Day 4 - the long and short

Not much time online today so i'll make it quick.
Sunday i woke and did the grocery thing, went to the beach and it was blast. It began to rain lightly but that only made things more surreal. Here i was less than 48 hours away from NYC and the literal freezing weather, and there i was in the Caribbean sea 2 minutes from my home. Nice. Put together dinner with the neighbors, then went to play darts next door at the boor. Its own by a German guy with excelent spanish who apparently drinks more than he sells. Michel show me some dart tricks and after 3 games it was a fierce compition. On a whim after that i went to dance some salsa and it was excellent that night.

Monday i still had no gas for my stove so the next day i put the pressure on and my landlord said he would get it to me by today no charge. I went to I-Lang-DR to register and met my teach. Black/Spanish guy with very good english. He was actually impressed with me and decided to forego the basics. We chatted and he gave me my books for each of the 3 days a week (different book for each day). Funny thing is that the book for Friday, i had bought it on my own 2 months ago. He was again shocked as i had been doing it on my own, even the homework. Coincidence? Maybe this really is all meant to be.
The night ended bad because i locked my self out when i went to buy my water cooler. Had to remove the handle myself (thanks Dad) but i have other locks plus a cage door with Masterlock on it. Got in and was told that it would also be replaced for free because landlord was too far to get the key to me, even tho it was early.
Tomorrow, his boss, Chris form UK, the guy i originally dealt with (and paid) will be flying in and giving me all my plates, utensils, extra linen, and music system that was removed prior to me getting here, by the last tenant.
Anyhow, more on it all tomorrow.
1

Day 1... an adventure already.

So i landed about 2:15am and with plans of meeting my "landlord" @ 9:30 am. MUCH time to kill. I ended up being the only one in the entire airport along with an older fella from GT (Guyana) who missed his previous day's flight He was going to Puerto Plata, next door to me and being the cab cost $60 USD i was down to split it. Of course he wants to do do something else *go see friend in Santiago at 6am) so at about 4:30 i gave in to the badgering cabs and took one for self.

Conversation on the 1 1/2 hour drive spanned mostly which was easier to learn, Spanish or English. Turns out he took an extensive course 13 years prior. He was about where I am at in spanish. I had my points but could not really out argue the fact that reading in English is all about exceptions. As in you can say i read right now, or i read yesterday, but you have to KNOW that you say REED or RED even tho' the spelling is the exact same. Not so in spanish. How you say it is how its written (mind you een written has a W to confuse outsiders). He did admire that our vast borrowing from other languages makes an English speaker more prone to pronounce sounds from another language perfect, unlike him (he said) that cant make ship sound different from sheep.
Mind you he played me his "USA" CD which had me groooving the whole drive to no less than:
MJ- Beat it
Ah Ha- Take on me
Gloria Gaynor (?)- I will survive
50 Cent- Candyshop *yo he cracked up when i translated that AND Billy Jean and her claim of a son by MJ)
Celine Dione- Heart will go on


Half hour from the destination i look up from my phone to see the car going off the road and embankment, which dropped down a good foot or so. Swerved back on and bought FRESH coffee (oh my we are missing out in USA) that was so good i couldnt believe there was no milk needed. FOR REAL. Searched Sosua a bit and found my place. Called said landlord at 7:22am. 20 calls and a calling card later realize his phone is not working or having service. Learned from the locals that all the morning rain causes that. Got soaked trying to find the call center which turned out to be close. Saw my school on the other side of the block from my apt. Was closed.
Mind you i had hid my luggage in a wall crevice so that i could make the run. Met a few new neighbors while trying to find Maurice/Maurizio the landlord. Next door is a young (my age-ish) newlywed couple. Spanish man, white woman, nicest people i've ever met. The wife was going to work but they paused to let me use the cell phone, which was te same version as mine, minus the roaming fees. He got on the bike with her in the rain and sped off. I kill more time, worried that i wont be able to get the apt or something and feeling like everything was alright at the same time. I forgot to mention the fat, old, German man who i first knocked on the door and when he opened it i said "good mor-" and the door slammed in the face while i heard "it f$%kingk early and jew want to wake me upf" (bad german english).

When the husband got back at 8:40am he invited me to use he phone again and said he spoke to Maurizio the night before and he was coming at 10am to fix a light. Since we had the same phone he let me use the charger. Insisted i pick a CD from wifees CD book, so i listened to Nelly and Tim McGraw (over and over agian)and some Oasis (WonderWall you lame suckaz!)

