Some days it seems like I brought the Seattle rain. Tropical storms have to be the most fun because it's still warm enough to be outside even though the rain is falling hard. It's kind of like taking a shower...outside...with your clothes on...
So here, practice is not going to be canceled if rain starts to pour...it's like a cool off :)
Who can resist such a cute kid saying the Lord's prayer? Adoption anyone?
Rain or shine, baseball.
Dulce :)
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Player Introductions
After a few weeks of English classes, the kids finally built up enough courage to introduce themselves in front of a camera. Although they still struggle with pronunciations, I am so proud of their progress thus far! Here are a few of my students...
Monday, July 12, 2010
Oh the joys of being a Woman!
Have you ever walked into a room and suddenly ALL eyes are on you? You're thinking, "Do I have something on my face? Is my makeup smeared? Did I step in dog poop and stink? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT!?!?!"
Well that's how I felt today. Except, it wasn't just a room, it was an entire market place! Kind of like a flea-market, but with way more people than you can imagine, all staring at the "rubia americana" passing through. I felt like an alien. If you know me pretty well, you know that one of my biggest insecurities is the color of my skin. Having to explain that you're of Mexican descent, but have light skin because you're from northern Mexico and have Spanish roots, is only fun telling the first couple times. By now I'd rather wear a sign around my neck or tattoo it on my forehead. On the flip side, however, I have to admit that I love knowing what people around me are saying and catch them totally off guard when I look at them and say..."cuidado con lo que dices por que entiendo todo." Priceless looks on their faces.
But regardless of how many times I have to say it, or smile at the comments I get, one thing always strikes me when I question why God made me the way he did. In all his power and all his glory and all his wonder, he made me with light skin, light eyes, and light hair for a reason. The Dominicans here that I've become very close to, whom are like a second family to me, absolutely love me the way I am. Something I've had to learn to do, love myself, be ok with me, look in the mirror and like what I see.
As we walked through the market, me and my new great friend Paola, we talked as if we had known each other for years. She would tell me what foods we were looking for, I would say hi to those who were selling (friends of hers, of course), and though they stared, Paola just said, "vamos Dulce, te miran porque eres bella." It's like she knew I was starting to feel uncomfortable that the people were staring. Yet, I felt comfortable with her.
When we finally got back to the casa, I headed back to the kitchen and wanted to get in on the cooking. I've been learning and loving it! Our cooks here are amazing and they have no problems letting me watch and ask questions. "Mira, mexicana, asi lo hacen en tu pais?"
"Casi igual." Not so much from scratch though, at least not in the states. I mean you're talkin' lemonade from straight lemons, sugar, and water. Tostones, fried plantains, from the tree to the bubbling oil. Legit! SO YUMMY!!!!
You won't believe this though, I've been washing by hand! Boo yaaaa, taking it WAY back! Washing my socks and underwear took me two hours, can't even lie about that. Yes, they do have a washer here, but not a dryer and I'm not about to have my chonies hanging on the line for all of Barahona to see! Are you kidding me!?!? So I took a bucket, some water from a big basin, and some detergent, headed up my bathroom and scrubbed away. Imaginate, aye Dios! Shout out to my abuelas for doing this everyday way back when! Remember when I said God was showing me things? He's showing me how to appreciate what I have, don't even worry! Ques que washing machines y water heaters, tas loca! Have I mentioned that I love cold showers? Well there ya go.
Oh, the joys of being a woman. Being stared at and talked about, then washing, cooking, cleaning, disciplining, teaching, working HARD yet being loved, appreciated and cared about. Call me old fashioned, but I love being a woman. So regardless of my skin color, I'm living every day here and will live every day back home, loving the way God made me.
"She is more precious than Rubies; nothing you desire can compare to her." -Proverbs 3:15
Dulce :)
P.S. The boys continue to learn as I continue to teach and discipline. There is desperate need of some re-structuring in this program, but I'm confident that again, God has everything under control. Please continue to pray as God is shaping the people of I Love Baseball.
Saludos y bendiciones desde la Republica Dominican!
Well that's how I felt today. Except, it wasn't just a room, it was an entire market place! Kind of like a flea-market, but with way more people than you can imagine, all staring at the "rubia americana" passing through. I felt like an alien. If you know me pretty well, you know that one of my biggest insecurities is the color of my skin. Having to explain that you're of Mexican descent, but have light skin because you're from northern Mexico and have Spanish roots, is only fun telling the first couple times. By now I'd rather wear a sign around my neck or tattoo it on my forehead. On the flip side, however, I have to admit that I love knowing what people around me are saying and catch them totally off guard when I look at them and say..."cuidado con lo que dices por que entiendo todo." Priceless looks on their faces.
But regardless of how many times I have to say it, or smile at the comments I get, one thing always strikes me when I question why God made me the way he did. In all his power and all his glory and all his wonder, he made me with light skin, light eyes, and light hair for a reason. The Dominicans here that I've become very close to, whom are like a second family to me, absolutely love me the way I am. Something I've had to learn to do, love myself, be ok with me, look in the mirror and like what I see.
As we walked through the market, me and my new great friend Paola, we talked as if we had known each other for years. She would tell me what foods we were looking for, I would say hi to those who were selling (friends of hers, of course), and though they stared, Paola just said, "vamos Dulce, te miran porque eres bella." It's like she knew I was starting to feel uncomfortable that the people were staring. Yet, I felt comfortable with her.
