I left the DR 3 months ago, and I’ll be going back in 3 months si dios quiere... but in any case, this post is long overdue! Attempting to conclude my last Peace Corps days (if that can even be done).
During the final weekend, I was in my community saying goodbye to people I had spent the last 2 years living and working with. At this point, I was selling (mostly giving away, because my beloved, old, yellow backpack from 6th grade knows no price point. ya tu sabes) the last of my belongings and trying to pack 2 years into just a few bags (again). It was a surreal few days. Families invited me over for last meals with them. I ate mangu and cried. I ate yucca and fried cheese and cried. I visited and said goodbye to as many people as I could. They cried. Even people I would not have expected. Leaving was not easy. But I left, telling friends I’d be back again after Christmas.
The day I left was a whirlwind. I woke up early, cleaned the last few things out of my house and gave my neighbor (and landlady) the house keys. I went for my last visit at my host family’s house, and we sat there had coffee and hugged in the living room. Though I’d already said goodbye to IDENE at the despedida a few days before, I went again to say a final goodbye to everyone. I made my grand exit from the barrio and school via bola on the school bus and went downtown to another family’s home who took me to Santiago. The car was already mostly packed, I added my remaining bags, the family made me eat a tostada, and then we left. The mom, dad, sister and aunt drove me and Minnie into the airport in Santiago, and waited with us for our flight. After another sad goodbye and afternoon flight, my dog and I arrived to Boston.
Less than four hours later - we had a very happy welcome home. My family met us at the airport, and then we drove home to a surprise welcome back party. It was oddly like 50 degrees that day, so we were freezing (good old, Mass), and my dog didn’t know what was happening but seemed to love the attention that she was receiving from everyone. It was an exciting evening, and surreal that in just 4 hours, and no time change it’s possible to hop from one extreme to another between my two favorite locations. It is a crazy world, but in a good way.
Thank you again for the warm welcome and for sharing in my experience and reading throughout all this time here on this blog.
Please enjoy the pictures!
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| one of the last nights with friends downtown in Mao |
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| One of my favorite families made me a sopao for dinner my last night! To explain, a sopao is similar to a hearty soup with rice and meat. This family makes it all the time for family birthdays and events. I've spent a lot of time at these sopaos, but I felt pretty cool when they threw me my own soup party. |
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| I took this picture while leaving Dona Dominga and Don Jose's house for the last time. My host dad built that gate, and painted the house himself. The moto on the left is the first I ever rode. And the pink flower vine entrance is from my host mom's garden. The plant started small (you can see it growing on the far left) and as it grew they wrapped it around a wire to eventually frame the doorway. The house and fence exactly match the pink flowers. |
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| This is Min in her bag on the drive in to the Santiago airport. Poor thing doesn't even know she's going to America, but she seems happy despite being zipped up. :) |
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| This family drove me in from Mao to the airport. We all ate snacks brought from home while we waited and then cried together when we said goodbye. |
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| landing at Logan. |
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| thanks for the awesome welcome signs, Sara, Cam, Justin, and Danielle. |
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| Thank you to my family for welcoming us at the airport! |
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| where are the Dominicanos?! |
XO
