In between "To be continued"....

.... I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and send love to all you and yours. Be safe this holiday season and I'll do the same. Much Love, Shaun TRIFLEmc

I'm sorry...dum dum- dum dum...is aaalll that i can say

Words don't come easily... forgive me.

Okay okay, I'm sorry about the disservice i've been doing as far as not writing. A lot going on in the brain and just haven't had the energy to PC-it out.
Quick updates are:
The weekend after the last story i went out to San Fran again to be with the fam. As usual that was a wonderful affair, and that Friday night i went out with Dorphi again for drinks at a local bar. These things are like half party/ half bar in the fact that sooo many people turn out. In NYC cops would shut this down, even though nothing violent popped off.
The night after i was invited to a roof party across the street, which had a beautiful nightime view of the mountains, which encompass the down in all directions for miles. It was small, but everybody danced, unlike good ole New York, where everyone is too cool to dance until there are enough people that you can't get stared at. So much happens in NYC that everyone feels like a spotlight is on them. Even i, who actually hits the floor on NYC more than the avg, finally removed my "cool" and grooved on a bit. Afterwords, aaround 3 in the morning i returned with Hiro, who i would say is the quiter of the 2 brothers. In fact so quite, that i used to be uncomfortable sitting in silence next to him. Last time in March, we stayed in the same room and exchanged snores at best. But this time something different occured...
He told me he was awaiting word that he could enter the US next year on visa and possibly be staying near my brother in Queens. He asked about my brother because he, like my bro, has a love for fast cars and even faster engines. He asked about the steert races in the city and such, but er, you know i dont know nuthin 'bout that....
We ended up talking for like 3 hours, almost until the sun came up, about everything US and Dominican, and how we both sit up at night dreaming of our dreams. Me to finally leave the US for a new life and to be bi-lingual after 20 years, he, to start a new life in the US and move his own spouse and child there soonafter. His ambition is so high i just know he will make it. I felt good to be able to give him the ins and outs of NYC, beforehand, and the reasons most New Yorkers save up, then take off for down south or just about anywhere else (cheaper costs of living, $400k houses for $150k, more space, etc.), and he helped me a lot with my language. As the convo was coming to a close, i remarked on how terrible i was in my pursuit, and he said something that reinvigorated my whole mission.

He asked how many words i think i knew in spanish. I figured roughly 600 to 900 give or take. He actually laughed and said you are crazy, its well over a thousand or more. "Hell no!"I said - but then he broke it down to me. He said to me, "last time in March, when we stayed in the same room, we couldn't so much even breathe the same lingo, and how my dictionary was glued to my hip". And about how every 3 to 5 words i had to look up something. He pointed out that him and i conversed for nearly 3 hours comfortably, and that i never once looked up anything, just maybe asked him to explain in other words to gain the meaning for another. The message hit me like a ton of bricks. I had to admit it - that even though i didnt feel it, i'd been slowly amassing more things than i thought i knew. I knew then that i could never quit now, for i'm way too close.
That made me think of all the poeple who laughed at me when i said i'd start now, so late in life, and how all that stuff about your age effects this and that.

My point is this i guess, before i digress. So many people email me and say i wish this and that and i want to learn whatever. Simply try. If you you fail, you'll still be better than if you would have never tried at all.
I think we as adults want to just "know" right away, but if you etch away even just 2 new words or things in a day, for one year, thats 730 new items stuck right there in your brain for whenever & whatever you need them for.

Ok nuff preaching, i'm too young for that.

To be continued with the fun stuff tomorrow...... until then

Peace!

and Merry Xmas!

Sak Pase', Dread disasters and one Mondo Gecko...

Monday and Tuesday were normal- school, home, studies, Salsa at night- and i became cool with a 1/2 Haitian Dominican fellow who's girl is an older White German woman. Turns out he is learning English and heard i was teacher from my Vecino (neighbor) Michel. We did about 4 hrs that flew by on Tuesday evening. I have few German phrases here and there that i threw around with his Novia and a bit of Russian to try to impress ;-) (thanks again Dad- Adno itoshke' Kash De Dien... S-S-Diff-day LOL)
In turn for my english, i asked him to teach me the other language i was hoping to pick up here, Creole (Criollo en espanol) . Noo pali twuhp Creole (we spoke much Creole) and the best part abotu this all is, he speaks little English, i - little Creole, but what bridges our convos is the Spanish we both can speak. (Him better than me of course, as its his 1st and a half language).

