Happy Holidays

The last month has been a whirlwind -- taking the GRE, spending pre-Thanksgiving in my friend's campo, baking loads and loads of pies for real Thanksgiving (and living in an American-style Embassy family house.  We had hot water, DVR, air conditioning, a full refrigerator, washer and dryer -- it was so awesome.  I felt like I was in Florida for a few days), advanced dive class, now our annual IT youth conference.  Whew!
This month is grad school application month.  I'm finally going to finish my applications, si Dios quiere.  Also, a few visitors at my house this month, then spending Christmas with some friends in the Dominican countryside, and New Year's on the beach.

Everything is happening so fast.  Only 5 months left of service.  I can't believe 2011 is upon us...

Best wishes for the holiday season!  Stay warm!

October

In the News…

* I took the GRE a few weeks ago, after months of studying, eating and breathing vocabulary, analogies, percentages, triangles, train problems.  Another lesson in failure… A week of no sleep and then a nasty cold distracted me during test day and I just couldn’t focus.  I didn’t score terribly, but I did worse than any practice test I took.  I'm going to take it again this month.  Wish me luck.

* Another Stateside, long-time (over 11 years!) friend, Sergio, came to visit.  He got the real Peace Corps experience – no water (see next update), frequent black-outs, uncomfortable transportation, the beach, and a youth conference.

* So I spoke too soon in my previous post – the water that finally came only lasted two days and then the pump to the aqueduct broke again.  My town finally got water 2 weeks later.  One night I tried to bathe in the rain (to conserve water b/c there was none – why not take advantage of nature??) in my clothes of course, but my neighbors were questioning me, laughing, watching me like I was in a circus sideshow.  I made Sergio jump in the street with me so I wouldn’t be the only crazy American doing it, but my spontaneous gesture was ruined by everyone getting in my business.

* Brigada Verde youth conference!  Yes, another conference, but this time we went to this beautiful eco-tourist hotel near a national park called Los Haitises.  The park is a series of large rock landscapes with trees and foliage mysteriously growing on top that jut out of the Samaná bay; only four places in the world have terrain like this.  We took a boat tour of the park, visited some Taino (the indigenous people, completely eradicated by the Spanish invasion that started with Columbus’s first colony here in 1490-something) caves that had sculpture and paintings, and admired the many different birds soaring elegantly above the large rock formations.

* Went to a Peace Corps mandated training about cholera.  It’s in Haiti for the first time in several decades, and supposedly Dominicans have little or no experience with it.  According to the CDC, it will inevitably come to the DR because all the rivers, which are our main sources for water, are linked.  However, Peace Corps gave us very thorough instructions on how to take precautions, basically things we should be already doing because the water isn’t clean in the first place, but they really drilled into us the importance of these precautions.  The fortunate thing about this very nasty disease is that it is completely curable with rehydration salts and antibiotics.  The key to preventing the spread of this disease is education.  Also, cholera is all over the world, including many Peace Corps countries – I just have to be careful to protect myself and I must tell people how to prevent it.

* I finally got a refrigerator – after over a year of living without one!!  My friend, Iris, who just finished her service, gave it to me and it’s wonderful.  Cold water, how I appreciate thee.  Now I can actually have yogurt, milk, leftovers, and chocolate in my house.  I also bought a Dutch oven for baking (since I don't have a real oven) so I've been baking a lot: brownies, chocolate cake, banana bread, chocolate chip cookies, and my greatest feat, homemade pizza with my awesome friend, Stephanie!  Therefore, eating has gotten a little bit better.

* Break-up Anniversary.  A year later, I’m still here and happy to say that this October was way better than the last.  I’m feeling good and I’m happy concentrating on me.  I feel strong, wise, optimistic, and I look forward to falling in love again – probably, in America.  This time is for me.

* A group of volunteers just finished their service at the end of October, some of them, dear friends of mine.  I was sad to see them go, but excited for them.  They were ready.  Now my group is next to leave.  We are the “seniors.”

 Brigada Verde conference photos, courtesy of Sergio.  (P.S. These photos took about an hour to upload, thanks to my .001 kb/s internet connection.)

We had to take an hour-and-a-half ferry ride across the Samaná Bay to go to the BV conference.  Sergio and I at the dock.

We finally arrive on land!

Explaining the conference registration process to my joven.

Presenting our community

Doing an ice-breaker with the kids.

Dancing around a bonfire!

Giving a motivational lesson on project planning.  Any good business or project has to have a vision and mission statement!

