First Full week of classes--ah!

Hola,
I hope you guys are doing well. Everyday I feel a bit different. For some reason, everyday there's a new struggle down here to overcome. I'm still experiencing culture shock and I really miss just hanging out with my friends in the states speaking english. I really miss going to Fox with everyone. I miss chapel, I miss Potter's Hands, I miss hanging out with my roommates in my apt. I miss volleyball and my friends there too. I just really miss all that. I feel like a tourist everyday. The other day was really hard because God showed me a reality in a way that wasn't the easiest to learn. I realized yesterday that no matter what I do to try to fit in here, I will never be considered a Dominican or a local based on the color of my skin. I will always be seen as a white rich girl (because being white down here means you have $$) and a tourist. Even if I married a guy down here, I still wouldn't be accepted as a local. It just kind of hit hard and made me feel really lonely. It's as if everyday I have to wake up and start that struggle over again. It's only the 2nd week I'm here but it's still really hard. I REALLY miss American food. If you know me pretty well, you know that I love ethnic food but I've had ethnic food overload. I just want a PB & J sandwich. I just asked the asst director and he said that there is PB & J down here. yay!! i'm totally going to buy some!

Well, my classes went well for the first week. I'm going to drop Afro-carribean culture and I'm going to take a Film class instead. The culture class is really boring already and is basically the same information that I'm learning in my other classes. It's a weird system down here. Ok, normally in the States you'd get a list of books from your Prof of the class material and everyday you have to read for that class. Here, it's different. Sometimes they'll make you buy a book, but it's not usually a book. Usually it's a giant packet of articles or paper that you have to go buy from the Kiosk. They photocopy it for you and bind it. Weird, huh!? Plus, the library is way different. You can't check out any books really. All of them are basically the same as reference books. Plus, you can't grab the book yourself. You go up to the counter, tell the guy which one you want, and he gets it for you. Then, if you need to read it outside the library, you can photocopy it downstairs. but do they let you photocopy it yourself? oh no! you have to stand in line and they do it for you. I miss doing things myself. In a way it makes me feel more like a tourist which i'm hating right now. I just want tobe able to cook my own meals, check out my own books, and walk by myself at night but I can't do any of those. Also, (which is nice and convenient) ISA is providing taxis to all ISA Students (me) who have night classes at PUCMM so that we don't have to walk home at night. I figured that'd make some of you feel more at ease ;).

This weekend is a long weekend. We never have classes on Fridays and Mon is a holiday. I don't remember what it's called but a group of us girls are going to Caberete (the beach) tomorrow and spending one or two nights there. I'm really excited to be able to relax on a beach that's not a tourist beach. La Isla Saona was fun but was FULL of tourists, and only tourists. I'll be sure to take pictures. I would add more pictures, but for some reason my camera doesn't work at this computer so I'll add them next week from a different computer.

Ok, I have a funny story. I bought a cell phone down here from the company "Orange." Well, there was a worker there who understood english and so he helped me out in the buying process. Ok, well anyways, at the end, he told me in english I was free to go and that was it. But, for SOME reason it didn't quite process in my mind, so I kept waiting and waiting there for 15 minutes to be done thinking "Gosh this takes forever! hurry up!". I finally asked him again after 15 or 20 minutes and he said "I TOLD you you were done like an hour ago!>!!?" I think that funniest part about the whole thing is he told me in english and I still didn't get it. what a ditz! They probably thought "oh my gosh! what an american!" lol. ah...good times.

Prayer Requests:
1. details for this weekend would go good and we'd be safe
2. I would spend more quiet time with God because it's kind of been hard to get in a routine so far down here.
3. That I'd reach out and have confidence EVERYDAY
4. That I'd be able to see and fufill the needs of the orphans I'm going to be working with in my comm service (oops I forgot to tell you guys that. I'm going to be working with Orphan kids 4 hours a week for a class of mine! I'm super excited! It starts next week).