Global Potential Blog

The last few days have truly been amazing here, even though we’ve had to tearfully say goodbye to an amazing staff member, whose three weeks here flew by in the blink of an eye. But at the same time we have welcomed a new staff member into our fold, and I know that we will settle into a new groove soon.

One of my favorite experiences thus far has most definitely been a recent hike to a nearby plateau that allowed us to see for miles. It’s a decent walk away from our Batey, a few kilometers through sugarcane fields along a rocky road, but the time passes quickly when you spend it talking and laughing with those individuals you’ve come to love as family. Along the way to the plateau (which was described to us as a mountain…I’ve often found that we describe things very differently), we pass by the laguna (another excellent example, for the “natural” laguna is actually a man-made resorvoir), which we’ve walked to once before, but this time was particularly special for me. The entire walk there I was hand-in-hand with one of my new besties, Delores, a beautiful young girl of around 13 who is incredibly intelligent. For the first 15 minutes, at least, her brother insisted that she turn back, that she wasn’t allowed to accompany us. I’ve witnessed this one boy in particular being especially difficult and, well, violent with his many sisters. I’ve spent a good amount of time with one of his younger sisters, trying to stand up for her and be a consistent ally. In the same way, with Delores expressing interest in continuing with us, I helped her stand her ground. It wasn’t until we were just a few minutes’ walk from the lagauna that Delores revealed to me that she had never been before and had always wanted to see it. Her excitement slowly grew the closer and closer we got, and I will always remember the smile that lit up her face when she finally saw the laguna (reservoir). She even got over her fear of swimming (by being thrown in), and was grinning from ear to ear for hours afterwards.

We continued from there up a steep, rocky path to the top of the plateau, for breathtaking views of southwestern DR. But as much as I enjoyed this moment, taking in my surroundings, the silence, and as much as I enjoyed having my hand held like a child by my self-proclaimed security guard the entire way back down the “mountain” because I kind of slipped just one time, the memory that will stay with me the strongest is that moment I shared with Delores. This is exactly the kind of experience I came here to have, to share in the discovery of one’s own culture and history and country with ones who have never experienced it before, and to learn from all these little snippets in time, ones that slowly join together day ofter day to create an amazing panorama of true life.

J’en suis a mon 5eme jour c’est un peu difficile avec la chaleur et les condition de vie a laquel nous ne somme point abituer mais, on vie c’est une superbe experience. Nos famille d’acceuil on ete genial. Je suis etonner par l’acceuil qu’il nous on reserver, ils sont vraiment a nos petit soin, ils font en sort que l’on ne manque de rien.
Consernant mon projet j’ai essayer de mettre en place des cours de theatre avec les jeune du village, quelque atelier par si par la, histoire de leurs faire connaitre la magie du theatre pour se d’entre eux qui ne connaissent poins .
On n’a une bonne equipe avec un staff de qualite mais malheuresmant un de nos staff va nous quitter c’est avec tristesse que j’ai appris cette nouvelle c’est vraiment une personne extraodinaire interieurmant comme exterieurmant il retour au Etat-Unis pour des raison privee.
Mais un nouveaux menbre nous a rejoint recamment , j’ai pour le moment fait de belle rencontre telle que Adam Sarah Margaux Alicia Jenny Antonio ect, avec qui j’ai un tres bon filling, ils mon aider dans mon adaptation au groupe car se ne fut pas facile au debut vue qu’il se connaisser deja touse depuis une semaine. J’ai appris enormemant en anglais mais impeu moin en espagnol. Et, j’ai egalemant commencer mon 1er jour de Ramadan aujourd’hui ses asses difficle pour tout dire avec cette chaleur et ces jour qui passé tres lentement, mais, sa en vos le cout en 5 jour a peine j’ai deja un autre regarde sur le monde. Tout les jour sauf le wek-end nous fesons des traveaux dans le village c’est assez physique mais se en vos la peine ansi quel que jeune du village nous donne un cout de main dans les traeaux meme les fille du groupe mettent la main a la pate.

HAMO. Yes we can!

