Hawkeye Visit Days

Today, I had the opportunity to revisit some of my old hobbies. I was invited to be on a panel for the University of Iowa’s Hawkeye Visit Day. It has been a long time since I’ve been on a panel, and quite honestly I kind of miss it. Now, before you turn judgmental and assume I’m a stage junkie, hear me out.

One of the things I have learned about myself is that I truly enjoy being a resource for others. I believe it is due to my upbringing, and all of the past experiences I have had of someone reaching out to help me. Being on the panel today gave me the opportunity to really share lessons that I’ve learned (some of which took all four years to finally sink in). It wasn’t until after the panel when I was sneaking out of the ballroom to head to one of my favorite classes (Introduction to Environmental Science), that I obtained a sense of accomplishment. A woman and her daughter ran to catch up to me to ask if I had a moment to talk. The first thing she asked about was my major. Then she shared with me that she too had visited Japan. Soon her daughter and I got carried away about the endless possibilities of customizing one’s experience at Iowa to really get the best out of your experience. It wasn’t too long until her niece came out to join the conversation, and I realized that her and I had even more things in common.

It felt good to get them excited for going to college, sitting in the front row of your life, and having access to a variety of resources at your finger tips. I remember feeling like that my freshman year, and I don’t regret it one bit. Today I was able to connect with someone, and truly share my experience here at Iowa, and watch how it inspired someone else. That is why I love talking with incoming students. That is why I can’t shut up about my time as an undergraduate here. That is why I’ve worked so hard to take advantage of all that the university and it’s community has to offer, so that one day (hopefully most days), I can set an example for someone who can see a little bit of themselves in me. To motivate them to be who they want to be and more, and to challenge themselves to think above and beyond what is considered standard. I think I did that today.

Annnnd because I know my friends who are reading this are going to call bolagna on something I said before, so here it is!  I really am a stage junkie. I perform every opportunity I get. I just didn’t think admitting that in the beginning was going to aid in the position I was trying to take in such a genuine topic (but now you know it all). 😀

#GoHawks

Old School With New School Vibe

I’m back to good ol’ Iowa.

I need to adjust to the cold again. Being in the Dominican Republic definitely spoiled me with sunlight and warmth.

I have so many stories to tell you guys, and lucky for all of you, all I need to do is proofread them and I will post them to my blog.

I need to do some reflection to figure out if what I’m feeling right now is what they call reverse culture shock.

Not only do I have to readjust to the American way of doing things, but I have to reconnect with friends & mentors. I have to balance my social life with my studies in a whole new way. I feel like I have been gone for years.  I have missed out on the progress that some of my closest friends have made during the semester I was gone. The reality is when you are studying abroad, you may not have regular access to an effective means of communication at an opportune  time. When you do finally have the time and the ability to connect, there’s the expectation and desire to get a hold of  your loved ones… such as your mother.

Not to mention, I declared the year 2014 as the year of gratitude and relationships.

2014- The Year of Relationships. 

This means that I am going to be intentional about being the best friend I can be to my amigos. I am going to try to rebuild burned bridges between family members. I also would like to create a community among all of my friends, that is geared towards success and support.

This year is the first time I am truly being goal oriented. I’ve always wanted to succeed, but this time I am actively planning how I can get there in all areas of my life. I am focusing on my health, sleep, learning, experience, and future. I’m really looking forward to what I can really do when I set explicit goals and go.

