One Week In

One week past and I'm living it up here in the DR.  Santo Domingo, the urban jungle is in an your face city! Motocicletas flying by on street, sometimes even on the sidewalks if the young drivers have enough courage, music blasting through the night, and intense games of dominos manifesting themselves on every street corner.  I eat more than enough food; that means seconds on Pollo y Arroz for lunch and two meals from Dona Tempora each night.  The nice thing is I always have a healthy appetite after walking through the tropical sun and long days in Spanish class.  I'm sweating right now after Marenge and Bachata lessons.  So everything is packed into the day during this Peace Corps training process and I'm well taken care of.  Perhaps most fun is sandlot baseball every afternoon with the barrio kids.  They play without gloves, they share sips of water from the one bottle the wealthier kid can afford, and they laugh without ceasing.  Everyday I gain more confidence, everyday I talk to more neighbors, and I'm learning to listen to the Dominican tongue.  Que Chevere!  Hasta otra semana!