This week we had a workshop about poverty, revisiting a topic we discussed in Boston before. Everything that was mentioned about the US was just a reminder of what we talked about before but it was interesting to hear the perspectives from French and Haitain students. After this, we were given the responsibility to run a workshop for the community, and this was something I was really excited for because I always wondered if the Batey actually considered themselves in poverty. And when the question “What is poverty?” came up, no one pointed figures at each other or themselves, but instead said attributes such as homeless, jobless, etc. Even though they may not much here, they still have their necessities, and that is all they need in their eyes to not be poor. Unlike in America, if you see anyone living in this type of condition, one would automatically assume that they are in poverty or just completely insane.

One of the most interesting things about the community workshop was what Popo, the transportation director, has said. He told us about a census that was taken about two or three years ago about the poverty in the Dominican Republic. According to this census, Government support was given to the people in need but it certainly was not enough and many were unpleased. Even though America may be the land of opportunity, I feel as if we are in the kind of same boat as the DR. For example, 15% of Americans receive Government support such as food stamps, but the people obviously are not happy with this if the occupy movement spurred all across the country a few months ago. I guess no matter how much the government support their people in any country, such as America or DR, with a capitalist system there will always be people economically struggling on the bottom, and therefore poverty will never cease to exist.

Third week!!! This week is not much more different than last week except that I am less tired. As the days pass we have more work than the previous; as gardening in the morning, group project in the middle of the morning period, internship in the afternoon and other activities depending on the days. Meaning even though we are having fun and enjoying our stay here, we are doing what we came here to do. GP has a mission and we are on it as promise. Let me stop being serious and talk about how I am enjoying it over here. Yesterday we walked for about thirty minutes to visit a beautiful lagoon. It situated in a quiet location where you can sit and escape all troubles, it was nice sitting around the water. It´s sad that we can´t swim but at least we know what the water looks like. Every day we get closer to the community members and I think that’s a good thing, it makes not only me but everyone feels safe; I know that we are welcomed. I started my documentary today and I feel good of how it will go, I just hope we are always on point. The people being interviewed seem very excited about letting the audience know a bit of knowledge they have. Wish me luck!!!!

I miss my amazing beautiful baby nephew Brendan. I miss how he calls me mommy; I miss his laugh, him being a trouble maker and definitely our aunty-nephew time together. I haven´t heard his voice since July the third and that kills my soul. I miss my brother, our silly but meaningful conversations, and his way of treating as his baby sister. Let me just go ahead and say I miss my family. I am excited to go to Haiti right after this; I finally get to see my mother and a year and some months, and my mind would rest when I see my grandma´s smile (most beautiful of all). I miss my beloved!!!!

En esta semana tuvimos la oportunidad de conocer a nuestros nuevos amigos franceses. Ellos llegaron el sábado pasado, y desde entonces nos hemos conocidos cada día más. He descubierto que a pesar de que su religión es diferente a la mía, tenemos algunas cosas en común. Nos llevamos de maravillas como amigos. Y ellos son muy divertidos, siempre encontramos la manera de reírnos. Durante la semana tuve la oportunidad de salir a trotar bien temprano en la mañana con algunos compañeros de GP y algunos miembros de la comunidad. Nuestra semana ha sido muy trabajadora, hemos hechos muchos terrenos para cosecha. El domingo pasado, había planificado un día deportivo con los demás Bateyes. Con ayuda del Staff de Batey 1 y algunos de Batey 7 y 8 esta actividad se hizo posible. Pude encontrarme con mi hermano mellizo y mis amigos de New York, que teníamos desde que llegamos a República Dominica que no nos veíamos. Todo está bien de este lado por ahora. Mi relación con mi familia está mejorando cada día más. Y la comida aun me sigue gustando. Durante la semana pude jugar un poco de softball. Lo disfrute, pero creo que me fracture mi hombro jugando. Ya me siento mejor. Eso es todo por ahora. OH! Y estoy bien emocionado, porque mañana tenemos nuestros 3er PASEO! Y suena a que va a hacer muy divertido, y porque nos vamos a reunir con las personas de Batey 8. Saludos a todos los leyentes.

We have been in La República Dominicana for about two and half weeks. Getting up in the morning can be annoying, pero the community service in la mañana está muy divertido. Está mucho trabajo, pero it is worth for the community. Lo siento para escribiendo en Spanglish, pero está muy divertido. So far we painted casas y help set up gardens with the community. I just wish we could be able to use las computadoras more often. One day during this week, we ran a workshop with the community on Probreza. The workshop could have been better; however, the some of the community members did share powerful insights. I hope that our next workshop will consist of more powerful ideas that all of us can maybe learn from them.