Alone and Defenseless

Poor thing was crawling with fleas and was too young to open his eyes
Poor thing was crawling with fleas and was too young to open his eyes

Had my heart broken today…for this little guy. I was on my way to work when I heard a series of little cries coming from a bush on the other side of a tall fence. He was so well camouflaged I almost missed him. I called out to him and after every call he would whine, as if he was communicating or was uncomfortable with the silence. His blue eyes were barely open, and his legs struggled to carry his own weight. After thirty minutes of trying to get him to come to me, I knew I had to get to my internship. At exactly 1 p.m. I rush to the gate with my friend Lucresia Sanchez. He was still there but he was not moving or responding. For a second I thought he was dead. On the other side of the gate there was an 11 year old boy (guessing his age) trying to train/ride this huge horse. He so kindly came over to help us get to this puppy that we thought it might be old enough to be fed the meat from our packed lunch (we were so wrong) When he pulled the little guy out from under the bush and from the crack of two stones… my heart melted and I wanted to take him home. His chances of survival are beyond slim even if his mother didn’t neglect him and was out looking for food. He was covered in fleas, and enjoyed the comfort of my hands. I eventually returned him to his bush, tucked away my tears, and prayed for his mother’s return.

And to answer the questions, “why didn’t you take him to an animal rescue shelter?” I was in a smaller town up in the mountains in the Dominican Republic where stray dogs can be seen five to a block. I give them my left overs when I have some and I’m careful not to step on any as they snooze in the middle of the day scattered along the sidewalks. There aren’t any dog shelters as we know them, but they do have a few pet stores where the conditions are definitely way worse than a bush. Disgustingly I’ve almost become immune to the dogs that run around here with their ribs showing and their scraggly matted unkempt fur. But this was the first time I saw a little puppy.

10 Things I Miss About Home

So the unbelievable truth is that I have been in the R.D. for quite some time, 1 month and 3 weeks to be exact, and I can  openly say there are some things that I miss back home. I’m an Iowa girl; I like to drive along the highway with my radio up and my windows down looking at all the corn and enjoying the wind in my hair… that doesn’t translate well into the fume chocked Dominican traffic. In addition to fresh air, below is a list of just a few things I miss about home.

1.Family, Friends, and the Boyfriend
This one goes without saying. I have some very beautifully spirited people in my life, and the majority of them are not currently in the same country as myself.

“How can u not miss a face like that?”

image

By the way, my little princess turned 5 yesterday… Auntie Kyra Misses You!!!! I’m sorry I missed your big day, but I’ll be home soon to shower you with love and gifts!

2. Fresh Air
“Meanwhile in the DR…” after 3, one and a half hour trips a week, to and from my university, smooshed into an unairconditioned Guaguita* with 29 other people (that is 17 more people than the vehicle was manufactured to seat), in 90+ degree weather only to take a big breath of traffic fumes…

3. Hidden Treasures
Saving a late-night snack? Want a sip of the juice next to your bed? Haha, nope because they’re drinking it and crawlin’ over every inch of your glass; leaving their wittle footprints on the soft chocolate of your candy bar that you were saving for later. Got Snacks?  The little ants WILL FIND THEM. #TryToSayThisInOneRantingBreath #StillMadAboutIt

4. Smelling Like Roses
Wanna know what really doesn’t go well together? Your Sweat, Someone else’s Sweat, Bug Spray, and Your Victoria Secret Perfume. I remember once upon a time when I didn’t have to wear deodorant every day, and when I wore a fragrance-splash and one hour later the pleasing scent was still there. #IStink #SoDoYou

5. TP
You are running to the bathroom with your thighs squeezed and your heart racing because after you had way too much Chinola juice you sat in a class for an hour and a half; where students are not permitted reentry after leaving to use the restroom. You get to the bathroom and relieve yourself. “Thank God!” whispers your bladder just after cursing your professor’s rules only to look to the north, east, south, and west and see no toilet paper. #NoToiletPaper #TooOften

6. Wi-Fi
Self-explanatory

7. Walking Wherever I Want After 7pm Without A Man Accompanying Me.
I’m not in Iowa anymore.
#TheresNoPlaceLikeHome

image

8. Fresh Chocolate Chip Baked Cookies
Since I’ve been here I’ve been craving them, and they are nowhere to be found! Además, in Spanish class back in the states I was always told that galletas meant cookies. However, the word galletas in the Dominican Republic has so many more meanings than just the sweet baked round bits of heaven that I love and miss so much.

Guá galleta – I’m going to smack you.

