The Rest of the List

This is our final week in New England and things have gotten pretty crazy and I don't think I am going to be able to blog each day (of every other day as I have been). I'm sure you understand that we have about 20 things to do each day before we leave on Saturday. So, I am going to finish our list in one fail swoop.

Here is a refresher of 20-9:

20. Dominican hospitality.
19. The scenic drive from Santiago and Santo Domingo.
18. Mangoes.
17. Baseball.
16. Finally knowing how to speak Spanish.
15. The fruit cart.
14. The "coholo suave" spirit.
13. Service.
12. Church in another language.
11. The weather.
10. Orchids.
9. Wearing summer clothes all year.

And, here is the rest of the list:

8. Rice, beans, plantains, and all of the Dominican foods.
7. Dominican coffee.
6. Learning how to Merengue.
5. The beach.
4. Visiting Eric's grandparents in the mountains on weekends.
3. Watching Eric contribute his Engineering skills to his country.
2. Living near Eric's incredible family.
1. Little Eric experiencing his Latino roots.

We'll be leaving on Saturday and will start blogging about our new adventure on our new family blog. Please keep checking, because we are sure to have some pretty great adventures ahead of us.

#11 & #12

Oops. Did it again.

#12

Church in another language.

I always love going to church in other countries and in other languages. There is something about being an observer, rather than a participant that is really exciting. Watching people pray for their country gives you a snapshot of their lives. And, being a part of the music and singing is a moving experience.

I know it's going to be difficult to understand everything at first, with my limited Spanish. I've gotten pretty accustomed to our Boston church where everything is either bi-lingual or translated. But, it will be pretty amazing to be a part of something God is doing in another country.

We are hoping to find a church that is serving the community around them. There is great need with much of the population of the Dominican Republic and it would be a shame to miss the chance to serve and help out those in need when we have the example of Jesus Christ to follow.

My faith could use a jumpstart and I am looking forward to a new thing, spiritually, in our new country.

#11

The weather.

You know this last winter kind of kicked my butt in Boston. It was so cold and Little Eric and I spent several days without even leaving the apartment. Right now I am really looking forward to a little tropical sunshine and warmth.

I think there will be moments when I miss the seasons. My brain is wired to expect it to be cold for Christmas and to see changing leaves in the fall. It is going to take some changing in my mind to get used to warm weather ALL the time.

The weather is hot and humid with a chance of rain EVERYDAY of the year. Unless there is a hurricane blowing through and then it is hot and humid with a lot of rain (and lots of wind). Apparently there are months were it is less hot, but I think to our New England-acclimated blood it is just going to feel HOT. At least there is a tropical breeze that pretty much blows through all the time.

So, when your toes are freezing this winter here in the states think of us as we enjoy wearing shorts and flip-flops any day we want. Haha.

#13 & #14

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, so I will have two today.

#14...The "coholo suave" spirit.

Probably the most popular Dominican saying is "coholo suave" which means "take it easy." It's so much more than a saying, it's actually the saying that best describes the Dominincan spirit.

For better or worse, I say.

On one hand "coholo suave" means you shouldn't worry so much about things you can't control. Kick back and let life happen. So what if there's traffic, you really aren't expected to be on time to that dinner party anyway. The electricity is out...just go with it and do what you can, the laundry will still be there tomorrow. I see it as kind of a license to stop stressing out over everything, and this is a great lesson a girl who is pre-disposed to worry about everything needs to learn.

On the other hand, "coholo suave" means overlooking things like effeciency in customer service at stores and eating dinner at 10 p.m. because everyone was late to you house. It means that if the water goes out in the middle of you shower you might be stuck with shampoo in your hair. It means that if your only car is broken down and the mechanic says it will take 3 days to fix, it will probably take seven. And, you will look crazy if you complain and raise a fuss about it.

So, whether or not I will easily embrace the "coholo suave" spirit of life in the DR is pretty much up for grabs. Chances are knowing my personality I will have a love/hate relationship with that phrase everyday.

