Tuesday, August 29, 2006
A Typical Week Night - in Santo Domingo
Here, almost everything is backwards. This includes weekend activities vs. week night activities. For example, last weekend, we stayed in all weekend. Now, during the week nights, people ask us to go out and do things. Strange.
Tonight after school, we (along with Sonya and Becky) had to go get our pictures taken for our health insurance cards because here, they check your identity by looking at the picture on the card rather than checking other identification (another example of backwards thinking). So, we ended up walking to the store to get the pictures taken, and Holly asked us to come over to this other Canadian guy's house to meet him. We ended up going over there and staying for quite a while. The guy's name is Roger, but here he pronounces his name "Royer" because the "g" in Spanish often makes the "h" sound. He seemed nice and fun-loving, although every foriegn person we've met here has a love for partying that we neither share or desire.
After that, we (along with Sonya and Becky) decided to go out for dinner at a little corner cafe - and it is like a real cafe - because it was too late to cook dinner. The cafe is called L'Orangerie Cafe, and it was GOOD! I had some sort of fish with avacado sauce and real mashed potatoes. John had chicken fajitas. We're definitely going back someitme! Since we were out so late, we're not going to be doing any work tonight. :)
We had a faculty meeting after school today, and John's entire meeting was in Spanish. He hopes they didn't say anything important.
The elementary and secondary meetings were separate, and the funnies thing about the secondary meeting is that people were arguing about how the bell is three minutes too early by the end of the day. HA!! Not a single clock in the school is right - and many of these people didn't have watches on. I wonder how they could tell the bell is off when no two clocks in the school say the same thing at the same moment. HA!!
One thing today went right: we got a package from home. It was sent by FedEx, and it had the leftover luggage that we couldn't bring with us due to the embargo. Thanks mom!!!
John got some much needed clothes, and I got to see Fred again!
Tonight after school, we (along with Sonya and Becky) had to go get our pictures taken for our health insurance cards because here, they check your identity by looking at the picture on the card rather than checking other identification (another example of backwards thinking). So, we ended up walking to the store to get the pictures taken, and Holly asked us to come over to this other Canadian guy's house to meet him. We ended up going over there and staying for quite a while. The guy's name is Roger, but here he pronounces his name "Royer" because the "g" in Spanish often makes the "h" sound. He seemed nice and fun-loving, although every foriegn person we've met here has a love for partying that we neither share or desire.
After that, we (along with Sonya and Becky) decided to go out for dinner at a little corner cafe - and it is like a real cafe - because it was too late to cook dinner. The cafe is called L'Orangerie Cafe, and it was GOOD! I had some sort of fish with avacado sauce and real mashed potatoes. John had chicken fajitas. We're definitely going back someitme! Since we were out so late, we're not going to be doing any work tonight. :)
We had a faculty meeting after school today, and John's entire meeting was in Spanish. He hopes they didn't say anything important.
The elementary and secondary meetings were separate, and the funnies thing about the secondary meeting is that people were arguing about how the bell is three minutes too early by the end of the day. HA!! Not a single clock in the school is right - and many of these people didn't have watches on. I wonder how they could tell the bell is off when no two clocks in the school say the same thing at the same moment. HA!!
One thing today went right: we got a package from home. It was sent by FedEx, and it had the leftover luggage that we couldn't bring with us due to the embargo. Thanks mom!!!
John got some much needed clothes, and I got to see Fred again!
// posted by The Roths @ 8:22 PM 
Comments:
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sounds like you guys are having a grand adventure in DR. i can't believe that it's been two years since i was at your wedding. man how time flies. well... i'll be praying for you.
have a great day!
have a great day!
# posted by 
: 12:10 PM, August 30, 2006
: 12:10 PM, August 30, 2006
My turn ... I arrived home from Guatemala last night and am catching up on your adventure via blogsite. I hope the head mistress doesn't read your blog. She could get the idea that you don't like it there very much ....
Guatemala was a good experience. We took 8 MA Ed Psych students in to give in-service training to teachers at Agua Viva's school. It was a very good intercultural exchange for everyone. Think St Michaels would be up for a team to come there for the same type of interactions? I thought about you much this week - being at the school each day.
Rebecca Martinez, the prof who went with us, will be sending you a note. She moved to do border work (teach English) in Texas/Mexico where she had NO resources and no friends. She hated every day for the first year - but returned to fulfill her 2 year contract and it was the best year of her life - to date. She learned to love the kids, and to teach from her heart. She gained confidence in her ability to do well, under any conditions. You'll enjoy hearing from her.
Glad you didn't get blown away by the hurricane - and that your water is back on. Sounds like you're making the best of it. Your blog is a riot. Makes me laugh out loud every time.
Sorry I wasn't able to re-route to see you. Good thing ... the flights to Miami from Guatemala were all cancelled yesterday due to the storm.
