So I can not believe that I have almost been here two months. It is really crazy, and I am really not looking forward to the day when it is officially two months because that means my time here is half over.

I have really been trying to do my best to take advantage of everything that I can while here, especially as I realize that I do not have a lot of time left here. Monday I am hoping to go back to the hospital to shadow my host aunt for a little bit. I also just recently started a volunteer job at an organization called "Mujer y Iglesia" (Woman and Church) which aims to prevent interfamiliar violence. They have a bunch of really fascinating programs, including a microfinance program for women in the countryside to start their own buisnesses, and I am really looking forward to getting to see all that they do.

So yesterday was the Independence Day here for the Dominican Republic. Well, one of them, as they also have an independence day that they celebrate that marks their independence from Spain. Yesterday marks the independence from Haiti, which is a much more important day for them. So yesterday my friend Diane and I headed out to Montecristi to see the festivities and visit the kids for a little bit.

I can't lie, it is always a somewhat frustrating trip in that it takes a while to get there and then I feel like as soon as I get there I have to turn around and leave to catch the bus back. But in any case, it was nice to see the kids. When we got there they were in the midst of their parade, so I got to see a few of them walking with their respective schools.

After that, we headed to the orphanage and played with the kids for a while. And I definitely have the lollipop mess all over my shirt to prove it!

Anyways it was a good day overall, my favorite part of the trip had to be in the morning when this lady on the bus told off another man. He was making a lot of racist remarks about Haitians and saying that they basically had an inferior culture. The lady snapped on him and started asking if he had ever even been out of the country and seen another culture. He responded that no he hadn't, and she flipped out on him telling him that it was people like him that gave Dominicans bad reputations. I was so glad to hear a Dominican finally standing up and setting someone straight! That kind of ignorance towards Haiti and Haitians happens far too much here.

Other than that, I am doing my best to learn Bachata, Merengue, and Salsa before I leave here... It is definitely unfair because everyone here can do it so well-- we Americans definitely missed out on something!