Galleta de soda– crackers

Galleta– cookie or any other little snack including garlic flavored puff balls

Galletas-crumbs

Galletas-any Little small bread-like snack

#GotHappyForNoReason
#FalseAdvertisement
#WhereMyCookiesAt?

9. Walking to school without hearing 10+ Comments On My Appearance.
Every morning there are a  few “regulars” and some randoms who feel the need to address me every morning. Most of the time I hear things like,

“Buenas Dias Bella” Good Morning Beautiful

“Buenas Preciosa” –Precious

“Hola Mi Amor.” –My Love

“Hola Mami”   -_-

I guess the part that I like about it is the fact that I have almost never walked pass someone during the day that doesn’t acknowledge my presence.  However, sometimes in my head I’m thinking… if you call me “mami”one more ‘gain…

image

10. Free Transportation
I have to pay to go to school everyday. I don’t have that many complaints about this because it is super cheap. Just realizing how nice it was to not worry about if you had the correct change in order to go to class back at Iowa. #Don’tAppreciateItUntilItsGone
Cambus, never thought I’d say this… te extraño. 

 

Some other things that didn’t quite make the top ten.

  • Water from the tap.
  • A time when your professors didn’t announce your grade aloud in front of all your classmates
  • Textbooks. (In the DR I have to look up everything online.

A Friendly Neighbor- Roberto Y Daisy

We had just arrived to the park where we were supposed to wait for my friends to come and pick us up so that we could head over to the river in Bonao, when I heard someone shouting out to us. There was a man and what I assumed was his wife sitting outside their house inviting us to come over and sit with them. We were all a little bit hesitant, however, I thought to myself, “aww this sweet ol’ man!” But what I was really thinking to myself was if he tried anything, I could definitely take him! As we walked over the man’s face lit up with a gigantic smile as he began to unstack lawn chairs to make space for the three of us. It was only moments after he explained that 1) he just wanted to talk with us foreigners and that 2) it was about to rain, that it began to pour. So I was actually more grateful for his invitation than I thought I’d be, because we would have been soaked. His name was Roberto and he was extremely excited about just conversing with us. We loved it! He is a history teacher, and he shared with us the history of Villa Altagracia and what a normal day at work is like for him.

The two things I found the most interesting…

  1. His favorite historical figure is Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortés, responsible for the fall of the Aztec empire and Spanish control of Mexico. Roberto shared with us that he was grateful for Cortés because he liberated his people.
  2. He taught history to children younger than first grade students.

What’s the purpose or the significance of teaching a five or six year old history? Do they find that they retain this information and have it readily accessible to apply it in their lives as children? I’m not judging, I am just curious that with the short attention span of a child that age why would you use the limited time to teach them history? This conversation sparked my interest in the Dominican education system. Again, I’m not saying this is not a brilliant idea, I am in search for the reasoning behind it. I don’t remember having an actual class called history at this age, I do remember hearing jacked up and falsified stories about the ‘Indians and the white people’ sharing food at a big happy Thanksgiving dinner though… There is a lot of history out there, so I guess it makes sense to start as early as possible. Actually last weekend when I was coming home from the discoteca con mis amigos, I asked my friend what part of Santo Domingo was his favorite. His response was Zona Colonial. When I asked why, he said because he loves history. 🙂 He then continued to share with me that his country is in need of new textbooks because a lot of the history textbooks still used were written long ago when they had dictatorship and defend the good nature of the conquistadores and withhold a lot of  factual information.

As for Hernan Cortés ‘liberating’ his people, I can’t really explain how that makes me feel right now. Granted the Aztecs were known for their human sacrifices and possible cannibalism but I’m not one-hundred percent sure that Spaniard Hernan Cortés did anything less horrible. To think that he conquered an entire empire at such a young age is kind of cool in an I’m a pre-teenaged boy and I like action figures and comic books type-of-way. However, to my understanding he conquered Mexico out of greed, desire for wealth, and his strange addiction to war. And to associate Cortés, a conquistador, with the word Liberation… -_- He enslaved people, lots of people and stole the country’s wealth for his own, and while governor of the “New Spain” in Mexico city he inflicted cruel treatment on the indigenous. But HEY! Just my opinion on the matter… and I’m sure some people will disagree with me on whether or not he is worth being put in a position of adoration.

