Adios El Seibo!

12:44 PM | Posted by Bri

4-29-10 12:30pm

So we just arrived at the training center in Pantoja after a long drive back from the east. I definitely feel good about the things I did back in El Seibo but I am glad to be put into a new site. There's rumors that there are going to be 4 volunteers placed in the East. 1 actually back in El Seibo. As much as I liked El Seibo, I hope it's not me. I would like to be placed in a completely new site where I can start fresh. I think I will definitely miss my Don, he expressed his sincerity in missing me, my Doña was another story. Haha. Oh well. But what I felt the best impact I left was with the jovenes that we worked with. The jovenes were really nice about everything and their presentations were awesome. One joven even gave me a sacred necklace to keep with me during my journey in the Dominican Republic. It's the virgin of Altagracia (Or something like that, I am so bad…) but it's basically the equivalent of the Virgin Mary in Mexico. I thought it was a really nice gesture and I definitely will keep it close to me whenever I need it. She's such a sweet girl. I really felt like they learned and it was definitely a good experience to start off my teaching career. 

So I just found out that I am going to be working here at a liceo which is basically a school computer lab. Interesting! Monday I will find out exactly where in the country I will be placed. I would love to be placed in the mountains but I will take whatever they give me. I am very excited! I just hope all the kids don't beat me up and throw me in a trash can or something. Haha. Somehow I see them picking on me and beating me up. Haha. Wish me luck. Tomorrow we will visit the PC office to get more info on working in a liceo and all the stuff I have to do.

Read Users' Comments (0)

Wrapping Up El Seibo, Snickers and Presidentes and McGiver Skills!

9:16 AM | Posted by Bri

4-21-10  10:30pm

Ahhh… Feels nice to be finished with presentations. I gave my last presentation on Tuesday over the formatting bar in WORD. So boring! Highlight, change the font, change the size of the font. Geez louise. But I think my partners Masa and Justin ended up doing a great job and our technical trainer also said it was "perfect", that's what we do! :) We have a tradition of celebrating with a Presidente beer and a Snickers bar. It's so yummmmy.

So now I have just been hanging out. I still have my youth group making the logos but I pretty much just have to critique their work. One of the many benefits of being a graphic design teacher, you just sit back and play devil's advocate. The logos are pretty cool but all these kids are just figuring out Photoshop so they're absolutely hooked on using cheesy gradients and shapes in their logos. I wish they would just use text! This is definitely a good first run of teaching logo design, I think they'd look better in Illustrator but that's because I am an Illustrator kind of girl and I love using text and vector art. But that's just me. Ha. I did get around to sewing a shirt my bestie sent me that was 2 sizes too small. I cut off the ribbons thats supposed to tie in the back and used them as extensions for the sides and now it fits! Yay! I love being crafty and also very cheap. (I don't want to buy anymore clothes, gotta use what I got!)

I also spent some time repairing my camera that broke one crazy night at Club Wow. I was actually really sad because the lens would not come out. The next day I spent all of lunch using my nail clippers to McGiver the lens to open and I was successful! The camera isn't very pretty now but it really doesn't matter. As long as it produces pretty pictures it's fine with me! Maybe people won't feel obliged to steal it too. Maybe. 

Still getting bit my millions of mosquitos, I've decided the problem is that my doña has a garden and she waters all the time so the mosquitos are always around for the free water. Also, I've noticed where they attack me most often; the restroom. Every time I sit on the toilet, I feel them nipping at my ankles! It's really gross. So I try to use the restroom as quickly as possible and that's my biggest challenge. Haha. Also I've been pooping so weird lately, I think I am going to start taking pictures, not to show all of you adoring fans but just as a pooping journal for myself. I've seriously seen symbols and words in my poop, I think someone is trying to tell me something. Haha. It's probably the mosquitos trying to distract me while they nip my toes. Hahaha. Oh god, this post got personal.

Anywho, my time at this site is coming to an end, we all will be departing and reuniting with the environmental group on Thursday of next week. So of course on Wednesday, there shall be a huge party to celebrate our work in CBT. I am almost certain that this Sunday we could be going back to Playa Esmerelda as well. I am definitely content.

Read Users' Comments (0)

I heart mail days...

12:26 PM | Posted by Bri

Today I finally received some mail. I still think there are a lot that have yet to arrive. Have I mentioned that I love mail? It's nice to know people at home are still thinking about me or were once a month ago. Haha. I wish the mail situation here was better. I get annoyed when I hear people have mailed me stuff and I have yet to receive it.

