Sundays are Fundays | rachael

Sundays are fundays.

7am and we’re up and at ‘em. The base can not sleep when 27 Canadians are around a breakfast table rarin’ to go. The base can sleep when 27 Canadians are around a breakfast table and are eating their scrambled eggs and muffins in relative quiet. The former was reality.

By 7:50 we were all churchly attired and heading out the gate for our Sunday stroll. After a 10-15 minute walk we got to “the bus stop”, which is not a stop at all, but our group of 27 North Americans becomes a roaming bus stop whenever we are on the side of the road. It does not take much effort at all get a bus to stop for a bunch of gringos, we just need to stand there. This morning I was in charge of leading the crew. Being the competent leader that I am, I aptly “hailed” a bus (by having us all stand there) and quickly and efficiently we were all loading on to a “bus”. I use the term “bus” loosely because I do not want you to think of it in the North American sense; these are vehicles on wheels that can hold multiple people, yes, but they don’t have the same luxurious seating and they are smaller than buses back home. When the bus pulled up it was 1/2 - 3/4 full and some in our crew seemed skeptical that we would fit. The driver and I had no doubts whatsoever that despite the bus’ apparent full-ness, there was clearly room for 27 more people. I needed to remind the crew that we were in the DR. On the bus we went and we all fit; in the DR there is always room for one more. Unfortunately one of the first stops we needed to make was to let off a person from the very back of the bus so many of us unloaded so he could get off, only to reload shortly after. The crew had yet another authentic Dominican experience today.

We got off the bus and walked to church. We do not attend just any church; this one is ginormous. I will not write much about our church adventures because some students are going to blog about it.

After church we walked to one of the simplest malls in Santo Domingo, but it is the only one I know of with an Internet cafe and that has a relaxed atmosphere where we can hang out without being watched by security. We ordered our lunch and soon discovered that a) the internet cafe was closed and b) the wifi wasn’t working. If we didn’t yet feel like we were in the DR learning lessons on flexibility and adaptability, this was another step in that direction. However, this group accepted this news in amazing ways. As I talked to various students to explain that I would somehow get them Internet today, I got responses like, “it’s only been three days” or “it’s just like I’ve been gone to a weekend retreat so far” or “I’ve just had a double sleepover, I have double sleepovers all the time”. Needless to say, most are adjusting quite well and did not miss being unable to contact home today.

For those that did wish to contact home (fewer than half the group), we stopped by “The Blue Mall” on the way home. This mall the THE fanciest mall I have ever been in: picture the Eaton Centre times a bajillion. We felt awkward and out of place in our regular DR attire (shorts and t-shirts). Some of us sat down in a corner to use the wifi and security told us we were not allowed to sit. That flagged us and security guards then followed us everywhere - even while sitting at the food court we were being watched. I suppose we weren’t technically doing anything wrong, however, it was clear that our simple attire did not fit the demographic this mall was striving for.

One group had already returned to the base with four of the chaps, so my (and Joey’s) group walked to the bus stop from this fancy-dancy mall. We got into a ‘bus’ that was much emptier than the morning and we all were able to sit down; a not-to-be-expected bonus. At one stop on the way home there was a “Skim Ice” man (a man in uniform selling Skim Ice: essentially they are just freezies, but they ARE the best tasting freezies in the world). Hannah, Billy and Mak all bought one as he stood at our bus windows. Part of the thrill of this adventure was receiving a Skim Ice, the other part of this thrill was buying something from a vendor through a bus window. The DR does not fail to disappoint.

As we walked home it started to pour again and as we approached the door of the base we looked like nearly-drowned rats. (I was going to type that we looked like drowned rats but that doesn’t make sense because then we’d be dead but we were still walking and, as far as I know, drowned rats - dead ones - don’t still walk). Some opted for another group-rain shower.

We had an hour and a half to journal, play games, colour, play guitar and nap. Dinner was rice and beans, fried chicken (which was stupendous) and salad-ish. After dinner the music crew practiced some songs, led us in worship, we watched a Bible Study DVD, met in small groups, had circle time, met with our prayer partners and, finally, retired for the evening just after 11.

We are going to be ready for breakfast at 7am. Students will be assigned rotation groups today: some will be teaching and some will be working at the shop. All will be busy and all will, yet again, experience brand new things today. Should be good.

Enjoy your Monday!
rachael