He also insisted i have some juice (homemade) and cooked eggs with homemade white-bread and Pan-de-agua (Water bread) which is simply the bomba. Add in the fresh strawberry jam and it had me feeling much better.

Met with landlord, got my keys, etc. He let me know the guy before me was a slob and promised me all new bed, stove, radio and bathroom items by a week. Apt AND balcony was dirty. We asked the pool/groundskeeper to find me one of the girls in the area that clean for a small fee. So we sent him off and got the price for the FULL maid cleaning. A whopping 250 pesos, ahem, i mean 10 dollars (!!!!!!).
So now i'm feeling all rich and in the meantime till she came Michel (pronounced like Michelle LOL) said he would show me the supermarket to kill time. Basically cruised the whole town on the back of a motorbike including driving it across the beach area!
Got back and the lady was there.
Gave her the hour she asked for, came back, she asked for an hour more. I almost got mad till i saw the NEW balcony and bathroom shining. Ok Senorita....!, take all the time you need.
Went for a beer or 2 at the bar and chilled. Now i'm back at the call center area to post this for ya.
On the brightazz side i got some skills back in Spanish already and have fending off nothing but the tourist hustlers so my bi-lingual excuse log is full!

Until next...

Tmc

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Day 1 - part 2

Oh did i forget to mention 4 Non0blondes in that music list up there. Well i said "Hey, what's going on" LOL.

So after i got back the apt was very clean. I decided to take a nap and slept from about 3 to 6:30pm. My newlywed neighbors where up ands about and call me over. They proceeded to bless me with some cookware and utensils, a few extra linens, things that got jacked from my apt by the previous tenant. I swear these 2 have made me feel insanely welcome here. Advoce on the cheapest everythings, laundry info, etc.

Then they asked if i was hungry and we rolled to a spot called Susana's. I had like a 3 course meal and soda for 80 pesos (like $2.50!) which consisted of rice and beans, white rice, a bowl of habichuelas (beans), a plate of salad, and aplate of vegetable salad (yuca/casava, peppers, potato). Needless to say i was stuffed before the curtain closed. Got back to said apartment and brought over some music. Had them rocking to some QU Productions, Marcia Vega album, and my early 90's rap CD (Main Source- Faking the funk, Front Door, Scenario 1/2, Onyx, Grand Puba, Daimond D's Sally, etc.) around 11pm we went to a few of the clubs , which let you in free. On of them, Club X, has the Matrix lines painted on one of the walls. It looks wicked for real.
I was actually convinced to sing karaoke (I know right!) because the couple did AND another coouple from the floor below (Older white german woman/young half haitian-dominican husband)- so i sang Atlantic Starr's "Always" and then Rob Base and DJ EZ Rocks "It takes 2". Got some applauses actually on that last one, but you know i rock micsfor a living so hey.

After dodging about 15 "ladies of the night" in al the clubs we walked back home and stopped to have one of the best burgers i've ever had. Its not the same style as in the US, more like a BBQ-ish taste that requires no ketchup.
Then as a last suprise: Michel asks if i know thw words to the Fugees "How many mics". WHAT!!! Of course, but how did HE know that underground song. Blessed him with thte words.

Went to bed.
2moro ya'll.

Adios

Honestly i typed up areally long post this morning but the PC froze and ALL was lost so sorry, but i must keep it short now.

The time is finally here and I'm only a bit excited. Strange but true. I will be in touch with you on the other side.

!Adios!
!Nos vemos cuando yo vuelvo!

Right now until lift-off...

Realizing that I speak 6 languages already... maybe more!

We all do in are own ways.

I was sitting here online and being inspired by a certain Nappilyshe to create an album detailing my beloved family home of Trinidad and Tobago. Those in my offline life know i rep each and everyday even in jewelry but as one person told me, "you're crazy about this Spanish sh*#t", and I wanted to show love to every place properly.

I started unconciously began bussin out some Trini-talk, the bootleg version (Sawry abowt dat, but I bawn in New Yawrk ya blasted scunts) that i picked listening to both my parents, whom both being born and raised there until there twenties, have very strong accents, although it still sounds like regular english to me (you follow?). I was like HEY wait a minute! This is English but to the average American i might as well be speaking Japanese.

So that's two down and it got me to analyzing. There's the language and speech pattern I use during business or at the office. That would make 3, and then add in the language (read: slang) i use in New York City in general, which if i take to Georgia or Cali they don't always understand fully (and vice versa Whoadie). So four down.

I bet some of ya'll speak a few of these, substituting my Trini for Jamaican, Bajan, Haitian, etc.