Sergio and I in a Taino cave

The national park had the largest mangrove forest I've ever seen.  They even have a mangrove crop.

A Taino cave statue.  The guide said that they are usually at the entrance of caves, standing guard.

In Other News...

I only have 7 months left, so I’ve begun to think about my future.  Been working on the GRE and researching graduate programs in the Northeast.  I think I want to pursue a Master’s in International Affairs with a focus on communications and gender rights (Yes! Equality for men AND women!).  Also, it’s conference season.  I have Brigada Verde, girls, and IT conferences coming up this fall.  I’m planning more lessons and activities with my volunteer colleagues.  I’m also thinking about what projects I may start before I leave: a sex-ed class, reading group, and maybe a radio show (?!).  We are still working on the Telenovela.

The Simple Things

"Listen to that sound of running water," the doña upstairs says as she leans over the balcony.

Today is a glorious day.  My town finally got water after a week of not having it.  Yes, that’s right.  We didn’t have running water for more than a week.

You may think that’s surprising, unthinkable, but for us, it’s totally realistic.  About 2 years ago, before my time, my town lived without running water for 3 months.

When I found out our aqueduct was broken and that we were waiting for a replacement piece from another town, I began to think about that legendary time of no water that everyone in town speaks about.   I began to mentally brace myself for the possibility of living without water – again (I may have mentioned this in a blog a year ago, but I lived without running water in my house for 6 weeks.  I had to fill a large trash can with water from my neighbor’s faucet.  It was pretty hard core.).

But even when we have “regular” running water, we don’t have water 24 hours a day.  Usually I will have running water from 7 AM until 1 PM every day except Sundays.  So I usually replenish my water reserves (two large trash cans) every morning when there is running water.  Many other people survive this way of life by installing water storage tanks on their roofs, so they can at least have water running through their pipes; those of us who can’t afford such a “luxury” fill up large barrels.  Yep, that means bucket bathing.

Such a simple thing for many of you, but something incredibly important to us.

Whenever I go to the capital, I’m excited to just take a shower, to have a strong gush of water pouring over my head from a faucet; it doesn’t matter that it’s cold.

Electricity is also something we cherish.  I get electricity about 60 to 65% of the time.  If I need to charge something or use my computer in my house, I have to plan for it.   It is a wonderful thing to just have a fan blowing in your face – when there is luz of course.

Many of us play the “what would you rather have game?”   Would you rather have electricity or water?  Water, hands down.  I didn’t realize how necessary it is.  I couldn’t bathe, flush my toilet, clean the house without it (Don’t worry about drinking water.  I buy huge water jugs and those are usually in abundance.  I haven’t had to ration that, at least not yet.).  One of my volunteer friends lived without electricity for several months.  She just got it back.  Another of my friends has never had it in his community.  Living without electricity is doable, living without water is not.

It is such a wondrous occasion when either of the utilities arrive that you will hear people shouting from all around “Llegó la luz” or “Llegó el agua” (“The electricity arrived” or “the water arrived.”).  It’s like a siren. 

Many of you probably didn’t realize how much I relish the simple things when I visit the States – how I take extra long hot showers just because I can, how I watch the water running from a faucet and then drink out of it just because I can, how I just enjoy sitting on the couch staring at the TV with my internet-capable computer in my lap—just because I can.

I’ve learned to really appreciate the simple things.  Just imagine if the water stopped running one day or you had a 24-hour blackout.  People in the States would be in an uproar.  Not here.  We are at the mercy of city and utility officials.  Here, it’s just daily life.  And we deal with it.

Wonderful running water

My "reserves"

Drinking water!

Apparently there was no luz.

Creating your own Peace

I spent last week editing our biannual Volunteer magazine.  Here's a piece I submitted...

Finding Peace in Yourself

Summer heat in the Caribbean!! The excessive sweat. Painfully loud motos, screaming children, music vibrating your house. La luz se fue. Lack of decent chocolate and ice cream. Chisme. Being over-committed. Being under-committed. Incompetency in Spanish -- still. Heartbreak. Missing someone from home.  Machismo. Failure. Always the awkwardness. Being misunderstood.

One by one, these stressors aggrieve[1] you and compound into one giant nightmare until one day you’re just not feeling yourself. You’re feeling disconnected, unmotivated, lost, lethargic and depressed. Welcome to the “one year y pico blues.” (These symptoms also indicate the “Crap! I’m living alone! Blues” or your standard case of homesickness as well.)

