The Invasion

Well it has been a while; I think I might forget how to do this. This has been the craziest week(s) even though it has been somewhat non-exciting week(s). 

After my dad left I had two families here for a 5 days. This meant 9 people living in my 4 bedroom house with people sleeping in the living room and all over the place. Having had this house to myself for 2 months I was well accustomed to having things my ways. However with this being said if I was going to take on any 9 people again it would definitely be these 9. The family consisted of Tim and Ingrid and their daughter Tahlaya (14), Martha and her three kids Gabriella (11), Valentino (15) and Massimo (17) and lastly they brought their aunt Michelle.

The family came for the week to help us build and fix up the camp to get ready for the start of camp. To kick off their being here we went out for a nice big lunch and I took them to a restaurant and stayed to eat with them. Unfortunately I was really sick after eating there and I was out for three days. These days were spent lying in bed wanting my mommy and wishing to be home (not my shining moment here). All good things to those who wait, and surely I am back to full health.

I was able to help at the camp for the better half of the week building fences, painting the camp sign, building soccer goals and burning scrap leaves (in 38 degree weather, not so fun). I also spent all my nights working on braiding bracelets for all of the kids at camp! It was a busy week but we got the camp ready!

Before the family left my home other summer volunteers were already pouring in, starting with Teesh (last summer returning volunteer) and Sophie (who lost her case on a bus from the airport). These two were both from England and are my roommates, so naturally I will be coming home from the DR with a British accent. It was crazy with these two here because Sophie lost her case (notice my very British choice of words) but we did find it! In a matter of three days I said goodbye to the family and the boys that reminded me so much of my brother and hello to the 16 new volunteers and Mercedes four grandchildren who have all come crowding into my quite little life.

It feels like a bit of a circus act in my house. Not only do I have 3 new roommates I have four kids all over the house and Mercedes living here now too. Now here is the real kicker, because there is so many of us, naturally, we need a cook, so the cook and her two daughters are always here too! And then we are the volunteer house, so there is usually a gringo mafia on my front porch. My only sorrow is the loss of my rights to one of the (my) rocking chairs out front.

So the reason I give you for being such a bad blogger is this; I have been busy getting everyone settled. I have shown people where to get money, get phones, get shoes, go to camp and get back to their own houses. I have been picking them up touring them around and dropping them off and it has been highly stressful for me but everyone has mostly figured things out for themselves now. In fact the majority are off to Cabrette for the weekend and this is giving me the silence and freedom to blog.

Camp started on Tuesday and it’s been a crazy first week of learning how to teach for me. We had 220 kids register! We had a lot of official business to take care of and not a lot of structured activity time. On Thursday we had a ribbon cutting ceremony with the mayor and we were on the news from Nagua to Rio San Juan, the first time in Camp Esperanza history.

I am working with Adrienne in the music and dance centre for the next 4 weeks (well only 3 more now). I can’t tell you how extremely hard it is to plan activities for kids from 4 to 16 years old. The 16 year olds it can be hard to keep them engaged where as the 4 year olds most of them have never been in a structured environment before. All of this, plus I am only beginning to realize just how little Spanish I can speak! Thank God Adrienne speaks Spanish otherwise all hell would break lose...

Anyways I am slowly adjusting to doing everything with my gringo mafia trailing behind. However for the most part I am happy to pretend I still have the life I had two weeks ago and be on my own.

Only some of my new Gringo Mafia members

I am thinking a lot about my family this week after hearing my grandpa is really ill. I have decided to stay full well knowing that I may never see him again. It’s not the ideal situation but he and all of my family want me to stay and finish what I am doing here. I know that many tears have been shed and many more will come but when I said goodbye to him two months ago in full health he told me, "don’t forget you are a Crevits and where you come from; that we are good people." I hold these words dear to me now having not realized what they meant two months ago. I am here and I am working hard to do good and it’s about more than just who I am it’s about where I come from. I am thinking of all my family here this week and missing you all dearly!