Emily Branigan

HUM 322
16 March 2017

Study Abroad Reflection

Who: Mid Michigan Community College. Lucy, Jackie, Lindsay, Laura, Mario, Katie,
Crysta, Riley, Melissa, Autumn, Ayesha, Evan, and me.
Where: Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic
Why: To teach English to students in the local primary schools and immerse
ourselves in Dominican culture.
Journal Entries:
Friday, March 3, 2017
I am currently sitting on the plane going from JFK Airport, New York, to
Santiago, Dominican Republic. We flew out of Detroit to New York very early this
morning. We landed in LaGuardia Airport at around 8:55 AM and shuttled to JFK
Airport. We met at MMCC this morning at 2:45 to leave for Detroit. However, when
our driver Martin backed the van up to the school doors for us to load our luggage,
the van got stuck in a soft patch of the yard! It was quite funny, yet nerve wracking
at the same time. How would we get to the airport on time for our flight? With
thirteen of us, there was no problem helping Martin push the van out of the dirt
putty. We loaded the van and then we split up: half of us rode with Martin and the
other half rode with Amir, a student who has just graduated and is now working at
the college.
I slept most of the way to the airport, so I dont recall much. However, when
we arrived, I realized it had taken us over three hours to get from Mount Pleasant to
Detroit. It was almost 7:30 and we still had to go through the whole airport
procedure before our flight left at 7:55! Not only was I panicked with the thought of
missing our flight, but I was also struck with the anxiety of my first time going
through an airport. I followed everyone elses lead. It was odd that we had to show
our passports in Detroit, since we werent flying internationally until we fly out of
New York. I guess thats another elevation of security in United States airports.
We made it just on time for our flight and arrived in LaGuardia at around 8:55
AM, I think. My first time flying was a success! I felt a little nauseous when the plane
sped on the ground and took off into the sky, but after plugging in my music and
closing my eyes, it was a piece of cake. I finally peeled open my eyes to look out the
window next to me. It was wondrous. I couldnt stop staring out the window after I
had started. The whole hour or so that it took to get to New York, I stared at the
clouds moving around and below us. I sat next to a girl who looked to be my age.
She had earbuds on and was engaged in a book. She seemed like she had flown
many times, as she wasnt intrigued as I was about our sky-high journey.
 I noticed that, suddenly, we were flying over New York City! I gazed
downward in awe, ignoring the flipping of my stomach as the plane tossed and
turned in a bit of turbulence. There were two older ladies sitting behind me,
chattering the whole flight. The lady closest to the window remarked I bet well see
the Statue of Liberty! I doubted it. However, there she waswe could see the
Statue of Liberty out the window! I hadnt seen her since I was a little girl when my
family vacationed in New York. I nudged the girl next to me, who was still reading
her book. Look, its the Statue of Liberty, I urged. She shut her book without
saving the page and leaned over me.
Where? She said.
Right there, I pointed. How could she miss it? I could tell in her eyes she
was still struggling to find her. Its the blue figure in the water.
Her eyes lit up. Oh! She grabbed her phone out and snapped a photo just in
time before the plane zoomed away. She smiled at me. Ive never seen it before.
No wonder she couldnt find it. She zoomed in on the photo as much as she could
and studied it. I knew this was going to be a good trip.
Continued
At 5:30 PM, we made it safely to Santiago. On the flight, I was sandwiched
between Crysta and a woman from the Dominican Republic. She noticed our
matching Outreach 360 T-shirts and asked us if we were part of the pro-life march,
too. We look at her, puzzled. She showed us a photo from her phone and explained
that she had been in Washington D.C., holding signs with massive crowds on the
streets in support of pro-life. Oh, I said. Were part of a volunteer organization,
and I explained Outreach 360 to her.
She smiled, pleased at our willingness to travel to her home country to help
children. Where will you be staying? Santiago?
No, Monte Cristi.
Her face suddenly changed. Thats close to Haiti. I cannot stand the
Haitians!
I had no idea how to react to this. I just offered an oh. I shot a quick glance
at Crysta, who had fallen asleep. She went on to explain how they practice
witchcraft. She even told me a story about how she was cursed by a Haitian
woman. She said that she woke up from a nap in her house to find a young girl
standing by her bed. The girl told her to follow her. The woman followed the girl
outside to the street, where the girl fell to her feet and died.
I didnt understand at first. But then I realized, the girl died just for me.