You think you’re alone, but you’re not. I’ve found in my (un-empirical) study of the subject that when you talk to someone of your cohort, you find that they indeed are also suffering from the symptoms of one-year blues.

So how do we remedy this nasty disease?  You can try the usual Vitamin C, Echinacea, green tea combo to boost your immune system (We don’t want you to get physically sick also… That just exacerbates the matter.). But what else? How can someone find peace amid all this uncomfortable chaos?

According to the experts (citing Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Boriana here), simple breathing exercises help reduce stress. The breath is your life force, so re-energize yourself! First sigh, exhaling everything. Just empty your lungs and at the same time expel all those negative, worrisome thoughts. Then breathe in deeply through your nose, making sure you’re breathing with your diaphragm and not your chest. While breathing in, say to yourself, “I’m breathing in, I’m calming my body.” Then breathe out through your nose and say to yourself, “I’m breathing out, and I’m smiling.” Even if you don’t want to say all that to yourself, just simply saying, “in” and “out” to yourself will help you focus on your breath.[2] Maybe you can focus on how you’re inhaling all the goodness in the world, extracting every benevolent molecule and exhaling all the waste, the worry, the negativity that bogs you down. Lessen that weight, my friend, and feel yourself becoming lighter.

In Peace is Every Step, Nhat Hanh says that practicing different types of meditation such as walking meditation, driving meditation, and telephone meditation are useful ways to bring you out of the past or future back to the present moment. That is, they encourage mindfulness. I particularly like his description of walking meditation. When you walk, you should walk with just the intention of walking, not with the destination in mind. As you walk, slow down your pace and concentrate on your steps. Step carefully, delicately so you’re gentle to the earth. Don’t kick the earth in haste, but be kind to it. Pretend that with each step, you are planting seeds and flowers sprout. I find that I’m able to practice this type of mindfulness when I’m walking home from work at sunset. The air is cooler, the sky is a delightful pink-orange, the white gulls fly gracefully, the hills behind my town look so majestic and serene. When I concentrate on this sublime panorama, time stops, and I instantly feel calm and happy.

The Earth has a great power. Not trying to be a “tree hugger” here (though I think most of us are), but I remember resorting to nature when I used to experience stressful days in New York City. I was constantly worried about money and finding a freelance job back then that I would begin to feel so out of sorts. So I would take a blanket and go to an expansive park near my house. It was big enough so that if you went to the center, you could barely hear the regular city noises. I would find a large shady tree, place my blanket under it, and just take a nap on the soft earth. Sometimes if I didn’t have a blanket, I would just plop down in the grass. I was closer to the earth that way anyway. I could feel the energy of the earth renewing me, and when I woke up, I would be optimistic again. Simple yet healing.

Also, look for energy within. When you feel down on yourself, stop concentrating on what you’re not doing and start thinking about what you are doing. Concentrate on what you’re good at (hint: it may not be obvious to you, but really try to ponder this).  I just tried this method today. I said to myself, “What am I good at?” And then I remembered some friends, on separate occasions, telling me that I make them happy. So I’m good at making people happy, and I know I definitely make people laugh because I’m good at being awkward. What a great feeling to know that you can elicit a smile from someone.

Other suggestions for finding peace? Seriously, talk.  Talk with all your might. Talk to your doña (or if you’re like me, try a “sitting-in-silence-with-the-host-family meditation”). Talk with your peers. Talk to yourself – out loud, in a journal, in song.

Furthermore, set aside some time every day to do some meditating and/or yoga. You can download free podcasts from Yoga to the People (based in NYC yay! http://www.yogatothepeople.com/tryOnlineClass.shtml) and YogaDownload.com.

Or run! Run away! I did a running meditation while I was running the half-marathon in June. I highly recommend you do the same. I considered the race a metaphor for this experience. At first, I was energetic, wide-eyed and optimistic, but by the time I made it to the halfway mark (11 km!), I felt my stamina waning. But there was no way I was going to stop. I had to endure the pain, the utter distress, and the immense desire to give up! Like Peace Corps, I needed to finish – and I did! I crossed the finish line relieved and ecstatic, my arms flying, my smile protruding. So visualize your finish line, but don’t forget about the experience of getting there. I knew my goal, but I also found myself enjoying the quirky running styles of others, the cool water trickling down my throat, and the bountiful, robust clouds hovering in a sunset sky.

Moreover, I’ve found quite a bit of inspiration from reading. Of course, I’m referring to Thich Nhat Hanh’s Peace is Every Step, but there’s also: The Way of the Peaceful Warrior by Dan Millman, Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, the Mastery of Love by Don Miguel Ruiz, and Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.

