Update

So I safely arrived, it´s been a month, and I´ve already:

-had gripe (Dominican word for the flu/cold)
-met some cool people
-watched The Office and Will and Grace in English (Emily´s casa is the best!)
-sweated more than I ever had in my whole life (great, I can cross that off my list of things to do)
-taken numerous bucket-baths by candlelight (very romantic all by myself)
-packed myself into the back of a pick-up truck with chickens - where I was hit on the head by a bag of Cheetos (or the Dominican equivalent) then one of the chickens decided to lay an egg right by my feet
-have seen traffic stop for cows and goats
-been accidentally fed salami
-used/using a latrina, which is quite treacherous at 4 in the morning, I have a war with the cockroaches and giant spiders in there every night...so far me and my flashlight have won
-been to the beach!
-drank a jumbo presidente...yup no more cocktails for me, apparently at the local colmado (decorated with the latest and greatest plastic chairs) they do not serve appletini´s
-lived/living with 2 really great host families, my host family now has family in Boston whom I´ve talked on the phone with
-learned bachata and merengue
-have done some really impressive work with my mosquito net (patched wholes with elastic and have hung it from some really strange places)
-had chickens in my house..just chilling
-had a 40 minute motoconcho ride through mountains, sheep, goats, horses, cows and pigs, it was actually pretty awesome

I´m working on:
-not looking like I have leprosy from my numerous mosquito bites
-not looking like an idiot when I speak spanish, which I feel may be awhile
-planning a trip to climb Pico Duarte
-loving rice and beans every day

That´s about it, I have to attend a meeting tonight..and the next night and the night, because my Doña tells me I have to (....and I want to of course)

I miss everyone, I´m already looking forward to my hot shower in March when I see Jessica´s baby, although I kind of prefer bucket baths now, they are quite efficient.

xoxoxox
Yennifer (apparently my new name)