I feel blessed to be here when he and i speak, along with his girl and it's like 4 languages flying around in a bigger version of Spanglish. Let's call it Cre-onglish-erman-anish.
The next day i decided to try a female friend of his out to wash, clip, and dry my locs, as i am still not trying to do it myself. I explained to her what i needed, and she began to neaten the part with a comb................... and something told me to stop her and look.
Don't you know she had FULLY COMBED OUT one loc on the bottom edge. I feng-shweid my attitude in check and dmeonstrated by re-twisting my own damn loc and having her put a rubberband on the tip. The reason for the bands were because Sosua doesnt have one hair clip for sale and Santiago is 2 hrs away. On the one hand i was mad about that, but on the other hand i know that i'm not "Loc'd" all over yet, i was only gassed. It came out easy. Fixed it and you cant tell tho.
So i mixed up the concoction like i was taught, with a molding mud and an eence of an ounce of black beeswax (please dont kill me all you wax-haters, its only while i'm out here and need the hold) and basically did the whole back by myslef, only having here band the ends and then dry it for me. Turned out OK but 2 days later i went to the Salon on my block and showed them slowly how to. This woman Clari learned it VERY GOOD in like 20 minutes, and for her 1st time, i give her a B++.

Its always raining here (in December) and Wednesday was no exception. The receptionist at school invited my teacher and i over for lunch for (gasp) boneless Curry Chicken. Now i was the one feeling stupid for thinking this was jsut a Trini ting. I DID have to explain Roti and if lucky i may attempt it own my own to enlighten them on it.
When i got home from the lunch/dinner i was greeted on my balcony by none other than the Geico Gecko, who promptly ran to the steel bars of my balcony and hid behind one. I think he is the cousin to one that my teaching friend in Mexico took a picture of on her blog last month.
I was about to go back in when i noticed that he stopped running and poked his eye over the bar to see me.
Huh?i walked closer to him... he stayed. I reached my hand out and soon was 8 inches from his face. He ducked back.I stepped backward towards my screen door, as i got in the apartment, i stayed there staring at him, much the same way he stared at me. Wouldnt i be damned, but he crept out toward ME. Now jumping every few seconds from bar to bar, he was follwing me. I stepped forward... he backed up a bit. I backed up, he stepped forward for a bit. It felt like we were having a conversation.The questions were always the same with him and I..."Who are you,.... what are you,....why does it seem like i can trust you". This convo went on in silence for about 2 minutes, him and i letting our curiosities guide. I ran back in just in time to get my camera, snap a photo of him, and just like that, off he went.
Back to our normal lives and bit more enlightened than the moment before.

(Look closely at the photo's center)

Thursday night saw me going to the disco after my re-loc session. Police stopped me asking if i was from Haiti and where was my passport. A few "I'm from New Yawk's" later i was on my way. Border patrol is abig thing here, and Sosua is about 40 percent Hatian, even tho we are miles from the borderline. As i sat down in Club Clasico, a woman sat across from me and smiled. Being used to this "ladies of the night" thing i gave a half hearted nod and looked away. In that instant the bartender came and asked me what my drink might be. Cuba Libre of course, but as he was leaving, the woman called to him and whispered something in his ear......
2 minutes later he brings me my drink and also my bill...WITH $140 pesos- DOUBLE the price on it. WTF!!! I look over to see said lady happily sipping some red concoction.In my best spanish effort i'm like "oh pardon i ordered on my own". This guy gets belligerent (sp?) all of a sudden saying" look pay this now, why order for a woman and you can't pay, and all sorts of other things that he'd get smacked for if i was in NYC, and not alone in a strange city. I just gave hime a 100 bill and said get the $%%^ out my face and ask her for the rest. As we look at her she gives me the shoo hand signal with an inaudible "Pssss" like she's fed up- and gets up and walks away to dancefloor.
WHAT!
YOU get me in troubles with the bar and on TOP of that to defuse this i pay an extra 30 pesos AND you shoo me, when i wasnt going to talk to yo stank azz anyway. Dont play me like them old tourists you used to leeching off of.

