People

I'm a person who often lives inside my head. I think, analyze, over think and imagine on a constant basis. It's why instead of having an imaginary friend, I had an entire family with something like 14 kids, a husband named People and one of my children named Thing. It's why, now, I often lead myself into moments of anxiety, because I get stuck imagining the worst instead of living the best. It's a double edged sword- I get a great imaginary family, but sometimes forget about the real world as Im off in my mind.

My solution to this, ironically, is the very name of that imaginary husband. People. It is my relationships with others that can pull me out of myself and make me come back into contact with the world. My sense of doing revolves around these relationships with other people. And like I mentioned before, this country is all about relationships with people. It's what makes time worthwhile. It's what makes volunteering worthwhile; putting a face to a struggle, and seeing the person behind the poverty, the person behind the change.

The other day I was having a typical "I feel like I'm not doing enough" day. Weird, I know, as it's obviously not something I've struggled with. I had been going with Freddy and ADESJO to the villages, but felt like it wasn't enough. I mean, I was sitting in a truck I didn't have to drive, to go visit groups and eat the best meals ever, to then talk to people in the community, watch the other volunteers work, and then turn around. I felt like my presence was obsolete. Until I saw Dario.

I met Dario my first week here, when I traveled with ADESJO to meet with the different communities in preparation for the year's volunteer groups. He is a little man, full of life and spirit and at that time was living with his wife, daughter, son in law and granddaughter. I remember the bowl of oranges he put in front of us, and how after I had eaten three, the group didn't understand why I wasn't eating more. Typical Dominican culture. I continued to meet Dario over the weeks, as I visited the numerous groups in his community, and each time we seemed to form some sort of bond. One time, he told me that his house was my house, and truly meant it. A couple weeks later, seeing him at the ADESJO office, he asked me why I hadn't been by recently. When Freddy ensured him I would be there soon, Dario promised to cook me a meal. And then the last time we visited, he wouldn't let me leave without a huge hug and a bag of oranges. The fact that we were in a rush didn't matter. Mandarins were more important than time, and to me Dario is more important than being busy.

And then there is Santa, one of the cooks who stays with groups preparing all of their meals for the week. I have met her a bunch of times with different groups, and have come to love her sense of humor, hugs and fantastic meals. The other day she too got mad at me, this time for not coming to her house when all of ADESJO was invited. It wasn't until I assured her that I wasn't even in the country at the time that she let it go, and then promised to make me her infamous arroz con leche before I left...even though she's supposed to be cooking for other groups and not according to what I want.

And then we have Eduardo. I met him three years ago when I first came to El Rifle, and despite him being old enough to be my father, we struck up an immediate and immature friendship. I saw him this week for the first time since 2009 and it was like nothing had changed. I got in trouble for being here for two months and not having seen him yet, and he got in trouble for not visiting my group last year in Los Palmeritos. We shared a pack of Dino cookies, and got over it pretty fast.

And how could I forget Apollo, who I feed at the nursing home, or the kids at the school who shout out my name and are eager to learn. Or Patricia who soaks up as much English as she can to prepare for an eventual move to the US. Or the man who drives the guagua for the school in Rancha Arriba and lets me sit in the front. Or Ernestina. Or the teachers at the school who don't get paid. Or Juana. Or Freddy and his family. And everyone.

I could go in for pages about the relationships I've made. About the people who have pulled me out of my head and helped me live here. About the conversations I've had, and mostly understood. About the true laughter that resonates. About the stories I carry. The point is, it's these people who make it worth while. In talking to a friend, I mentioned that I felt like I wasn't moving mountains. He said, no, you aren't, but you're making the mot of your experience by talking. Your getting everything out of it that you can.

And should I even be surprised? That I feel the most connected and real when I'm taking? Let's be honest, I'm the girl that doesn't shut up, that talks in my sleep and as fast as can be. And here I am. Talking and sharing. Making the most of my time here, and eating as many oranges as I can. Trust me: it's a lot.

Wishing you a weekend filled with friends, whether imaginary or real,
Sabrina