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Goodbye to Altagracia and Cotui; Off to Santo Domingo

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  This may be the last daily blog post, although there will certainly be at least one more after our safe return.     On Saturday we will traveling to Santo Domingo and busy all day, and after we check into our hotel with sketchy wi-fi, we’ll be checking out at 12:30 a.m. Sunday to go to the airport.     So, no promises after today’s account of our final Friday in Cotui.   We arrived at the Altagracia School on time for the normal opening routine of two national anthems, although their recording of the Star Spangled Banner provided all three verses, challenging those of us singing along. I know that the third verse begins with “Oh, thus be it ever, where free men shall stand…” but not much after that. The closing ceremony for our time at the school included a speech by one of Mari’s star English students, and then gifts for all of us.     The guys got key chains made by Mari, and the women got hair clips, which the Director lovingly clipped in pla...
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A Trip to the Clinic and a Soccer Surprise

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  As we get toward the end of the week, our days get busier and the time for blogging may get a bit shorter.     But I’ll do my best to characterize another full, productive and entertaining day.     We have been operating very smoothly as a group, and this morning cruised into the Altagracia school right on time for the regular morning team.     We joined with the Director and some of the staff in the corridor outside her office.     She read from the Bible, and they sang a spiritual, and one of the teachers offered a prayer. Then I was asked to offer a blessing.     We went outside for the flag raising and national anthem, followed by the Star Spangled Banner.     Then Mari and some of her students presented a brief tribute in honor of National English Speaking Day.     Very appropriate!     We started our teaching day with a very responsive 6 th   grade class.     Several of the studen...
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Earth Day at Altagracia; Playground Repair at Hernando Alonso

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  We are halfway through our trip, and have really hit our stride.     Today we divided into three sub-groups, continuing our work at the Altagracia school, returning to the school at Hernando Alonso, and providing nurse practitioner Madonna Gordon the opportunity to connect with the local medical community.     Since I can only be in one place at once, I have commissioned a report from student Chloe Leslie, who was teaching at Altagracia, and I’ll fill in what I experienced at Hernando Alonso.   First, here’s Chloe’s report:  “Hump Day at La Altagracia: Today, the DRP group divided and conquered; Rob Grabill and four students headed by bus, after dropping 3 students and others off at La Altagracia, to Hernando Alonso do some important work in revamping a playground and basketball court. Beginning the day with both the DR National Anthem, along with the Star Spangled Banner, and raising of the flag, the students then presented a quick informative ...
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A Full Day of Teaching at Altagracia

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  On Tuesday we got down to business and had a full day of teaching at the Altagracia School.     The school day always begins with an assembly in the open courtyard, the only place that can contain a gathering of more than 500 students and teachers.     Today, it was extended to include a welcoming ceremony for us. We began with the raising of the flag and the singing of the rousing Dominican National Anthem.     We were provided with sheets with the lyrics, and many sang along.     Then they played the Star-Spangled Banner, and many of us sang along with that as well. Then one of the English classes sang a lovely welcoming song, all in English of course. Another English class then offered three of our students a quiz on vocabulary words describing DR culture, which gave them a chance to explain key elements.  All of the members of the DR Projects gang then introduced ourselves, after which Rita Severinghaus gave a moving speech de...
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