And of course, hanging with the bros or chilling with ladies, a jumbo bien fria in your lap, doesn’t hurt either. If you spend most of that time laughing, even better! Laughing cures everything.

Yes, you’re in a lucha. We all are. But guess what, you should be proud. How many of your Stateside friends and family have lived in a developing country in less than attractive conditions among the gente for two years? I would venture to say only a few. Consider yourself successful!

You know what it takes to make yourself happy. So get off that plastic silla and get to it! Get movin’ on making some positive change in your life. Go out and find YOUR peace.

[1] If you’re studying for the GRE like I am, this word may jump out at you. I’ll try to include a few more to assist with your studying regimen.

[2] Nhat Hanh, Thich, Peace is Every Step, New York: Bantam, 1992.

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Telenovela Photos

 Dear Readers, here are a few fabulous photos from our telenovela shoot last month.  Photos by Jean Erickson.

Walking to set, Beatles style

Improvising on set

On set: shooting a pregnancy test scene

About to shoot a scene; we improvised all of our production equipment: a mic on a broomstick became a boom and aluminum foil on a poster board became a bounce board...  Here is my makeshift slate.

Global Warming Fiesta. Get Involved!

Let's get to work.  Battle global warming on 10/10/10 by doing a community event.

I'm totally going to do it in my pueblo. Are you?

Low

It is inevitable – the low point. 

It’s late August, in the Caribbean.  The heat is unbearable.  It seems to take great energy to walk outside.  And then by the time I make it to work, I’m drenched in sweat, my eyes burning from the bright sun.

Everything irritates me now – the daily blackouts (can’t use my fan when the electricity isn’t working!), the short periods of running water, taking cold bucket baths, the lack of refrigeration, the struggle just to get anywhere, speaking Spanish (why can’t people try to understand my language for once?!), my town’s expectations of me, my feelings of guilt that I’m not doing enough, the general lack of motivation.  I find myself daydreaming about going home, about New York City, wandering the streets, seeing a good movie, eating chocolate cupcakes, closing myself up in my air-conditioned apartment.  I guess I’m getting that “itch” because a group of Volunteers are preparing for their end of service in October.  They’re talking excitedly about their plans afterward – traveling, job searching, moving to different cities, grad school.  I find myself feeling impatient, counting down the months and days I have left – 8 months, 20 days to be exact.

I have a lot going on… maybe too much.  My head is spinning with Peace Corps and personal projects.  But I’m lacking a little inspiration.  I’m feeling sluggish.  It has been hard getting out of bed every morning.  Maybe it’s because the heat has zapped my energy.  I wake up sweaty and disappointed that my fan isn’t spinning.

I need to clear my head, make a plan.  But where to start?  I’m praying for a cool breeze to reenergize me.

Me Toca a Mi

It all started last September at the U.S. Embassy Pool.  My colleagues and I were having our first IT Committee meeting in style.  Some of us hung out on the side, some floated, while the President presided from the pool steps.  The floor was open for suggestions... How about a telenovela, a very popular soap opera format, that combines the Peace Corps directed national sexual health initiative (i.e., Escojo Mi Vida) and IT?

Brilliant!  People applauded the idea, approached us asking how they could help, volunteered their knowledge.  We had started something, but where to begin?

We began with ideas based on Escojo themes (e.g., self-esteem, HIV/AIDS prevention, family planning, teen pregnancy, etc.) and then we put them into scripts.  Then we enlisted the talents of a fellow Volunteer to produce a very catchy theme song.  After that, we approached Peace Corps staff to inquire about funding.  We spent many months setting meetings to develop and promote this project.

This whole thing has been a long, arduous process consisting of organizing, negotiating, creating, compromising, deciding, budgeting, leading.  Sometimes we had the momentum, sometimes we didn’t.

Then we received a small grant, and we decided to film an episode and create a trailer in order to stir up some excitement over the project.

Last week, we did our experiment, and we finished it with great enthusiasm and motivation to continue.  The Dominican kid actors were excited and dedicated; the crew consisting of Volunteers was unified, eager to learn, and proactive.

Our talented cinematographer and editor quickly put together a teaser.  Here it is.

Me Toca A Mi - Telenovela Teaser from Elisa Paltenghe on Vimeo.

Camp GLOW

About a year before I came to the country, when I was scouring the internet for volunteer blogs, researching possible countries where I would be sent, I read about a girls’ empowerment summer camp.  I knew then that I wanted to do a camp like that one during my service.

