Arts and Crafts

As silly as it sounds arts and crafts and is one of the artistic/ creative things that has helped me to make sense of my time in the Dominican Republic. Because the organization I am working with here in Samaná: Volunteer Adventure, is a children’s school, in my time here I have had to make various arts crafts. Whether I am drawing, doing an activity with the kids, or just helping to decorate the classroom to make it look more child-like. Sometimes the arts and crafts can be difficult like having to cut out very small letters or perfectly craft soaps (to sell to fundraise for the organization) up to the program coordinator Miquella’s standards. Other times they are very easy like having to cut out a balloon or color in a letter for a poster. The point is my time with arts and crafts has been difficult and easy but both are a necessary balance to make life at the foundation colorful and successful. In a similar sense, I feel that is equal to my cultural adaption here. I have a multitude of years worth of schooling in Spanish all of which has in reality has prepared me little for the speed and difficulty of Dominican Spanish, but that with the balance of beauty of scenery, the contrast of the loudness and forwardness of the people with my quiet persona, the great friendship I have found in the other volunteers here, again the difficulty of navigating through another language, and comfort and joy of being in close proximity to various Haitian people, all have made life here balanced. Certain times are more difficult than others, but everyday is a new challenge and adventure. I am determined to improve my Spanish and despite the various every-day challenges adapt. My life here is like arts and crafts: pensive, frustrating, challenging, yet fun.