ch-ch-ch-changes

so im moved and there have been some major ups and downs.
i love living alone. i can eat what i want when i want. i can cook for myself. i can clean for myself. i can bathe whenever i want and i dont feel like im in anyone's way. major freedom.
problems- setting the ground rules with the neighborhood kids and gaining thier respect. so far i have had visitors every ten mins. literally the longest i went one day was 15 mins without a visitor. the kids are also trying to push my limits right now which is creating some strain. "tu eres mala, rebek. eres mala conmigo." i get that all the time for kicking the kids out- but hey, no fighting or yelling in my house. they will learn. im no pushover. and i have a lot of work to prepare right now as im presenting my diagnostic in a week.
so ive discovered im a horrible cook. my dog wont even eat my cooking. its bad. but hey wheres a better place to learn or a better time right? the other day after i was screaming at some kids who were angry at me for kicking them out of my house, and throwing rocks at my house, i was cooking lunch. frying up some green bananas, true dominican style. when Yesmir (my 5-yr-old niece) comes in with 3 of the kids and an alive pigeon in her hand. "rebek, look what we have for you to eat. just kill it clean it and fry it." how can you stay mad at kids who catch you a pigeon? i laughed, and no i did not eat it! im not that desperate yet.
besides the rocks being thrown at my house my other main problem is people coming to ask me for stuff. "dame algo." "rebek, tengo hambre. dame un galleta." (give me something. becky im hungry give me crackers") at first i was just highly irritated. its been happening a dozen times a day from everyone kids, adults, teens. do they not know why im here yet? i cant give things. i dont have things to give. then i sat with one girl and we had a talk. she really doesnt have enough to eat and sometimes when they dont have money will go days without eating. shes a sponsered child but the institution only gives clothing and books for school (atleast at school she can get bread and milk). im gonna have to talk to someone and figure something out about this one. why are there no jobs in this country? tough questions... what can ya do?
its cute that the donas are worried about me living alone. they fear that i cannot do things- cook, clean. they send thier teenager daughters to my house to do it for me. so i tell them to stop and then give them cosmo in spanish to read instead.

my parents are coming in a week! Happy 6 month in country anniversary!

domesticating me

Updates-
after much work and negotiation (long story) i finally have a house. i will move in next week. i also have a dog. she's nothing i wanted- not the right looks, sex, coloring- but hey the first dog was killed by a pig and so i wasn't too picky. plus shes amazing (a little turd but amazing).

problems- solutions section

house has no electricity or water- but they are coming(?)

the house is suffocatingly dusty- when i get water it will be cleaned everyday

my room is freaking hot- solution (?)

more brightside to life-

i have my very own latrine!

i get to cook and clean for myself (yes this is a good thing)

Pictures have been updated- of house, dog, batey, and map mural that ive been working on with my youth

"me" time

the sunlight hits my pillow and despite the fact that i live in the hotest part of the country, i'm a little chilly. look at the clock (7:15). stomach rumbles- its gonna be another one of those days. peel back my mosquito net and pull on my k-state hoodie as i roll out of bed. A trip to the latrine and i put on some coffee. noone else is awake.
i love this time. i know for the next hour i will be alone. i will sit on my porch (off of the main street) with my coffee and my ipod and watch the batey wake up.
the sunlight is soft and i watch the pigs and goats search for food. next comes a sugarcane worker on horseback with his machete. later the donas wake up and brave the cold to do the mornining chores: empty the chamberpots and sweep the dirt around their houses. the kids then start waking up and heading to the sugarcane for the same reason i made my early latrine trip. they stop by for a little chat and to tell me that i drink too much coffee- as a full mug is way too much here. soon the bar next door will be blaring the latest bachata for everyone in the batey to here, the sun will be strong and bleach everything in its path except my skin which it will turn bright red, the batey will be so hot, my colmodo in my house will have customers, the street will be crowded, and i will (after a cold bucket bath) have visitors but for now i am alone with my music in english and coffee.