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