#13...Service

One of the things I am looking forward to the most is finding my fit professionally as a minister. Before having my son I worked for 7 years as a college minister in Boston. In that time I also taught English to Spanish-speaking immigrants; volunteered in a variety of service projects including serving food to the homeless, building a house in Mexico, working with children, and hosting volunteer mission groups visiting Boston. Ministering is my vocation and whether it is with college students or immigrants, it is what I know to do. So, as I move with my family down to the Dominican Republic I will look for opportunities to serve the population I live with in whatever way I can or see God leading me. Most likely I will be teaching English in some capacity. It's one of the things I love to do the most. The idea of teaching English to a group of adults who might have a whole new set of opportunities open up to them because of their new skill is inspiring to me. I am also hoping to connect with former colleagues and friends who are planning volunteer trips to the DR in the next year or so.

My primary goal is to get my family settled, set up our home, figure out how to get everyday things done in our new city, and work on my language skills. But, discovering what else lies ahead for me and uncovering a new vocation is on my list, too.

#15

The fruit cart.

There are these wooden carts that go around the city every morning delivering fresh pineapples, mangos, plantains and avocados. Sometimes they are led by a donkey or small horse and sometimes they are pulled by the owner. They start coming by as soon as the sun is up and throughout the morning hours. At my mother-in-laws apartment the fruit cart comes around 10 a.m. everyday without fail.

Funny story...the first time I visited the DR I kept hearing this guy yell "aguacate" over and over again each morning. I had no idea who this guy was and what he was saying, but because he came by around 7:30 a.m. each morning yelling "aguacate" he woke me up. Truth be told, I had woken up much earlier when the roosters began crowing and the little motorbikes were making their deliveries. Of course, all of this sounds as if you are right in the middle of it because the windows are open. So, one day I asked Eric what this guy was saying and I mimicked his exact tone and the way he said it. Eric busted out laughing hysterically, because to him it was such a normal occurance that he didn't even notice. He explained that they were yelling "avocados" for sale. So, then after that I knew.

I think it's pretty cool that you can get your hands on ripened pineapples, mangos and avocados EVERY morning. I wonder if I'll have the chance to get to know my "aguacate"man?

#16

Finally knowing how to speak Spanish.

This is something I am looking forward to. I took Spanish classes in Middle School, High School and College and yet I never seemed to get past the Intermediate class. I would have gone further, wanted to go further, in college, but a transfer credit situation frustrated me and I decided I didn't want to take the beginning class a 4th time! I quit and I now realize how useful it would have been to persevere.

I have what I would call a working use of the Spanish language. I am able to communicate most of my thoughts in Spanish, but carrying on a conversation of any depth is very difficult for me. I have travelled to Spanish speaking countries several times and can find my way around, ordering food, giving directions to a taxi driver and even checking into a hotel. But, beyond that I really struggle. So, here I am ready to take the leap into a complete immersion Spanish language plan whether I like it or not.

I am really excited about the end result of being able to converse, maybe even freely, in Spanish. It's all the hard work to get there that makes me tired and frustrated even thinking about it. I am hopeful I will have a tutor to help me, but Eric swears all I need to do is, "get out there and use Spanish." We'll see how it goes, but one thing is sure...I will need to learn how to talk or become an introvert and I don't see that happening anytime soon. Besides, the excitement of knowing my son will be learning both languages simultaneously is very motivating to me to learn as well.

I'm sure he will be teaching me a thing or two about Spanish soon enough!

#17

Baseball...not soccer.

Big Papi
Manny Ramirez
Carlos Pena
Sammy Sosa
Albert Pujols
Juan Marichal

So many of the BIG MLB players have been from the Dominican Republic. All little boys grow up with dreams of playing in the major league. Being able to swing a bat and throw a ball comes as naturally as breathing to Dominicans, says my husband. There is a national league there, so surely we'll be able to make a few games. The Red Sox even have a training camp there.

They may not eat apple pie in the DR, but they sure love their beloved national pastime, baseball like no other.

#18

Mangoes...anytime you want!

