La Republica Dominicana

Well we just got back from the second campo yesterday. It was very different from the first one but it was wonderful. It was a bigger community and felt more like a little city. This time I stayed with an older lady named Juliana. She was a widow and has 7 sons. They are all like 30-40 as she is like 70. It was amazing how they would all come over to her house at different times during the day and just spend time with her. The families are so close here and just continues to amaze me. The house was not as rural as the last. It actually had electricity. Well I should say it SOMETIMES had electricity. It was great the nights it worked though! It had tile floor and pretty nice furnature and I had my own room with a really nice double bed. The kitchen was outside like my house in ocho and a latrine out back. The bucket was still used at night lol. The shower was a step up from last time- it was outside but a little room with a door and buckets to dump over my head. I felt more clean than the roman bath style in the forest like last time. But Juliana was absolutely wonderful. Every morning when I woke up she would greet me with a little cup of coffee and she would walk me down to the place where we ate breakfast. While I was working during the day she would go in my room and find my dirty clothes and they would be washed and waiting for me upon my return home. It rained almost everyday and so our shoes would get really dirty from the mud but she would scrub them clean every night even though I would try and explain that they would just get dirty the next day. She would walk with me and announce along the way to everyone "look at my beautiful blonde white daughter" it was quite comical actually. By the end of the week I was used to responding to "rubia" - blondie which quickly became my nickname. We spent the nights playing dominos and casino like the Dominican way. It was really great just spending the nights playing and talking and often her sons would come over and play with us too. The spanish was a bit more difficult to understand this time because they talked VERY fast but by the end it was much better and I was able to have some really good conversations.

The project this time was buliding 2 new houses for families in the community. The work wasn't as hard as the aqueduct and it was really nice to see the physical progress at the end of each day. We didn't completely finish one of the houses, so I want to go back and visit to see the finished product. There was also a ministry team everyday and would go into the neighboring town and help elderly or sick people. I was able to do that a few days and I loved it. It was led by a boy who was only 15 years old! He was the grandson of the "coprador de salud," Nini, which is the person from the campo who works with ILAC. He was so wonderful with the people and when we talked to him about it he said that he just loves serving and being with the sick and elderly people. He was so inspiring. I am continual amazed at how amazing how welcoming all the people here are. You walk in their house and they immediately jump up and offer you their chair. We would help them wash clothes and dishes and clean their floors and whatever else they needed. One day we went to a family who sells tobacco leaves to make their living and we sat with them and helped tear the leaves to prepare them to be sold. It was so cool becuase there were like 16 people working on it- from young kids like 5 yr. to older people like 70. The whole family just works on it together and spends time with eachother and talking while they do their work. Then they asked us if we wanted to ride the horses. So I did and it was so fun! We went all around and saw the village and the kid riding with me on the horse was telling me all about everything and we went through the plantain and tobacco fields and he told me all about the work they do. Then when we were starting to leave for the day a truck drove up with its back filled up with all sorts of clothes (obviously donated from the US to be sold) and they told us to look through it and all these people from the community came out and were joking with us and we all trying on these hideous outifts and we ended up buying some skirts. It was so great how something so simple brought everyone together and we were just all laughing.
This campo was also very beautiful. It was surrounded by green rice fields and the blue mountains in the distance. The people were as beautiful as the scenery. I am continually amazed by the faith and love of the people who "have so little" according to our standards. It was quite an experience and I hope I remember all of it and the lessons I have learned.

