... SOOO good (passion fruit juice) from Chori Pan!
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So I watched One Tree hill growing up and Peyton always mentioned that people always leave. In her life, there was never a constant figure. Her mom died at a young age, her dad works in a different town and when her birth mother came to find her, she shortly died of cancer. People always left her -- people always leave.
Here in Cabrera, I've noticed a similar phenomenon. Surely, no one can really stay in the same place all their lives but the Dominican Republic seems to be a temporary stopping zone, or if you've planned to settle down here.. there are still reasons to leave.
Currently, we are sort of in a transition zone between the year-long volunteers leaving because school is over and the new volunteers arriving for camp. In fact, new volunteers arrive tomorrow! My house is getting 3 volunteers tomorrow, and one on Saturday.. I am super excited for the weekend to say the least. It is going to be fun, fun, fun, fun. (Sorry, I just had to make that reference) But since Dan's departure last Sunday, it seems like everyone is on the move. We rented a villa the other week for the night to have a quick get-together with all our friends. Honestly, aside from the Dominicans... everyone at that party was getting ready to leave. We still have 2 more months but we will also leave.
The teachers at a local school, ARC, normally stay for one year. Some like Anthony and Fiona & Kim and Shara move on and start their own projects here from a perceived need after having spent some time in this community. They have started schools here respectively. But many of the teachers leave after one year, minus Justin who has been here for 3 years. What is most surprising for me and really the purpose of writing this blog is the harsh reality of life in Cabrera.
Kim and Shara have a pre-school here. Justin has been here fore 3 years and plans to return in the fall to teach once again. Yet Kim and Justin are heading to the states, Justin leaves tomorrow and Kim leaves soon. We may thing it is to go on vacation but that definitely is not the case. They're both going back to the states to make money. Sounds odd, doesn't it? Teachers here do not make enough money, even if they are foreigners. Their desire to engage in this community is what keeps them here, not the heap-loads of money they make as a foreigner teaching English.
I still do not really understand this concept but it seems to me that teachers should be ale to make a decent living. Yet teachers need to go home to make money so they can last another year here. How is it possible, then, to provide quality education to children if the town which they are serving barely provides enough for them to support themselves?
Dan probably would have liked to stay for a little longer but he had to go home to make money before another other similar experiences. I will leave in 2 months to finish my education, presumably to get a good job and make money. It seems that our world revolves around money and I guess that is why we must leave.
On the other hand, it is nearly impossible for Dominicans to leave the country, or so I've heard. Some say it is extremely hard to obtain a passport, others say it is the visa that is hard to get. Whatever the case, they are somewhat trapped in the world even if they have the means to go elsewhere. People always leave... or at least some of us do.
------
So I watched One Tree hill growing up and Peyton always mentioned that people always leave. In her life, there was never a constant figure. Her mom died at a young age, her dad works in a different town and when her birth mother came to find her, she shortly died of cancer. People always left her -- people always leave.
Here in Cabrera, I've noticed a similar phenomenon. Surely, no one can really stay in the same place all their lives but the Dominican Republic seems to be a temporary stopping zone, or if you've planned to settle down here.. there are still reasons to leave.
Currently, we are sort of in a transition zone between the year-long volunteers leaving because school is over and the new volunteers arriving for camp. In fact, new volunteers arrive tomorrow! My house is getting 3 volunteers tomorrow, and one on Saturday.. I am super excited for the weekend to say the least. It is going to be fun, fun, fun, fun. (Sorry, I just had to make that reference) But since Dan's departure last Sunday, it seems like everyone is on the move. We rented a villa the other week for the night to have a quick get-together with all our friends. Honestly, aside from the Dominicans... everyone at that party was getting ready to leave. We still have 2 more months but we will also leave.
