Monday Motivation v8

{Taken in the province of San Juan, DR}

"Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment 

until it becomes a memory." - Unknown

San Juan {Not the Puerto Rican One}

Last Friday we drove out to the town of San Juan de la Maguana.  Having never been I expected your average small village in the country, but the town thoroughly impressed me!  

Not because it was luxurious or advanced, but because of how organized and clean it was.  In most of the DR, there is garbage along the sides of the road (partly because of unreliable trash pick-up and partly because the people choose to litter) but in San Juan I did not see a single piece of trash.  And for the first time in my two years of living here, I saw a dumpster.  A dumpster! #YouKnowYouLiveInAThirdWorldCountryWhen... 

The town also had about a dozen small parks and monuments.  There was what looked like a mini Park Guell and fun momuments like this one with the men with cool sunglasses.  The town just seemed so patriotic. 

While A's sister and dad worked, we explored the neighborhood.  I loved the vibrant flowers that popped out of nowhere and the quirky homes, like the red house with a bow on it.  We took a break from the sun at the colmado, where we devoured these snacks and some bottled water all for a dollar. Umm, PM late night taco flavored?!..  

Next, we walked to the castle house that can be seen from blocks away.  Apparently, a famous Dominican painter decided he wanted to live in a castle, so thats what he had built.  He lives there now, even though the house is nowhere near finished; story is that he ran out of money, poor guy.

We had a typical "lunch of the day" at Restaurante El Espía {the spy}.  We also tried ChenChen, a local dish native to the indigenous Indians of the region.  Its a puree of corn and what tastes like cottage cheese.  It was a bit milky for my liking, so I added some chicken broth which instantly gave it a kick. 

The Green Road to Haiti

A's family is working on a project in the province of San Juan, just one hour away from Haiti, and yesterday we joined them for the day.  Knowing that we would need to wake up at 6 and that it would take 3 hours to get there and 3 hours back did not dissuade me, because I know that anytime you drive north or west of the capital you are gauranteed stunning views of the very green land and mountains.  The long trip was worth it for the scenery alone.

Passing through little villages I always see children walking around outside without shoes on, but the difference is that they aren't begging in the road like the ones you see in the capital.  Still, its sad.  I  also see so many shops for clothing and shoes and handbags with signs like these below, meaning Everything American - imported to boot!  I wonder why fashion is regarded so seriously.

Other scenes from yesterdays road trip?  A beautiful, young white horse just trotting along in the middle of the highway and our pit stop for mangos and coconut water.  My favorite!

Last Day of Work! Hooray!

I cannot count how many times I've waken up in the last two years and said, "I don't want to go to work today, estoy harta!" {I'm sick of it.}  Oftentimes I've felt like this: 

Source

But today is my last day, and even though these last few weeks have felt like an eternity, I can say that I feel so happy and grateful for my time here.  I started in the company a week after arriving to the country.  At that time, fresh off the plane from Barcelona, I barely understood Dominican spanish!  Not only has this job taught me the spanish I've needed to work and live in this language, but its taught me how to work effectively with Dominicans island time, how to multitask like no other, and how to stay patient and organized when it seems like no one else is!  

Source

To those who don't love their day jobs, believe that they are always teaching you something and preparing you for bigger and better things!

One Month Married

Over the weekend I was organizing our weddings cards and I had to open my grandma's card again because it was one of those cards that sings when opened (who doesn't want to annoy their husband with The Wedding March playing over and over again?!).  

Yaya (my yiayia from my mom's side), immigrated to the US from Greece when she was a little girl.  At that time they didn't have ESL classes in rural Iowa, so of course she was not a fan of school.  She never studied past middle school.  

We always joke that she copies Hallmark because she always writes lovely poems and lengthy messages inside cards, but the truth is she sits patiently, using her dictionary and a pencil to write beautiful words in her squiggly handwriting.  

I wanted to share the message she wrote in our wedding card last month; the message is so simple but true.

A marriage isn’t magic that “just happens”, its something built with time and love and care.  Its made of laughter, tears, and understanding, of loyalty and simply “being there”.

A marriage is a bond between two people that’s stronger than the sum of all its parts.  A beautiful, rich tapestry of living that’s woven of the love between two hearts. 

Wishing you all the happiness that comes from trusting, sharing, loving, giving, and spending your life together. 

With all my love,
Yaya

A, thank you for making me laugh everyday, for being patient, and loving me always.  TQM. 

I promise I wont write a love post every month. ;)