Reflecting

Can you believe it? I’ve been in Peace Corps, in the Dominican Republic, for four months already. WOW. I made it through training, my first holiday season away from my family and friends, living in a new culture and language, two tropical storms, several rough days, mosquitoes, cockroaches, spiders, wading through rivers that should be creeks, blasting music and prayer on the radio and countless other expected and unexpected challenges. However, my Spanish is getting better every day. I’m meeting people and learning connections within my community every day (for example, who is family with who, married to who, and children of who). I’m making progress on my diagnostic. Yesterday was special because one of the women in the community, after I did the interview with her, told me that I had confianza with their family and whatever I needed or questions I had I could go to them. This is a really big deal because confianza (trust) is the foundation of society in Dominican culture, and until you have it, you really will not be able to be effective in anything. I think they grant you the benefit of the doubt at first and give you a little bit to get started, but it was really fulfilling to hear from this family that I was “in.” One family in many – I have a lot to go – but there is success in even small accomplishments.

I am tempted to count the number of new people I have met, but I cannot begin. Between my training class of volunteers, the training staff, PC staff, host families, other volunteers and all the people in my community and the communities of the volunteers whom I have visited, it would be very difficult (and boring for you guys to read). But, suffice it to say that I am meeting more people than ever before in my life.

Even though I am less communicado here than I had hoped – getting to the internet is time consuming and expensive, cell phone reception is spotty, and calling internationally is expensive (but thank you oodles to those of you who have splurged on special occasions to call me for a few minutes, it means the world!), I wanted to say how grateful I am for the support of my friends and family (and even a few nice strangers who have stumbled upon my blog and enjoyed reading about my adventures) back home. Thank you to all of you who have e-mailed, called and sent packages, letters and cards. I know life is moving at light speed for you guys and that you have taken the time out of your days to send your love my way makes everything so much easier. I wonder sometimes about volunteers who might not have the support of their families and friends, and am amazed that they can do it. I know not everyone exactly understands me or my path in life (including myself!), but what a nice gift that I have so much support in spite of that.

In the last, oh, ten years or so, one of the things that I have struggled with in myself is finding a place of acceptance in the quirks and differences in the people who are close to me… in the places in common and the places where understanding cannot be found… in the choices and priorities that we don’t understand about each other… in the different goals and directions we take. I have been searching for a way to think about the people I love and who love me that accepts them the way they are while recognizing that nobody is, or will ever be, exactly what you want them to be (including ourselves). This is probably a life-long process, but my short time in Peace Corps so far has reminded me of someone I think I have always known. My family is my family, we have our problems, but in the end, it’s home. Same for my friends. There will always be drama, tensions, whatever. But living in a community where nobody knows me or my history and where I don’t know theirs; living in a country where “how it’s done” is quite elusive, I really appreciate how comfortable and familiar and comforting it is to have people who know you on many different levels and have been through life with you.

In training I didn’t have that much time to read because we were in “class” from 8-5 every day and I was actually going to sleep at 830 or 9 pm because I was so tired, but since I’ve been at my site I have been reading at a pace a little faster than a book a week. This has its ups and downs. The downside, obviously, is that reading material is hard to come by in the campo (but thanks to those who are sending books, and also there is a library at the PC office I can get books from), but the upside is great. I’m reading fiction, and non-fiction; English and Spanish (although mostly English still); and I’ve been reading books recommended to me that I might never otherwise have stumbled upon. All have been interesting; several have been inspiring and educational about current events and world politics. Here they are:

The Guy Not Taken by Jennifer Weiner

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

Monique and the Mango Rains by Kris Holloway

Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

Naked by David Sedaris

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin

I’d say the best so far, and maybe one of the best books I’ve ever read, is The Kite Runner. It’s fiction but based in fact, riveting, touching, and it tells a story in the Afghanistan/Pakistan conflict in a way that puts you in touch with the reality of life. But it doesn’t read like an essay on current events (which for me makes all the difference). Anyway, I highly recommend it. I’m going to keep this list going throughout my service. I figure it will be interesting to have a record of all my reading when I finish, and never in my life am I going to have the opportunity to read so voraciously.

Man, I gotta keep these entries shorter. You guys must get exhausted by the end. Until next time!

I love you!