Thanks for reading. Miss you all.
God Bless.
Love you

So I just got back today from my first immersion in the campos. The Campo was called "Ocho De las Caballeros" and it was amazing!!! We pulled up on Sunday afternoon and immediately upon getting off the bus we were welcomed with warm smiles and hugs by everyone in the community. Then we did introductions and met our families. My family was wonderful! My campos dad's name was Jose and my campo mom's name was Aura. I had 3 brothers and 3 sisters. The oldest was 18 and her name was Romeri, then Annibal he was 17 then Magdelina she was 16 then Ivan he was 13 then Alex he was 11 and finally Veronica she was 7.
Immediately they grabbed my bags and even Veronica offered to carry my water bottle. It was like nothing I have seen before. The first thing I noticed was the Gorgeous lake and mountains. It was sooo pretty there and so green and the water was so blue. But this natural beauty made the contrast of the poverty of the homes that much more great. I immediately noticed was that there are no boundaries there between animals and people and there were chickens, pigs, dogs, goats, and cows everywhere. But they don't really seem to like people that much they don't really bother you. (except for one time there was a chicken in my bed lol- but my brother just picked it up by the wing and took it outside haha) Then I noticed all the clothes hanging on the fence around the yard. We went inside and there was a small kitchen area with a table and three bedrooms. The walls were wooden and the floors were concrete (the group that came down last semester put in the concrete floors- so thanks to them we didn't have to live with dirt floors). We also brought cots that ILAC gave us but our family insisted that we wait for our Jose to set them up that we could not do it. so it was me and another girl in my group, Joanna, and then the oldest sister in one room, the parents in one room, and the other 5 kids in the other room! I couldn't believe how little the room was that they all 5 shared.
So that first night it was a little intimidating with the whole family only speaking spanish. Our brothers wanted to play cards. It was a game called Casino and that was fun them explaining how to play in spanish. But they were very patient and we caught on with their help and it was one of our favorite games to play the whole time we were there. So they were def. a few things that first night that were quite different then I'm used to. First of all, no electricity. They just lit some candels and went on about things. It was def. frustrating at first, but it was amazing how quickly you didn't seem to notice. Then it was time to go to bed and it was so funny cuz I had to go to the bathroom and Joanna was like well you are going to have to go in a bowl. I was like are you kidding me?! But sure enough...Yeah so that was interesting. lol
So Monday was our first day of work. I don't think I mentioned this, but our project was buliding an aquaduct for the community. Yeah it was the most intense physical labor I have ever done (lol I don't know if thats saying much) but seriously like the first day there was this huge pile of cinderblocks and we had to carry them down to the water tank(which wasn't very close I might add) I thought my arms were going to fall off. They were so heavy and there were soo many and it was sooo hot! Oh and FYI there definitely ARE tarantulas here! I saw like 4 while we were working. But you won't believe it, but I wasn't really that scared I didn't run away or yell or anything lol. I think I am actually getting over my fear! So we worked everyday from 8-12 and then again from 2:30-5. We did a lot of moving rocks, pushing sand and stone in wheel barrows, digging, shoveling, using a pic ax for the first time. But its amazing because the closer we got to the people the eaiser the work became because you just thought of your family and the fact that they deserved clean drinking water and that gave you the inspiration to keep going. So we didn't completely finish the project but we got really far. So the Dominicans are VERY hard workers. They have so much endurance and are so strong it was kind of frustrating at times cuz the guys would take your shovels cuz they knew they could do it better. But overall it was a good project and I'm so excited for the people to be able to use it.
The food was good, it kind of got old, but I guess that is to be expected. It was a lot of rice and beans, some pasta, plantans, a lot delicious pine apple, a lot of coffee (I know I never thought I would see the day), eggs, and bread. Aura, our campo mom, was actually one of the ladies who helped cooked all the food and one day I got to spend the day in the kitchen helping cook. Showers were another story lol. It was basically like a roman bath. It was in the middle of the forest and you would just go in your bathing suits and there was a little spiket and you would fill up your bowl and dump water over your head. It was actually amazing how much cleaner you felt-- well I guess you had to from all the dirt caked on from the work.
We had a few dances while we were there and they were sooo fun. Jose, our campo dad, was an amazing dancer! He taught me how to do it and it was great and we just danced with everyone and I love the music down here and the different types of dances. So I really connected with my little brother Ivan- he was so cute and fun. We would just joke around all the time and we would teach eachother the other's language. And my little sister Veronica. Every night on the way back to our house she would carry my water bottle and then hold my hand and we walk back in the night with the stars shining the brightest I have ever seen.
At nights were mostly down time with our campo families. I loved just sitting around talking and laughing with them. It is was amazing how close their family was and how much they just simply enjoyed being present to eachother. While I am so greatful for all the things we have in the states like ipods, phones, computers, tvs, and the like it was just amazing to see the interaction when all of those distractions are removed. I remember one night we were just all gathered around the table (they didn't even have enough chairs for everyone to sit on- but they ALWAYS made sure we had a seat) and we were just playing with some candel wax. we would just shape it into different animals and i dunno it prolly sounds really weird. But I was just amazed at how something so simple could bring a family together and just laugh and enjoy eachother's company. The faith of the community was also incredible. We had a few chats with Jose, about the time a hurrican hit the village and they had to rebulid everything but he just had such a strong belief that they survived because of God. A very common phrase was "si dios quiere" which means "if god wants it" so like when you say I'll see you later they would say if thats what god wants to happen. They just trust in God so much.
It was just an overall amazing experience. I was worried about not clicking with the family or how hard it was going to be to communicate, but my spanish got so much better and I could not have asked for a better family. So despite the bug bites, the sunburns, the latrines and bowls, the darkness and the candels, the cots, and the bugs-- none of it mattered. The friendship, the smiles, the laughter, the compassion, the work ethic, the hospitality, the concern, and the love overshadowed the hardships ten fold. I can't believe how fast the week went and how hard it was to say good-bye. My campo family wrote me letters that I will be able to keep and it is amazing how humble they are cuz they were like "don't forget us when you go to your other campo" and I was like are you kidding me? I could never forget you. I think we get to go back and visit them again before we leave which will be great.Ocho de las Caballeros was a place that I will carry with me forever.