Then, when I came to country, I heard about the Camp GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) initiative – a five-day summer camp that teachers girls how to be leaders.  By the time I had sworn in as a Volunteer, I learned that Camp GLOW 2009 was already full.  I would have to wait a year.

In November, just after Thanksgiving, the coordinators held a meeting for people interested in the camp.  In February, they sent out applications.  I filled one out almost immediately, stating my enthusiasm for this camp.

We had Camp GLOW last week, and it was probably the best project I’ve done here so far.  The week leading up to camp, I was running around trying to get my girls group together, finding a group of eager muchachas to invite, working on projects for the camp, and researching and writing my charlas (I did one on media and gender stereotypes and teen pregnancy).  Then last week, it all came together beautifully.  Not only did we have a core group of awesome Volunteers (only one male Volunteer, who was an excellent example of a male proponent of gender equality), we had a group of sixty motivated, perceptive, respectful young ladies.

We danced.  We laughed.  We asked questions.  We shared very personal stories.  We gave motivational speeches in front of a campfire.  We created art.  We exercised.  We cheered.  We listened.

During the preparation for the camp and the actual camp itself, I realized that I want to incorporate female empowerment into my work.  I was already passionate about feminism.  The camp gave me some purpose.  Why don’t I make it my career? 

We still have a lot of work to do in the field of gender equality.  At least in this country, sexism still flourishes.  I get angry about it, but at least I have an outlet in which I can put that passion toward something positive.  I’m still working on kick-starting my girls group.  Things here are slow going.  But going to camp was really inspirational.  I met some cohesive girls groups and after seeing the Volunteers interact with these bright young women, these future leaders, I felt motivated to start a MOVEMENT in my community.  Sí, se puede. 

Outta Town

My brother is moving to California today.  He's getting out of town.  Kinda reminds me of when I was 19 and I fled to from Florida to California in a hurry.  We live for adventure, always dreaming of it, needing it.  And now the California sunshine is calling him.  I'm proud of him.  I think he's doing a good thing.  He's doing what he wants and he's living.

As I mentioned a few posts ago, things are changing back home.  My brother's move was recent news.  I know when I go back, things won't be the same.  I'm excited but also a little sad, thinking about how things once were.  My life two years ago was so very different. 

And now... anything can happen.

On a Cultural Note...

As I was writing the blog below, I heard a funeral procession in the distance.  I went to my front porch to observe it.  A typical procession includes a marching band in front, then the family (this time they were in a truck, other times they’re on foot) carrying the casket, followed by a large group of people, some wailing out, some wiping tears from their eyes, and all is somber.  It seems that every week I hear of someone dying.  Death here is a daily part of life.  I’m not sure why it’s so prevalent here.  Maybe it’s because life expectancy is lower because of the sub-standard medical treatment (my neighbor’s friend died of appendicitis over a month ago. Appendicitis!!  So totally preventable).  Maybe it’s because everyone is more tight-knit, more intimate and friendly with his or her neighbors, friends, and relatives.  Everyone values his or her extended family all the way up to the 10^th cousin, 4^th removed (or whatever, you get it).   My host family has lost various family members, friends, and neighbors since I’ve been here.  My neighbor and other mother, Victoria, who lives upstairs is always attending a velorio (funeral service).  There is mourning for 9 days and then on the ninth day, there is another service or occasion to commemorate the deceased.  I never know what to say when Victoria announces another death.  I always say “I’m sorry” or “how horrible” or something like that.  But all this death makes me feel strange.  I’ve only attended a velorio one time way back when I was in training, and I don’t want to attend one again.  There is a lot of sitting around, gossiping, playing dominoes as if it’s a normal day and then in the corner, the family of the deceased is sobbing loudly, screaming as people try to comfort them.

Over a year ago, I wrote a posting about my strong doña Esperanza and how she lost two of her three children, one during his training in the military and another in a fiery bus crash with her granddaughter.  I also asked doña Victoria about her children.  She too has lost a child.  Her son died ten years ago, leaving two young kids and a wife.  I’m a little unclear on how he died, but it sounded like he passed because of a medical condition.  I also remember during training, I asked my host mother about her children and she told me she had lost her grown son a year ago to illness.  And then she started crying.

As a member of a few Dominican families here, it’s only respectful that I ask about their families, but my questions are always met with tragic answers – the death of their children.

I think that’s something we fortunate Americans need to think about.  We are so separated from death in the U.S.  Losing children is not our reality.  But here, apparently, it is.