Oh alas, the Cancerian in me is VERY vindictive at the end of the day. Damn me, Cancer-self.
I simply made my way around the club in the other direction... collecting a few cigarette butts along the way with tissue.........
Rounded the bend where she was near another table and had just ut her still-fresh drink down... she still didnt see me... turned her head for a split second and in TRUE ninja fashion i slid in, doused her drink with pure cigarette trash, and hit the dance floor before she notice.3 seconds tops!
I looked over in time to see her face as she picked up her glass and saw all the trash in it. Oh what i would give for a picture. Energy is a mutha because she looked right back in my direction coincidentally as i was Salsa spinning some lady on the dancefloor.... i gave her the SHOO hand signal, and a very
lip-readable PSSSSShh and a smile - turning my head and ignoring her instantly.

Classic.

It's been a long time...The weekend rap-up

Ok so I know its been a while, and i'm here to update just for you.

Last week Saturday i decided to visit my family in San Francisco de Macoris, in the country (el campo). I got up early that morning to view the sun from my roof, and had a conversation with Anthony, the Guyanese guy who bought the top apartment and is also the administrator. He had many a question about the difference between Trini and NYC and what GT was like for him.
This guy is about 48 living an early retirement from Toronto. Sold his house, bought the Flat, and with the excess money he bought 2 WICKED motorbikes and a car.
He was nice enough to buy my a cappuchino and when i told him i needed to get to Caribe Tours (Dominican GreyHound) he offered to get me there on his bike in time for the 9:20am bus.
Got there just in time and along the way i got some wonderful photos/footage of the mountains, countryside, etc.
The pla was to go from Sosua in Santiago (2 hrs w/ the stops along the way) and then into La Vega to the south. From La Vega i was told i'd have to catch a taxi to San Fran. 3 hours later, as i exited the icebox called a bus, i hailed a taxi in La Vega. "Hombre, Seis Ciento pesos de aqui a San Francisco". What the %$^#$ck do you mean 600 pesos! He proceeded to tell me it was such and such kilometers away and blah blah blah. So I told him "Mira, ese es un precio para una tourista. SinVerguenza!". (Look! Thats a price for tourist, you're not serious). A moment later, a motoconcho pulled up offering half the price. GREAT DEAL RIGHT! About $10 US dollars. WRONG, but more on that later...
Got on the bike and proceeded to have one of the best 1/2 hours of my life, riding through the palins of the mountains and feeling so small and humble, yet part of something so big. Lost all the feeling in my arse in about 20 minutes but hey, they DO say beauty comes with a price.
We arrived in San Fran and i remembered the town instantly. Forgot my fam's address but anyone who knows me knows i need only visit you once to get to your place easily forever, even with no street names. I saw the route to a guy named Vlaudio's house and caught my compass from there. A little directing thru town, left at the Hospital and we pulled down the steep street to Hanlet and TaTa's wonderful abode. TaTa was outside in the sfront sweeping. It was a great reunion with them, their nephews Dorphi and Hiero and 15 year old daughter Hani (Ah-nee) who speaks great english from school. Peas and rice and 3 fried plantains later- they showed me the pics from the Quinceniera we attended for Hani in March (Sweet 15 party). They go ALL oput with wedding size cakes and all that. Was that me with the braids on in that shirt.. almost forgot about that era so close ago. I have to get a copy or a photo of a photo real soon for all the fam up NORTH (in the snow might i add...oh sorry! Not funny, huh).

Hanlet, my sis's uncle, was impressed at my growth in Spanish and proceeded to take me around town, country and other family abodes, eaching me words all the way. I appreciated that he took the time my own father, when i was a nino, to explain every little thing we saw (This is the roof, this is a broomstick, lightswitch, bridge, sky, clouds, river, lake, steel rods, waterhose). NO LIE, at the end of the night i wrote down all the words he had showed me, it was 72!!! And all were commited to memeory already. There is something to be said about learning while doing. It's so much better than the static methods we use in school, that leave your head before they say the words HomeWork. Went out with Dorphi, who regulates Rooster fights (yes its a nice paying profession here) and for lack of a another word is simply the man in the neighborhood. This dude switched from work clothes to some Jay-Z sh&t and off we went. He's one of those people who everyone has to stop and talk to, regarldess of age and gender. Sat down and tossed a few cold ones back. He put me on the music of Rauline Rodriguez. I hung out wiht Juan Ramone, too- a40 something cat who palyed the role Hanlet did the last time i was here. Went back in for the night around 1AM.

