An Early Christmas

The day that I have been waiting for finally arrived this past week: my family came to visit! While I was excited about seeing them and spending a relaxing week in a resort in Puerto Plata, I was even more excited about them meeting everyone in Baoba and everyone in Baoba meeting them. We walked all over the town, visiting the school and its professors, the kids in my youth group and English classes, and all of the people who went out of their way to make me feel comfortable in Baoba when I first arrived. Of course, the introductions were awkward with lots of pauses and me translating english into spanish and spanish into english, but I think everyone left with the impression that I am definitely in a comfortable place here in Baoba. It was so refreshing to hear everyone in Baoba tell my parents how they need not worry about my safety because I am a part of their family and they all will take care of me. And it was also nice to hear them all ask me to promise to return back to Baoba after my trip in Puerto Plata because they were worried I wouldn't return.

It definitely does not seem like Christmas now. It's 80 degrees here, and I go to the beach almost daily. There aren't any Christmas trees, snow, or traditional carols, and I think this is the first year in about 10 years that I'm not going to Concord Pres. for Project Christmas or the Christmas Eve service, so that's hard to come to terms with. But luckily, Mom, Dad and Jordan were able to bring a little bit of Christmas down here with them. They arrived with a 6 inch ornamental tree that I will put in my bedroom and presents that I can open on Dec. 25. Dominicans don't really celebrate Christmas Day; their big celebration is Christmas Eve or Noche Buena, where everyone roasts a pig (hawaiian-luau style) and dances merengue and bachata, so that will certainly be a different experience.


I've given Mom, Dad and Jordan homework to write an entry in the blog so that you can get their perspective on the Dominican Republic as well. If I don't get to update the blog again within the next week, have a merry christmas and a happy new year! And when you see Jordan, give her an extra hug from her big sister; apparently she isn't enjoying being an only child as much as she thought she would.