I don't need to say any more than this. Those that know me well know that mangoes are my favorite fruit. Once, after a volunteer mission trip to Trinidad I ate a mango a day for about 6 months. I even smuggled a few in my suitcase home from Mexico one year as a gift for Eric.I love how sweet and tangy they are. There isn't really any other fruit that they compare to. And, they taste best ripened on the tree. Whenever I buy them here in the states they are green and need to sit out for a few days to ripen. They are a great substitute for the real Caribbean thing, but really nothing compares.

Mango trees actually grow in people's yards. Maybe one will grow in the yard of someone I know and I can go and pick one anytime I want! Wouldn't that be fun!

Can't wait to eat me some mango!

#19

The scenic ride from Santiago to Santo Domingo.


Did you know that the island is big enough to have a mountain in the middle? Most people only think of the pristine beaches when they think of the Dominican Republic, but the absolute best kept secret is the mountains! They are gorgeous and riding through them on the way down to Santo Domingo is one of the best ways to experience their majesty. I once rode a bus from Santiago to Santo Domingo and riding along sitting above the road provided just the right view that made me fall in love with the mountains of the DR.



The lush green hills rise and fall around each other making sleepy valleys and beautiful peaks. The mountain area of the DR is actually very arid and the mountains look nothing like what you might expect on a caribbean island. They are not like a jungle or a rain forest, but actually a lot like the area I grew up in the Northern California foothills. On one trip Eric and I hiked up to a waterfall. We actually hiked up mountain roads with undisturbed hills rising around us. On our walk we saw cows and farms growing produce, eucalyptus groves AND groves of scrub pines. I am not kidding. There were scrub pines growing in the middle of this caribbean island. Who knew? Evey once in awhile we would come upon a few houses with kids running around outside, but other than that we had the trail to the top to ourselves.



I know a lot of you have been or plan to come to the beaches in th DR, but you are seriously missing out on the hidden jewel of the island if you miss the spectacular mountains.

20 days and counting...

We've been taking advantage of every weekend moment we have in Boston, as we have so few left. We spent some good friend time this weekend, sharing a Dominican meal at our favorite restaurant Merengue with the friends we live with and visiting some favorite couples we will miss dearly when we move.

It's so hard to believe we are getting on that airplane in 20 days...20 days! SO, to countdown the days and get the Dominican love flowing I am going to share 20 things I love about the Dominican Republic or are looking forward to.

#20

Dominican Hospitality...I have truly never met people more hospitable or friendly than the Dominican people. Spending time together with family and friends is one of the highest values of the Dominican culture. It is part of the culture to invite family and friends over to your house for a visit, and being the guest of honor is a privelege. Oftentimes, the invitation is extended for "Almuerzo" or the mid-day meal. The visit begins with refreshments and conversation in the living room, which is usually freshly squeezed juice from local fruit (pineapple is one of my favorites). Every person I have met there has been genuinely interested in getting to know me and are always eager to ask questions, using their English if possible. After refreshments the meal is served at the table in the dining room, which is always beautifully set with their best linens and serving pieces. The meal ALWAYS includes more food than you could ever eat at one sitting. Typical fare is some type of meat, usually grilled chicken or steak, Plantains (either green or ripe), rice and beans, avocado (my favorite), salad, and vegetables. Any meal that includes avocado picked ripe from the tree is alright by me! After the meal dessert and coffee are served. The dessert might be small Dominican fig candies or flan or Tres Leches, and the coffee is the strongest coffee I have ever tasted. Of course, after the meal and the dining conversation that ranges from family to politics, you want to lie down and take a nap. But, usually we just say a long good-bye promising to see them soon and shuffle off to refreshments at someone else's house for the afternoon, or back to work if you are not on vacation as we were.

It's exciting to think I will be hosting meals in my new home and sharing the warmth of my American hospitality with my new Dominican friends and family. I am already planning on sharing many of my favorite American recipes.

The warmth of the Domincan people is welcoming and genuine. Kisses on the cheek are always exchanged, and no one goes away feeling as if they were left out. I'm looking forward to some good ole' Dominican love.