Then to make 5 I HAVE to add in the Laurelton Queens slang, which can illicit "temple-scratching" from even fellow New Yorkers or Queens-ites for that matter. A language with enough izzies, iggidies and illogically placed words to hurt your brain if you listen. Like the dances in the movie "Rise", anyone can make up a brand new word or placement at anytime on any day (a bit like turning "What's the verdict" into "what's the vertical" but a thousand times more deeper and creative). It's fun to hear what's next because it stimulates the images of your mind. That's probably why and how our people learned to rap such elaborate tapestries over break-beats.

But i digress. So that's 5 and then if i work hard enough, lord-willing I'll be adding Espanol (and some creole?) to that.


So think about it some time and ask yourself... how many languages to you speak?

3 days until lift-off

8 days away... it 's easy!

So in about a week and a day I'll be out of here, finally away from all of your sorry @sses! No , REALLY in truth i miss the ones closest to me already.
I can be known as a nomad of sorts sometimes but rarely have i been more than a few miles from someone i know, even when i am a thousand miles from NYC. Times that i have are for a few days or a week at best. It's sinking in Now that not only will i be dolo (solo 4 u lamens)for 12 or so weeks but, being a born conversationalist, i can't quite have the elaborate and enlightning conversations with anyone because they will all speak Spanish. Yet anyways. Its fustrating because it's like trying to express your current thoughts using the cache of words you held when you were 5 or 6 years old. It'll comes across but it'll lack a certain clarity or depth, for right now anyways. The Cancer in me moves along patiently.

I've got a secret to tell you shhhh... I haven't packed yet!!! WELL, i have gathered most of the things into an easily compilable area, but the suitcase is definitely sunbathing in the house right now. The Cancer in me also procrastinates sometimes ;-D but honestly i just hate to have my clothes sitting folded and earning permanent creases before i travel somewhere. I can usually peruse my wardrobe to see what needs to be done to what, tailored, tossed, re-bought, replaced or whatever and then *mentally peice together the whole thing, packing about 2 or 3 days in advance.

I make this look easy because it is to me:
So far from this side of the mason-dixon everything has been too easy. (¿pero por qué es tan fácil?) Let me assure you that the funding for my housing AND schooling for these 3 months has not surpassed $2K and the only things left to pay for are in the food, party, more-new-clothes, & souvenir category.

If you're hesitating to live abroad somewhere, know that it doesn't have to cost a 5% Percent A-L-L-A-H (an Arm, Leg, Leg, Arm, and a Head LOLOLOL.. ok i 'm foolish). It only takes research, and more research. Had i just jumped up and went i would have missed all the advice and recommendations and knowledge (and savings) that due diligence can bring. So to that end i say...

Just do it

8 days until lift-off.

My black people... >:(

I've come to a conclusion.
Some... not all... but some people, are very content to do nothing with their time AND/OR lives.
Let's take *Brick and Crillz for instance (names have been changed). Brick, Crillz and I have grown up in the exact same neighborhood forever, Laurelton, Queens. For those that don't know it's basically a part of the bigger Southeast Jamaica (Queens) area.
Part suburbia, part crack and drug town, very 50/50. You could either be a doctor or a hussler, a cardiologist or a killer, whatever floats you. But there's always a choice.

We have a main strip and coincidentally i live right off the main strip. That fact saved me in the long run. I could never hussle with my friends over there because you could look right out from my house and see me on the corner. My West Indian parents would have very literally killed me.
Brick and Crillz on the other hand, both had lenient parents and could be outside until whatever time and this was from around 12 or 13 yrs old. I would sneak out after 11pm and try to be down with it all. We all rapped (well) so ciphers till the AM's were the norm.
Over the years we all had our ups and downs. I was peddling *green but stopped and focused on my career, Crillz went into acting (and can be seen in the back of some of your favorite CBS shows), but Brick remained on the block. Got arrested, got out, got arrested, got out.
I've accomplished a lot since then. Working on Wall street at 18 yrs old, being 2nd in charge of sales at a Tech company by 21. Losing it all after 9/11 and stepping into the non-profit business realm by 24. Becoming a certified EMT-B on the side and also being a volunteer ESL teacher most of this year. Plus leaving to live outside the country.
Crillz also has done too much good things with his life to list .
But Brick.... I didnt yet mention that Crillz and I are both around 25/26 and Brick is 30 (gasp).
Now that's VERY young, but thats TOO old to be doing nothinig with your life. I wont say what industry he is in but a good friend of mine (Neo) was tired of seeing him lollygagging and got him a job with a friend that owns his own biz. On Brick's first day i go to visit my boy Neo and Brick is there!!
Ok WTF?! "Isn't this your 1st day Brick"
"Yeah but i forgot to get some equipment and i have no ride there"

PLEASE tell me how you wait until the first day to get your equipment??? Please.
You'll ask me for a ride to pick up cigareetes, but not to go to work? Help me understand someone!

