Sweet Children. Soccer. Mosquito Bites.

Hola! I am currently at school during a free period and since my wifi is better here, I figured I'd post a quick bit about the last couple of days. I love my school. I love my kids. And I love getting ready to teach.  I'm praying about the opportunity to be creative and good for my kids when I begin my lessons since the third grade teachers have all of their lessons planned for the year.  It will be different but I am hoping the few ounces of creativity I have will be able to shine through! People I do not even know say hello to me. Students have offered me their chairs, given me their candy, and hugged me from the moment they arrive to the moment they leave.  They have helped me order lunch since I do not speak much Spanish and most of the workers here, minus teachers and administrators, do not speak much English.  I had a third grader from a different class come up to me and ask if I was the new teacher in third with a huge grin on her face.  Sweet children. And I appreciate the fact that hugging your kids here is something that is greatly advertised and accepted.  :)

The kids and students here love their soccer and much to my surprise I found out from one source that baseball, which I thought was a Dominican favorite, is not as popular as soccer.  The baseball leagues and teams are for the low low class of people here.  Very interesting to learn! The students play soccer whenever they can, even when they aren't supposed to be.  :) Kids will be kids. No matter where you are! They get dropped off by parents and sometimes nannys or drivers. Moms come in their workout gear or totally dressed to kill! I often feel underdressed.

I made my first trip to the Dominican supermarket and got some groceries and changed my dollars into pesos. Praise the Lord for bilingual roommates.  I am very blessed by them in many ways.  I mentioned earlier the drivers are very crazy here.  And I did not elaborate on that so now I will a bit.  The people here drive with force and aggression but not in the way Americans think.  People go on red lights and motorcycles go whenever and wherever they want.  At first I felt unsafe walking across a street, but I have quickly learned you wait to go or just go with your back turned in order to say to them, "Hey! I am crossing now, please watch out." Often,  stop signs are not honored and you go when you can.  I could never drive here. I wouldn't be brave enough. Unlike in the U.S. when there are intense drivers, people here are kind about it. It is an unspoken rule to just go and be kind and not get upset.  Very unique!

I have some mosquito bites and have only seen two the whole time I have been here. SNEAKY things.  This morning I felt some effects of the travel and food differences.  (I'll let you make your own inferences on that one.)  Other than that, I have felt incredible.  I bought fresh fruit and vegetables and plan on cleaning them with a disinfectant.  :) Taking precautions! I tried Apple Pop last night and plan on learning to cook for myself.  Haha.  I bought some American things and many Dominican foods. I am excited to try them all.  At school, I had a empenada con queso two days in a row as well as jugo de para (PEAR JUICE) for lunch.  It has been delicious! The coffee is insanely yummy and I am continuing to love trying new things.

Last night, I was blessed with joining my two roommates, Shannon and Bethany, as well as Shannon's friend Elizabeth who is in her first year at university, for a bible study of sorts.  Shannon previously did some mission work with Asia and found that is the biggest populated continent with the least Christian influence of anywhere.  Asia is very near and dear to her heart.  We got together to sing some praise songs, talk, and pray together.  These women have cared for me like you wouldn't believe.  I am blessed to be where I am.  I told them that before I came here, my heart was heavy with some issues I was dealing with and did not know how the Dominican Republic could help me.... Needless to say, I am already understanding why I have been placed here.  We talked about no matter how bad or how crappy life is or how much we may, at times, be angry or hate God, we cannot deny he is always there.  There are days and times in our lives when we don't feel him but somehow, once we are through those things we see He was always there.  I can truly attest to that.

(I know I am all over the place, just a lot to say and I am in the library with a fifth grade class presenting biographies to one another! It's semi hard to keep focus on my work when they are so interesting!)

I will try to write again soon! Thanks for reading about my adventure.  I know it may seem crazy and my English is not always the best, but I want to write this so I can watch my progress too! Hasta Luego.