In Just Three Weeks

It feels like I have been in the DR for far longer than three weeks. I am used to my host mom patting my stomach to ask if I´m hungry and then proceeding to give me enough food for a family of four. I sleep through the blaring bachata music through the night and than the roosters who wake up to the bachata, not the sun. I don´t flinch when people address me as anything but my name, go ahead and just call me Gringa. The trainees in my group are my home away from home. We have learned to dance Dominican style, ride public transportation, and bargain for lower prices even though I am pretty sure I won´t feel comfortable using this until my Spanish improves and maybe not even then.

We have been living in barrios or Santo Domingo but we´re going into the wild for five weeks. The environmental trainees are going to a campo near Santiago where we will practice rural living and learn job skills for the next two years. We will build energy efficient ceramic stoves, community gardens. We will also be trained in environmental youth involvement and rural eco-tourism. Are Spanish teachers are joining the fun because... we need them. I know training will fly by and May 13 we will swear in fancy clothes and move to our site where we will probably not need fancy clothes.

I am still feeling lucky to be a Peace Corps volunteer and excited about what´s next. I think my Spanish has improved from a toddler to full on kindergarten student. Someday I hope to speak with the eloquence of an adult but I will probably always have a strong accent and all the wrong clothes.