Another Side

Last week I saw a beautiful side of my region.  Sure, my pueblo is sandwiched between the hills of the Cibao and a rough coastal habitat complete with wild mangroves and palm forests, invoking images of natural beauty.  Obviously, it’s a very rich environment.  However, I forget about that side when I’m in the grind in my busy, loud, polluted, congested pueblo, which reminds me of a city out of control, though it lacks the advantages and resources of a city (aside from a few radio stations and a TV station; as far as cultural activity such as museums and festivals go – it’s severely lacking).

My Brigada Verde participated in a two-day summer camp at a ranch owned by a family who I know.  Though we planned it for a couple months, it was certainly an impromptu camp.  Kids wanted to participate, then they dropped out.  We had proposed charlas that never came to fruition.  We went without a schedule (a big Peace Corps faux pas—every camp we host here in PC has a tight schedule).  But I think it was a success overall.

I arrived at the ranch on horseback.  The trail was bumpy and we had to cross a stream 6 times.  I was a little nervous since this was only my third time horseback riding.  But the trail was beautiful and I relished the journey into the hills where we had camp.

Overall, six kids came – two eighteen-year-old boys, five preteen girls, and two girls whose ranch we were using.  We ate lunch and then we went to the nearby natural mineral pool, fed by a small waterfall.  The kids were jumping around, laughing and enjoying the freshness of the water.  It was there I proceeded to give a small lecture about water pollution and how it’s important that we keep the purity intact.  I reminded them that our actions can affect the water, and if we want to continue bathing in the rivers here and drinking freshwater, we have to be aware of this.  That night, we had a campfire and I introduced them to the game of telephone, which they absolutely loved!  (They ended up mentioning that game all the next day and played it again that evening.)  As exemplified by the game, I reminded them how many rumors can be untrue and harmful to those people about whom they’re speaking.

The next day was the best.  We climbed a loma (a large hill) to find an even more beautiful waterfall and swimming hole.   The view from the top of the hill was gorgeous with a view of the ocean in the distance.  We encountered some horses and cows grazing, which followed us downhill eventually to take a drink from the stream.  We enjoyed some wild grapefruit and limoncillos (not sure of the English name).  The girls acted as pros mostly.  Dominicans aren’t really accustomed to climbing or walking, for that matter, but some of the girls were leading our expedition and actually enjoyed it.  After the hike, we had lunch and I rested!  I woke up to find my youth leader playing games with the rest of group.  She was teaching them games she had learned at the Brigada Verde National Conference I took her to in April!  It feels so good to see the youth learning and teaching others.

That evening, I enjoyed some limoncillos and had a long talk with the owner of the ranch about meditation.  Apparently, some natives lived there a long time ago and their spirits are still very much part of the place.  Because of my lack of awareness and intuition, I couldn’t feel them.  But I hope to fix that one day.

I also watched some of the youth cooking dinner for us.  The family uses a fogón (a traditional stove made out of clay with a hole in the center to contain a fire and hold a pot.  A lot of Dominicans still use them even though they have gas stoves for the smoky flavor it adds to the food.).  I loved the smell of the burning wood filling the kitchen.

On the last day, we walked to a small fishing village.  There were several boats parked on the beach.  Unfortunately the beach had a lot of trash, presumably caused by the careless littering of the people living upriver.  Dumping trash in the river is a huge problem here and something that is not likely to get better anytime soon.  Without the infrastructure to provide sanitation trucks to the small towns upriver, people will continue to dump trash and then forget about it once the river sweeps it away when there are heavy rains.

With Brigada Verde, we’re going to work on it.  This past Saturday, I was invited to talk about the environmental situation here on the radio.  The same guy who invited me also has connections to churches in small towns, and he told me they are eagerly awaiting my environmental lectures.  I’m going to bring some of my Brigada Verde members and together we’re going to concientizar (make aware) the pueblo and the surrounding campos.

Also, I just received exciting news.  We were approved to receive a grant for our club’s activities.  With that money, I’m optimistic we’ll be able to do some good work in the pueblo!

Half Marathon

On Sunday, I did something I thought I would never do – I ran (and finished!!) a half marathon, 13.1 miles, 21 km.  And it was amazing.

There were 900 runners, about 15 of them were fellow Volunteers.  There were so many people of different types: Kenyans, high school students from Florida, a mother pushing her child in a stroller, wheelchair experts, old ladies with stiff legs, fat old men.  It was inspiring.  We ran through the city, and though I usually need my ipod music to power me, I actually ran the first half without it.  I simply admired the people running beside me, the honking traffic, the various buildings.  My friend’s sister ran with me, checking on my pace and telling stories.  The weather was perfect – cloudy and breezy.  Just before the race it was pouring rain (not preferable), but magically it stopped before the race.  I think God was with me that day.

