Definition

Laurasia (supercontinent), ancient continental mass in the Northern Hemisphere that included North America, Europe, and Asia (except peninsular India).

Laura
(woman), a young professional from the U.S. who is working, studying, traveling, and living across Laurasia.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Goodbye, Dominican Republic! Hello, South Korea!

Hello there.  I went radio silent for a while, and for that, I apologize to my faithful readers.  (Hi, Mom!)

Simply, the last couple weeks in the Dominican Republic flew by.  My mom came to visit, I went to a staff retreat at a resort in Puerto Plata, and then Laura N. and Eleni came out to visit me.  Mixed in with the fun, I struggled with an internet connection that left something to be desired to finish writing the peace education curriculum.  With a great amount of focus and at least some amount of luck, I was able to finish writing it, assist in its translation into Spanish, and present both versions to the directors before I left the country.  Wow, what a monumental task.

Why are we all wearing pink?

Me, Eleni, and Laura N. on Calle las Damas in la Zona Colonial in Santo Domingo.
I was literally dragged on stage to participate in a game show of sorts.  This led to countless individuals approaching me throughout the evening and following day and addressing me by name.  Also, note my Dominican clothing that Gladys helped me pick out!  Unfortunately, it did not persuade the host into believing that I was Dominican...:(
I also cried - a lot - with my Dominican family in the days leading up to my departure.  They threw me a party the night before I left, and the children threw me a party in the afternoon.  They were the best and most heartfelt parties I've ever attended.  They were filled with promises of return and invitations to stay in any number of houses (but of course I will stay with my Dominican family when I come back to visit).  I feel like I discovered that I truly am a dominicana pura...I really identified with parts of the culture.  And my community saw it too, and they accepted and valued me for the person that I am - even the non-Dominican parts.  How incredibly blessed I am to have had this marvelous summer experience.  It is something that has shaped me deeply and tremendously.

At the party that the children threw for me on their own.  It was complete with refreshments, balloons, and a song and dance they prepared.  The girls also prepared the finger food: a cheeto, a ritz cracker, and a piece of cheese held together with a toothpick.  Scrumptious!


Some of the evening party guests.

No age restrictions!
My last morning :(
I flew into DC and stayed there for a week at my old group house (thanks, Euclid!), and then I continued my journey to Chicago, where I stayed for a week with my parents.  I kept meaning to update my blog, but then I kept connecting with people and doing things.  So....

I am writing to you from Seoul!  I arrived here just a few days ago, and I'm settling into my new apartment.  I have had the most wonderful experience so far.  I made a friend with a nice young man on the plane, and then a fellow student, Jamie, met me at the airport and helped me find my way to my apartment.  I've been exploring around the city and learning a few key words and phrases in Korean.  I absolutely love the city, the food, but most of all, the people: everyone is so kind and patient.  There are mountains (or big hills, rather) in the city, and I'm lucky enough to live by one.  Today, I adventured through some of the trails; the heavily wooded trail peeks out at times to provide a stunning view of the city skyline.

I will post more later, and I will also probably go back to describe more of the details of the peace education project!

So far, I have surmised that Korean children are adorable.