This week did consist of thorns. First, mi porte had a crack in it, and mi familia was super nice to buy me a new one. I took very good care of it so it can last me like maybe for the rest of my life. But no. It had to fall and crack on a rock as we were walking back from the beautiful lagoon in this Batey. And now I think mi madre officially hates me. Moreover, I have not gone to my internship at all this week, and I was really looking forward to it. But no worries my darlings, I will attend on Monday morning. ¡Yay!

P.S. Yo pienso que I am getting better in speaking Spanish. Un poco. JaJas

Hello,

I have been having a great time so far in the Batey.  Waking up at 6:00 in the morning has been a bit of a drag but we have been working very hard in creating gardens. We have to make 15 gardens and so far we´ve made four. I would like to do other community work instead of making gardens. They have said that we are going to paint houses and I´m excited for that. At night after 6 we all go to Jennifer´s house and chill with other community members. We have so much fun telling jokes laughing and enjoying our presence. Our group has become so much closer, our friendship is growing and we are a strong group overall. We have received three new GP members from France; they are the cutest, sweetest, and funniest people to be around with. We had a workshop about poverty and it was difficult to conduct because not everyone felt comfortable speaking about poverty to the community. That workshop was the first time the group worked on its own with the community. The workshop was not as successful as we wanted it to be because it was more like a presentation and not a discussion, but it was a learning experience and for next workshop it will be very successful. I can’t believe it has been 3 weeks! 3 more weeks to go and I cant wait.

Le 15 jul 2012

C’etait un debut de semaine très excité par-ce-que àprès un paséo si bien comme d’ aller visiter une frontière pour moi c’etait un très bon debut. Chaque matin pendant la semaine on fait des services comminautaire comme le jardinage, la pienture ect. Ensuite on a fait la reuniond’intership du groupe tous les matin et avant on joue un jeux pour debuter la reunoin comme un jeux de zonbi ou un autre jeux . après on prend une pause 12h30 à 2h00 on revient  pour notre stage àpres à 4h00. Et de 4h00 à6h00 on se rejoind pour discuter sur un sujet  ou on fait d’autre chose à 6h00 on termine la journeé                .

C’etait une semaine fantastic et c’est bien de partager avec les autres.

Okay so i left off last week telling you all about the laundry incident with my host mom and what not this week i did that and instead of my mom doing it these three young  girls came and was helping me i was laughing because they were laughing at me struggling washing my shorts. We had fun though I did my laundry and played jump rope with them and even though I didn’t jump the rope I only turned  it made me reminisce  on the days when I was young and I played jump rope in front of my cousin house with my cousins. But this week flew by literally its crazy to me. The English class group project that I’m doing along with mirka and Deborah is a big success  the adults and kids are learning English and I hear them speak it when I walk by. The kids are a little bit more challenging they lose your attention fast if you don’t have a constant plan of what’s next Those 3 seconds you are spending finding where you put a certain paper poster or even marker at is crucial they will start talking and playing and its takes patience really to deal with it especially when you aren’t like specialized in dealing with loud hype children put into a class of 20 but I looked passed that because they came and this is for them this is what they wanted so  the others and myself are making it happen. Yesterday was a good but tiring day we went to go get clams and the walk was about 20 or 30 minutes talking about a workout o felt the BURN ! lols it was a good walk though I had a good talk with amadou about life and certain decisions we make and that I’ve made and he told me other ways to deal with things and was like he got my back he’s really nice I also had a funny moment with amo and margaux we did a little comedy acting runway it was soooo funny we were dying lols. And if I haven’t told you who amo and amadou and lassana is they’re the 3 kids from France. I was a little inaccurate with what I said before but they are really nice and I can’t wait to go back home to NEW YORK and show them some nice places to shop in Manhattan since they will be out there for a week.  I said I don’t know how they do it in France but we do it even bigger in NY.  J Coming up next Sunday is my birthday July 29 and I’m excited but sad in a way I kind of miss my family and your birthday is once a year I wanted to spend it with my family ya know my father is down in NY from Bermuda I was looking forward to chilling with him my lovely mom and grandma and family but I know I’m going to make the best of it out here. Ill tell my host mom to make me a big cup of passion fruit and oatmeal juice you have to try it if you don’t know what I’m talking about check on YouTube J that should make me feel better but that’s all for now. Until next week later.