Another visitor

What a week it's been! Never a dull moment, especially not when you have company! Krista was here again, for the 2nd and last time before she takes off for Africa (happy trails... I'm sad I won't be there for the goodbye party!). We had a good week, being our usual unseperable and self-entertaining selves. But we had some help in making a crazy week out of it.
First of all, we had elections here (local, not presidential). Now, while I could write a whole other post on this subject (sadly I didn't get pics taken of some of the more interesting aspects of elections here), I will suffice to say that all Volunteers were ordered to stay in their sites from the Friday before Krista came until the day she left. This gave us limited run-around space, but we made do!
Some of the other excitement included:

• finding my first scorpion (in my bedroom!)


• a waterfall trip
• evening games (Zilch is spreading worldwide!)
• swimming in the river - we decided to take a gira to the river (think camping-style picnic) instead of participating in election-type stuff
• LOTS of pictures (taken by Krista)

• getting sunburned
• daily bringing of flowers and singing to the Virgin Mary by the women (everyday for the entire month of May)

• putting up a world map and lots of pictures
• Dominican men (you'd have to experience it to understand what all that entails!)
• lots of standing around and hanging out

• Jessica's chocolate pancakes (yes, she cooks a few things now!)
• learning to cook arepitas (yuca)
• some amazing thunder & tropical rain (but not too much)
• Jessica getting pink eye (it's all better now)
• breaking a corkscrew


• hosting a spaghetti dinner for my local girls
• and lots of language training - Spanish and English and a smattering of Kreyol

Although it wasn't some crazy whirlwind trip, it was nice to relax and enjoy the everyday. The little things made us smile and the thunder made us sigh dreamily (yes, we're suckers for amazing thunder). Now all that remains is explaining for the millionth and 2nd time that Krista won't be coming back to visit since she's going to Africa. ("Is that farther than Nueva Yol?" Sigh. Geography isn't a strong subject here...)

Pics: Jaime "Fish-out-of-Water"; Jose & Fernando working on the Bamboo School (someone's gotta watch!)