I considered this half marathon a metaphor for this journey I’m on.  That’s why I did it.  It felt good at first.  I had so much energy, so much adrenaline.  I was optimistic and having fun.  Then after the first half, we ran through a boring park, and I could feel my energy leaking out.  However, when I tried to walk, my leg muscles hurt so much I had to keep running or power walk.  The race became hard.  I had a hard time breathing, I was thirsty, and I had to talk to my body to keep it moving no matter what.  It felt like breaking up with someone you love.  Or being in the Peace Corps and trying to motivate people.  It took a lot of work and talking to myself to finish.  I knew I was suddenly alone in this race, and only I could finish it.  I had to depend on myself.  So I did what I could to survive.  I alternated power walking and running, blasted motivational music in my ear (thanks to my little sister for “Daylight”… it saved me), sipped on a water bag which hung from my mouth, relaxed my arms, looked at the ocean view.

I finished in 2 hours, 45 minutes.  Definitely not the time I wanted, not what I would have gotten in my racing hey-day ten years ago.  But I finished and that was my goal.  And when I crossed the finish line, there was barely anyone there looking on.  But I sprinted as I always do and gave it my all until the very end.  Afterward, people handed me water and crackers, placed a medal around my neck (for participating), cut the digital chip that was attached to my running shoe.  I joined my fellow racing Volunteers and they congratulated me, hugged me.  It felt so good to finish.  I was happy.

So another thing to check off my list of “Things I Thought I Would Never Do.”  What does it mean to be happy?  Surprise yourself.  Seriously, it works wonders for your self-esteem.

P.S. I’m sure there are some (un-flattering) racing pics of me floating around out there.  When I get my hands on some, I’ll share them with you all.  Peace, love, run.

The End of an Era

On Tuesday morning, I'm leaving on a jet plane to go back to the Island.

When I come back home next May, things will be quite different for me and my family.  My baby sister will be graduating high school.  My parents will be moving to a new town.  I will be almost 30.  And what will I be doing?  Traveling I hope and starting anew.

This trip here has been crazy and illuminating.  I came back to the "past" to realize that things have to move on.  There have to be changes.  We gotta keep moving in this crazy world, otherwise, we'll be stuck, feeding off memories, living in the past, when everyone else is in the future.

Ten years of changing, moving around, building relationships, ending things -- all of this to get here to NOW.

It is certainly the end of an era.  Time to walk out into the daylight.

"Rowing Song" by Patty Griffin (thanks for the recommendation, Jean!)


Rowing Song by Patty Griffin from Alanna Savage on Vimeo.

Back to the Future (also: Out with the Old, In with the New)

I’ve been in the U.S., rediscovering my past.

First, I went to New York City to pick up some things, sell my furniture, and to say goodbye – to my old “home,” to HIM, and to my old life.  It was strange being back.  Nothing had changed except there were more hipsters populating my old neighborhood.  But people were still rushing about, trying to get somewhere.  The air was refreshing (a cool 70 degrees), and there was that good ol’ NY tension in the air.  A little brisk, to be sure.  I experienced a bit of culture shock too.  No one came to my rescue to help me with my heavy bag.  The buildings were so large, and there were so many stimuli.  It was overwhelming being back.  But I came to a realization: my place is in the D.R.  Everything was the same, but I had changed, and I felt that I didn’t quite belong there.

It was definitely hard being back in NYC.  I learned I had to let go of love.  Just let it go.  Sasha had moved on and he's looking forward to a new chapter in his life.  I have my very own life in the DR now, one that I have created tabula-rasa style.  Our past together is just that - our past.  The present and the future beckon me.  But first, I needed closure with him and the life I so hastily left behind.  I got just that.

After New York, I flew to Florida for my ten-year high school reunion.  I saw a lot of vaguely familiar faces, and we each gave a synopsis of the past ten years of our lives.  I explained to people, "I'm in the Peace Corps."  Then, I would get an "awesome!" in response and that was it... Or people already knew what I was doing (and ditto for me) because of Facebook.  My favorite part of the reunion was spending quality time with my best friends.

So now that I’ve spent time going back to the past, I’ve been considering my future lately.  Grad school?  A government job?  Backpacking abroad?  I really don’t know.  I want to start a family, of that I’m sure, but that will be several years down the road.