Again, I had no words, other than oh my! and oh my goodness! I had no
idea what to think! This lady seemed genuine with me, so I continued to nod until
she was finished with her story.
 Prayer is the answer to everything, she explained. Thank goodness, a route
to change the subject.
I completely agree with you. And I did. I have bad anxiety.
Dont ever be anxious, she said. God is taking care of you. He has a plan!
She read some Bible verses out loud to me. I felt at ease. I thanked her for reading
out loud to me. I unzipped my backpack below, hoping that I wasnt being rude
while hinting that I wanted to have some time to myself. I read with music in my
ears, peaceful in my own world, until I noticed a scatter of people a few rows ahead
of me. Then, a faint acidic smell hit my nose. Somebody got motion sick. Poor thing.
I couldnt tell who it was. I hate the sight and smell of vomit, so I held my book
closer to my face.
When we arrived at the airport at 5:30, we went through customs, equally as
strict as the customs in New York. We were given a ride to the hotel on a bus.
Nobody on the road seems to stop at the stop signs or follow the maxima velocidad
(speed limit). When we got to the hotel at approximately 7:00, we checked in and
asked the receptionists about good restaurants nearby. They said that it would be
too dangerous to walk outside in the dark. They suggested taking a taxi. There was
no way all thirteen of us could take a taxi. So, we settled on eating in the restaurant
at the sixth floor of the hotel.
We waited two hours, two hours, for our dinner! The waiter kept us
entertained, despite the language barrier between him and many of us with limited
Spanish. He continuously delivered baskets of warm sliced bread to us, as he could
tell we were starving after a long day of travel. After an hour of waiting, he delivered
a place to us with the bread on it, and in the middle of the plate, he had wrote
Michigan with caramel sauce! What a gentleman! We thanked him for the
thoughtfulness and took multiple pictures of the plate. We were definitely a rowdy
crowd in the fancy restaurant! Nicely dressed couples sat at tables away from us
and gawked. But we didnt carewere in the Dominican Republic!
We finally got our foodit was delicious! I had papas salteadas (sauted
potatoes) with peppers and onions and platanos tostados (toasted plantains). I
could have licked my plates clean! I was getting tired and asked for my bill. The
camarero brought it out along with flan for Riley and Mario. He used another sauce
to draw a smiley face on Rileys plate, and a frowny face on Marios plate! We all
laughed and laughed. I stared at my bill 148 pesos!!! How was I going to pay for
this? I panicked and begged Lucy for an answer. Of course, Lucy loves to give her
students a good challenge. She said just pay in American dollars.
But I need to know how to pay in Dominican pesos I was a tired mess. I
looked at the numbers, jittery at the fact that the total was $148. How expensive! I
grabbed a $20 U.S. bill. Lucy, Im going downstairs to change my dollars over. She
nodded and I took off. At the receptionist counter, I asked the lady Puedo tener
pesos, por favor? She took my bill and walked through a door behind the counter.
Five seconds later, she returned and jumbled something in Spanish. The only word I
recognized was casino. I gulped to myself.
 Go into the casino. They can do it for you, she translated.
Thank you! I turned around and headed for the doors to the casino adjacent
to the lobby. I was greeted by the doorman and I greeted him back. I stood in front
of him and started A donde puedo-
Over there, he interrupted, pointing to a counter.
Gracias! I thanked him and trotted off to the counter. I braved toward the
counter and slid my bill under the glass separating me and the bankers. I couldnt
believe how many pesos I got! Over 1,000! I knew that I would leave a generous tip
to the camarero. I turned to head to the door and noticed I was being gawked at by
several Dominican men, gambling away. I regretted wearing my running shorts
outside of the hotel room. I took intentional steps toward the door, eyeing every
person around me and concealing my pesos in a bundle to my chest.
Hey there, girl sparked a short, tan, gangly guy, checking me up and down
with his eyes. I turned away and marched faster toward the door. The doorman
smiled at me and I told him in Spanish to have a good night. He replied in English.
Why do they keep doing that?
I could hear my group from the elevator. I strolled back to the restaurant and
left the camarero 200 pesos and ducked out of there. I was much too tired to stay
any longer. Now, I am back in my hotel room with Katie, Ayesha, and Laura.
Apparently, Laura was the poor thing that puked on the plane. Shes been sleeping
hard since we got into the room. She literally dropped her bags, fell on the bed and
passed out. I hope she feels better in the morning. Im about to call my parents.
Theyre worried sick about me.