The teachers at a local school, ARC, normally stay for one year. Some like Anthony and Fiona & Kim and Shara move on and start their own projects here from a perceived need after having spent some time in this community. They have started schools here respectively. But many of the teachers leave after one year, minus Justin who has been here for 3 years. What is most surprising for me and really the purpose of writing this blog is the harsh reality of life in Cabrera.
Kim and Shara have a pre-school here. Justin has been here fore 3 years and plans to return in the fall to teach once again. Yet Kim and Justin are heading to the states, Justin leaves tomorrow and Kim leaves soon. We may thing it is to go on vacation but that definitely is not the case. They're both going back to the states to make money. Sounds odd, doesn't it? Teachers here do not make enough money, even if they are foreigners. Their desire to engage in this community is what keeps them here, not the heap-loads of money they make as a foreigner teaching English.
I still do not really understand this concept but it seems to me that teachers should be ale to make a decent living. Yet teachers need to go home to make money so they can last another year here. How is it possible, then, to provide quality education to children if the town which they are serving barely provides enough for them to support themselves?
Dan probably would have liked to stay for a little longer but he had to go home to make money before another other similar experiences. I will leave in 2 months to finish my education, presumably to get a good job and make money. It seems that our world revolves around money and I guess that is why we must leave.
On the other hand, it is nearly impossible for Dominicans to leave the country, or so I've heard. Some say it is extremely hard to obtain a passport, others say it is the visa that is hard to get. Whatever the case, they are somewhat trapped in the world even if they have the means to go elsewhere. People always leave... or at least some of us do.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
The last two weeks.
So it´s been a while since I´ve blogged about my life. In fact, the last time was after the incident with the Black Pearl and Holly´s birthday. A few weeks have passed but not a whole lot has happened. Life has become somewhat of a routine and pleasant surprises with a little more free time.
Since school ended at the Esperanza Project about a week and a half ago, several things have happened.
My host family came back from the United States. Yohaira, the owner of the house, came home with Melissa (12) and Lissa (9). Their cousins, Crystal (12) and Christie (8) also came with them. Life at the house has changed a lot, especially with the noise, the chatter and just a lot more people in the house all the time. It´s a pleasant noise though. It´s kind of funny though--at first, the girls were not allowed to bother us when we were eating because Yohaira wanted to give us some quite time. However, when we would eat, all the girls would come and talk to us. Shortly after, we hear Yohaira come down the stairs and the girls all scatter into different corners of the room. ¨We weren´t molesting them!¨ (Molestar is the verb to bother in Spanish so I guess that´s why they said molest, haha). Things like that cheer my day up and they are a lot of fun. With their arrival, the two boxes of puppies I found upstairs one day became a regular part of the family as well. Each of the girls got a puppy of their own and I enjoy my quiet time reading with a puppy beside my lap. Things at my house are good but they are about to change again. Crystal left about a week ago and Dan leaves on Sunday. The new volunteers arrive on the 18th. I cant wait to see how the dynamics of the house change once again!
Since school ended, we have been helping out at the pre-school two times a week and helping repaint the school and getting preparations ready for camp. The school looks amazing now. We were asked to paint a mural of sorts and to be honest, I was NOT prepared to do that. I would be able to paint if someone asked me to (yay for the reading week trip to Mississippi), but to draw? Never in a million years. Fortunately, it hasn´t been that hard to copy out of a book. We drew in pencil and spent most of last week painting them in and finishing up the walls as well. I hope to get some pictures up eventually...