It's hitting me, this move thing.

This picture is what it looks like all around us in New England right now. The pictures never really do justice to the real thing. The cool mornings, warm afternoons and stunning leaves changing colors daily make us all so happy to call New England home. There are colors up here that I have never seen on Autumn trees...red, orange, burnt orange, rust. My favorite trees, though, are those that look as if they are on fire they are so red, but underneath the red they are still green. The contrast is amazing.

So, for the next month I can call New England home, but the day is coming when I will have to say goodbye (at least for awhile). And, the reality of the move really hit me yesterday.

I have really taken all of our recent changes in stride. When people sympathize with our situation (having to move our of our apartment 2 1/2 months early, move in with friends, and make a HUGE move to another country) they ask how I am doing and I have honestly told people I am doing well. Other than feeling a little isolated because I am not able to easily access the city from where we are living, I am really settled here at the Josti's house. They are, of course, very close friends of ours and have so graciously given the first floor of their house over to us. And, this whole time I've been a little surprised that I haven't had any sort of breakdown about the move. I mean, I know I have moved across the country and lived in 4 different states since graduating from High School, but I still don't like change that much. And, besides we were really getting settled here in Boston.

So, I guess it all hit me yesterday. We are moving to the Dominican Republic. We will never live in our apartment, where we started our life together, again. We can't go back, and even though I have a lot of anxiety about the "what ifs" of our future life, we have only one choice, to go forward.

It's not that I'm not excited about our move. I am. It's an opportunity unlike any other to move to another country and live among family. I have an extended family ready to introduce me to life in their country. We are going to be welcomed with open arms. My son is going to experience life with one side of his family and learn two languages similtaneously. My husband is going to be able (God-willing) to do some meaningful work to help the infrastructure of his home country. And, I am going to have so many new adventures to write about on my blog.

But, there is all of the other stuff on the other side of my emotions. Saying goodbye to friends that are like family, leaving a daily pattern I can predict and know how to manage, taking on a new language, mosquitoes that carry illnesses, water that I need to keep out of my child's mouth while bathing (yeah, these are the kinds of things I worry about), and unpredictable salary...all things I can't control. And, the list can go on in my head if I let it.

This is just part of life. You have to change to grow. Change has always brought the most extraordinary spiritual and personal growth in my life. It's just so hard to jump off the "change" cliff into the next adventure sometimes.

Today I am feeling better about it all. Mostly, last night I turned a corner and realized the next month is going to be about letting go of what I have known as life in Boston over the past 8 years and getting ready to embrace the new life waiting for us at the end of our one-way airline tickets.

We have an apartment!!!!

We have and apartment waiting for us in Santo Domingo. It's still feels a little surreal that we are leaving in less than 6 weeks. It's getting chilly (well some nights are down right cold) here in New England, so that makes it even more surreal that we will soon be basking in island warmth.

The apartment is in the same small apartment complex Eric's sister, Zoila, and her family live in. It's actually the same floor plan, which makes it easy to picture where I want to put things in my head. And, it right above her apartment on the 4th floor, which is actually the top floor of the building. We'll have roof access to dry our clothes on lines.

It's has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, with a third room and small bathroom behind the kitchen that we'll be using for an office. It also has a nice balcony overlooking the street and the courtyard below.

Here is the outside of the complex. Our apartment is the top balcony in the middle. I can't wait to get in and make it home!

Inbetween

What a month!

We moved out of our apartment after a grueling month of selling, donating, storing and packing. Because this is an international move we had to take extra consideration with everything we decided to ship over to the Dominican Republic. Space and cost were on my mind as I went through drawer after drawer after closet. More than once it occured to me how comforting it is to hold on to stuff and how hard it can be to let go. It was a good lesson in how "stuff-oriented" our culture has become and how I can easily fall right into the category.

We had a big moving sale two weeks before the move. With a lot of help from friends and a long weekend, which included a threat of rain forcing us to move the sale inside, it was a success. From the money we made we were able to buy a used washer, fridge, and stove from Craigslist! A nice payoff for all the work it required to have a moving sale. I parted with a lot of stuff I was sad to see go, but it felt liberating once it was all done to have the weight of extras off my shoulders.

