Dominican Trip Days 1-3

Day One
After a full day of traveling, we finally ended in Santiago, DR around 630pm. Lowell picked us up at the airport and drove us on our 35 min journey to the Students International base. There he gave us a brief orientation while we ate a late supper. He told us about all of the bugs and what to expect once we got to our rooms. We were the very first people to arrive for this outreach. Our room had 4 sets of bunk beds and a shower and toilet. We all took showers and went to bed early. Very late that night, our 2 roommates came, Elyse and Jaime.
Day Two
The whole morning was full of more orientations about the culture and the base. I ate breakfast for like the first time in quite a few months. The food was rather tasty. Then after lunch and some free time, we all went to our separate ministry sites. Marissa and I both were in Health Care. 2 other girls, Jaime and Alison, were also in our site. We went to the clinic and met Alba, the ministry doctor that we would be working with for the outreach. We prayed and she told us what to expect. Then we all learned how to take blood pressures. It was quite a challenge to learn, and I still don't fully know how to do it, lol. After supper, we played a Dominican game which involved us steering a tire with a "spoon" like stick thing. I was horrible at it. We then learned the Merengue, a popular dance in the DR. My partner and I tore up the dance floor, no doubt. Everyone in our room went to bed early, before the 10pm lights out rule. I was worn out by the end of that day.
Day Three
We had to be ready by 645, because that's when we started Praise and Worship time. Then we had our devotional/quiet time. After breakfast, we were off to our ministry sites for a full day. The Health Care team ended up setting up the clinic in a church. It was so much fun. I got to play a lot of games with the kids and work on my painting skills. It was fun to try and communicate with the kids, but not when they would stare at you like you're an idiot because your pronunciation was so far off that even kids couldn't even understand it. From about 1215-145, we have a siesta (nap time). We sat around and talked and then laid down on the pews in the church and slept. I wish we had siesta time back here in the states! The first official ministry site day was so much fun. The kids are really amazing and are so open to you.