All I know now is that I have eleven months left, and I’m going to spend them getting to know myself.  I’m finally alone, without any attachments.  And this will be the only time I’ll have to figure out what it means to be alone.

I spent a few hours having dinner with a good friend the other night.  I hadn’t seen her in years, and we were talking about spirituality.  Surprisingly, we became so engrossed in the conversation that the hours just melted away.  She told me about the service she did in Israel at a religious pilgrimage welcome center.  She said she arrived to Israel with a big hole in her heart, a hole that had been bored by recent heartbreak, stress, uncertainty and other external factors.  And it was in her service, serving humanity, where she found God.  Finally, she said, the hole has been filled, and for the first time in years, she feels whole.  I found that prospect inspiring.

Serving, being a good person, aspiring to be greater, and appreciating beauty are all steps to finding God.  I think I want to spend the second part of my service getting to know myself and working on my relationship with God.  Perhaps part of the search for spirituality starts with me and my own self-discovery.

So very soon, I will be going back to the island, ready to move on.  Alone.  Alone with God.

And now....
Some pics from yesterday and today.

  9th grade, 1997

10th grade, 1998

11th grade, 1999

 12th grade, 2000

Today, 2010

BFF's, 2010

brigada verde is awesome.

My Brigada Verde group is so much fun!  We want to do so much!  Can y'all help us out with some of the items listed below?

Thanks so much.  My BV group thanks you.  The environment thanks you.  I thank you!

P.S. I just sent out my first grant proposal hoping to get some funds for my little group.  Wish me luck! :)

Donations-in-kind

Hey everyone!  I'm getting really excited about my projects... the great ideas are just coming to me!  But I need your help!  I need the following items to do some of the activities I've planned.  Please let me know if you can donate any of the following items:

-Mini DV tapes
-Camera cable to digitize video in a computer (iLink IEEE 1394 4 pin to USB)
-A little external memory - 50 or 100 GB
-External speakers (the more portable the better, but they should have good, strong sound)
-Blank CDs/DVDs
-Markers
-Colored pencils
-Pencil sharpener

I'm coming to the States in June, so I can get this stuff from you.  Please send me a message/comment and let me know if you can help me out.

Thanks, y'all! :)

Lessons Learned in my First Year

Lessons Learned Presentation from Alanna Savage on Vimeo.

This week we had our one-year In-Service Training, in which we all shared the projects we've done over the year, challenges, ideas for new projects, and tools for success.  Here is the power point presentation I gave about the lessons I've learned this year.

In Between

It's official: I've completed one year of service.  On May 13 of next year, I will be leaving this island on a plane to pursue a new life.  Where I'm going, I just don't know yet... I'm thinking I'll travel a little bit, try out living in a new city for a while and go to grad school.  I'm still thinking about what I'll study.

I guess the realization of my one year mark really hit me when I said my final goodbyes to some very good friends who recently finished their service.  All the talk about their plans after service really got me thinking...

This whole experience has been interesting.  It represents its own novel in a series that composes the story of my life.  I consider the time before Peace Corps my "old life."  The last week before I came to this island was all a blur.  And when I look back to what I was doing before I came here, I feel like I was a different person.  Something has changed within me, and I can't completely define what it is... All I know is that I feel new and my path beyond this remains unclear.  I can do anything after this.  It's rather exciting.

I've been busy lately.  May has been a month filled with visitors from the States (my BFF's Angela and Rebecca), sad goodbyes to some amazing, irreplaceable friends, conferences, telenovela project tasks, and my Brigada Verde group's activities.  I have a lot going on this summer.

(And I would like to say that the elections are finally over!!  Maybe normal life can resume again without all the loud campaign songs, posters, and general craziness.)

So yeah, I'm "in between."  In between my old life and my brand-new life...  One year in, one year left...  I don't consider this a hiatus from life, but rather a transition.  I'm metamorphasizing.

Also, this means that you all have less than a year to come visit me!  As we say, hay que aprovecharme!  (Take advantage that I'm living here!)

Come visit, already!!  I'm keeping a mental list of all the beautiful sites we can see!

Now, some pics from Ange's and Reba's visit (photos courtesy of Ange):

Ange and Reba treated me to an all-inclusive hotel stay near my house!

Fine dining on the beach

Ahhh, this is the life

Reba and I chillin' on the beach

Waterslide!

Mexican night!

Teaching Ange how to merengue

 Teaching Reba too

One morning before our "adventure" to my crazy pueblo