My life as a geisha in the DR…
10-3-10
It's really funny, since I have been in the DR I have read a lot of books, some good some really bad but either way the book that I am reading at the moment seems to affect my life at that point in time so much. When I was on my David Sedaris trip, I was so cynical about stuff and I thought so vividly to myself joking about every little thing. When I read "The Curious Case of the Dog in the Nighttime" I found myself overanalyzing everything, thinking mathematically about formulas and equations in my head about everything around me just like the main character. I just finished reading "Memoirs of a Geisha," which I am thoroughly enjoying but is also again affecting my daily life. I come to find that the life of a geisha is somewhat similar to the life of a peace corps volunteer in many ways. For one, there is a great deal of training which one must really grasp or at least look like they know all about it or do it in a pretty way. Yep that happens to PC volunteers, some volunteers come in country not knowing anything about their sector so just appearing like you know something is big. Ha. Another thing, our reputation is huge in our communities just as geishas. If we are seen with the wrong people we are automatically sized to be like those people whether it be good or bad and our reputation is judged daily. We come into our communities fresh and exciting then in a couple of months we are those old geishas that nobody wants around anymore. We have to keep inventing stuff to make ourselves popular all year long.
Us volunteers like geishas also, are hot commodities. Whether its a boy or a girl the volunteers have this allure that dominicans love. We can take them `pa 'lla and they think we likely have lots of american dollars so they hit on us in any way possible. Even if we are out jogging, sweating and gross, there surely will be a dominican throwing you a ridiculous piropo. Really? I'm running here! Sometimes like a geisha I have felt like a prisoner in this role of a Peace Corps volunteer as well. I have to be the perfect volunteer which means the perfect American who must always say yes to everything and follow hundreds of ridiculous rules. Although I have to admit we get away with a lot more, PC volunteers still are owned by the man.
I guess sometimes I read way too into books and search for something about myself to connect to but I don't think thats a bad thing. Now I am reading "An Unquiet Mind," which for those who haven't heard of the book is about a very smart psychiatrist with manic depression. God help me. I was interested in the topic but after starting I realized maybe it wasn't such a good idea to read a mental disorder book. I'm trying to rush through it before it affects me and I start becoming manic depressive. :)
"We don't become geisha to pursue our own destinies. We become geisha because we have no choice." -Memoirs of a Geisha