Healthy Travels: Who has the keys?

Saturday October 2, 2010

Day 28

Although started off relaxing and uneventful, it surely didn’t stay that way for long. After a relaxing morning we went to the Zona Colonial to do some research for Cynthia’s rally (I would call it a contest but they call it a rally) she is having next week. They will have to answer questions about the different buildings and points of interest and they must know the historical significance of various things. To prepare we walked around and read a bunch of signs and plaques. Teresa also asked people in the buildings (ticket collectors, security guards, etc.) various questions and that was quite helpful. The most important question she always asked was “What did they use this building for in the past?”

The last thing we wanted to see was the Order of Malta church. It is a beautiful church in the Zona Colonial but also the Order of Malta runs the clinics and they are partners with Project HOPE. The kids didn’t want to come in at first so just Teresa and I went in. Cynthia joined us a few minutes later and then Juan Carlos a minute or so after his sister. Why am I describing this sequence of events in such detail? Because the keys were locked in the car! Thankfully a group of about 5 people hanging out outside the church helped us. They were so incredibly nice. One man walked a few blocks to go find a locksmith while the others chatted with us and helped pass the time. There were setting up for a wedding while we were waiting (I think this problem started around 5:30 or 6:00pm) and the musicians even let Juan Carlos play their keyboard in the church. One of the people who were helping us turned out to be someone who works in the house of a man from the Order of Malta who Teresa knows very well. Small world. This guy called the locksmith and negotiated the price for us because Teresa’s phone was in the car. Did I mention that everyone was so nice and helpful? I couldn’t believe it. Eventually, the locksmith came and it was all fine and dandy after that. Thank goodness for helpful strangers.

After the car fiasco we went to a restaurant (the restaurant we went to the first day I was here) to have a small dinner. I had mofongo again but this time I had it with chicken. It wasn’t as delicious as the mofongo I had last weekend but it was pretty good. Once we were all sufficiently fed we went to the movie theater. The theater was in a large, opulent building and it reminded me of a hotel/casino minus the hotel and casino part if that makes any sense. Juan Carlos has to see Tropico de Sangre for a class assignment and wow, was that some 8^th grade assignment. The movie was about the Mirabal sisters who were famous for opposing Trujillo’s dictatorship. Three of them were eventually killed by Trujillo’s people and they are known as heroines in the Dominican Republic.

I thought the movie was very violent and inappropriate for children. I could not believe that his teacher would assign this to a class of 8^th graders (13 year olds). Teresa thought that the violene was acceptable because it was accurately depicting the history but I think some things do not need to be blatantly shown. I think the sound of a gunshot and the after math of a dead body is violent enough and we did not need to see the bullet actually hitting the person. Also there was quite a bit of nudity that I do not think was appropriate or necessary either. Why do I think like this? I am not even a mother! I guess this just shows another difference between US education and Dominican Republic education. In the US there are more rules and everyone tiptoes around, careful not to offend anyone. Oh boy, I can’t even imagine the backlash the schools would face in Bergen County after an assignment like this.

Sunday October 3, 2010

Day 29

Today was relaxing and uneventful and I really mean it this time. We had a relaxing morning and then Teresa prepared a delicious and beautiful lunch. I think am eating too much at lunch but I can’t help it when it looks so good and tastes even better. We went to the Dominican Fiesta Hotel to play basketball again and I have more bad news to report. I lost again in basketball. This time I played against Teresa and Cynthia and I came up a few points (and inches) short. The game was suspended due to thunderstorms but I was so exhausted so I was content with the final score. After the tiring game we went to mass at the church I like the best. Every week I can understand a little more of what is going on.

Fun Facts:

1. The movie theaters here are about 10x colder than any theater I have ever been in and people wear coats.

2. There is a guy who has an extremely loud voice who sells cherries around the neighborhood on the weekends. I could never quite understand what he was yelling about so today I asked Cynthia and she told me he was selling cherries.

3. I have learned so much history about the Dominican Republic. Before I came I read “In the Name of Salome” (I swear, I have not been paid to advertise that book, I just really like it) and while I have been here I have read various articles and guide books with tons of information. The Zona Colonial it is a wealth of historical information and I really enjoy reading about things and then seeing them in real life.

4. Matteo, the Project HOPE driver supposedly has great stories and history about the Trujillo days. One day, when I have the courage I will ask him to tell me some of these stories.

5. If you take out a camera in a tourist location everyone automatically wants to sell you something. No, I do not want a carriage ride, tour, bottle of water, ice cream or CD but thank you very much.

6. Tomorrow I am going to the border town of Jimani with the Project HOPE people. Road trip!

Peace,

Jaclyn