Saturday, March 4, 2017

This morning, I woke up to the shower running behind the wall next to me. I
opened my eyes, but closed them again. I was exhausted. I heard Katie shifting next
to me, so I opened my eyes again and slowly sat up. Ayesha was in the shower. She
got her own bed, and so did Laura. This was the first hotel room that Ive ever
stayed in with three beds. Laura was wide awake. She was sitting straight up on her
bed, smiling at me. Good morning!
I smiled back. Good morning, do you feel better?
Yes. Ive been up since 6:00. I checked the time and it was 7:45. Crazy girl.
We heard a click, and the television came on. Katie had found the remote. A
childrens show came on. A teenaged boy was hosting the show, joined by young
girls, perhaps puberty-aged and younger, wearing matching orange halter tops and
shorts. We watched as they engaged in puppet shows, dancing, and even prayer,
which is something we dont see in childrens shows in the United States. Laura
blinded us as she flew open the curtains. There was a balcony outside the window.
Laura slid the door open and I stepped out with her into the warm and dry air. We
looked around us at the living city. We spotted a bank down the street, as well as
the casino straight across from us.
There was a side parking lot next to the bank. We noticed a man carrying a
gun, perhaps a rifle or a shotgun, at the lots entrance. Laura and I looked at each
other. Do we go back into the room and take cover? Instead, we stood and watched
him. A car attempted to pull into the lot. I held my breath as the man with the gun
approached them. He held his hand out. The car drove away. The man was
demanding payment. He was guarding the lot from people who were not staying at
the casino. The U.S. would have had a paying toll and blockers. I suppose a gunman
is cheaper down here! We watched as a second car attempted to pull into the lot. A
woman got out of the passenger side, and I was expecting a fight. Oh snap, I said
out loud. The man shook his head, and the car pulled forward without the woman.
The car jolted downward from the sidewalk and suddenly couldnt rev forward. The
front right tire got stuck in a gutter on the sidewalk! What luck these people had.
The woman got behind and started pushing. Other cars on the street couldnt get
through until this car could get unstuck. Many of them honked and passed, teasing
with death as oncoming traffic still passed through. Katie joined us and watched.
Finally, a good Samaritan got out of his car and helped push the car out of the
gutter. We clapped as the car moved forward again. The woman got inside and the
car sped off.
We stepped back into the room and shut the sliding door. Ayesha came out of
the bathroom and checked her phone. Her and Evan were going to breakfast
together at 9:30. It was approximately 8:30 now, so we decided to go get breakfast.
We had to meet in the lobby for our ride at 10. We walked to breakfast in the same
restaurant on the sixth floor. It was a buffet-style breakfast. I grabbed a plateful of
goodies, including a chocolate croissant, watermelon, and papaya and some food
that I couldnt recognize, including mashed plantains and a purple starchy food that
I assume was potato but I still dont know. We were given several refills on coffee. I
mixed it with some creamer and sweetener, and it was strong, sweet and delicious.
Fast forward to 10:00. We all met in the lobby. We were all thirsty. We couldnt
drink the tap water because the tap water was unsafe. The receptionist told Lucy
that they sell bottled water for $2. However, he cut us a deal and sold it to us for
$1. We all scraped out 1 U.S. dollar and chipped it in. I didnt realize how thirsty I
was. I downed half the bottle before the bus arrived.
Theres this thing called Dominican time. Its pretty much the time that my
family back at home runs on. The bus is supposed to arrive at the hotel by 10, and it
arrives at 11 instead. Makes sense! We loaded the bus when it arrived at last and
trekked on the 3 hour long drive to Monte Cristi. I watched as the world around us
became less urban and more rural. The houses and businesses became less modern
