Hola friends and family! Estoy en Jarabacoa!
I have been in the DR for one full week now. We don’t have internet at our house yet, so I haven’t had much time to update you all. This first week has been full of unpacking, meeting new friends, visiting old friends and family (from my semester here), getting adjusted back into Dominican culture, and having lots of fun and adventures. It’s so surreal to actually be here. All those months of planning, packing, and praying for direction have actually brought me here! It has been three years since I was in Jarabacoa for semester abroad, and I feel so blessed to be back. I have definitely missed the mountains, the people, the fresh fruits and veggies, the tranquilo (calm) pace of life, and pretty much everything else about this place!
It is definitely different being here own my own this time, rather than part of a semester group. I am own my own… sort of. It’s definitely going to be a learning experience cooking meals, grocery shopping, cleaning house, and having a job, rather living with host families or in a college dorm. I suppose it would be similar if i was in the U.S., but throw in culture difference and a language barrier, and it will be even more of an adventure. Gracias a Dios (as a Dominican would say) I have Johanna (a friend from college and now a fellow teacher and roomate) to keep me company and to keep me sane. Our other housemate Melisa (who we also went to school with) will be here Sunday. We live about a block from the school, in a yellow and orange house. We live upstairs, and three other JCS teachers live below us.
I love our house because…
- We have screens! (which means less bugs and lizards visiting)
- We have a big kitchen!
- I have two windows and a gorgeous view of the mountains in my room.
- We have our very own avocado tree!!!!!
There are a lot more reasons, but I thought I would just share those for now. However, because we live upstairs, our apartment is also very hot! We plan on buying fans, as soon as we can find some that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Also, we have a lot of little ant friends that like to invade our kitchen for even the tiniest crumb. We are learning as we go. Johanna and I have made a “No Tolerance for Ants” rule sheet to avoid future invasions, though everyone tells us that the ants never really go away… ugh.
Monday a bunch of the teachers went to the El Salto Jimenoa, a nearby waterfall. We hiked from the lower salto to the upper salto. It was quite the steep hike, but definitely worth it once we got to the top. As is typical for accident-prone me, I completed the hike with some pretty sweet battle wounds: a multitude of bug bites, some scrapes, and a small scratch from some barbed wire I stumbled upon (don’t worry, i’m all up-to-date on my tetanus shot). Despite the small injuries, it was a very fun day. We celebrated our hiking accomplishment by eating at a delicious Colombian restaurant in town. Needless to say, I slept very well that night, though I am still sore.
Today we started our new teacher training, which we have all week. Then next week, we have training for all the teachers, and then the following week school starts. If you think about it, be praying for me, especially these next few weeks, because out of this whole experience, I am probably most nervous about teaching. Thankfully, all the other teachers here have been so helpful and encouraging, offering me resources and advice. I am excited, but I definitely feel unprepared (especially when it comes to classroom management and planning). I know this is where God wants me now, so I know he will give me the tools I need to effectively teach these kids.
I appreciate all of your prayers, support, and encouragement. I miss you all, and definitely want to be kept updated on your lives. And don’t worry, pictures will be coming soon!
In him,
Mandy
p.s. if you would like to send me letters or packages, I have a special shipping service with a Florida address (so US postage and shipping rates will apply).
send any mail to:
Amanda Armstrong
Unit #3039 ECDR
3170 Airmans Dr.
Fort Pierce, FL 34946
(Flat mail is free for me to receive. If you send any packages over 1 lb, I will have to pay an additional shipping fee of 1.50/lb to receive it.)
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