Daily Adventures as a PCV in the DR: Semana Santa

Fotos - Alissa and I at the rio.
-My Doña and I riding in the back of the truck with 18 other people.
- Me, riding horse at Cesar´s ranch
- Davy, a neighbor, with our little cousin. It´s very normal for boys to run around naked.
- My Doña and a cousin preparing the chicken for lunch.

In most Spanish countries, Semana Santa is a week filled with church going, religious processions, and giving thanks to our Lord Jesus. In La Dominicana it is celebrated with beach going, river bathing, nap taking, abichuelas con dulce making, and giving thanks to the one colmado that will sell alcohol. Well, at least from my perspective. The kids get a week off from school and many workers have vacation time for at least half the week, as did we.

All my hermanos came home this weekend from Santo Domingo, so it was kind of like a little family reunion. Lots to do and also people coming and going. Tons of Card playing. I have gotten a few other volunteers to fall in love with pinochle and have tried to teach many Dominicans. Pinochle is quite challenging to explain in a second language.

Thursday, our group was dropped off at the same quiet river we had stumb.led across last week. Pebbled beach, little rapids and mucho sol. It was gorgeous. The owner, Cesar, lets a

bout anybody who stops by his ranch bathe in the river below. He’s an old man with one eye, big 80’s sun glasses, who spends much of his time tending to his horses and chatting with whoever passes by. I think he took a special liking towards us for his former wife was once a PCV in la Dominicana. As we were waiting for our guagua back to El Seibo, he entertained us with telling stories about his life, singing songs from the time of Trujillo (the dictator from ’31 – ’60) and letting us ride hishorses. Very Sweet Man.

Friday we made Abichuelas con Dulce. This is a traditional food/drink that all Dominicans make every Semana Santa. It a cooked mix of sugar, cinnamon, raisins, sweet potatoes, blended abichuelas (beans), milk, and little cookies to top it off. Delicious.

Saturday, Jon, Alissa, and I headed out to the campo to hang out by the river once again. We all our family, cousins, and neighbors into the back of a pick up truck. How many do you think we fit in the back of the truck???????? 20, yes 20. In addition, a cooler, a dominoes table, 2 mattresses, and food for all. True PC moment. After a 30 minute drive we reached Elsa’s (John’s Dona) Campo. Many people have a campo here. Basically it is just an acre or two of land where they grow coconut, fruits and vegetables.

We ate and drank fresh coconut, sucked cacao seeds, and ate tamarines. Lunch was quite the cultural experience. Chicken, rice, and platanos all prepared from scratch at the rio. All the food was washed in and cooked with the river water. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I’d still be alive today to speak about it. But we survived and it happened to one of the tastier meals we’ve had. Must have been that ¨rio¨ flavoring!