Thursday the 21st- my 'american christmas'
I took a trip to barahona (also dubbed by me as 'the city') where a friend was waiting with the package that made it to me for christmas. adn It couldnt have been a better package.
the scene- me and 2 other volunteer friends (christina and enrique) are in the chinese restaurant/ fried chicken restaurant eating fried chicken, tostones, and presidente when i open the package from my aunt mary, uncle dave, and cousins. inside is a stocking stuffed with a dozen small wrapped packages. so together we opened round of present after round of presents. your semi traditional american christmas- good food, presents, good drink, and members of my peace corps family. thanks leiker fam!
Dec 24- Noche buena
This is when dominicans celebrate. this day was hyped up for me so much. After looking forward to it all week i wake up that magical 24th morning and wait for the big meal that had been promised. i play with lucy, my 2 yr old niece. noon rolls around- i am served cheetoes and orange juice- its going to be a little longer says my mom. no problem, yet the only evidence i have of this big meal at this time are the two live chickens tied together on my kitchen floor. we have luz i watch soap operas and play with lucymore. 5 oclock. 6 0clock. 7 oclock. 8 oclock. dinner is served. i guess i hadnt realized that the feast was acutally dinner.
spagetti, fried yuca, bread, chicken, ensalada rusa, and of course rice. delicious. simpsons playing in the background as we all sat at the table and ate like a family (this never happens!). it did feel like christmas for a while. then we attended a 4 hour long evangelical church service while everyone else in the town went out dancing and drinking. aye mi madre!
Dec 25- my christmas
I wake up at 7 am and put out little packages i had made. inside paper decorated with crayons in christmas like designs (made by me!) were oreos, chocolates, and other little candies. along with a letter from santa claus. go back to sleep. wake up later.
Josefina (my sister)- "Rebéc! Santa puso! santa puso!" (santa left, santa left)
me- really?
J- yes- did santa leave for you?
me- no hes bored with me after 21 years.
one hour later
J (with a plate of leftover spagetti bread and pop)- Rebéc santa puso para ti tambien! (santa left for you also)
i couldnt help but laugh. it was really sweet and funny. Santa found me in the d.r.
so besides that i spent my christmas dancing with lucy to michael jackson (they love him here) in my room. we took a walk through the sugar cane to the river. and then watched more telenovelas (soap operas).
apparently what is super special about christmas here is that there is luz almost 24hrs a day for the two days straight.
well off to the beach for new years to celebrate the good old american way (no more evangelical church for me for a while).
2 comments:
aw it sounds like you had a good time except the four hours of church... anyway christmas here was fun, of course you would know we spent almost an hour of it talking to you, and im glad that we did cuz i love you and miss you a bunch. hope you have a good new years. ill probly call you soon, love daniel
I'm glad you had a good christmas and a good vacation. I sent you a card. I hope you got it.
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