Things have been rolling very well lately. This past week I had a series of conferences back to back. One in the ever tiring and overstimuling capital of Santo Domingo and the other in Jarabacoa, my favorite place in the country as of now (well besides my little pueblo). In the capital I was able to reunite with the Youth crew at our 3 month IST where we all presented our community diagnostics. I was a little worried about the presentation for some reason leading up to it. I guess I was still in the school mentality where all I think about is getting graded. But the presentation went well and to my suprise the diagnostic really wasn´t about the presentation at all. More to help me understand my community a little better and plan for the first year of service. And I did come out of the conference with a plan and a focus, and I feel great about it right now. The second conference went well also and I think got my two muchachos pumped up about starting this Brigada Verde youth group in our town. I know a youth group may sound strange to people back in the states, but they are very common here in the DR. I think its from the fact that generally Dominican youth are cooler then American kids. Don´t take this the wrong way though. I would even group myself, growing up, in the lame American youth culture. To get some type of youth group going in the states, outside of the church, would most likely warren´t a "that sucks, why would I want to do that?" or something to the extent. Maybe becuase kids here really lack any oppurtunities for extra diversion or learning, they are more eager to form youth groups that usually take on a social/community service theme. And this is what I want to take advantage of. A group of organized kids is the perfect forum for some quality out of school and general life skills education.

On another note I´m hopefully going to be moving into my own house this week. It´s been a 6 months of living with host families and it´s time to move out. This will be my first house all to my own, ever, and without a doubt the cheapest rent I´ll ever have in my life. At 800 pesos a month (about $25 us dollars), with a outhouse and tin roof, and about 50 roosters as my neighboring alarm clocks I am all smiles and excitment. I cannot wait to have my own place! It´s basically one room divided into four small sections with the water outside for showers and washing dishes. I have a variety of fruit tress in the back yard: mango, cherries, coconut, and some other fruit that I forget the name of right now.

Thats all for now.