Well, next on the agenda is a Photoshop class later today and I am meeting with the director to discuss a class I am supposed to give next week on whatever topic he wants. Interesting. Wish me luck. Photoshop should be a challenge. But I hope all goes well. Nothing like my last presentation when you try to give an Internet class and the Internet goes out. Haha. Lord help me.

Read Users' Comments (0)

Playa Esmerelda, FINALLY! All the stuff I miss and MY classes!

12:11 PM | Posted by Bri

4-12-10 8:30pm

We finally got to see the infamous Playa Esmerelda. A virgin beach with shallow waters, warm sand and gorgeous views. All 22 of us volunteers piled up into a guar guar and our trainers truck and headed out for a day in the sun. My doña packed me a lunch and I was off for some well needed vacation time.

The beach was gorgeous like I have already mentioned and I was so happy to finally be in a body of water. I was finally in my element. I am very glad I finally got a chance to see the touristy side of the DR and see the beautiful side of this island. I feel like I have seen all the stuff behind the scenes and I really needed some time to see that the DR has its beautiful moments as well. Needless to say all of us volunteers got burnt to a crisp. My back is so red and fried, when I scrunch my shoulders I hear it crinkling. But it was definitely well worth it for the trip. I needed a mini-vacation and actually wouldn't mind going back next weekend.

The DR life is starting to get a little heavy. I am really starting to feel homesick not so much for the people (although I do miss everyone at home!) I miss my life in general: like my room, my privacy, my car, singing as loud as I want and most of all the food. I miss making bean and cheese burritos, I miss eating cereal with good milk and I miss my moms rice and my dad's tacos. I am salivating as I write this. I miss Francis's baking like her strawberry cupcakes and Silvia's ceviche and that delicious green salsa! I miss Elaine's shrimp enchiladas, her scrumptious salads and caprese (don't know how to spell that)! I miss Miyagi's, Olive Garden and Jamba Juice. I miss TGIF nights with purple draaaank, limoncello lemonade and beer pong bud light. Haha. I don't feel the need to come home but I want to bring everyone here with me. I want to show everyone everything I have learned and am experiencing because I think that it is amazing and want to share this with my closest friends and family. The DR isn't bad, it has a lot of funny moments but there is just sometimes when you feel like you have been polite for too long and you just don't want to have boiled and fried plantains for dinner anymore. I know things will be a lot better when I finally live on my own and can cook my own food cause if you happen to read this blog post, I'm bitching about the food. Haha. Hey, I'm a chubby mexican girl, what else would I complain about? Haha. 

Next thing to look forward to shall be kicking butt in my Internet class Tuesday (which I will be graded on) and continuing on with my cool group of youth who are making logos for the local factories. Initially I thought I would not be teaching or using any of my graphic design skills and here I am in the Dominican Republic talking to youth about the essentials of a logo. I feel like I am comfortable teaching others and I even was told today that I am good at it but I think I got a lot of practice from YAP. YAP definitely prepared me to create order out of stuff that is very out of order. YAP seemed to always be chaotic and as much as I used to hate that part, it definitely prepared me for these situations. 

I am trying to be more like George McGinnis in my class too. I need to find a way to sky dive my way into the school then sit back in my chair and eat my lunch while I talk about life lessons in graphic design. Haha. I miss that guy. As soon as we get some legit pics of the logos being developed I'll be sure to post them. I am kind of excited about it. I think the kids more want to learn how to use Photoshop but I really want to see good design!

Read Users' Comments (2)

"Jogging", Shopping and Cooking Day!

12:48 PM | Posted by Bri

So I'm trying out this new thing it's called "Jogging" or Yogging, might be with a soft J, apparently you just get together with a group and run for 20 minutes. Its supposed to be wild. Haha. I suck at it but I try to keep up with all the other runners and so far I've done it 2 days in a row. Yeah!


Yesterday we had a shopping day and it was so much fun. We went to the neighboring town called Hato Mayor because there is no supermarket in our town. I bought some of my basic necessities: Peanut butter, mac and cheese, yogurt drink, cereal, pair of new sandals and a volleyball. Haha. The purpose of the trip was to buy stuff to cook which we did but I definitely slipped in my chance to get some treats for the rest of my stay.

Today we got to cook all the stuff we bought which was delicious. We cooked ground beef tacos, pico de gallo and I made my mom's spanish rice which turned out great! I was so excited. I think I could have made the rice a bit more savory but I learned from my mistakes and I can;t wait to try again. I need to continue with these cooking lessons because I don;t know how to cook much and my resources here are very limited. If any of you guys know simple easy recipes, let me know! Preferably things that are healthy and not expensive!