I did learn from Roberto that I should stop being so shy about speaking Spanish, he let me know the only way to get better is to just open your mouth and go for it! After my friends still hadn’t arrived, they turned up some music and Roberto asked me if I knew how to dance to the song that was playing. I said yes, and in seconds I was up salsa dancing with my new friend. His wife and daughter cheered and kept saying how I danced like a Dominican. What a HUGE compliment! Soon enough everybody was up dancing and Roberto and his wife became our dance instructors. Bailamos salsa y merengue. It wasn’t too long until an upbeat dembow song came on, and Roberto asked if we knew Amara. -Amara? -siii, amara la negra! -… And before we could decipher what he was talking about he got up to show us… two seconds later he was popping his butt! Hahaha 😀 So we got up to learn that too!

Amara…learning to booty dance

More on the Dominican Education Movement.

Teachers in Solidarity

Dominican Today – Education protests besiege the Dominican Government

Music Video Amara La Negra Youtube- Amara La Negra featuring Jowell y Randy  Warning: This video is a little risque.  It is a very popular song here, and as a black woman, I can definitely appreciate the fact that the lead woman in this video is dark skinned and has an afro. I’ve noticed some slight preference for women who look like the complete opposite (straight hair and light skin) in this country. So for this song to be so popular, it makes my heart smile. What I said above is just a very early observation and my opinion and take away on the matter will develop with time and I’ll be sure to share that with you when the time comes. We are all college students here, (some of you- may be on just on your way), but my hope is you see and understand my love for the song and for the fun it brings to the people who are dancing to it.

Dominican Salon

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of my hair afterwards. Haha Next Time For Sure!

I made some notes on salon spanish vocabulary, so I could know what to ask for, what to say no to, and etc.

The woman washed, and massaged, and washed my hair many times. She was like, ” Oye! Muy Sucio!” Which basically meant that my hair was gross and dirty. Haha, I bet!  Then she deep conditioned my hair, which was a gift from the heavens! You think because of the humidity here your hair would be moisturized all the time, but its the exact opposite. My hair is SOOOO DRY… my friends’ hair are dry too. After my trip to the salon, my hair had life again. Lastly, she blow dryed my hair with the hottest blow-dryer I have every felt. Ouch! I did ask her to use heat protectant. The whole thing costs me the equivalent of about 5 U.S. dollars. Wepa!

I am definitely going back, and when I do I’ll be sure to get photos after the fact. 🙂

Hace Calor- It’s Hot

Well, I made it! I am officially in the Dominican Republic’s capital.

HELLO SANTO DOMINGO!

Despite all of my crazy summer madness (my first two traffic violations that were NOT my fault, my crazy financial aid problems, 9 semester hours of summer classes, 50+ hours a week of  work, 12 car breakdowns, a lack of dependable housing, and a new relationship) I have made it to the Dominican Republic!!

I knew I was here when I got off the plane and everybody was clapping. Haha, that happened last time I was here. I wonder if it is a custom of this airport.

My host mom, Dona, is pretty cool.

image

I have my own room and my own bathroom! My mom seems to be really concerned that there is no air conditioning. Calm down mom! It is a proven fact that human beings do survive without such things!  It is a struggle to adjust to the climate change. Especially, if you attempt to dress how people do here. Women almost never wear shorts, especially to class. Being so close to the equator and wearing jeans everyday seemed like suicide at first. However, I knew what to expect and it is all a part of immersing yourself in a new culture. It helps that my host mom keeps me hydrated and makes fresh smoothies and juices to help cool me down.

Doña Sylvia hizo una batida con licuadora antes cena hoy.

Aquí son los elementos:

Banana y Papaya

Piña y Naranja

Leche Y Azucar

Finalmente Hielo.

