I am not much of a writer, and hardly a blogger for that matter. However, I will give some short back story to my images and try to keep a chronological and frequently updated blog over the next two months during my stay here in the Dominican Republic.
Sea-Tac airport
Heading for the runway and off to our first stop in Salt Lake City! Mt. Rainier off in the distance.
Mt. Rainier at 40,000 feet!
Nearing Salt Lake City, can't you tell?
Salt Lake sunsets are pretty cool. Next stop, New York!
Waiting for our final flight from JFK to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, 'Mom' and 'Dad' catch up on the news. We are all pretty exhausted at this point.
Santo Domingo; Finally!
We made it! After 24 hours of travel including three different planes, getting frisked by TSA, two children that would not stop screaming, little to no sleep, a beer and a breakfast sandwich, sunsets in Salt Lake City, Delta Airlines’ ridiculous safety video, and some sketchy landings, we finally made it.
As we exit the plane and head to get our checked luggage, we pass through the hallway of flags.
After a four hour van ride from Santo Domingo to Barahona, we finally reach Casa Betesda which will serve as our home base for the next two months.
The amazing pool here at the Casa!
Our living quarters at the Casa nestled in what seems to be a tropical rainforest.
Some of the beautiful lawn art scattered around the Casa.
One of our many communal spaces around the Casa.
Our beautiful pool from the roof of the Casa!
Kylie is already making new friends in the Dominican Republic!
After getting unpacked and settled in I decided to take a portrait of each team member and describe who they are to the best of my knowledge. I will do the same at the end of the trip to see how two months of living with these individuals I hardly know will change the way I describe them.
This is Marjorie Thompson, a student at the University of Washington and vice president of her sorority. She is very smart and organized, being able to juggle the responsibilities of leading a sorority of over 50 girls and all of her classes including a research study that she is a part of. She has a great sense of adventure and whitty comments that make us all laugh. I am glad to have her on my team!
This is Dana Fay, a student at Seattle Pacific University who is not only extremely book smart but is also kind hearted and is a joy to be around. He has a great sense of humor and loves Chinese food which is awesome because I love Chinese food too. This is his second time in the Dominican Republic making him a great asset to have. I am glad to have him on my team!
This is Kylie Milano, a student at the University of Washington and lover of animals and art. Her quirky personality and great sense of humor makes her a real joy to be around. She plays guitar and always thinks on the positive side which I really enjoy. I am glad to have her on my team!
This is Shane Jensen, a student at the University of Washington and a leader in his fraternity. He loves baseball and has a sarcastic sense of humor which keeps things lighthearted. He has a great passion for children, especially in the Dominican Republic as this is his third time! I am glad to have him on my team!
Time is so precious here in the Dominican Republic where each of my days seem to fly by in the blink of an eye. I am having so much fun meeting new people and seeing and doing as much as I can, including making this blog a priority. Like I said, I am not a very frequent writer so this will be a challenge for me, but I am excited to see my blogging skills grow with me over the next two months. If you have any comments or suggestions for me, please leave me some comments below!
Thank you!