New post!

NEW POST on A Different Sort of Adventure that has nothing (mostly) to do with what I'm eating! (Only my mental consumption...)

posting...

I really need to start working...this is what I did for three hours last week: http://www.ADifferentSortOfAdventure.blogspot.com

new blog...

Well everyone, I want to thank you for following my journey this year. Since I'm no longer "traveling" per se, I think I will keep tiertravels on the backburner until I go somewhere else. But fear not! You can find my new adventures in the treacherous suburbs of Baltimore at ADifferentSortOfAdventure.blogspot.com. Follow me!

Home Sweet (sometimes) Home

Well, seeing as I've been home for 2 (is it 3?) weeks now, I guess I should update...I'm back! The first day was bizarre, but then I was fine. I miss my friends so much, but it's great to be back in America. I'm attempting to move back into my tiny room at home and find gainful employment. I'm also super excited to be starting a Masters program in Baltimore for secondary education in September!

It's hard to be here and know that my roots are here for at least two years, but I know that this is what I'm supposed to be doing.

It was a great year...thanks everyone for the prayers and cards!! I hope to see you all soon if I haven't already.

I haven't yet decided whether I'll keep up the blog or not...we'll see how it goes!

36 hours left in the DR

I don't really know how this happened; all of a sudden it's almost time to go! I went to the east shore this past Tuesday-Thursday with Holly, Brewer, and Karyn, and it was lovely. Now I have to get packing and cleaning!! It's very difficult to completely clear out of a house like this. It's a sad and exciting time...so I'm just taking it little by little. In honor of a great year, and in the spirit of Stuff White People Like and Stuff Christians Like, a few of us have tried to compile an accurate list of our own. If you haven't read either of the above blogs, they are intended to be both humorous and accurate. (That's my disclaimer for any Dominicans reading this who get offended.) So without further ado,

Stuff Dominicans Like

Sweeping water
Sheer shirts
Patterned bras
Riding motorcycles with umbrellas
Dancing at every event
Hair nets
the Reggaeton bass line
Not working
Cement buildings
Arriving 2 hours late
Daddy Yankee
Skinny jeans
Drinking alcohol
Cramming multiple people in/on vehicles
Rice and beans
Hard bread
Eating at midnight
Imported American clothes
New York
Spoon feeding children until age 10
Halls menthols as candy
Improper clothing for outdoor excursions
Avoiding rain
Heels
Pronouncing English words in Hispanic accents
Birthday parties
Loud music
Speakers on the back of trucks
Hair salons
Political caravans
Excuses
Plantains
Miami
Machetes
Roosters
Straightened hair
Getting nails done
Colmados
Dressing up
Dominoes
Hot dogs on sticks
Baseball
Accessories
Winter clothes in non-winter weather
Paying later
Horses
Sitting on porches
Break time
Mannequins with large body parts
Bachata music
Gold jewelry

Motos carrying large objects...

Dominicans like to carry large and improbably objects on their motorcycles. I have developed the skill of reaching into my purse, getting my camera out, turning it on, and taking a picture all while maintaining the speed of my motorcycle. Don't tell my mom. Anyway, carrying gas tanks is fairly common, as you can see:

Strangely enough, carrying a washer or dryer is also common; this is not the first one I've seen on the road.

School's Out!

Wow, I can't believe today was the last day of school... mind blown. It was a great day. Chaotic, but still great. I took the above video when alot of the classes were outside just relaxing... doing water balloons, throwing water at each other, just being joyous. Then the firefighters came and sprayed water over the entire basketball court (hence the photo the right) and it was just fabulous.
Hopefully I will still get to see some of my students on Monday night when I give out report cards. I'm really going to miss the little munchkins!