I arrived here in the Dominican Republic at the Santiago airport last thursday nigh
t. I finally made it! From Miami to Santiago was my frist solo flight. The whole way there a verse kept on popping up in my head, "For I know the plans I have for you delcares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future."- Jeremiah 29:11. I wasn't nervous or worried. God had put a sense of peace in my heart telling me that everything was going to be just fine. And it was. The man next to me on the flight spoke only French and very, very little English. He was trying to tell me to have a good flight but said most of it in French so I didn't quite understand. But with lots of hand motions and guessing I figured it out. When I arrived at the airport I was expecting Christa, the director from Doulous, to pick me up. To my surprise all my classmates were there standing outside of the airport waiting for me. By far, the best welcome I have had. I was so excited to see my "sister" Lissette :) I couldn't believe that I was finally with her again after waiting for 2 1/2 months. I could tell from that point on this trip was going to be amazing.
The family I am staying with is wonderful. Nancy who is my host mother is so wonderful and generous. She doesn't speak any english but that has really challenged me in my spanish. Everyone morning I have Papaya milkshakes and eat platanos at least once a day. She is a pretty awesome cook. Anna is 16 years old and goes to Jarabacoa Christian. Anna is great and I love talking with her. She does speak English so thats helpful when I can't explain something to Nancy, and so I don't have to speak in spanish constantly. She has some really cute clothes and loves photography. Their house is beautiful and is right on the Avenida (the main street). Every night I get to listen to all the motorcylces passing by beeping their horns, and the dogs barking. But hey, it's all about the experience!
My house is located right, and I mean right, across the street from Doulos. So it takes me less than a minute to walk to school. My first day here last Friday I didn't have to go to school but I went to get a tour and to see my classmates. Lissette was so kind to have asked me to get up on stage with them to perform a drama. I thought it would be fun so I did. Now everyone knows who the new "gringa" in school is.
My first weekend here I attended a Womans Retreat in Jarabacoa with Lissette and our friend Mariana. A lot of the teachers from Doulos went so it was neat to get to know them before my first day. It's so different how the students and the teachers interact with each other here. They way I see it, the teachers treat the students and talk to the students like teenagers. It's hard to explain, but it like it. The weekend consisted of Individual time with God, getting to know people, Worshiping and Praising Jesus in both english and spanish, and just being girls. I enjoyed getting to know Mariana and my new friends, Zahra, Claudia, and Rosa. We were the youth of the camp. It was a good time to reflect and be at rest. On Sunday I attended church at 3:00 pm, which is different because in the States church is usually in the morning. Then Monday there was no school becuase it was a national holiday. So I had a 4 day weekend while all my Ameican amigos had to go to school :) On Monday I went horseback riding.....for people who know me, I don't really like horses. But it was a chance for me to get to know some of Anna's friends and to have a new experience. It started to rain, so I was wet, and on a horse...not very comfortable. Least to say I am very sore and won't be going again for a while.
So this is just a taste of my experience :) I'll be writing another post about my first day of school since this is pretty long. Sorry if anyone got bored while reading this, I didn't really realize how much I got into writing about my trip so far. But don't you worry, there's lots more to come!
- Katie
t. I finally made it! From Miami to Santiago was my frist solo flight. The whole way there a verse kept on popping up in my head, "For I know the plans I have for you delcares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future."- Jeremiah 29:11. I wasn't nervous or worried. God had put a sense of peace in my heart telling me that everything was going to be just fine. And it was. The man next to me on the flight spoke only French and very, very little English. He was trying to tell me to have a good flight but said most of it in French so I didn't quite understand. But with lots of hand motions and guessing I figured it out. When I arrived at the airport I was expecting Christa, the director from Doulous, to pick me up. To my surprise all my classmates were there standing outside of the airport waiting for me. By far, the best welcome I have had. I was so excited to see my "sister" Lissette :) I couldn't believe that I was finally with her again after waiting for 2 1/2 months. I could tell from that point on this trip was going to be amazing.The family I am staying with is wonderful. Nancy who is my host mother is so wonderful and generous. She doesn't speak any english but that has really challenged me in my spanish. Everyone morning I have Papaya milkshakes and eat platanos at least once a day. She is a pretty awesome cook. Anna is 16 years old and goes to Jarabacoa Christian. Anna is great and I love talking with her. She does speak English so thats helpful when I can't explain something to Nancy, and so I don't have to speak in spanish constantly. She has some really cute clothes and loves photography. Their house is beautiful and is right on the Avenida (the main street). Every night I get to listen to all the motorcylces passing by beeping their horns, and the dogs barking. But hey, it's all about the experience!
My house is located right, and I mean right, across the street from Doulos. So it takes me less than a minute to walk to school. My first day here last Friday I didn't have to go to school but I went to get a tour and to see my classmates. Lissette was so kind to have asked me to get up on stage with them to perform a drama. I thought it would be fun so I did. Now everyone knows who the new "gringa" in school is.
My first weekend here I attended a Womans Retreat in Jarabacoa with Lissette and our friend Mariana. A lot of the teachers from Doulos went so it was neat to get to know them before my first day. It's so different how the students and the teachers interact with each other here. They way I see it, the teachers treat the students and talk to the students like teenagers. It's hard to explain, but it like it. The weekend consisted of Individual time with God, getting to know people, Worshiping and Praising Jesus in both english and spanish, and just being girls. I enjoyed getting to know Mariana and my new friends, Zahra, Claudia, and Rosa. We were the youth of the camp. It was a good time to reflect and be at rest. On Sunday I attended church at 3:00 pm, which is different because in the States church is usually in the morning. Then Monday there was no school becuase it was a national holiday. So I had a 4 day weekend while all my Ameican amigos had to go to school :) On Monday I went horseback riding.....for people who know me, I don't really like horses. But it was a chance for me to get to know some of Anna's friends and to have a new experience. It started to rain, so I was wet, and on a horse...not very comfortable. Least to say I am very sore and won't be going again for a while.
So this is just a taste of my experience :) I'll be writing another post about my first day of school since this is pretty long. Sorry if anyone got bored while reading this, I didn't really realize how much I got into writing about my trip so far. But don't you worry, there's lots more to come!
- Katie
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