So I think the most wonderful thing about my site, and I am finding great ones everyday, is the coffee. Dominican coffee is awesome. And what makes it even better is seeing, and participating in the whole process from growing, picking, drying, pilon-ing,picking out the dried shell parts, toasting and then pilon-ing again to get the final product. There is something to be said for being able to say that you had a part in the process from beginning to end, and then you can actually see the outcome. Besides that, the coffee is AMAZING. We go through a similar process with Cacao as well. To make a wonderfully rich, organic, delicious dark chocolate. My host family has a property in which they grow coffee, cacao, guineos, and avocados. They will have a big coffee harvest in September, and this will provide them with enough coffee for the rest of the year. They keep most of it, and sell only small amounts to neighbors and family. (I am getting ideas for a secondary project).
Last week we went to the Finca for a day to work and play. Their property is just up hill from a river where we went swimming and fishing for crabs and shrimp. The boys know all about river fishing and we were very successful in our hunt. It felt like summer when I was 12, hanging out with all the kids, kicking around in the river without shoes, getting dirty! I loved it!
I also gave my first english class. They are so excited to learn, we brought the note cards that I made, they brought their notebooks and pencils, and after we finished learning our ABC's, 123's and colors, we played UNO, in ENGLISH!!! I am finally starting to feel like I am accomplishing something. Even though I haven't officially started any projects, I am getting to know my community and I am starting to feel a strong connection to the people who live there.