Now it's time to focus on my next assignment: Next week I have to teach a computer class to sme of the locals on Tuesday. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! I was just trying to round up some 9 year old girls and my spanish failed. Haha. I don;t know how I am going to do this but I will succeed. Wish me luck! Oh if you guys know any good educational sites let me know. Help me!

Read Users' Comments (0)

Novelas, Presentation Day and Homesickness

12:26 PM | Posted by Bri

4/6/10 - 12:03pm

I've started a new hobby of watching a novela called "El Clon" with my doña. It's really funny with lot's of drama and it's based in India or something. My doña says she likes it because she's learning about other cultures. Don't know much validity this soap opera has but I definitely bought in too. Haha. I think the actors in it are pretty cute too.

My mosquito bites are still existent and still growing. But there's good news. Today I got my B-complex so maybe the damn bugs will leave me alone. I was also told to eat fresh cloves of garlic. Guess not only the mosquitos will stay away but everyone else in general. Haha. Anything to get rid of these annoying pests.

My presentation went well. I think my dinamica (ice breaker) was good and the viewers constantly participated. I think me calling them by their name may have been the real reason, but it was definitely a good experience for my first presentation. One down, two more to go. We also got our new projects for the week. I have to investigate a nearby library and prepare a lesson to teach by next week. Yikes. I am glad these are baby steps but I will definitely be nervous to jump into presenting to real Dominicans. Not the fake ones. Haha.

Today was a mail day and I was devastated to learn that there was no mail for me. I was certain I would have mail because everyone said they were going to send me stuff and there was nothing. Boohoo. I definitely was disappointed because getting mail has been my only way of enjoying little tokens from home. Wah wah wah… I am being very lame but I think today it hit me that I am in the DR and stuff like mail isn't secure. I just hope next week I get everything I have been waiting for.

Read Users' Comments (0)

First assignment, mosquitos should die and more of El Seibo

3:41 PM | Posted by Bri

3-29-10 10:00pm

Can I start this post off by saying that mosquitos should all be erased from the earth? What purpose do they serve other than killing and infecting millions of innocent people? Food for other bugs? I think they can survive. Mosquitos are definitely a population control tool (oh no, the mosquitos are coming! :) but I see no useful purpose for mosquitos and think all of mankind should just choose to exterminate these vile insects once and for all! P.S. Bites on or behind the knees are the worst, no wait, bites on your toes are pretty tough to handle too. Either way, I have a million bites and I cannot control my scratching. I have made most of my bites bleed which can't be good. Next time I am in town I am definitely going to see the nurse to get some B-complex (pills to fight off mosquito bites) because this is really starting to get ridiculous.

Training has started and I am starting to think there has got to be a better way to learn all of this material. First of all, technical training is boring. That is just in general! These crazy words and computer lingo is hard to follow before coming to the PC so trying to learn everything in huge groups is almost impossible. I am trying my best to just soak everything in but it has been pretty difficult to stay attentive. We go to class right after our huge lunches so when I am sitting there looking at a powerpoint I am fighting off my desire to sleep! One of my spanish teachers said I looked like death in class. haha. So I shall continue to learn everything I can everyday.

As for the rest of this glorious town, I am beginning to learn the streets little by little everyday and I am also trying to learn how to dance everyday too. The main dances here in the DR is bachata, meringue and a little bit of salsa. Everyone who knows me knows I love to dance so I have been trying to dance every chance I can to master the dances. I have the basic steps down but I am struggling to add "my flair". Haha. All of these dances are really pretty and I've gotten some compliments on my dancing which is great but I still want to be better. I am also trying to listen to more spanish music so I can learn the words of songs (which is a great way to learn the language). Francis as soon as I get a chance to burn you a CD of the songs I have I will send you a copy, I think you may like some of the songs. Look up Aventura, they are a main bachata band here.

This week I have to work on a lot of homework because on Monday I have to give a presentation (in spanish!) on information technology of this town through the eyes of professors. Luckily, my doña's children are all professors so I just need to interview them and prepare a presentation over the weekend. Right now it's Semana Santa so basically all the kids, teachers and most businesses are closed for this "holy" week. The best part about this week: A trip to the campo and rio this weekend! Yeah! I really hope we end up going and I can't wait to design my powerpoint. I know very nerdy but this is the most design I will have done in a while. I am dying to use any of the CS programs. I've been sketching a lot which has been fun but I really want to impress the others with my design skills.

Fun treat: Today I got to eat cucumbers with chile, lemon and tajin. Pretty much almost cried to have such a traditional dish from home. haha. It was DELICIOUS.

Read Users' Comments (4)

Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)