The Kids Are Alright

They might be drunk, studious, pregnant, engaged in combat or in love, but they’re alright.
How do you know if you’re accepted in a new group? Look at who you’re friendly with, right? Yes. Look at who’s friendly with you? Yes. But what really lets us know is if we’ve made it with the kids.

Well I have pleasant news to report. I have finally formally been accepted by the kids in my neighborhood. Therefore, I am finally accepted into the community, or at least I like to think so. It started with some teenage boys sitting in on our Spanish lesson and deciding which of the Americans they had a crush on. Then they reported that to me once the other girls left. A 15 year old neighbor of mine has a crush on a 25 year old volunteer. Then my host brother and sister started some innocent wrestling and the other boys got involved; they started to pummel each other. Perhaps I would have been completely integrated if someone had pummeled me a little, but I feel okay about the way that worked out anyway.

Did I mention I am now the “hot, white, girlfriend” of a 5 year old? Yah, it’s one of my prouder moments. He wears underwear all the time, but doesn’t care much for any other types of clothes. That’s pretty common here actually. He’s one of the ones who insists on having his picture taken everyday.

I had the very interesting opportunity to watch a 2 year old get served and consume some beer the other night. His mother and grandmother gave it to him. He proceeded to throw up in front of us, and after I went home he allegedly went to the bathroom (both numbers 1 and 2) on the street. That’s the problem with 2 year olds; they just can’t hold their beer.

We had a tour of the Polytechnic School in my town. My host mother works there and her daughter attends classes there. They welcomed us to give a talk about teen pregnancy and STI prevention for next week. The faculty is concerned because there are about 75 students who live on the campus and every year more students get pregnant. We wondered if those pregnant women were allowed to attend classes when their bellies start to show. On the tour we got the answer to that; one very pregnant student wore a loose white shirt under her school uniform blouse, which she had buttoned up top but not on the bottom.

The school was impressive, perhaps one of the most well kept facilities I’ve seen since having arrived here. I did not anticipate that a public school would look as beautiful as this school did. The landscaping was just beautiful, with a gorgeous mountain view, and there was a computer lab with air conditioning! We later learned that the facility was a gift of Fidel Castro in memory of a Cuban revolutionary who was born in this area of the DR. His name was Maximo Gomez. Both the Dominican and Cuban flags were waving out front. Apparently all tuitions are paid for by the Dominican government. The only prerequisite is that the students get and 80% or higher on an entrance exam. I wasn’t too clear about the curriculum although we did get a tour of where they produce ham, cheese, and milk. A few days ago I’d gotten to try some ham that was produced there. It was pretty good. Then I went on the tour of the room where they prepare the ham, and even got to stand in the pig shower, without knowing exactly what it was at first. The good news is that I don’t think the experience has made me want to eat ham any less.