Then the kicker, I was watching TV at Neo's house with Brick there yesterday and some school Devry type commercial comes on. First thing outta this fool's mouth.... "Yo why they always trying to make a nigra get a bullshyt degree like that's gone do something"

It'd keep your azz off the streets is what.

School isnt everything, but focus is. Something most schools Should teach you.

Focus people... Focus.

14 days until lift-off!

Why am i leaving?

Where can i begin on this one? It's occured to me that some people have no idea why i am outta here?

Dominican Republic March/April 2005 The trip that started it all... I had already started back studying Spanish when my brother and his Dominican wife - a.k.a. my sister- invited me to make the trip to DR with them. Boy did it change my life...

You see, as a child @ the age of 5 I had very good writing and reading scores and was put into a "program" for advanced students, and one of the subjects was Spanish. I absorbed the year like a sponge, but sadly the woman teaching it had to transfer schools (never knew why). I remember her crying with some of us and saying we were just getting to where she had wanted us to go with it. Long story short is i was able to communicate simple things and ideas, but much more than the average adult knows now. I even ran into 2 friends that were from P.R. and by hanging with their families learned more. Especially at my boy Eli crib. You would think he was Black-American if you didnt meet his mom. One day i was there late and i heard his mom clearly say "Why is Shaun still here so late, when is he going home". What made that moment special to me was that i wasn't paying attention and "thought" i heard pure english subliminally. Outloud i said "Nah I'll go home soon". My boy looked at me incredulously, and that's when i realized what i'd done.
My older brother even bought me a Baron's Language book by the time i was 8 (i love to read, and he knew that- how uncharacteristically f*#$king nice of him :-D)

Fast forward 20 years: I stopped studying and lost everything but being able to pronounce a good word or two. I became tired of always saying "yeah i used to know this and that". Add to that the fact that my now married brother had a Dominican wife and my nephew who was around 3 at the time knew the same amount of Spanish i did. So i vowed to keep up with him as he grew up and also he is a gauge of where I'm at. Of course at 5, he is better than me now :).

I began researching new methods of learning and programs, because clearly i learned nothing in High School and knew that method was lacking. I found a course called Pimsleur based in audio and memorizing without reading, but by "hearing" like children do. You listen for one 1/2 hour a day and talk with it. I bought the sampler (8 lessons out of 90) and can say with confidence that those lessons sunk right in better than ever and taught me simple things like ordering food, drinks, hotel, and other survival stuff like beer (...well ya know...lol).

The one bad thing was it was too formal. By chance i googled for something more "everyday", not so stiff-lip proper and actually found a course made by a New Yorker who bought the aforementioned stuff and was tired of it not being useful in NYC or Mexico (it was Spain spanish). It was called Learning Spanish Like Crazy and although its not perfect, if you can't leave the country, its the next best thing. I did about 13 lessons before my brother came and invited me to the DR.

When left alone i was understood well with what i did know and learned a lot by osmosis. In fact in 10 days there i learned more than in 3 months on my own, especially in regards to things sinking in, because you're directly doing and learning which is more natural. Plus the people themselves were beautiful, the children and locals and those who i sat and played hours of Dominoes with (Capicu-ah!!!)

When i got back in April, after work & Saturdays i began to volunteer teaching ESL to Mexicans who knew little to no English and that helped me more. Not fluent but building a solid foundation. After 2 semesters there, i am ready to further my self-education.

I'll be attending school 3 days a week, several hours a day (half day of grammar, half day of conversation) and living in a studio apartment literally on the other side of the block (by coincidence!!)

I may find work but all in all i am there for my language. At this point i can understand more than i can respond with and i can read even better. If i had to give a number between 1 and 10 i'd say i am a 4 right now, going on 5.

I'll change that number as time goes on for sure.
That's why.

17 days until lift-off...

SEE the weather in Sosua, Dominican Republic!!

Wanna see what the day's weather is like for me???

If you take a look in my links list I have added a real-time weather pop-up. The site's icon is a sun with rain and rainbow so dont get fooled by that, but if you look behind the logo the background will really reflect the day's weather (sunny, rainy, etc.)

Click on it to get the true 5 day in-depth forecast. By the way I know it says Puerto Plata but that is the town directly down the block from me.