Well tomorrow I move into my site permanently, so I am a little nervous! No more Americans or staff to spend time with. To celebrate this we all got in our last bits of Americanism yesterday. We went to the Embassy and ate in their restaurant and then swam in the pool. Where I had my first ever, hot running shower in this country. I think I might need to visit the embassy more often! And the food was pretty good too. For dinner we went to the Hard Rock Cafe and had appetizers, drinks and desserts. I think the Piña Colada's I had here was the best I have ever had:)

Today I am just getting ready. Trying to pack all my stuff into my bags and then considering whether or not I will be able to take my motoconcho ride with the driver, myself and my rolling duffel, and my back pack. Think I can do it? I am hoping so! But the motoconcho driver might just laugh at me when he says it all.

Well, as I said before I have no cell phone service and no internet in my site. So I am going to try and go into town at least every other week for mail, internet and phones. If I dont get back to you quickly dont worry(and dont forget to write!). It will come eventually.

Wish me Happy Birthday and talk to you all soon!

Photos!

These are the jovenes that show me around town all the time. As you can see they are very into posing for cameras:)
My house in my site.
My family from Los Cocos, Santiago
Me, Jen and Judy on the hike to Pico Diego O'Campo

Jen, Me and Kelsi playing Dominos at a local Colmado(Don't worry I was kicking butt:)
Josette, David and Me at graduation.
Kevin, Alicia, Judy, Jen, Me, David, Colleen, Zoe and Joe. All the enviornmental Ed group at our graduation.

Moving Again

I moved back to Santo Domingo today. Every time I move it gets harder since I am slowly accumulating more stuff. My family from Santiago gave me a mug, some bowls and other kitchen items for me to take so that I have things to start my own house with and I can remember who gave them to me. It was really sweet. I woke up early this morning to make them a special pancake breakfast. They really loved that. Then with my little procession of neices, sister, and cousin we all walked down the street carrying my bags of stuff to my stop. This whole having 3 families here is rough. I hope I like the next family just as much since I will be living with them for the next three months!

When I got back to my house here I found that the rats invaded my stuff. That was a little disturbing. They ate through one of my shirts...how does a shirt even taste good? It was one of my two tank tops too. Ahhh! Rats are not something I think I am going to come to terms with. I am getting used to the cockroaches but rats are just too much. The other week in Spanish class we actually learned the words to La Cucharacha. I never knew, but it is about a cockroach in a trash can who can't walk because the ants ate his legs.

My spanish is getting a lot better. Although I still find the slang tricky. My dona the other day said to me, ya ta. I was like what??? That is slang for ya, esta....already done? They also say como tu ta for comos estas. They really cant drop letters and expect me to understand what they are saying right now.

La Semana Santa

This past weekend was a holy weekend so we all got Thursday afternoon through Sunday off. It was great:) Very relaxing. I went swimming in the river, took a hike, ate sweet beans which I actually liked, went to the monument in Santiago, and best of all...we went to McDondalds, ate ice cream and cake for my niece's birthday. That was a great day. I know McDonalds is not that great, but I associate it with the United States and American food, which any American food has become a delicacy here. Since most days all I get is beans and rice and we all know how much I love that. And actually the McDonalds here wasnt bad, they even toasted the bun:) This week is my last week in Los Coco's, and after that I move back to Santo Domingo for a few days and then off to my site. Which I find out where that is this coming Monday! Very exciting!