**note on pictures, Brittany and Carissa´s cameras have magically stopped working--some people say its because of the salt in the air (makes me kind of worried about mine). Mine still works but I don´t have the cords to connect it to a computer, haha. So hopefully when Brittany´s host mother returns with her computer, I can upload some!**
At the pre-school, we helped the kids get ready for Mother´s Day (which is different from in Canada) and had a little party at the school where the kids performed some songs. Other than that, things have been pretty standard and we help out where we can. We have been fortunate enough, however, to be asked to help with some of the evaluations. Whether the kids could count to 30 in English, give the correct letter sound of certain letters and what-not. Sadly, this week is the last week of the pre-school and I think I will miss it. The kids, although a little bit rowdy, are a treat. They are comfortable with us as we are with them and sometimes they come up to you and hug you too. It´s just a great feeling :)
Aside from the hustle and bustle, though, we have been enjoying ourselves too. This week Anthony and Fiona are going away somewhere just to spend the week. They are still in the Dominican but it has been a little bit of free time. So we have been hitting the beaches as much as we can, although it has been raining pretty much every day for the last two weeks.. We headed to Playa Breton, Playa Caleton and Lago Dudu this week so far. They have been amazing days full of fun and a chance to relax. I think it´s our only real time aside from weekends to get some time off. To get there, though, we have been taking GuaGuas which are little minivans, kind of, that stop anywhere along the main road as long as you flag them down. Hop on, and they will stop wherever you want -- a true Dominican experience. I am glad Dan took it with us the first time because I would have had no idea what to do. Since then, we have taken it a few times and aside from cramming close to 15 people into a GuaGua sometimes, they are a pretty good way to travel!
And a quick update about language, I can understand lots! Not because I´m stellar at Spanish though, haha. Ive been cheating a bit with French. One of our friends speaks Spanish and French and I speak French and English so I have become somewhat of a translator with him, haha. I do enjoy the practice of speaking French but I also want to improve in Spanish, hmmm.. it is going to be hard.
Something else that is interesting is that this friend and another Dominican friend of ours noted that I looked Chinese. I told him it was probably because I actually am Chinese. Somewhat stunned, they replied by saying that I was Canadian though. For some reason, it seems that being Chinese and Canadian were somewhat mutually exclusive in their minds. Perhaps they have just not encountered many people with different backgrounds but I just found this interesting.
Sometimes, I also think I look Dominican. Last night, some gringos at BillarZone asked me for another beer where I politely replied by saying that I didn´t work here. Perhaps I am becoming more local-like, who knows. I sure feel like one though...
Since school ended at the Esperanza Project about a week and a half ago, several things have happened.
My host family came back from the United States. Yohaira, the owner of the house, came home with Melissa (12) and Lissa (9). Their cousins, Crystal (12) and Christie (8) also came with them. Life at the house has changed a lot, especially with the noise, the chatter and just a lot more people in the house all the time. It´s a pleasant noise though. It´s kind of funny though--at first, the girls were not allowed to bother us when we were eating because Yohaira wanted to give us some quite time. However, when we would eat, all the girls would come and talk to us. Shortly after, we hear Yohaira come down the stairs and the girls all scatter into different corners of the room. ¨We weren´t molesting them!¨ (Molestar is the verb to bother in Spanish so I guess that´s why they said molest, haha). Things like that cheer my day up and they are a lot of fun. With their arrival, the two boxes of puppies I found upstairs one day became a regular part of the family as well. Each of the girls got a puppy of their own and I enjoy my quiet time reading with a puppy beside my lap. Things at my house are good but they are about to change again. Crystal left about a week ago and Dan leaves on Sunday. The new volunteers arrive on the 18th. I cant wait to see how the dynamics of the house change once again!
Since school ended, we have been helping out at the pre-school two times a week and helping repaint the school and getting preparations ready for camp. The school looks amazing now. We were asked to paint a mural of sorts and to be honest, I was NOT prepared to do that. I would be able to paint if someone asked me to (yay for the reading week trip to Mississippi), but to draw? Never in a million years. Fortunately, it hasn´t been that hard to copy out of a book. We drew in pencil and spent most of last week painting them in and finishing up the walls as well. I hope to get some pictures up eventually...
