Going to the River

 "Suuuuussssie can we go the the river PLEASE," pleads my host sister

"Okay," I say

"I LOVE YOU," screams my host sister and she hugs and kisses me and the other neighborhood kids cheer.

     If you couldn't tell by that brief conversation, the river is the place to be once school is out for summer. But most parents don't let their kids go to the river without supervision, hence the kids always ask me to take them to the river. Getting to the river is an adventure in itself. The path to the river winds through cow pastures which mean in addition to dodging cow pies,  I also have to carefully cross several barbed wire fences. Sometimes there are gates, sometimes we have to get creative, and sometimes we get sliced.

That barbed wire will get you!

     Once at the river, the coolest thing to do is to tirar, literally throw yourself,  off a ledge. It's not that high, but the kids were really impressed when I tirared for the first time without hesitation. Their minds would be blown if they went to an American amusement park.

The River

Climbing up the ledge

     Before you leave the river it is expected that you whip out your soap and start scrubbing. Since there is no running water in my community and trip to the river kills two birds with one stone; you get to play and you save water. I am not super knowledgable about the environment but I still feel a little uneasy when I see people putting all those chemicals in the river. I also learned that people use the river to clean out cow intestines for the classic Dominican dish Mondongo. I laughed when my host sister told me she was grateful that I don't like Mondongo because she helped was the cow intestines once at the river and she has never been able to eat Mondongo again. Sister Solidarity.

Also going on:

     I am very grateful for my mosquito net:

I have several of these guys in my room.

      The Governor kept one of his promises; bags of food were given to every house in the community. Apparently the bags typically only arrive when politicians come to town, so basically right before elections. Also, the desks at the school are being repaired. Hopefully the Governor will keep up his promise about funding for the library. Keeping my fingers crossed.

 Showing off their rice and beans.