Dominican Republic - DAY 1

So this journey begins, we are planning to stay here for about 24-36 hours to wait for a vehicle for Partners in Health so that we can drive it for them to Port au Prince. This leg is not totally clear, but if this does not work out, the bus to Port au Prince arrives at 7:30 am tuesday morning.

We are 4 ' Ashanti, Denae (social worker), Allison ( Denahi´s Free spritited sister), and Elcin (Exchange student from Germany, staying with mi hermano Beto).

Depart Saturday @ 9pm arrive SD, DR Sunday afternoon at 4pm..........Now, after 14 hours of flying I was not really ready for too much negotiation, but I realized also that I am in a different part of Latin America.

The mini-van to the Hotel was going to cost $50! at first I was thinking, you must be kidding, but there are not a variety of agencies like in other places.... there is one taxi stand and they do all the negotiating... well after a brief conversation and realizing that it was the cost for 4 persons; so we went on the journey will Mello. Mello has been driving a Taxi for 20years; he is about 40 years old... he has a bad cough, I offer him some water; he has his own bottle.... the cough continues ....then I offer him some gum, he accepts. I always talk to the taxi driver and write notes so that I can at least know where we are goint.....He explains all the streets and cities, some history and some landmarks.

we arrive at the Hotel Riparbella.... it was the best reccomended and economical for Santo Domingo, family run.... and clean.... The woman in charge is Fabia,  but they are booked, (just what the internet said) but they have availability for Monday... today we will stay across the street, Hotel Residence..... she reccommends us to go there..... you can tell that they have gotten their act together because she reccomends a lot of traffic to them.... $60 for one night ... 4 people (15 Per Person), about the same as a nice Hostel in Mexico.

Not a whole lot of locations to choose from...!

I start to think that it is pretty expensive here in Santo Domingo.....

Dinner, pay by weight, very dangerous, when you like to eat like I do..... dinner for 4, 3 beers 1 water about $35.

Out to the Malecon, for the nightlife.... Lots of people, lots of music, people drinking, kids playing with those bouncy balls with flashing lights inside. Karaoke was the biggest crowd,

one beer - 40oz - 125 Pesos (36 pesos per $1) Less than $4

back to room to prepare for Monday. Sharing crazy stories, long night....

To Haiti we Go

well I should be packing right now, but my adrenaline is flowing too fast and furious right now as I anticipate what I am going to experience in the next 9 days of my life.

The original plan as of two days ago....

go work with Sion de Foyer Orphanage through an amazing woman Annie Blackstone, who was a contact from Rotary....

Two days ago...

I get an email regarding the Exec Director of the orphanage who was under a lot of pressure these days and it was requested that no new volunteers come to help.... so I had to go into strategy mode.

I contact my friend Chris Strock, who had just returned from Haiti working with Partners in Health, about 2 weeks ago and whose wife kept a blog during his trip at : http://www.changeforhaitiblog.blogspot.com/

so then Chris told me that he would try to connect me with his friends down there.....

Fast forward one day:

I received this email.....

Hi ashanti- looking forward to meet you

If you tell the driver to take you to ste germaine/hopital nos petits freres et soeurs (tabarre), you will ask for mona

my Crew and I are going to be working with Partners in Health.

Now the challenge is to find transportation from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic...

Bus line Caribe TOURS - Leaves at 11am the morning after we arrive.

So this afternoon, I get a new email from Loune....

Hi- I might have a "free" ride for you for monday

Can one of you drive a manual vehicle? We are purchasing a couple of vehicles in santo domingo and CHAI is looking for another driver

Let me know

L

God is Good!!