The next day, as i was going to hail a moto back to La Vega, i got put onaka smacked with truth that i could have caught a bus direct from Santiago to San Fran for 70 pesos! Yes $230 pesos less that it took to ride that damn bike from LaVega.AND it is one hour less time span.
Schyoooops! (Sucks teeth)
Caught the GuaGua (little bus) back to Santiago and made it home in time to cook me some chicken and rice.
I learned more from them than in my whole week at school. And the school is good so thats saying alot.
To be continued....

On the 6th day of Trifeness, my true love gave to me, a par....

Ok maybe this is day 6 or 7 depending on how you count. So far i've had 3 classes and they are going well. I study much in my free time and i also have my LearningSpanishLikeCrazy CD's, which are definitely a plus to have. On Wednesday i went to the beach again with the couple next door. I swear that i will bring my camera next time because i CAN'T describe how beautiful the scene is. Between the water, sand, and sky/sun combo, i can feel like i'm in a postcard. After a refreshing swim in the Caribbean Sea we mosey'ed on back to the apt and decided to do dinner together again. I provided the previous nights dinner so they in turn did for me. We feasted on Mangu (Plantains prepared like mashed potatos) with baked and friend chicken and some rice and peas called Moro(which these Dominicans swear I'm eating for the first time- had to school them on Trini-food being the exact same with a different name). Beemn meeting a lot of Germans and other foreigners who have opened up businesses here and speak like 2 and 3 languages. My intelligent self has been feeling pretty stupid for knowing English only, although i can run circles around them if they want to have a writing contest. Ok yes, still feeling stupid after that last line of self-biggup.

Missing people in NYC for sure and wishing they could experience it all with me.

Back to said business conversations- if i play my cards right i may one day own something here 2. Something has to be said for a bar and/or night club that pays the same rent that i do now (barely a few hundred) to operate a cash cow. When i told them rent in NYC for a biz is easily upward of $6-8,000 US- most of them laugh me out the place.
There is a black guy from Cali who has been here for a year and owns the aforementioned Karaoke bar. He reminds me of my father in not only age range, but in the sense that he can't ever REALLY retire. Turns out he just came from living as a diplomat in Jamaica for 4 years, and Florida before that, where he owned proerty in the 80's (also like my Dad). We spoke mortgages and such for quite a while.
He used to sing on the side and never made it, so that's where his bar came in- to feed his dream- and surely he can be found doing half the singing on any given night.

Today is really sunny and i thinks i will go read more of a book that i purchased back in grade school, a sequel to the House of Dies Drear called Drear House Mysteries. It's about a boy and his family who move from N.C. to a house in Ohio and discover it was a stop on the under ground railroad. This is part 2 where they are defending treasure artifacts found in said walls and chambers of the house.
Funny thing is i've had the book in my house library for years (ok so we all love to read) but never opened it. I found a note from my 4th grade self to my future self detailing an episode about a girl getting me in trouble but it honestly being not my fault. Anyone remember Letis W. (LOLOL- i know a few of you do).
Its funny cuz i hated her then but ran into her around 21 and we became fast friends that season. Lost touch soon after tho. I had never even known i wrote that all this time.

Today after class the receptiionist at school, who is studying law, asked me to help with some English homework, knowing i tutor ESL in the States.
Everything was smooth until the True or False section, which was about (hold your breathe) how "most of the great philosophies, math, and architecture was invented in Greece by the Aristotles, Socrates', and Hippocrates'. OH PUH-LEASE M%#$$^%THER#$&*CKERS!

So after my 20 minute break down (read: Dissertation) of the GREAT THEFT OF EGYPT, i got a few oohs and aahs, but alas, had to help the girl pass. So we agreed to treat the story true until after she turned it in. Then she could know the truth and tell others.

Until next rhyme people.

The MC