Today has been a long day. I realize first hand (Not that I didn’t know this before) how hard learning another language can be. It can be fun, and obviously rewarding but immensely frustrating in the process.
After lunch and some more Spanish lessons we went on a walking tour. We got to see some really neat things but it really wore me out. We first walked to the Folklore Museum. This brightly colored old house(?) was full of memorabilia throughout the years but primarily native Indian masks that covered the walls. Some were clearly more current and others had hung there for years. There were also artifacts from the ancient Indians that lived on the island before the Spanish colonization. Behind the house there was a large wall with a beautiful mural painted on it. In the back yard chickens ran around a huge tree truck made a striking impression.
Next we visited an old jail used in the early 1900s when the United States occupied the Dominican Republic and jailed many Dominicans. The jail had an eerie feel to it. There was a lot of graffiti and some trash lying around. I was very surprised to enter a larger room and find three men working on art inside the jail. I do not think that they lived there but clearly this was their studio. They had a kiln and made various type of clay art – mostly tiles. They also did paintings that were displayed on the wall. Jasson, our guide, helped us find out prices. The paintings were too large and expensive for us to buy but several of us bought pottery tiles. The larger tiles were 200 pesos which is about $5 USD and the smaller one that I bought, with an owl on it, was only 50 pesos, under $2USD.
The last place we visited was a large monument which is a focal point for Santiago. It is the highest point in the city and provides a great look out.
The last thing we did before returning to our host families was “guest star” in an English class where Dominicans were learning English. These classes take place in the same building as our Spanish classes. The class Melissa and I sat in on could ask some simple questions in English and understand some of what we said. It was defiantly being on the hot-seat. The ice was finally broken when the students convinced the teacher to put on some merengue music and Melissa and I were asked to dance… and so we did. They tried to tell me I had obviously danced merengue before but I told them “no”… probably just carry-over from the little bit of swing dancing that I remember.
Back at the host home Melissa and I took a mid-evening nap before dinner. We hated to be rude but we were both exhausted, and also it is still strangely awkward trying to communicate with someone when you don’t speak the same language. There’s not really any option of small talk. We cover the basics, “you like?” “si” “muybien” “no mas, gracias” etc… but beyond that it seems impossible.
I do admit to being homesick. While napping I dreamed I was at CB. Nothing special going on or specific events or people… just a comfortable place I miss along with my friends and my doggies. I know that things will continue to get better and especially after the host-family situation is over and the whole group is living together in one place I think that will greatly improve camaraderie as well as eliminate some of the awkward cultural/language barriers.
Despite any negativity you may detect I am very happy to be here. I know I am lucky to live the life I live as well as get to travel and see things outside of my culture. When I wrote my grant I titled it “The Cultural Experience of a Lifetime” for a reason… and now I’m starting to live it.
After lunch and some more Spanish lessons we went on a walking tour. We got to see some really neat things but it really wore me out. We first walked to the Folklore Museum. This brightly colored old house(?) was full of memorabilia throughout the years but primarily native Indian masks that covered the walls. Some were clearly more current and others had hung there for years. There were also artifacts from the ancient Indians that lived on the island before the Spanish colonization. Behind the house there was a large wall with a beautiful mural painted on it. In the back yard chickens ran around a huge tree truck made a striking impression.
Next we visited an old jail used in the early 1900s when the United States occupied the Dominican Republic and jailed many Dominicans. The jail had an eerie feel to it. There was a lot of graffiti and some trash lying around. I was very surprised to enter a larger room and find three men working on art inside the jail. I do not think that they lived there but clearly this was their studio. They had a kiln and made various type of clay art – mostly tiles. They also did paintings that were displayed on the wall. Jasson, our guide, helped us find out prices. The paintings were too large and expensive for us to buy but several of us bought pottery tiles. The larger tiles were 200 pesos which is about $5 USD and the smaller one that I bought, with an owl on it, was only 50 pesos, under $2USD.
The last place we visited was a large monument which is a focal point for Santiago. It is the highest point in the city and provides a great look out.
The last thing we did before returning to our host families was “guest star” in an English class where Dominicans were learning English. These classes take place in the same building as our Spanish classes. The class Melissa and I sat in on could ask some simple questions in English and understand some of what we said. It was defiantly being on the hot-seat. The ice was finally broken when the students convinced the teacher to put on some merengue music and Melissa and I were asked to dance… and so we did. They tried to tell me I had obviously danced merengue before but I told them “no”… probably just carry-over from the little bit of swing dancing that I remember.
Back at the host home Melissa and I took a mid-evening nap before dinner. We hated to be rude but we were both exhausted, and also it is still strangely awkward trying to communicate with someone when you don’t speak the same language. There’s not really any option of small talk. We cover the basics, “you like?” “si” “muybien” “no mas, gracias” etc… but beyond that it seems impossible.
I do admit to being homesick. While napping I dreamed I was at CB. Nothing special going on or specific events or people… just a comfortable place I miss along with my friends and my doggies. I know that things will continue to get better and especially after the host-family situation is over and the whole group is living together in one place I think that will greatly improve camaraderie as well as eliminate some of the awkward cultural/language barriers.
Despite any negativity you may detect I am very happy to be here. I know I am lucky to live the life I live as well as get to travel and see things outside of my culture. When I wrote my grant I titled it “The Cultural Experience of a Lifetime” for a reason… and now I’m starting to live it.
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