Time Capsule Letter
Hey Loves,
We hope you are all happily settling in to your new/old lives at home! We miss you and wanted to send you an update from Las Canas. We completed the bottle house and Alejandro’s family has moved in. Slow but sure, we finished up the walls and taught newcomer students to tackle problems. The base you set for us truly helped us in continuing this work.
We often reminisce on your maturity and kindness. You all surprised us with the way you tackled new and uncomfortable situations. Your thoughtful queries during discussions and work days showed us the ability you have to analyze your situation and respond in an appropriate and impactful way. Whether we were figuring out work strategies or enjoying a piña colada at the beach you all managed to convey true personality and caring.
Our little family turned out to be amazing. Remember the night we had a campfire on the beach and danced bachata? Or all the laughs we had with Loubens? We hope you can remember the moments you felt happy, uncomfortable, inspired, and determined. We hope you carry those memories with you and use them to empower you to stay globally engaged.
Reach out if you need anything!
With love,
Leslie, Hilary, and Loubens
P.S. #HunterforPresident
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Saturday April 6, 2019
We have arrived in the Dominican Republic! We are excited to start new projects, meet new friends, and take in some sun. Stay tuned for updates!
Sunday April 7, 2019
Hello All,
Today we all went to a locals home to build a bottle house. The bottles help maintain a comfortable temperature for the residents and also are very good for the environment, they are used for a useful purpose and thus taken out of landfill! We layered plastic bottles into the walls then covered them in mesh and cement. Throughout the day we met many locals and all worked together and we were very productive.
This evening we spent about an hour and a half taking and learning about the insecurities that countries like the Dominican Republic face. Some of these include health, food, political and many others. Talking about these issues really made us realize that we take so many things for granted in the United States. We are feeling reflective and very grateful.
See you soon,
Mikayla and Rubby
Hi everyone!
After our visit we were surprised with an ice cream stop on our way back to the lodge, where we were able to experience Dominican ice cream! We concluded the day by watching a video that educated us about Las Hispaniola and its divided Dominican and Haitian communities. Following the video we learned first hand about the hardships Haitians face while living in the Dominican Republic. Loubens, a Haitian GLA staff member, spoke of his experiences while living in both countries. Looking forward we are all very excited for tomorrow at Dudu Lagoon!
Madison and Mary Jane
Today was a fun and relaxing day at the Dudu Lagoon and a beach. Our day started with a turbulent forty minute bus ride to Dudu Lagoon. There were multiple freshwater lagoons along with rock caves. We had fun jumping from the rocks into the lagoon. After a delicious lunch we headed off on another bus ride to La Playa Preciosa (Precious Beach). At the beach there were several vendors who sold us jewelry and helped us practice our Spanish, French and German. We bought earrings, bracelets, and necklaces made from shark teeth and beautiful metals. Some of us enjoyed the warm and refreshing ocean while others took naps on the beach.
Afterwards, we returned to the lodge where we read our book, played cards, swam in the pool, and spoke with the cooks. Also, we got scrubs for our medical brigade tomorrow. After, we had local soft tacos for dinner. After we discussed the racial tensions between Dominicans and Haitians. Then we watched a Ted Talk about being a global citizen and how we can implement what we learned at home. To complete our day, we listened to music and played cards.
