"Yo no soy una Gringa! Soy pura dominicana!"

Today was amazing! Seriously, is was probably one of the best days I've had here so far. At 5am this mourning, Nicole and I went up to Sosua with Pedro's sister to spend the day up there. It was soo much fun. First we went to the beach. It was just this little beach and we were to only one's there! It was beautiful. Later this Haiti guy came and we spoke a little bit in Kreyol (where I pretty much embarressed myself) but it was fun.

Later we decided to go find this other beach so we had to walk through town. This was a big tourist town so there were a lot of white people there and things were pretty expensive. Anway, we were walking to the beach and we had to go through the little market area where all the venders were. And of course every shop we pass, we were hasseled. And it was funny too because they kept thinking that Nicole was American and she would just go off on them in Spanish saying that there prices here ridiculous. We did end up looking for a while and ending up getting some stuff for pretty good prices. Also, there were a lot of Haitians working as vendors here so we spoke a little bit in creole and then we actually ending up just staying and chatting with then for a little while. They also invited up to go dancing with them, but we had to go.

The bus ride home was freezing because they always crank the air conditioning up really high and we were still really wet from before. So here I am now, in La Vega again. This is my last night here because tomorrow I go to the capital and then Haiti on Friday. I'm excited to see my friends in the Capital but I'm going to miss Nicole and Pedro.

Here are just some random pictures from La Vega:

Well, it's getting late and I need to pack up my stuff so...good night!

Lauren McConkey
La Vega (for the last time)

La Vega in the Mourning

This is a video of the view from Pedro and Nicole's house. Que hermoso, no?
From Nicole and Pedro's House

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Is anything really "breath-taking"?

YES! I discovered this as I was taking a moto-concho back to Piedra Blanca from Jarabacoa in the rain. It's a winding road that goes up and down through a wooded area and then breaks out into a valley and all you see is green valleys and hills with fog-covered mountains in the background and the occasional Dominican-style home. The closest way I could describe it to someone whose never seen it is that it looks like a scene straight out of Lord of the Rings. The rains made it absolutely beautiful and it was breath-taking, however, that may have been partially due to the higher altitude...all the same, this was just one of those things that I couldn't possibly capture on film but could only be experienced and remembered.

So, I spent the weekend in Jarabacoa. The first night I stayed at the YWAM base where I did my DTS. It was so strange to be back there, seeing at how lived there for 5 months and that place completely changed my life, not to mention it's been a year since I've been there. It was cool to see the staff again, but the person I was most looking forward to seeing was my small group leader, Kristen. It was soo good to see her again.

The next day Kristen and I and this awesome girl I met from Jamaica (who was attending the Community development school with Kristen) took moto-conchos up the hill to visit another YWAM family. This family was great. The whole family is bilingual and there are 5 kids under the age of 9. They were so much fun. Also, later in the evening we went to this place outside a cockfighting arena where there were pool tables and played some pool. It was a good time. There I met this awesome guy from Nicaragua and another guy from Jamaica. It was really fun.

On Sunday we went to church in the mourning and then the family that we stayed with took us out to eat. It was a good ol' (big) Dominican meal. (I'm still full)

Right now I am back at Pedro and Nicole's. We had a pretty fun night. We went out for Chimmi's (aks the best hamburger-type things you will EVER have) and pica pollo (fried chicken) and we laughed SO hard the whole night. It was great.

Nicole and I are leaving tomorrow at 5:00am for Sosua with Pedro's sister who lives up there. We are going to spend a day at the beach and then on Tuesday I leave for the capital. Sosua is supposed to have some of the best beaches in the Dominican so it should be a pretty fun day. I'm hoping that I can catch some sun to go with the black hair that I now have and so that I can look a little less "white-American" for my bus ride to Port-au-Prince. However, I have a ways to go.

Well, I leave in a couple hours for Sosua so I better start getting ready. I didn't get any pictures of this weekend but I hope to take some tomorrow.

God Bless and peace out!

Lauren McConkey
La Vega, Dominican Republic

P.S. I guess I do have a picture. This is what the weather's been like lately...

Do I look Dominican yet??

Well, it is going on my 4th day here. We've done some cool stuff but it's mostly just been relaxing. Tomorrow I'm going to Jarabacoa (where I did my DTS) to visit some friends. That should be fun. We also are going to get some of the best chicken in the world! I CAN'T WAIT.

Did I mention that I like it here? OH! and I also dyed my hair black again. I don't really look so much Dominican but most like someone from Spain or something. However, a couple people did think I was a Dominican when we went into town the other day.

Yeah, so... that's pretty much it. I don't really have anything interesting to say yet. Hopefully I will have some more exciting stories to share soon!

ESTOY AQUI...por fin...

I made it! It feels soo good to be back. Unfortunately I deleted the other entry that I started writing in the airport about not remembering why I wanted to come here soo bad or just being unsure in general. But that is definally not how I feel now. It's almost been a year since I stepped foot on Dominican soil but as soon as I did, I remember. This is a place where I'm made some of the best friends I will every have and where I had soo many wonderful experiences that are just too many to number. This place completely changed my life. I find myself just happy. Even just standing still, I am happy, happy just because I am breathing Dominican air. Just being here makes me happy. Now I remember why I've been saving and planning and saving all this time.

Right now I am staying with some good friends of mine, Nicole and Pedro. They are already spoiling me as they greeted me at the airport with a bag of plantitos (only my favorite Dominican chips) but not just regular plantitos, plantitios CON QUESO!! :) Life is good. Nicole also had a plate of brownies waiting for me when we arrived at there home. Seriouly, what more could you ask for??

I don't think I could ever really fully describe how much I love this island. I feel at home here. Sometimes I feel more at home here then back in the states.

Well, I wouldn't make this too long because I don'r really have any interesting experiences to share, as of yet. So I will leave you all with the hopes that you are as content as I am, at least for this moment. God bless and leave a comment! ;)

P.S. I should have pictures tomorrow!

Lauren McConkey
La Vega, Dominican Republic

My favorite people!

This is a videos from when I was in Haiti this past September. Aren't they the CUTEST?

The Orphanage

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I got the picture. priceless.

It's been tooo long

That's right, too long. I was just recently reminded that it has been 6 MONTHS since I left Haiti. Wow. So, basically there is only one thing I can do know, go back :) Unfortunately I will only be there a month this time. Well, I will actually only be in Haiti for about 3 weeks because I will spend the first week in the Republica Dominicana visiting friends. Then from there I take a bus over to Haiti. It should be quite the adventure. I mean , tackling the Haitian airport alone was one thing but this should be a whole new experience. I can't wait! I will bus from the Capital of the DR, Santa Domingo, to the capital of Haiti, Port-Au-Prince, which is great because I've always wanted to see more of Port-Au-Prince. Well, I'll make this short, because no body really cares about this stuff. Hopefully I will have some great Haitian/Dominican public transportation stories to tell soon. Until then, peace out...and leave a comment! ;)

Oh my gosh, look at those beautiful pictures! Don't you hate me right now? Ha Ha