When we finally got back to the casa, I headed back to the kitchen and wanted to get in on the cooking. I've been learning and loving it! Our cooks here are amazing and they have no problems letting me watch and ask questions. "Mira, mexicana, asi lo hacen en tu pais?"
"Casi igual." Not so much from scratch though, at least not in the states. I mean you're talkin' lemonade from straight lemons, sugar, and water. Tostones, fried plantains, from the tree to the bubbling oil. Legit! SO YUMMY!!!!
You won't believe this though, I've been washing by hand! Boo yaaaa, taking it WAY back! Washing my socks and underwear took me two hours, can't even lie about that. Yes, they do have a washer here, but not a dryer and I'm not about to have my chonies hanging on the line for all of Barahona to see! Are you kidding me!?!? So I took a bucket, some water from a big basin, and some detergent, headed up my bathroom and scrubbed away. Imaginate, aye Dios! Shout out to my abuelas for doing this everyday way back when! Remember when I said God was showing me things? He's showing me how to appreciate what I have, don't even worry! Ques que washing machines y water heaters, tas loca! Have I mentioned that I love cold showers? Well there ya go.
Oh, the joys of being a woman. Being stared at and talked about, then washing, cooking, cleaning, disciplining, teaching, working HARD yet being loved, appreciated and cared about. Call me old fashioned, but I love being a woman. So regardless of my skin color, I'm living every day here and will live every day back home, loving the way God made me.
"She is more precious than Rubies; nothing you desire can compare to her." -Proverbs 3:15
Dulce :)
P.S. The boys continue to learn as I continue to teach and discipline. There is desperate need of some re-structuring in this program, but I'm confident that again, God has everything under control. Please continue to pray as God is shaping the people of I Love Baseball.
Saludos y bendiciones desde la Republica Dominican!
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Curve ball. Going down swinging.
What a week! A mix of emotions, plenty of sun, a plethora of mosquito bites, baseball and English classes has put my mind and body on overload. Don't get me wrong, I'm loving every minute of it, but did you ever imagine that things would be one way and they end being completely different?
The first day I got here I felt aweful. The heat was a little overbearing compared to the cool, rainy weather in Seattle. After such a long day of traveling, adjusting to the time difference, feeling as though I was living in a sauna, and getting my system used to Dominican foods, my body went into freak out mode. No bueno.
After a true sabbath day of rest, I felt better and ready to take on week 1. But my, oh my, did I have any idea of what the Lord had in store for me here.
I was so excited to see the boys! They didn't know I would be coming and they were so surprised! Thier smiles were brighter than the sun and they sounded ready to begin English classes.
Once we got started, they seemed eager to learn and their assessment exams went better than I had hoped. But after a few days, the teenage boys started acting up. I guess there is a part of teaching that I hadn't thought about; the discipline part. I think I've managed pretty well so far. I've set some rules and had to make a few kids give me some laps around the field. But I can see some respect developing on their part. They raise their hands instead of shouting out answers. They call me Senora Garza during class and Dulce outside of class. They pay attention when I'm speaking. Learning is happening.
The organization is in need of some serious prayer. My team has had daily meetings about what we can do to better the program, keep people accountable, and develop some structure, but this is an incredible curve ball I didn't see coming. I'm going down swinging, no doubt, but I know I can't do it alone.
I'm excited to keep working. I'm anxious to see change. I'm praying for strength and wisdom. I've said before that God is big and I believe it, wholeheartedly. But when I experience some big obstacles, have times when I realize that the world's problems are so much bigger than me, that's when my faith becomes real to me. That is when God's purpose starts to make sense to me. That is when God is God.
The first day I got here I felt aweful. The heat was a little overbearing compared to the cool, rainy weather in Seattle. After such a long day of traveling, adjusting to the time difference, feeling as though I was living in a sauna, and getting my system used to Dominican foods, my body went into freak out mode. No bueno.
After a true sabbath day of rest, I felt better and ready to take on week 1. But my, oh my, did I have any idea of what the Lord had in store for me here.
I was so excited to see the boys! They didn't know I would be coming and they were so surprised! Thier smiles were brighter than the sun and they sounded ready to begin English classes.
Once we got started, they seemed eager to learn and their assessment exams went better than I had hoped. But after a few days, the teenage boys started acting up. I guess there is a part of teaching that I hadn't thought about; the discipline part. I think I've managed pretty well so far. I've set some rules and had to make a few kids give me some laps around the field. But I can see some respect developing on their part. They raise their hands instead of shouting out answers. They call me Senora Garza during class and Dulce outside of class. They pay attention when I'm speaking. Learning is happening.
The organization is in need of some serious prayer. My team has had daily meetings about what we can do to better the program, keep people accountable, and develop some structure, but this is an incredible curve ball I didn't see coming. I'm going down swinging, no doubt, but I know I can't do it alone.
I'm excited to keep working. I'm anxious to see change. I'm praying for strength and wisdom. I've said before that God is big and I believe it, wholeheartedly. But when I experience some big obstacles, have times when I realize that the world's problems are so much bigger than me, that's when my faith becomes real to me. That is when God's purpose starts to make sense to me. That is when God is God.
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