**note on pictures, Brittany and Carissa´s cameras have magically stopped working--some people say its because of the salt in the air (makes me kind of worried about mine). Mine still works but I don´t have the cords to connect it to a computer, haha. So hopefully when Brittany´s host mother returns with her computer, I can upload some!**
At the pre-school, we helped the kids get ready for Mother´s Day (which is different from in Canada) and had a little party at the school where the kids performed some songs. Other than that, things have been pretty standard and we help out where we can. We have been fortunate enough, however, to be asked to help with some of the evaluations. Whether the kids could count to 30 in English, give the correct letter sound of certain letters and what-not. Sadly, this week is the last week of the pre-school and I think I will miss it. The kids, although a little bit rowdy, are a treat. They are comfortable with us as we are with them and sometimes they come up to you and hug you too. It´s just a great feeling :)
Aside from the hustle and bustle, though, we have been enjoying ourselves too. This week Anthony and Fiona are going away somewhere just to spend the week. They are still in the Dominican but it has been a little bit of free time. So we have been hitting the beaches as much as we can, although it has been raining pretty much every day for the last two weeks.. We headed to Playa Breton, Playa Caleton and Lago Dudu this week so far. They have been amazing days full of fun and a chance to relax. I think it´s our only real time aside from weekends to get some time off. To get there, though, we have been taking GuaGuas which are little minivans, kind of, that stop anywhere along the main road as long as you flag them down. Hop on, and they will stop wherever you want -- a true Dominican experience. I am glad Dan took it with us the first time because I would have had no idea what to do. Since then, we have taken it a few times and aside from cramming close to 15 people into a GuaGua sometimes, they are a pretty good way to travel!
And a quick update about language, I can understand lots! Not because I´m stellar at Spanish though, haha. Ive been cheating a bit with French. One of our friends speaks Spanish and French and I speak French and English so I have become somewhat of a translator with him, haha. I do enjoy the practice of speaking French but I also want to improve in Spanish, hmmm.. it is going to be hard.
Something else that is interesting is that this friend and another Dominican friend of ours noted that I looked Chinese. I told him it was probably because I actually am Chinese. Somewhat stunned, they replied by saying that I was Canadian though. For some reason, it seems that being Chinese and Canadian were somewhat mutually exclusive in their minds. Perhaps they have just not encountered many people with different backgrounds but I just found this interesting.
Sometimes, I also think I look Dominican. Last night, some gringos at BillarZone asked me for another beer where I politely replied by saying that I didn´t work here. Perhaps I am becoming more local-like, who knows. I sure feel like one though...
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Water
Water. I remember 5 years ago at the Pearson Seminar on Youth Leadership, I watched a documentary about Water. Why in the world would we watch a documentary on water? Clearly there is a lot of water in the world and in Canada it is abundant. We are home to some of the greatest sources of fresh water, the Great Lakes, and use water for everything in our life. It wasnt so much about whether or not there was water but rather the privatization of water. Who owns water and who determines the cost of water? What happens when people must pay for the most basic necessity of life? Here in Cabrera, however, Water seems to have a love-hate relationship with locals and myself.
I wake up in the morning and go to the washroom. I wash my hands and go eat breakfast. However, I do not drink water from out of a cup. Instead, I drink from the water bottle that I had filled up from the night before.
I go to the pre-school and work with the kids. At around 10:30, the kids line up to wash their hands so they can eat their snacks. One by one, they go into the bathroom and scoop water from a bucket the teachers saved earlier in the morning.
At the Esperanza Project, I go to use the washroom. The toilet smells bad because many people have went previously and havent flushed the toilet. Its not because they didnt want to but because there is no running water.
After a long, hot day in the sun, I go to shower. Water comes pouring out and it feels so good. Hot water? No. I get used to showering in cold water. To my amazement, once there was no water when I turned the water on to take a shower.
From my day to day activities, water seems to be lacking. Though there is often water to wash our hands with, yet there are times during the day we must live without it. We dont drink water from the tap, not even locals do. So we brush our teeth with water from the big 20L jugs of water. Filling one of those up costs between 20 - 40 pesos, a mere dollar. Why is it that we waste water in Canada when some people live without running water to do basic chores? Washing the dishes requires saving water from earlier in the day...
