Real Life

I got back from the annual missionary conference in Punta Cana Monday night around 7:30 - more on that soon. The gua gua pictured below transported nine people plus luggage back to Santiago.

It hit me that I was in Punta Cana longer than I've been in Santiago, so it's nice to be back to "real life," if there is such a thing at this point. I still need someone to pinch me and remind me that this is my job, although I haven't done much in the way of volunteer coordination yet. The few days that I was here before we left for the conference were atypical, and starting tomorrow I'll have several weeks of on-field orientation before I truly get down to business. 

Aside from unpacking, my first full day in Santiago (a Friday) consisted of

• Getting photos taken for my residency card (although I had to go back yesterday for profile shots)
• Sending said photos, my apostilled documents, and my passport to a lawyer in Santo Domingo 
• Accompanying fellow missionary Jamielynn on some last minute conference prep errands
• Lunch at the Kreys (Regional Director Ted, wife Becca, and their 5 kids), about a 3 block walk from my temporary home
• Helping Becca and the kids bake chocolate chip cookies...
• ...for a team gathering to welcome new and returning missionaries and hear a presentation on Jamielynn's recent Mercy Medical Team trip to Tanzania
• Evening walk around our neighborhood, Cerro Alto

First impressions:

• It's almost always sunny, hot, and humid. With the lack of A/C indoors, it can be more comfortable outside in the mornings and evenings, especially if there's a breeze. There have been a few scattered rain showers, which will be more common as we enter hurricane season. 
• Of all the places I've been, the parts of the city I've seen remind me most of Juarez, a few rungs up the economic ladder and with the addition of green: palm trees and red flowering ones called flamboyan (a national symbol) are abundant. 
• There are colorful murals everywhere you look!
• The roads are littered with potholes and missing manhole covers; flat tires are common. I'll need to learn to use my horn when I start driving. 
• US -based chains I've observed: McDonald's, Subway, KFC, Shell, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, Krispy Kreme, TGI Friday's, Burger King, IKEA
• I was expecting the mosquitoes and other bugs to be much worse, given that windows/doors are commonly left open. The few bites I have don't even itch. 
• I'm told there are lots of stray dogs, so here's hoping I don't have any run-ins with them as I venture out walking and running more...
• Gas is expensive - over $4/gallon, and yes, it's measured in gallons.  

I barely left the house on day two. Sunday morning, Danelle & I drove the approx. 2 1/2 hours to Santo Domingo ("the capital," as everyone seems to call it). We worshiped at the church plant there (pictured below) and stayed overnight in a bunk room at the satellite office building. (I'll let that suffice for now and share more about the various ministry sites once I learn more about them!)

After church - or rather, after we waited out a downpour! - we went to lunch with the Fritsches (missionary pastor Joel, wife Clarion, and their 3 kids, who are transitioning to Santiago today since he is the director of the seminary here) and two seminary students who spent their summer assisting with ministry in the capital in lieu of going home. We ate at "Pica Pollo," a combination Chinese/fried chicken joint run by Chinese immigrants; there's seemingly one on every street corner. That night we went to Megacentro, a GIGANTIC mall, and saw God's Not Dead 3 in Spanish. Late Monday morning it was off to Punta Cana, another 2 1/2 hours or so. Going through the capital is not the most direct route, but it's definitely the preferred one. 

Off to go put away the first load of laundry I've done here and then help with the Fritsche move. Until next time, blessings!