Sorry the ridiculously long post. That is the most of it, of course there are many stories along the way but that should paint the basic picture. I can't wait to post some pictures!
So now its spring break! Two of my friends and I are off to the beach for a week on monday! yipee!
Well I love and miss you all!
God Bless and thanks for your prayers- they worked!!
Caitlin

Hey! Sorry for the lack of posting! It has been crazy busy around here! Well I am off today to go live with a family in the campos. A really rural area in the middle of nowhere! My family seems really nice, it is a married couple with four kids! I'm pretty excited, a little nervous too! Please pray for me while I'm away and I can't wait to come back and tell you all about it!!!
love and miss you!
Caitlin

Okay...so if you couldn't tell by the lack of postings- classes have started!! They definitely weren't not kidding about the intensity of the classes down here! We have to read a ton and I have already written like 5 papers. I am in the 2nd week of the first of 3 three week sessions. Hopefully that makes sense. Each of the 3 week sessions we have a professor from Creighton fly down to teach a class and this time we are taking a social work class called 'Children and Poverty'- I have a whole new respect for you April! It is really interesting but a lot of work!
But don't worry...its not all work! This past weekend a group of us went down to Sousa and spent the night in a really nice hotel and then spent all day saturday at the most beautiful beach!! I will have to post pictures soon! So it was a lot of fun and it was a good chance for all of us to get to know everyone better. I really like everyone down here, it is a good mix of people and I think it it going to make this semester that much better.
Oh and I did finally decide on a service site, man its been awhile since I've written. I've decided on Caritas which is a feeding program for poor children. I really like it. The kids are wonderful and they get so happy when we come. It is run by 3 nuns from Spain who are adorable. So we serve the children lunch (which sadly may be their only meal for the day) and then we just spend time playing with them. The are all soo cute! So I go there with my friends Seamus and Marie which is a good group. We try and make it over there after classes at least three times a week. So it was a tough decision of where to go and I was debating between there and Hospicio but I knew that deep down I wanted to work with kids. So it has proven to be good choice thus far.
So all in all, things have been busy but really good! I am continually amazed at the beauty of this country and the welcoming spirit of the people!
Next weekend we are off to Santo Domingo! I'm excited for that, I just have to get through this week of studies!
Love and miss you all! God Bless!
Caitlin

Today was so much fun!!! We went on a scavenger hunt all around the city of Santiago. They divided us up into 5 groups and it was a race. We had to take gua-guas and taxis and walk, even in the pouring rain. We bartered for pinas (pinapples) and had to barter for clothing and see who brought back the ugliest piece of clothing (My group won by the way with a pair of leopard pants! they were sick!) and we had to buy icecream and we were led to our Spanish teacher's house- Edwin- he's awesome! Its so cool here how you really get to know your professors and how you hang out with them. Then we all met back up for dinner, the whole scavenger hunt took about 5 hrs. We got to use our Spanish a lot and really learn our way around. While we were waiting for the other groups we went to a casino (you only have to be 18 here) my friends Kate and Steve actually won some good money! Dinner took about 3 hours, they are very leisure here unlike the chop-chop attitude in the states. The group is so much fun and we are all getting to know eachother better by the day! Tonight we are all going dancing thanks to the great marange y salsa dance lessons we had last night! And tomorrow we are going to la playa (the beach) so that should be a good time. The weather is gorgeous except for the occasional rainstorm. Things are great here! Hope you are all doing well!!
God Bless.
Caitlin