Los quiero mucho! Todo lo que estan haciendo vale muchisimo!
Besos y abrazos,
Papi
Guatemala was a good experience. We took 8 MA Ed Psych students in to give in-service training to teachers at Agua Viva's school. It was a very good intercultural exchange for everyone. Think St Michaels would be up for a team to come there for the same type of interactions? I thought about you much this week - being at the school each day.
Rebecca Martinez, the prof who went with us, will be sending you a note. She moved to do border work (teach English) in Texas/Mexico where she had NO resources and no friends. She hated every day for the first year - but returned to fulfill her 2 year contract and it was the best year of her life - to date. She learned to love the kids, and to teach from her heart. She gained confidence in her ability to do well, under any conditions. You'll enjoy hearing from her.
Glad you didn't get blown away by the hurricane - and that your water is back on. Sounds like you're making the best of it. Your blog is a riot. Makes me laugh out loud every time.
Sorry I wasn't able to re-route to see you. Good thing ... the flights to Miami from Guatemala were all cancelled yesterday due to the storm.
Los quiero mucho! Todo lo que estan haciendo vale muchisimo!
Besos y abrazos,
Papi
# posted by : 12:31 PM, August 30, 2006
: 12:31 PM, August 30, 2006
Roths! You guys are super cool! Sorry we haven't posted anything since you guys went out there. We've been crazy busy trying to move, etc. Anyway, we have officially moved to a real-life, tiny house and it's cool. We have in no way forgotten about our demo derby buddies, though. We were praying for you both during Ernesto, and have been missing you a lot. All is well here (except for the Roth-shaped hole in our hearts) and we will write you more soon. (Our computer is not yet hooked up at home, so I'm writing this from work. Possibly a bad idea.) Anyway, we miss you kids and we're praying for you.
Mark & Andrea
Mark & Andrea
# posted by : 3:39 PM, August 31, 2006
: 3:39 PM, August 31, 2006
Not sure how this works. I've been locked in an office at the bank for the last two years and haven't kept up to speed on all this technology. I'm still trying to figure out MySpace.
I thought maybe you'd be living in huts or something, but it looks like you got the hookup...and Internet access. This way, you'll be able to keep up with the Colts when they choke again this year...totally kidding, but not really, but kind of still kidding.
Looks like you're having a killer time in the DR. Do people in the DR call it "The DR?" Seems like they wouldn't, but I thought nobody better to ask than you guys.
I think what you guys are doing is really great. Imagine the cool stories you'll have. I only wish we could have hooked up again before you headed off, but hey, things happen. I promise we'll do it someday.
I thought about you guys when some of those tropical storms were developing...I think there was even one called "John," which I thought was you, John, but then I realized it was a storm. I saw a news story: "John has landed in the DR..." and I thought, "wow, that guy's getting a lot publicity down there. Way more national news coverage than he ever get in the States."
John, I expect you to be bilingual in about three days. I have totally forgotten all Spanish, and some English. My once stellar grammar and writing skills are waning, as well. And, Claire, to your dismay, I don't think I've read a book since "If on a winter's night a traveler." I think I hate reading now. Go figure.
John, just so you know, all of our basketball and baseball cards aren't worth crap now. Just FYI.
Oh, and I knew a girl named Myra once. She moved to the DR. If you see her, tell her I said hi.
Alright, kids, have a wonderful time. Be safe. Take care.
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I thought maybe you'd be living in huts or something, but it looks like you got the hookup...and Internet access. This way, you'll be able to keep up with the Colts when they choke again this year...totally kidding, but not really, but kind of still kidding.
Looks like you're having a killer time in the DR. Do people in the DR call it "The DR?" Seems like they wouldn't, but I thought nobody better to ask than you guys.
I think what you guys are doing is really great. Imagine the cool stories you'll have. I only wish we could have hooked up again before you headed off, but hey, things happen. I promise we'll do it someday.
I thought about you guys when some of those tropical storms were developing...I think there was even one called "John," which I thought was you, John, but then I realized it was a storm. I saw a news story: "John has landed in the DR..." and I thought, "wow, that guy's getting a lot publicity down there. Way more national news coverage than he ever get in the States."
John, I expect you to be bilingual in about three days. I have totally forgotten all Spanish, and some English. My once stellar grammar and writing skills are waning, as well. And, Claire, to your dismay, I don't think I've read a book since "If on a winter's night a traveler." I think I hate reading now. Go figure.
John, just so you know, all of our basketball and baseball cards aren't worth crap now. Just FYI.
Oh, and I knew a girl named Myra once. She moved to the DR. If you see her, tell her I said hi.
Alright, kids, have a wonderful time. Be safe. Take care.
# posted by : 9:58 PM, September 08, 2006
: 9:58 PM, September 08, 2006 << Home