It seems, then, that water is a valued resource in Cabrera. Before we got here, it was said that there hasnt been a single drop of rain in 2 months. In fact, it has barely rained since January. Recently, however, it has rained almost daily. What is the reaction we see? Not what we would think.
Although water is a much needed resource, it seems to also be a detriment. When it rains, it is as though the whole town freezes. People stay in, dont go to school and life seems to become a waiting game. So as much as water is needed, people seem to not like the rain as much as they need it. Rumour also has it that rain is seen to be a big problem. Dominicans seem to think they can get deathly sick from being out in the rain. I dont exactly know why this love-hate relationship with water exists but it seems to be vitally needed yet also not too welcome sometimes.
From all this, though, I learn about the importance of living with what we have. Sure, not having running water all day makes life difficult but people get by and manage to live. Yet in North America, when something goes wrong we whine and complain because we are deprived of what we have become accustomed to. What is our relationship with our resources and how do we use them to our advantage? Clearly, the consumption of resources here is carefully managed. It makes me think about lent and giving up sweets, Facebook or TV for 40 days. What are those comforts really when it gets down to it? Those are things we can live without because they are our wants. What happens when what is taken away is a necessity? I think we need to look carefully at our realities and challenge ourselves to reduce our individual environmental impacts. What does water mean to you?
I wake up in the morning and go to the washroom. I wash my hands and go eat breakfast. However, I do not drink water from out of a cup. Instead, I drink from the water bottle that I had filled up from the night before.
I go to the pre-school and work with the kids. At around 10:30, the kids line up to wash their hands so they can eat their snacks. One by one, they go into the bathroom and scoop water from a bucket the teachers saved earlier in the morning.
At the Esperanza Project, I go to use the washroom. The toilet smells bad because many people have went previously and havent flushed the toilet. Its not because they didnt want to but because there is no running water.
After a long, hot day in the sun, I go to shower. Water comes pouring out and it feels so good. Hot water? No. I get used to showering in cold water. To my amazement, once there was no water when I turned the water on to take a shower.
From my day to day activities, water seems to be lacking. Though there is often water to wash our hands with, yet there are times during the day we must live without it. We dont drink water from the tap, not even locals do. So we brush our teeth with water from the big 20L jugs of water. Filling one of those up costs between 20 - 40 pesos, a mere dollar. Why is it that we waste water in Canada when some people live without running water to do basic chores? Washing the dishes requires saving water from earlier in the day...
It seems, then, that water is a valued resource in Cabrera. Before we got here, it was said that there hasnt been a single drop of rain in 2 months. In fact, it has barely rained since January. Recently, however, it has rained almost daily. What is the reaction we see? Not what we would think.
Although water is a much needed resource, it seems to also be a detriment. When it rains, it is as though the whole town freezes. People stay in, dont go to school and life seems to become a waiting game. So as much as water is needed, people seem to not like the rain as much as they need it. Rumour also has it that rain is seen to be a big problem. Dominicans seem to think they can get deathly sick from being out in the rain. I dont exactly know why this love-hate relationship with water exists but it seems to be vitally needed yet also not too welcome sometimes.
From all this, though, I learn about the importance of living with what we have. Sure, not having running water all day makes life difficult but people get by and manage to live. Yet in North America, when something goes wrong we whine and complain because we are deprived of what we have become accustomed to. What is our relationship with our resources and how do we use them to our advantage? Clearly, the consumption of resources here is carefully managed. It makes me think about lent and giving up sweets, Facebook or TV for 40 days. What are those comforts really when it gets down to it? Those are things we can live without because they are our wants. What happens when what is taken away is a necessity? I think we need to look carefully at our realities and challenge ourselves to reduce our individual environmental impacts. What does water mean to you?
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