everybody has a story: wojo

Wow, what an experience this has been for these past 3 months. Looking back, it has gone by fast. Each day feels like a week, but those weeks go by faster than you can imagine. I never get bored, always something to do, and writing this blog gives me the chance sit down and process everything. Process my experience and share it with you. This past weekend I had the opportunity to travel to Las Galeras. It’s on the eastern peninsula of the island the pictures I have doesn’t even begin depict how beautiful it was. Kristen and I went and after coming back on Sunday, I have never felt so relaxed, recharged, and motivated to come back to work.

I am sure some of you are wondering about the title, ‘wojo’. Well to top the weekend off, I had a chance to talk to a friend from Regis. Her name, well, nickname, is Wojo and she & I met this last year on a alternative spring break trip with Regis to the Dominican Republic. She was a freshman, taking a dive into this trip, completely immersing herself with a people she barely knew, a new culture, and little did she know how much she was going to grow because of it. She has one of the most genuine, charasmatic, and loving attitude’s I have come across, it is 100% contagious. While we were talking, she told me something that has really stuck with me, “Madelon, how can someone with absolutely nothing, have so much care for one person? In regards to the differences between first and third worlds. She then went on and shared, regardless of which country we are in, it’s simple and very basic. “As simple as, “how are you?” how are you? Then the question is, how is there so much genuine care for someone that you met for a few days during a spring break trip?” Maintaining a relationship, staying in contact, but in reality, you never know if you’ll be able to see them again. But, the admirable thing about Wojo, is her motivation to take what she learned, and make life wherever she goes. To take and use those basic things, the questions of ‘how are you?’ and apply them into her every day life. To be the person she is because of one experience and to take that one experience with her for the rest of her life. Essentially, people come and go in our lives all the time, but for some reason, we choose to continue relationships with people, but have you ever asked yourself, “why?” I’m not sure I can even answer that. There are so many variables, but it’s such a simple question, which then goes back to the basics of asking someone, ‘how are you?’ It was such a rich conversation and started my week of great.

Avriel & I are now work out instructors for the Tías (caretakers for the children). We have class twice a week and it is just a riot. We shake it, move it, and the translation of, “You can do it!” Doesn’t sound as well/ cheerleader-esque in Spanish as it does in English, so we choose to say it in English. hello- YOU CAN DO IT! *clapclapbigsmile* just screams peppyness, does it not? We have so much fun and it’s really fun to spend time with the tías while the kids are at school.

Aside from all of that, here are some pictures since the last post. Lots of activities this weekend- We are making Donuts, which will be a huge treat since none of the boys have ever done anything remotely like it before and Saturday we are going on a bike ride to MonteCristi (nearby Batey) to play some basketball and hang out. Sunday, we are having a team (family) building day! Which I am TOTALLY stoked for. We are waking up early, going for a run, making a family breakfast of eggs, pancakes, and fresh fruit, doing team building games in the afternoon, i.e. the human knot, etc, and movie in the afternoon. My house really needs it. We have had a lot of behavioral issues and doing this, I think it will really give the boys an extra push to come together. BUT- the best part of this weekend is, the helpers in my house (2 older boys live in the house, helping the caretakers, and being an example for the boys) are leading it! They are the ones who came up with the idea, they are the ones who want to work together and become a family. I think it's great because if you think about it, I am the volunteer. They aren't going to listen to me as well as they are going to listen to the helpers. I will post pictures in the next blog, but for now, here are some pictures of everything else!!

Enjoy the overwhelming amount of pictures!!!