Sweaty, Fat, and Single

The night before I left, I had called my older host sister to ask her taxi driver friend to pick me up at the airport. She said she didn't know if he would be available, but she'd find "someone." I spent the entire 8+ hour plane ride wondering how I'd spot this "someone" at the airport. Luckily enough, my host sister herself drove her car to pick me up. My little sister, and a family friend were also there, and seeing them all just made me burst into tears. My older sister grabbed my arm and walked me to the car, saying, "Bienvendios a tu familia."

On the carride to their house, they asked me if I voted. I told them yes, Obama! and they were super happy. They like him a lot, and seemed very happy/excited/hopeful. To them, the most important thing was that they believe he can end the war finally.

I spent the first night sitting in the living room of my host family's house, watching Disney movies on tv in Spanish, just like before. I handed them the photo album I brought, most of which consisted of me, my little brother and sister goofing off. They enjoyed it, and it was super fun to hear them comment on the pictures like "I remember that!" or "Oh my god, I totally forgot we made guacamole. How do you make that again?"

My host mom made me mangu, my favorite meal, for dinner. I don't know if she remembered that I liked it best, but she gave me two fried eggs and lots of onions which is exactly how I take my mangu. I went to bed not too late after, since the heat and Spanish exahusted me like always. I was actually amazed by how much I understood and was able to speak. It was like I never left. Sleeping in the same bed, in the same room, as I did every day for 3 months last year was a bity strange. I was so emotionally conflicted about the whole thing- it was so familiar and yet so distant at the same time.

The next day I walked around town visiting families that I had met during my time there. Here is a photo of the family that lives on the corner, right next to my old house. The woman to my right was always extremely caring- she gave me her extra plates and bowls, and would give me water when I ran out. The girl to my left was one of the best members of my youth group. I was happy to hear that she still does her homework with my little sister.

This family and all the other families I visited always said the same things. They first mention how much fatter I am, which after clarifying with my little brother, is quite the compliment. One person metioned to another that "you can see it in her face" which I don't think I was supposed to hear. Next they ask how my boyfriend is and if we got married yet. Ohhhh, if only they knew how complicated dating in America can be. I told everyone he's fine and I'm too young to get married. I told my host family the truth though.


On the way to visit one of the other neighbors, my host mom spotted this bench in their yard, and ran over to pose for pictures in the "parque."




The view from my host family's house to my old house hasn't changed much. Apparently now two couples/families live in the house. I peeked inside and the kitchen and living room are still the colors I painted.




Here I am waiting for the bus at Ingrid's house with my little brother and Ingrid's mom/grandma (?). This was the second day of my trip, a Sunday, and like always, I forgot the guaguas don't run on Sundays. I ended up taking a moto to the freeway, running across the lanes, and catching a guagua from another town that was headed towards Santiago. Quite the adventure.






I left to Santiago to meet up with a group of other volunteers. I was happy to travel around a bit, and even made it out to the site of one of the volunteers that I had never visited before. We even got to swim in a real live pool, dance a little bachata, cook mac and cheese, and do all the usual volunteer activities. It was a blast.

My last day there, I took Ingrid and my little sister to the arcades in the mall in Santiago. We played a variety of games from Pacman, to Dance Dance Revolution. They loved it. We had pizza for lunch, and were going to try to watch the Dominican Christmas movie called "Santiclo" but the idea of a matinee doesn't exist there.

On my last night of the trip, with my little sister and brother, we went to Ingrid's house to upload my pictures to her computer. I forgot to mention his voice is changing! After noticing his gold chain necklace, I told him to make sure he doesn't become a tiguere. On one of our walks around town, he pointed out a burning pile of garbage, and said, "Jen, that's bad for the environment!" I said "That's right! You're so smart!" He said he's learning a lot in school, and I was quite proud.



All in all it was a great trip, and I'm so happy I went back. It felt really good to be there in a different mindset than I was when I left. My host family called me early this morning to make sure I arrived alright. My host mom asked me if I'd eaten breakfast yet, and was quite relieved when I told her I was currently chowing down on a bowl of cereal. They passed the phone around the family, and everyone asked when I'd be coming back.

A year later

So it's been nearly a full year since I left the Peace Corps. My last day in the DR was October 20th, to be exact. I still remember the late night van ride with Kelsi to the airport. So much has happened since I left, but it doesn't seem so long ago.

I've been asked many times to give a last blog entry, to kind of wrap up my experience and clarify why I left and all that. The truth is, I've never successfully explained it to anyone. Very few people knew about my experience in depth while I was there, and they don't even fully understand my reasonings. What I've been saying to people here is some version of me being unheatlhy/unsafe/unhappy, and thus unable to help anyone or be productive. As a whole though, it was just the right time for me to leave, and really, it was a very difficult but good and needed decision.

So, that aside, life this past year has had it's ups and downs, but I can't imagine not having experienced them, just like I can't imagine having not experienced my time in the DR. I think everything works out just fine in the end.

My last host family has been calling me nearly every month if I don't call them first, and they contintue to share their lives and love with me. I told them a few weeks ago that I would visit them in November, so I guess I should buy tickets! I've already requested time off of work to go, so its almost set. I've also been talking to my other volunteer friends who are still there, and trying to figure out how to best meet up. I'm super excited to go back, which kind of surprised me- I mean, I did choose to leave after all. I know it'll be a little weird at first, but it'll be a great experience to go back with such a different perspective.

I kind of wish I could stay longer than a week. I plan on visiting my host family for a couple days, then spending the rest of my time hanging out with the volunteers, tanning, traveling, etc. It would be amazing if I can go up to the mountain and see my other host family, and my puppy Lechoza. I wonder what she looks like now!

Home

Last week on Wednesday I went into the capitol to talk to my jefes about wanting to come back home. Thursday I said goodbye to my host family, which was the hardest thing I've ever done. Friday night a few other volunteers came to the capitol to throw a little going away party, and at 4am the driver came to pick up me and Kelsi, who was also leaving. The plane flew us to Miami at 7am. We had to part ways in Miami, since Kelsi flew to South Dakota and I flew to California.

How do I explain why I left? How do I explain what I was feeling living there, especially to someone who has never been there, or been a volunteer there, or been me in my situation there?

Maybe in a few days I will be able to find an easy-to-give answer to all the same questions that everyone asks.

All I can say for now is, I had a great experience living in the Dominican Republic for the last 8 months. My last host family became a part of my own family and impacted my life in so many ways (I've been home not even 24 hours, and they already called my house phone!). I met a bunch of wonderful volunteers in my group and in past groups, who I know will do great things in the DR and wherever they are.

I can't imagine having never done Peace Corps, or lived in the DR. I grew a lot and learned a lot and it will always be a part of me.