and more shack-like. An hour away from Monte Cristi, my bladder is regretting the
bottle of water I downed so fast. I was a few seats behind Lucy, so I called to her
and she turned around. Can we stop at a bathroom?
She conversed with the driver in Spanish, but I could recognize that he said
diez minutos. Oh noten minutes to the nearest bathroom? No way! Dont any of
these buildings have bathrooms? However, I could see people stopping at the side
of the road to urinate. After all, the banks (stationed frequently along our route),
were more like little ice cream stands versus the fancy established banks in the
U.S., and I was unsure about the other places having clean bathrooms. Fifteen
minutes later (Dominican time at its finest), the driver stopped at a restaurant.
However, its not like the restaurants back at home. It was more like a pavilion than
a building. I practically ran off the bus and scanned the pavilion for the bathrooms.
Finally, we spotted the wooden stalls with wooden signs above them establishing
the stalls for damas and caballeros. I had never seen the word damas before,
but I recognized that it must mean women and men. I allowed Autumn to use
the stall first. When she came out, I practically ran inside to relieve myself. There
was a toilet in the stall with a plunger. No sink. Where was the sink? Oh well. I
flushed and stepped out. There was a sink outside of the stalls, but it was being
occupied by a woman, who I assume worked in the restaurant. I joined my group.
After everyone was finished relieving themselves, we continued on our way.
Finally, Monte Cristi! We walked through the gate to our house and met
Beth, who gave us a short tour and led us to our rooms. Laura, Ayesha, Katie and I
stuck together and entered our own room. The room was small, no bigger than my
own bedroom at home. There are four bunk beds, each covered with mosquito nets.
Our room has four windows with no glass, but shutters. After we each claimed our
own bunk, we trotted downstairs and met siblings Aidel and Caleb. They both
learned English through Outreach 360. Aidel now attends the university at Santo
Domingo, the Dominican Republics capital, and Caleb is attending secondary school
at Monte Cristi. They walked with us around Monte Cristi and showed us the park,
banks, stores, and the second Outreach 360 building, which houses even more
volunteers. I conversed with both of them at the front of the group. Theyre so
friendly. People around us were driving motos (picture a motorcycle and a moped
having a baby. Moto) and sometimes cars. They honked at us and at each other. I
thought to myself how rude this must be! The siblings taught us that theyre not
honking to be rude its just common courtesy. I studied the honking people closer
and realized that after they honked, they would smile and wave. Wow! How different
than in the States.
They took us to the ice cream shop Bon. I am in love with Bon! They helped
to translate for every single one of my friends. I wanted to challenge myself, so I
ordered a cone of birthday cake ice cream by myself. Its the creamiest ice cream I
have ever tastedI will definitely go back! We ate our ice cream and walked back to
our Outreach 360 building. When we returned, we sat in the comedor (the commons
area with tables outside. Again, like a pavilion) and watched another college group
come in. All of the volunteers for this week will include students from our college,
Northeastern University (Boston), North Carolina State University, and Arizona State
University. There is a small shack nearby the comedor where the kitchen is. The
ladies were hard at work preparing our meal. They placed everything in metal pans
on the tables underneath a nearby pavilion. For dinner, we ate rice, beans,
pineapple, and meat. It was so delicious. I cant wait to eat more of the food!
 After our meal, we did a small introduction about cultural differences. I
learned that cat-calling is pretty common for men and boys, and the girls dont pay
much mind to it. When it happened to me at the casino, I felt threatened! Now, I
know that if it happens again, to take it as a grain of salt. Its common down here.
We also went through the traffic rules:

