Saturday, November 26, 2005

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.

2 Comments:

At 4:15 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yo holla to Mr. MC put ya hands up!!

My dowgs is always doing big things. Make it happen dunnie and always know, that your SUN always have your back!!!! In this life and the next. I'm expecting daily updates about the kid. If 3 days pass and no hear from, I will be booking the next flight coming with blood fire to find out WAH GWAN!!!! (and you know I'm not joking)

Yo, keep it safe and keep it groovey.

Your Boy
BK J

 
At 11:36 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

TRIFLE says:
Follow the Mr. MC - Put your hands up.
And if your high like EYE put em in the sky.
Let em wave to the left if you feel stressed,
Cuz with your right you'll be.... the LA LA LA

Sorry son, stop quoting my songs, you know that gets me hyped up to rhyme.

Speak to ya in 72 hrs LOL

 

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