I have been back in the country now for four days and does it feel so right. Seriously I came back to the states this summer and yes it was filled with people and foods and smells of growing up years but not like life for me right now. Yet I step off the plane in Miami and already the Spanish is filling my ears. Then I get off in Santiago and somehow this is home too and just feels right. Yes, I'm saying that crazy driving, rice and beans and nonstop music is home for me now. Slightly weird but oh so good. Here is a list of things I've been remembering about this place this week:
-Dominicans are proud of their graduation from college here and receive a gold ring to prove it similar to a little known thing called the Aggie ring:) Man do I feel at home with that!!
-Motos make everything better!! No we haven't gone on the usual organized rides just yet, but morning rides to school are so much more enjoyable with the cool morning breeze in your face!!
-Reunions are FABULOUS!! Our first day back was buenismo (really great) to see familiar faces!! Our school community has deeply rooted connections with each other and it was quite wowonderful to be reminded of that again!!
-It's good and hard to be surrounded by Spanish again. Good bc it's the heart of the culture and so rich, but hard bc I feel I should be much farther along than I am.
-Spanish worship...nothing like it!!!
-Doulos is necessary! At the beginning of every year we teachers are asked to remove our "teacher" hats and put on "student" hats as we all participate in a mini expedition. 2 years ago we learned about coffee, last year we learned about sugar and this year it's education. So good to see research and stats about DR education, how the government plays a part and contrasting that with Doulos. What a perfect way to start our year knowing our purpose and why we exist.