Moving day was insane! Fortunately, a good friend volunteered to take Eric for the day, which turned into the wee hours of the night. I was relieved we didn't have to keep up with him or that he didn't have to see his world dismantling around him. He had a lot more fun at Aunt Stacey's house. We cleaned and waited for the movers to show up, which they did at 6:00 that evening. Seems we were the last house they were moving that day. They expertly wrapped up our furniture in paper, cardboard and miles of tape and had the truck locked and loaded at 11:30 p.m.! We were exhausted and still had to load the cars and take the trash down. That last load almost killed us both!

So, here we are on the other side of the move staying with some great friends for 2 1/2 months until we leave for Santo Domingo on November 15th. Our things are being stored by our moving company in their warehouse until they ship out to the Dominican Republic in mid-October. We are inbetween lives right now. Finishing out this one and getting ready for the life change ahead. I keep telling myself it's time to relax and make a list of all the things we want to do in Boston before we leave. But, I find myself looking around for a project, because I've gotten so used to the packing and all of the work it takes to coordinate a move.

I have a shift in emotions about our move from day to day. One day I am so excited about the change of scenery and all of the adventures awaiting us in the DR. The next I am sad about leaving the comfort of this well-lived life we've had in Boston where I know how to get from Mission Hill to Waltham using shortcuts and backroads. And the very next moment finds me anxious about all of the comforts I have to give up to live in a 3rd world country. Namely, how hot we are going to be all the time, mosquitoes, power outtages, etc.

For now, I am enjoying the quiet sound of life in the burbs, the emmerging fall weather, and the company of good friends.

Domincan Bound!

Most of you know we are getting ready to move to the Dominican Republic. We are moving this Fall to the capital city, Santo Domingo. We're planning to live there for two years then come back to the U.S. Two years in another country...many thoughts and feelings are swirling around in my head and heart. It all seems surreal to me, as I don't really know what life will be like on the other side of this move. I like to know what to expect and I make lists and plans in my head surrounding my expectations. I'm coming up at a lose here, because I just don't know how to plan for this one! It's totally out of my comfort zone!

I've moved quite a few times since graduating high school and saying "bye-bye" to my home state of Northern California. I've lived in the South, I've lived in the Northeast and now I am headed for the Caribbean. The thrill I felt each time I moved and opened myself to a new experience is motivating me, but I'm so anxious about things that seemed so trivial before I had a child. Will we find a pediatrician who shares the same medical perspective we do? What if my child gets sick from the water or mosquitoes? Will I survive "Dominican" driving? How will I handle random loss of electicity and water? Will I REALLY be able to communicate in Spanish without having to think about EVERY word I say? Etc, etc...

It's a funny thing, because I have had several opportunities to travel to Latin American and Caribbean countries. Every time I have fallen in love with the culture and people. I have almost moved to a couple of these locations to work as a teacher or in some sort of Christian ministry/humanitarian capacity. The thought of immersing myself in another culture and people has always had a special place in my heart.

It's probably no surprise to others that I married a Latino and am moving to his home country. I'm not really that surprised by any of it either. We're just not going under the circumstances I expected. I'm not going to work in a school or an orphanage or on a mission of some kind. I'm going to support my husband as he takes what he learned in graduate school back to his country to make a difference. I'm going so my child will have a chance to experience part of his cultural background. I guess I'm surprised that I'm not going for my own reasons. I, selfishly, wonder about my identity there. It seems so noble, in a way, to go and support my husband, but I'm really nervous about finding my own fit.

I'll tell you more about our timeline next time I blog. For now, I'll leave you with a few pictures of where we are headed:

This is a good depiction of Santo Domingo. If you look closely you can see cars in gridlock in an intersection. Thoughts of driving...yikes!

Apartment buildings next to a park in Santo Domingo.

The center of the island is a mountain range. One of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen!Eric's grandparents live in a small mountain town where we will spend many weekends with family.