The Fam is in Town!

February in a Nutshell!

So whoa baby, it’s been awhile since I wrote here. It feels like AGES, because we have been so so SO busy! In the past week, we’ve had upwards of 300 extra people on site visiting since it was officially NPH’s Annual International Meeting, and the first one we have hosted at our site ever, since we’re relatively new (just celebrated 9 years). So, here’s a super quick review!

-Preparing for the meeting was CRAZY! Long days, little sleep, and many many MANY hours in the printer shops. Avriel and I did approx. 15 different documents in Spanish, English, and Italian. It was unreal, but turned out so awesomely! 

-First visit day on 2/13: we had 80 or so Italians on site. It rained ALL day, which sucked, but we had lots and lots of fun!

-Hotel: So all of our guests were staying at a 5-star hotel in La Romana while there were here, and guess what, us volunteers each got to spend a couple nights there too! It was insane, mainly because it was SUCH a contrast from daily life. Like there was a pillow menu and 24-room service and rose petals on the bathroom sink and a big towel crane on the king bed with a down comforter. And there were no bugs and there was AC and all of the staff was always always saying “I’m excellent” when you asked how they were and “It’s my pleasure” if you said thank you. SO over the top.

-Second visit day on 2/17: this was the day we slaved over for so long…nearly 300 visitors on site! It went SO well! And the kids had a blast! We had a dance program for the guests and games and food and tons and tons of tents set up all over the place with activities! 

-Gala: So on the 17^th at night, we had a huge, fancy gala at the hotel for all our guests. It was the first time since I’ve been here that I actually put on makeup and did my hair and what not. It was so so funny, because my girls were like, in shock when they saw me. “Kristen, you’re so pretty” and “Kristen, this is like the first time we’ve seen you look nice”…it was great!

-Wedding: On the 18^th, we had a wedding on site. The daughter of one of the lady who donated our park got married in the park. It was so cute! All the kids got dressed up and participated and afterwards there was dinner and dancing under the stars! 

-Other life stuff: We have a Haitian cancer house, where kids from Haiti can come with a parent for radiotherapy treatment at the capital that isn’t offered in Haiti. I’ve recently gotten close with a litte 4-year old, nearly blind boy and his dad. They only really speak Haitian Creole, so I’ve picked up a few phrases. It’s awesome! But they just left to go back to Haiti and guess what? After two surgies, the little boy was able to see! Honestly, SO amazing to see! And such a tear-jerker. He could walk across the street without hodling on to someone and know where he was and who he was with. Breaks your HEART!

So currently, I’m sitting at the airport as my parents flight in probably just arrived! They will be here for the next week! They are staying with me at NPH for 4 or 5 days and then we are all going to Puerto Plata to meet up with the other Mages’! More updates to come soon (with photos!)

Never Had I Ever (Until Now)…

So the last few days have been BUSY! We are getting ready for this big International Meeting with 300+ people that is set to begin this coming Monday, so it’s been a lot of prep. Since writing about the different documents I’ve been translating and making photocopies of is boooooring, here’s a list I made (yep, I like lists…but you probably already knew that…)

Never Had I Ever (Until Now)…

*Let people call me Kris or Kristina

*Complained about it being cold in 70 degree weather

*Seen places that double as car washes and night clubs

*Experienced so many tear-jerking moments

*Wanted to go to Haiti so badly

*Gotten sunburn in January

*Found a tarantula right outside by bedroom door

*Been so aware of my skin color

*Gotten ringworm

*Taken cold showers

*Enjoyed power outages

*Been around so many languages on a daily basis (Italian, German, Creole, Spanish, English, French…)

*Seen such gorgeous sunsets and stars at night

*Eaten so many rice, beans, and yucca

*Had my hair played with so much

*Eaten raw sugar cane

*Seen so many kids with scars on their faces

*Been envied for my skin color  

*Been awoken each morning by a rooster crowing

*Rode mopeds so much

*Been so thankful for the little things (3 pieces of silverware at meals, ice in a glass of water, kneelers at church…)and BIG things (parents that are alive, the chance to get an education, a means to make money for myself...)

*Drank chinola (passion fruit) juice—SO good!

*Known that Dominicans are tall

*Been so un-phased by seeing mice run around my house

*Heard so much bachata music!

*Seen such a contrast between rich and poor

*Seen kids occupied for HOURS by the littlest things…an old tire, a piece of “caution” tape, a piece of Styrofoam (they like toys too, of course)

* Seen what it’s like to live in poverty while having all your needs met

*Had such a short commute to work (approx. 20 seconds from house to office)

*Been around so much baseball

*Drank so much coffee!

*Been a mother to 215 kids

Batey-Baseball Pics

Time to go dancing in the batey!

Roomies!

The dance floor!

There are so many half-finished buildings...

Detroit Tigers play field--right next to the bateys.

Toronto Jays