Honking is common courtesy. Moto and automobile drivers will honk to warn
you when they are driving around you.
Unlike the U.S. where pedestrians have the right of way, large automobiles
have the right of way. Then motos. Then pedestrians.
There are speed limits and stop signs, but many people dont follow them. Be
cautious.
We also learned about the etiquette when meeting strangers. Once the people of
Monte Cristi see our Outreach shirts (which we must wear at all times), they will
know we are Americanos and that we are here for good intentions. They will smile,
wave and say hi, and ask us about ourselves. In the States, this is seen as taboo.
However, here, it is common for strangers to treat each other like family, and they
genuinely want to know us. I like this culture, already.

Sunday, March 6, 2017

Breakfast is a blur. All I remember is the coffee. The coffee is amazing. The
coffee pot stays on the table all day, so we can get coffee whenever we please. It
definitely is a big part of Dominican culture. We met Migues, Aidel and Calebs dad.
He also speaks English very well and he works for Outreach 360. We also met
Aquiles, a Dominican man who has actually lived in the states for years before
moving back down to Monte Cristi. Now that all of us colleges/universities were
united (over 60 in total!), we sat through an extensive orientation. Like any place
that we are new to, we need to be cautious and safe. We were oriented with the
following safety rules and Outreach regulations:
1. Live defensively
a. Watch where you walk
b. Vehicles have the right of way
c. Dominican tattoos hurt
i. What is a Dominican tattoo? Well, motos parked on the streets
get very hot from sitting outside, as well as from the running
engines. We have to be very cautious not to brush on one with
our bare legs, lest we get a burn (aka, Dominican tattoo)
d. Travel in groups of two or more people
e. If we choose to walk or run in the morning before the day begins, we
must travel in groups of two or more. If we choose to do this at night,
we must be inside the Outreach site by 9 PM. Quiet time is at 10 PM.
2. Security
a. Hide valuables in our bedrooms by keeping them inside zipped pockets
of our suitcases
 b. Valuables in our pockets must be in our front pockets, not the back
pockets
c. Purses and bags are recommended to be cross-body
3. Water
a. NO tap water!
b. There are coolers of water and juice by the kitchen. We should fill our
water bottles frequently
c. We can shower with the faucet water, but we should brush with bottled
water
4. Sunscreen and but repellent
a. Highly recommended
5. Food
a. We must ask the long-term volunteers (aka leaders) about food and
restaurants that we have not been acquainted to before going. Some
of them may not use safe water or sanitary caution
6. Medical Concern
a. If we have medical concerns, we need to see a leader ASAP
b. There is a clinic down the road if we ever need medical attention
7. Zero tolerance
a. We will be sent home at our own cost if we engage in the following
activities:
i. Smoking
ii. Drinking alcohol
iii. Going to bars
iv. Going to discotecas (the equivalent to a night club. However, the
term club has a stronger connotation in the Dominican than in
the States, so the term discoteca is used instead).
8. Warning
a. We will receive a warning if we engage in the following activities:
i. Inappropriate dancing
ii. Swearing
iii. Public displays of affection
9. Dress code
a. Outreach 360 shirts at all times
b. Close-toed shoes at all times outside of the site, especially at the
schools
c. We are allowed to be naked inside of the bathrooms, but must be
dressed upon exiting the bathrooms (not just a towel)
d. Must wear pants, skirts, or shorts at/past the knees outside of the site
10.Beach attire
a. Must wear an Outreach shirt and pants code to the beach
b. Swimwear must be one piece. Two piece swimsuits will require a shirt
or tank top overtop
11.Church service
a. Optional
b. Must wear pants or skirt with blouse or Outreach shirt
12.Interacting with the children at school
a. Act sustainably and professionally
b. No piggy-back rides or allowing students on your lap
 c. Do not allow hair-touching
i. There is a risk of spreading lice
d. Do not give toys, candy, or pesos to kids
e. Photo-taking
i. Be responsible
ii. Do not do during lessons
iii. Do not give the phone or camera to the children
13.Electricity/Energy
a. No hair dryers or straighteners
i. High-wattage items will cause power outage
ii. Do not flush toilet paper
1. Waste is fine. Toilet paper will clog the pipes
iii. Take military showers. Turn the water on and rinse. Turn the
water off and use soap, shampoo, and conditioner. Turn the
water back on and rinse. Then shut the water off. Youre done.
14.Meetings
a. Arrive at mandatory meetings five minutes early
For the rest of today, we toured around town with Aquiles and visited Lilo, the local
grocery store. It is quite small compared to Walmart and Kroger! We bought some
cookies and candies from Lilo. There are a lot of very different foods here! Ill have
to visit again and buy food for my family to try. We also walked to the beach. Its so
beautiful! However, its over a mile away, and when we were returning to the site, it
started to pour rain. We got dumped onI was absolutely drenched. The shower
back at the site was freezing, but it was refreshing to take my wet clothes off. We
also did some lesson planning for tomorrow. First day of school! MMCC is teaching at
JFK school to Preschoolers through 5th graders. We split into two groups to cover all
of the grades. My group is teaching Preschool, 2 nd grade, 3rd grade and 4th grade.
Our objective for the week is to teach the English terms eyes, ear, nose, mouth,
hands, and the five senses. I cant wait!

