mud

So, I was laying in bed one night reading my book. A cockroach scurries across my chest, oh well. Then i turn out the light and hear a noise on the wall that i thought was the rat. So i shine my flashlight over there in hopes of scaring it away, but what i found was a spider the size of my hand on the wall chasing the cockroach that just minutes before ran across my chest. Needless to say i slept the rest of the night submerged in my sheet and blankets. I might have even shed a tear.

I miss indoor plumbing also and am sick of being up to my knees in MUD. Tanto lodo. Mud is taking over my legs and my life. I bathe the puppies almost everyday if the sun is out. If the sun is not out i don't even try b/c its bound to rain.

Another thing thats been rubbing me the wrong way are chickens, everytime i see one i just wanna eat it. The dogs are now being housed in the chicken house b/c my dona thinks that she is allergic to animals and went to the doctor and had the doctor write a note saying that she cannot have any type of animal in the house Bolgna *looks like we gotta get some rat poison* anyway so i spend alot of time in the chicken house. one day Perla got beat up my a hen b/c she was trying to play with the chicks, it took a broom to get her away from the dog, and Perla was trembling for the rest of the day. When i feed the dogs the teenage chickens eat the food right from the dogs dish so i have to stand around and wait for them to eat with a towel in my hand shooing away the chicken or picking them up and chucking them away. Whatever it takes. Then if i don't have food they seem to think that my toes are a snack and peck at them. Also there is a rooster that was in a cock fight and obviously won b/c he is alive, but only half alive, he is so ugly and acts like a senile old man, and b/c he is a murderer b/c cock fights are to the death. i have a fear of him. he went after me once too after i gave him some rice trying to make peace with him. Now i just scream whenever he comes near me. Also there was a rooster in the house the other night for the whole night and if you didn't know, roosters don't just crow at dawn. They crow allllllllllll night long.

I'm heading back to the mountain today. I'm going to have to stay up there for a couple weeks b/c i am running low on dough very much so. I get paid the first of the month so i should be fine, but I gotta learn how to budget a lil better. No more shopping for cute dominican clothing. Or eating at burger king and mcdonalds. Oh by the way i've gained 2 more pounds....of muscle of course.

ok i'm gonna go down to the library and find a book on how to take care of a horse.

I'll be in the capital next on june 16th. And in Santiago next monday.

until then....

Perlita

HI All!

My lil pooch's named Perlita it means cute lil pearl. And yes she was just under a tree on the beach with a few other pups, my friend jen has the sister which is staying at my house b/c her host family won't let her keep it with them. So when jen gets a house of her own in 2 months the puppy will go back with her as for now i've got 2 puppies. So cute!

Everythings good here in the capital. Hanging out with my peace corps family. I really enjoy these people. And when the 2 years is up i will have friends across the country to visit, Awesome!

So how is everyone at home???

I don't really have much news right now. I've been wearing the same dominican jeans for 3 days now b/c i forgot to pack other pants, but thats alright, i'm in the peace corps!!!

Entonces estoy feliz

Mas

I've got some time before the meeting, we are running on dominican time....

So anyway...I'm still with the nutty lady, but she's not that bad, and i've located a house and am going to pay some rent up front so that they will fix the walls. Needs more wood. I also have to evict the roosters that are housed there now. Its cute and blue, has 2 bedrooms a living room and a kitchen in a seperate building outside the house. I have to share a latrine with the neighbors and build a cubicle to shower in, but other than that is perfect. has electricity and all. The rent is a little steep, this is total sarcasm mind you, 500 pesos a month, if you do the math that only a little over 15 dollars a month, hehehe


I had a bull stick its head in my shower the other day, He was looking for water, but i was not about to let him get at my clean water so i screamed at him in a mean voice naked in the corner of my shower cubicle till his slobbery nose left, then he was blocking the door to the house and i stood there thinking for a while then my host brother came and made him move, boy was that a peace corps moment!!!! Me and that bull are tight now, i can pet him from outside my bedroom window

I went to a Cock fight the other sunday, boy was the testosterone level high in that ring. It was really exciting, the men were arguing and betting. I could only stand to watch 3 fights tho, because the roosters actually fight to the death, It was difficult to watch. Totally a cultural event, necessary to my time here in the DR, i would love to bring my visitors to experience it. Very entertaining. But it was difficult to watch. My host brother raises roosters to fight too, so he was there he's only 17. his birthday was last monday, Lola made a torte on the wood stove, it was pretty fascinating. she made it in a pot, then put a sheet pan on top and put burning wood and fire on the top. Just like an oven, just like it.

hmmm what else is new. not toooo much, i miss everyone very much. Homesickness is the pits, but hopefully my puppy will distract me!!!

Ok time to gooooooo. LOVE YOU ALLLLLLL

I'm going to the capital on thursday through saturday so i should have some pretty good stories after that, also i will have time to go on the computer there too, so watch out for another blog!

ITS A GIRL

I got a puppy at the beach yesterday. She is white with brown spots. She doesn't have a name yet, Help me out!!! I've got more to say but no time, i have to go to a meeting and then take the nameless pup to the vet.

I became a mommma on mothers day!!! que perfecto

ITS BEEN SO LONG!!!!!
Everything is going just fine! I have my ups and down, my boredom and excitement.
The 3 days after swearing in was amazying, fun fun fun!!! And lots of laughs, along with some tears, but it was the most fun ever. We went to the most beautiful beach, and ate lots of good food, had some sushi that made no one sick. Saw one incredible unibrow, perfectly trimmed and connected. Umm what else, just lots of crazy spontaneous fun!!! We are all reuniting in the capital on the 17th for some more fun! Oh and i do work too. But the fun days are the memorable ones
Now i´m living life as a poor girl in El Ranchito, its not always cold so i´m alright. The family is still crazy but not overwhelming. I have alot of down time, i´ve read 2 books, one in one day, and writen lots of letters, as soon as i find some stamps those will be sent out. I started running, so that feels good, my legs are going to be strong as a horses legs. I have no animals yet but am constantly looking and asking. I have a rat in my room so i need a cat STAT!! And thats no joke
I have a meeting monday with my organization, i have to ask for stuff to get my tree nusery up and running, they already have something going in el ranchito but it needs some shaping up so i have to tell them what they need and why. That´ll be interesting.
So thats all for now i think. I ate mcdonalds today and its never tasted better. Looking forward to getting the packages when i get my mail next. Its nice to have stuff to look forward to!!

Ok love you all, i´m safe and happy and contimplating