Ït´s my life....and it´s now or never.

Ït is very difficult to only blog once a week, because so much happens here over the course of a week that in order to get it all in I have to half ass it. So when I get home, you can get details from me :) As an update for you...I have officially decided to sign on for the second half of the school year. I will be coming back January-May in 2012. (For those who don´t know I will be home in December and for about half of January.)
I must say that things have really turned around for me here. I feel a part of Pueblo Nuevo (the village I live in) and I would say I have a live here now. In the beginning I felt very frustrated and alone; the first few weeks were definitely an adapatation period for me. But now! Now I am speaking Spanish-- badly-- enough that I am able to hold conversations. I also spend less and less time by myself because I am developing new relationships everyday. (Here people are incredibly offended if you don´t visit and maintain relationships..this in itself is a job!) One woman, Carmen, scolded me for not coming to visit as often as I was...I was at her house three times that week.
I have three solid Dominican amigos who are all my age, Elba, Freddie and Josie...I play cards with them and hang out at night. Last night was especially fun, but I will save those stories for another day. I am very happy with my housing arrangements, it feels like the right place for me to be. I love my village although I do get the occasional sketch-ball trying to marry me.
Let´s see...the 29th I attended what would be similar to a big cookout at a woman´s house to celebrate Santo Miguel (Saint Michael). There was a lot of food, a lot of prayer. I was glad I was invited to be involved although I was late because I had to teach. Oh yeah! The teaching! I started teaching solo in the Pueblo Nuevo school in the afternoons Tuesday and Thursday. So far it has been lovely...the teacher isn´t even there when I am teaching. I think that reflects poorly on her, but it is not a big deal because I enjoy having my own authority in my classroom. I was super nervous the first day, but it came surprisingly natural to me. Tuesday was the day that I realized whole-heartedly that teaching is what I want to be doing with my life. It truly is the gateway to success in all aspects of life. Although, with the kids here it is disheartening to me that I can only give them a small piece of myself...and that after this year I will be gone. I wish there was more I could do, but I am so looking forward to eventually continuing my own education in the states. I also feel bad that I can only reach certain students (those who attend in the afternoons). Already I have had siblings of my students who attend in the morning ask why they can´t learn English too..heart breaking.
And sorry for getting emotional, but while we are talking about heart breaking issues...I discovered this week that my favorite student in the preschool may have HIV. We want conformation from our American doctor who works with us, but that will have to wait. I hope we are incorrect.
Anyways....I´m gonna get off here..we are going to the river later and I have a lot of stuff to do before then. Adios! Take care.

James