Monday, March 6, 2017

Teaching was absolutely exhausting. The classes werent even full, either. It
poured hard last night and continued this morning, and just like how we have snow
days in Michigan (the kids dont go to school when it snows hard and everything
ices over), the kids in the Dominican have rain days (when it rains hard, the kids
dont walk to school). Aquiles said he was actually surprised by the attendance of
our classes today he says that he usually only sees 2 or 3 students in some of the
classrooms when it rains at hard as it did last night. We had about 15 to 20 kids in
each class, which is still considered lower than usual.
Preschool was exhausting. They were so hyped up and wouldnt sit still. We
taught them a song, which got them engaged for a couple of minutes. Then, we
grabbed our school mascot, Harry the Heron, from Lindsays bag, and they went
NUTS. They ALL wanted to hold him. After a minute of struggling to tear him out of
the childrens hands, I shoved him back into the bag and tucked it as far as I could
behind the teachers desk. The teacher sat on her phone and did nothing to help.
When our entire lesson was done, I was relieved. We could finally leave. Not. We
had 20 minutes left to teach Preschool. We all panicked. So, we filled the 20 minutes
with songs and nonsense. We left a disaster. The other group was also frazzled from
their Kindergarten grade experience.
We sat down during recess to assess ourselves and come up with an action
plan. This was halfway effective, because the kids wanted to play. They taught us
how to clap and held our hands and toured us around the school. I love kids. I really
do. 2nd grade went by just fine. Our lesson plan came up short again, but we filled it
with songs that the kids were completely engaged in. We left for lunch back at the
Outreach site and had rice, beans, chicken, and pineapple. We returned to teach 3 rd
grade, which was a flop. Many of the boys wanted to start fist fights and the girls
sat in their chairs with their faces in their hands. We left a mess again. Our groups
reunited to teach a single 4th grade class, which we split into two teams boys vs
girls. We took our half of the class to a spare classroom, designated to Outreach 360
volunteers. We sat with the 4th graders and played a Jeopardy-type game, splitting
the teams into two. At the end of our lesson, we still had 5 minutes to spare. The
girls, by themselves, pounded a beat into the table they sat at. Then, the boys sang
to the beat. All together, they sang and pounded the beat into the tables. Melissa
started to dance, and we all followed suit. It. Was. Epic.
We returned to Outreach at around 3 in the afternoon and sank in our chairs.
We started on lesson planning, but were not even finished yet and its past 10. We
went to Lilo before dinner and bought some cookies. They arent as sweet at U.S.
cookies. After dinner, we went as a small group to Bon. I didnt buy ice cream this
time, which I regret. I need ice cream.