¡Fue más deliciosa! Voy a hacerlo cuando estoy en Estados Unidos.

Ella hace todos los juegos que bebemos en nuestra casa. Ella tiene una juguera “juicer”.

image

Pienso aprender a hacerlos también, porque son más saludable y me ayudan a que se enfríe cuando hace calor.

image

Thus far, my favorite juice is Chinola! (Passion Fruit Juice)

4 years 4 different Countries

As you may know, I like to travel. During the last four years I have spent time in about different four countries, in the last four years. That doesn’t count the countries I’ve traveled to more than once. When I tell my loved ones that I am leaving again, it is totally natural for them to feel a little uneasy. Mostly because we are family and we prefer our loved ones to be nearby to some degree. In my mother and grandma’s case, they loved to be able to hop in a car and get to me in a few hours or less if I need some sort of help. The reality is, I live in a big world, one that is full of things for me to experience, witness, taste, and try. Unfortunately, that means when I travel I’m not all ways a phone call and 3/4 of a tank away. That can be scary for both my mom and grandma and myself. Over the years I have collected some solid rules that I always play by no matter where I am going to help me stay safe and dart any serious troubles that could possibly come my way. Since I had a free minute I figured I would stop by and share a couple of them with all of you!

1) Don’t be naive. Be Smart.

Literally, don’t do anything stupid. It sounds like silly advice, but somethings that are okay/funny to do at home in the privacy of your own neighbor wouldn’t be such a smart idea if you are doing it in a foreign environment (especially if there are language barriers). For example, maybe walking home at night is pretty safe in your home town. I see people in Iowa City walk across the street all the time without thoroughly looking both ways. I call this Pedestrian-Privilege. Generally students get it in their heads, that the light is about to turn RED so I can walk now. Or they know that they have the right-away and vehicles should and will stop for them. This mentality is a horrible thing. I’m sure all of the people in Iowa City who drive within the city frequently can attest to the fact that some students need to pay more attention.  This mentality isn’t good in Iowa City, however, it is definitely UNACCEPTABLE in other countries. I am guilty of this as well. Being in China this March set my record straight! I had to cross an 6-8 lane street and I didn’t understand the traffic signals exactly, and I thought to myself naively, “It’s okay to walk they have a red light.” WRONG! I almost got hit. Being in the Dominican Republic, I’ve heard multiple times that pedestrians do not have the right away. So walking into a street assuming that the car will stop or expecting that you might just do such a thing is stupid.   Long story short always look both ways, and think smart!

2) Act like your important things are important.

Leaving valuables (like your laptop or passport) on a public table while you run to the restroom at the library or some other quiet public place is okay in my good ol’ Keokuk Iowa, and all though I am not recommending it it is also pretty safe to do so in Iowa City. People including myself, leave their textbooks and technology on a study table while they go take a 30 min walk or study break of some sort all the time. However, losing your cell phone, or having your laptop stolen, or misplacing your passport, could seriously mess up your day and most certainly your entire trip. So if you are aware of how horrible it would be if you lost your one and cell phone, don’t just set it down anywhere. If you are in a city or a highly populated area understand that anything in your back pocket or strapped onto your back is probably an easy target for pick pocketers.

3) This one is for my ladies especially…In the evening be sure to travel in groups. 

I’m not saying surround yourself with all of your american student buddies so that you look like and sound like an abnoxious group of tourists. I am saying why not enjoy an experience with friends while at the same time decreasing  your chances of being a target for the crimes that occur most frequently after nightfall? As my Doña always says, “Despues 5 de la tarde, nunca nunca nunca sola.”

4) Have a list of emergency numbers written down and saved in your phone.

It also doesn’t hurt to be sure that you have informed someone of your whereabouts.

5) Register with STEP

The  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) was formerly known as “Travel Registration” or “Registration with Embassies” and allows people to receive the latest travel updates and information via email.The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service provided by the U.S. Government to U.S. citizens who are traveling to, or living in, a foreign country.STEP allows you to enter information about your upcoming trip abroad so that the Department of State can better assist you in an emergency.STEP also allows Americans residing abroad to get routine information from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

I became aware of this program from the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship.