Tuesday, March 7, 2017

Today went better with our Preschoolers. They were engaged and they
absolutely loved the How Are You? activity, where they answered with happy,
sad, or angry. Our 2nd grade class was more rowdy than yesterday, probably
because of the additional students that joined after the earth dried up, but we
managed. Our 4th grade class was spectacular, ending the lesson with more singing
and dancing. However, our 3rd graders were absolutely crazy. We walked in the
classroom as they were completing a writing activity. The teacher ate cheese and
crackers and stared at her phone. A little boy sitting in the front row yelled at me to
move out of the way so he could take notes from the board. It was hard to get the
students engaged in a new activity when they hadnt even finished their writing yet.
It was a mess. Later, we learned that the teacher was a substitute. No wonder.
Just now, we finished a documentary/movie called In the Time of the
Butterflies. It was based on the true story of three sisters who joined forces to take
down the Dominican dictator, Trujillo, who reigned for 31 years. The movie left me
astonished and emotional. I will have to write the story on my website when I can.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
We went for a hike this morning! At 6:30, we took a bus to the mountain on
which we would be hiking. From miles away, you can see the mountains a big one
and a little one. We hiked the little one. Katie and I led the way, since many of the
other volunteers stopped to take pictures. I left my phone at the house, so Katie
took photos and told me she would send them to me. When we made it to the top, it
was grand! We looked at the ocean, the water so blue and gray from the sky clouds
above. We stood there for a long moment and watched as the ocean waves crashed
against the shore hundreds of feet below us. Katie took some photos, then we
turned around and trekked downward, passing by many of our fellow volunteers. We
stumbled downward, being careful not to fall, and stomped through the brush and
tall grass. Halfway, we stopped. The sun was about to rise. We paused and Katie got
her phone out, holding it to the sky. We watched as the sun rose over the horizon,
shooting beams of light into the morning sky. They say not to stare at the sun, but I
did. And I skimmed the horizon and the little town in the distance behind us and the
ocean and the mountains. It was serene and surreal. I can say that I have seen the
sunrise in the Dominican Republic.
Today at JFK, all our grades went smoothly, besides for 4 th grade. We decided
to join forces, all 13 of us English teachers, in one classroom over 35 or so kids. It
failed. And we were quite underprepared. Funny story: I sat with a small group of
4th grade girls, trying to get them engaged in the lesson that Evan and Ayesha were
leading. They were all sassy and didnt want to cooperate. One of the girls turned to
me and said Hey Emily!
I turned to her What is it?
Buff you! She remarked.
Buff you? I repeated. I knew very well what she wanted to say. A four-letter
word that definitely was not love.
Buff youI dont know what that means, I replied. She shot up from her
desk and scrambled to her teacher. Chin in hand, I watched her point to me and
speak to the teacher. The teacher smacked her hand. I chuckled softly to myself.
She cringed as she made her way back to her chair, giving me nasty shade. I
probably shouldnt have, but I smiled, in spite of myself. Its okay, I told her, and
pointed to an answer I filled in for her to copy on her worksheet.
Oh well. After school, Lucy left us behind and went directly to Outreach.
Thank goodness. Now we were able to shop for her surprise birthday party! Her
birthday is on Sunday, but we are celebrating on Friday. The kitchen ladies said they
would make plantains and birthday cake!
We bought Dora hats, balloons, and a Feliz Cumpleanos banner. Perfect! We
went back to the house and our P.E. teacher from JFK taught us all how to dance the
Bachata and Merengue! It was SO MUCH FUN!!! I love this culture.
 Oh yeah. This journal will be published ton my website. So, a message to
Kevin, my boyfriendif youre reading this right now, happy one year anniversary.
Yo te quiero, mi amor!

Thursday, March 9, 2017

Today was our last day of teaching in the schools. We were all very sad, yet
relieved at the same time. No more hours of lesson planning, and no more
struggling to discipline the kids! However, the kids are so precious to us. They all
have a desire to learn. But to be honest, Im sure they taught me more than I ever
taught them.
We went to the salt flats about a half mile down the road and toured them
with a man named Noel. He was a very nice guy with a sense of humor. He spoke
Spanish to us, while our leader (I think her name was Carlidad? Or just Carla?)
translated. I could understand most of what he said, so that was awesome! There
was a gift shop inside their salt storage unit, so I bought a painting for my parents,
my grandparents, and a magnet for my aunt. We also went to Lilo and bought a ton
of food to take home. We treated ourselves to Bon. I got a cup of Dulce de Leche
and pistachio. Yum.