 

The Most Stressful Midterms

Okay, so not to say that I had it worse than anyone else, but I’m sure it would be a tough call. The week before midterms I was engulfed in the internship application process; interviews, assessments, more interviews, etc. I think the University of Iowa could better space out when this fair occurs, because having it a week and a half before midterms is gruesome. All the employers expect you to get this done in two days, and that done in three days. I’m not complaining too much because it is a blessing that I have even been selected to be a part of the process. It just gets difficult if you are taking on a full load of classwork, and then having to choose where to spend your time-sensitive efforts, between internship and academics. The weekend before midterm week was my best friend’s wedding. It was an entire weekend-long event. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. She looked absolutely stunning, the food was fantastic, her family felt like my family, I won fifty dollars, and not to mention I am really happy for the both of them.

My friend's wedding IMAG1516_1_1 IMAG1623

After the wedding -BOOM midterm week! I had a total of four exams, one quiz, and two Spanish papers to do. After a very late night of studying and procrastination (I was having a hard time trying to focus), my first exam went great. After a pep talk with one of my good friends, my Spanish research paper turned out alright. The first day was done and I was feeling good.

Tuesday I had to do an assessment for one of the internships I was applying for. I found this internship at the Spring Job and Career Fair hosted by the university at the Iowa Memorial Union. They sent it to me on Friday and said that I had 2 business days to complete it. The wedding consumed my weekend, and I spent Sunday and Monday preparing for exams that I waited until the last minute to do the assessments for. Tuesday night I begin to start feeling really sick. It was obviously my lack of sleep was catching up to me. By 6pm I had a cough, sore throat and an achy body. At 10pm I was trying to get these assessments done, and I ended up being so fatigued that I fell asleep during one of them. I completely bombed them. I currently feel awful because I know that I could’ve done a lot better had I been well rested and not sick. 🙁

Wednesday morning I woke up so sick I could barely move. I went to an academic adviser meeting where I was encouraged by my adviser to “follow my heart.” Okay, so those were not her exact words, hers were of course less cliche and more wise, had a lot more content, and more structure. 🙂

Right before my first class I stopped by the Center for Diversity Office (my favorite place on campus), and although there was no food present I did find an empty beanie bag in the backroom. I sat there with the intention on taking a quick nap. I felt like complete dog poo. I had aches all over my body, and it hurt to talk or think. My nap turned into a two hour siesta.  Once I woke up, I knew I had to go to the doctor. While I was waiting for the bus a good friend of mine brought me some soup. I am so grateful for the friends I have made at Iowa, they are so sweet. Later, I called Student Health and made an appointment. After describing my symptoms the man on the phone told me to not go to class.

I went there and good news, I didn’t have the flu! However, they believed it could be something else. They couldn’t test for it, because the results for this “something else” do not show up until 1 week after you’ve begun to experience the symptoms. However, my doctor did tell me that I need to rest all evening and all day tomorrow to see if it helps. She also suggested that I did not go to class, until I was feeling better.

For the first time in a while, I thought… YES I CAN BREATHE! So, I went home and slept for quite some time. Then I woke up to dismal emails from my professors about making up my exams. Talk about STRESS!

My trip to China is even more precious now, I can’t wait!

VSA Lunar New Year: Iowa Andhi Performance

Sadly, I am not a performing member of Iowa Andhi this year. Luckily, the current captains have granted me the manager position, so that when I freakishly show up at every performance and random practices — I have a title!

The pictures above are from the VSA Lunar New Year Dress Rehearsal that we had prior to the show.

Directly after the Vietnames Student Alliance’s Lunar New Year event the entire team came over to my house. SLUMBER PARTY!

To say the least, there was a lot of cupcakes, snacks, and candy! We played the board game life together and stayed up a lot later than we probably should have.