Friday, March 10, 2017

Free day! We went to the beach. First, we were taken by bus to a very rocky
beach. It was a horrible hike down. Aquiles and Miguel told us that a year ago, there
was a very bad storm, and they believe that it took part of the mountain down,
leaving the rocky terrain. We stayed for a few minutes, then decided to hike back up
to the bus and try a different beach. Poor Lucy hurt her ankle! We held on to her and
helped her up the hill. She was in so much pain, but I could tell she was trying to
hide it. We rode to the second beach, just on the other side of the mountain. It was
sandy at this beach! I laid my towel out next to Katies and ran out into the ocean
with everyone else. Lucy waded in the water with Jackie, she seemed to be okay.
Lindsay took Harry the Heron out into the ocean!!! We played 500 with him!
We took turns tossing him in the air, calling out points as well as dead or alive
and diving for him in the water, which came up to our waists from where we were
standing. It was a great time, but I got quite the stellar burn on my back.
Arizona State still had a Friday class to teach, so Katie and I rode the bus
back with them to Outreach. We prepared clean clothes to take a shower, but the
building had no power nor water, again. This happens once or twice per day so we
dressed and walked to Lilo to buy more food to take home. As our hair dried, it
became crispy. It was also very salty. I longed to take a shower! We walked in and
out of Lilo four timessilly Katie kept thinking of family and friends to buy for! We
also walked to a couple more shops and the bank. After we were done shopping, we
wanted to buy juice from the juice lady. On one of the days after school, Lucy took
us to get juice. The older lady who runs the stand juices her own pineapple, guava,
and melon. She mixed all three flavors for us. It was AMAZING. Katie and I craved
for this juice. However, we could not find our way. We argued about which direction
to go. A couple of guys asked if we were lost, and we said no, but yes. Where is the
stand that we can buy juice from? Their faces lit up and they pointed in the
direction. We headed that way, but I figured they had pointed us in the wrong
direction. Katie figured it was the right direction.
We ended up walking for almost 30 minutes looking for juice. We headed to
the house in frustration. Thank goodness Aquiles was there. We asked him about
the juice. Take a right from here, and walk all the way to the pharmacy. Take a left,
and you will find it on the right.
Katie was rightwe had walked near the stand several times. I apologized,
but made amends by making a salud with our juice. We walked home with our juice
and joined everyone else for dinner. Then, Lucys surprise party! It was also the
birthday of a girl from Arizona. We ate chocolate cake, sang happy birthday, and
presented Lucy with some gifts, including the Harry the Heron book we all wrote
notes into. It was a wonderful little celebration. Happy birthday, Lucy!
Now, we are staying up late. We must leave for home early tomorrow
morning4 AM. Barf. Mario and Laura have sparked a romance together. The group
keeps stalking their every move. They just want to hang out. It was quite cute at
first, all of us stalking their every move. Now, its a little annoying, so Im writing in
my journal. Maybe Ill sleep for a hour.

Saturday, March 11, 2017

Can I go back? Please?
We left Monte Cristi at 4 AM. The trip is a blur. I was so tired. All I remember is
eating pizza with Katie at LaGuardia. It was the size of my face. And the iced latte,
which was good. Poor Katie wanted an iced matcha latte, but the coffee barista
made her a mocha and called it a matcha. It didnt really taste like a mocha, either.
She got a refund.
My parents greeted me at home with excitement. I was glad to see them, too,
but sad at the same time. My dog cried and hurled herself into my arms. Honestly, I
missed her the most. I got to communicate with my parents the whole trip, but not
my dog. I think having a phone during the trip spoiled the excitement to talk to my
parents in person after a week. My brother skipped down the stairs from his
bedroom and gave me a hug. He was happy to see me, too. I hugged him and threw
on the baseball cap I bought him. Its a Licey hat. Los Tigres de Licey is the most
successful Caribbean league baseball team from the Dominica. I figured he would
like it, and he does.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

 I visited my grandparents, uncle, and aunt. They were all so happy to see me.
I gave them all their gifts and sat with them for hours, telling them about my
adventure. Kevin missed me without a doubt. He drove to my house and flung
himself in my arms. I have a feeling Im going to be telling my story hundreds of
times.
I am still quite jet-lagged and sick. None of the food I am eating now is
settling in my stomach. As TMI as it is, everything is going right through me. Its
probably going to take time to Americanize my digestive system.
Oh, here are some things I forgot to mention in my journal (as I remember
things, will add them to this section of the paper and continuously update it on my
website):

Mario, Laura, Katie and I got lost in Monte Cristi one day after school. We
walked to Lilo and couldnt find our way back. We missed half of a meeting.
Its funny because the meeting was about cultural immersion and speaking
with people in Monte Cristi. We talked to so many strangers trying to find our
way back that we probably didnt even need to attend the meeting.
On Thursday, we watched a documentary about Dominican and Haitian
relations. It was incredibly informational. I will be talking about this in my
website.
On Friday, we went to Dajabon, the town that contains the market on the
Dominican-Haitian border. We had to walk in a very systematic line, with a
front and back leader and turn leaders. We were told to use the bathroom
before going, and I could see why. There were people urinating off the bridge
and in the streets. In the U.S., this would be considered disgusting, but in
Dajabon, people need to keep working. Some people only work two days a
week Monday and Friday, the days that the border opens up to both nations
for the market. These people need to keep moving, no matter what.
I will continue to update this journal as I remember more and more. I
experienced so much with my colleagues on our trip to Monte Cristi, Dominican
Republic. I am so grateful for the experience, and I hope to return some day.