NaBloPoMo

It's over, and I'm so happy.

I happened to blow off the last two days of it too.  Whatever.

Today is Saturday, and I'll be going to a birthday party later on.  I am glad that I'm going out with my husband.  He has been pretty much hibernating the past few days.  Has only been out for his rotations and classes.

It pisses me off!

I was practically at the verge of setting up some camping gear and going out on strike in front of the house.  *LOL*  There's no space for a tent there though, and I would probably crawl back inside after an hour.  Why am I so overly dramatic when trying to make a statement?  Maybe that's why it rarely works.

This is the picture I wanted to post for NaBloPoMo Day 29.  It's recycled toilet paper!  I have to admit that I use way too much toilet paper and then always feel guilty about it.  I was really glad to find this and I wish I could find it in Puerto Rico too.  It was less than 60 cents and it's surprisingly soft on your bottom.

Papel Ecológico

From: 11 Ways to Be an Earth-Friendly Couple

Use recycled paper...in the bathroom. Most of the TP we use is made from virgin trees found in forests previously untouched by humans. Seeing as trees absorb carbon dioxide, we'd get better use from them living than we would as a roll in the powder room.

The payoff:
If every household in America replaced one roll of toilet paper with a recycled postconsumer waste roll, 424,000 trees would still be standing. Look for eco paper towels and napkins too. If every household used recycled napkins, we would spare one million trees.

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NaBloPoMo

Day 27?  POOP!

Day 28

Should I keep doing this when I've messed up so badly? 

Anyway, every time I passed by the 27 de Febrero Avenue (in front of Plaza Central) there was a bus parked at the boulevard.  There was always a group of people inside and lots of people outside looking at the bus.  I was curious but supposed it was promoting something because it is full of announcements.

Today, I found out a reality show is going on inside that bus.  Ten persons are living inside it, and every week one of them is kicked out (I suppose by a voting system through a TV show or something).  It is funny.  Now that I knew about it, I stopped to look and noticed the tiny fridge and stuff, and a bathroom that goes a little out of the bus to accommodate a shower.  These people are sleeping on those seats.  I don't know how comfortable that is! 

It reminds me of those glass houses reality shows in Puerto Rico a couple of years ago.  At least those houses had furniture and they were inside of shopping malls with air conditioning and everything.

This is the bus:

"Mi guagua es mi casa"

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NaBloPoMo

Day 26

I skipped Day 25 on purpose.  It's not that I was extremely busy or anything.  In fact, I practically laid down all day doing nothing.  I just didn't felt like it.  I am glad this is almost over it.  I enjoy posting, but I don't like the pressure of having to do it every day.  Still, I'm pretty amazed that I managed to do this and only failed three days (so far).

Remember my NaBloPoMo post where I talked about the Dominican money?

Well, a few weeks ago a new $200 DOP will was presented and I love it.  I love it's colors and more than anything I love that it honors Minerva, Patria, and María Teresa Mirabal.  These sisters were assassinated by the dictator Rafael Leonidas Trujillo in 1960.  If you want to read a little about their story, go here.  If you want to know about that horrible dictator and all the atrocities he did, go here.  It's a very interesting and sad story.  That man is to blame for the chaos that still rules this country.

The $200 DOP bill is worth $6 more or less (as of today).

200PesosFront.gif

200PesosBack.gif

They also released a new $60 DOP coin that honors a woman named Salomé Ureña de Henríquez but I know nothing about her story.  Will look up that info soon.

Oh, if only I had a $200 dollar bill, not pesos.  What would I do with them?  Would it be totally wrong to spend them on platform shoes from the Lingerie Diva?  Hah!  I am kidding, of course.

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NaBloPoMo

Day 24

There was an arts & crafts festival at my husband's university the other day.  I am a sucker for crafts, especially jewelry.  So I went and bought three things at one of the booths: a mini purse to put my camera in (and use it when I don't want to be carrying my big purses), a bracelet, and a set of earrings.

The woman who sold them to me was really nice, and apparently her specialty are crafts made with buttons.  I took pictures of the bought stuff and then had to take a picture of the bag they came in when I noticed a very funny detail.

Check out for yourselves:

Artesanía Dominicana

Buttons or Bottoms?

Yes, my friends...I bought accesories apparently made on bottoms.  I don't know if I should be grossed out or amazed.  After all, these must be exquisite pieces of art.  Don't you think?

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NaBloPoMo

Day 23

There's no customer service in this country.

Anyone willing to found a Customer Service Consultancy company here, should contact me. 

I've had many experiences but I'm going to share what happened to earlier this afternoon.

I am outside waiting for a concho; it's starting to rain.  The first one that stops is full in the back, and the only available spot is in the front passenger seat besides a not so skinny girl.  I get in as I don't want to get wet.

Let me clarify that:

1. these cars are old, this is one specifically must be around my age
2. these cars are fucked up:  dirty, damaged, crashed, etc.
3. when you get that many people inside so little space, it gets very uncomfortable and sometimes you have to make an effort to get in and close the doors and stuff (that's why I like to get in empty or almost empty cars)

So, I sit next to the girl and I close the door as I normally do.  Apparently, I closed it too hard or something.  I didn't really notice as I was concentrating on fitting in the provided space.  Next thing I hear from the driver is (in a very rude manner):

Hey lady, you should be more careful when closing the door.  Did you hear the sound that door made?

I'm like, WHAT?  First of all, I wasn't in a good mood to start with.  I don't like to show my true colors because I'm trying to be tolerant and all, but sometimes I can't help myself.

WTF?  Do you think I did it on purpose?, I said.  He was already on his way when I said:  Stop the car!  STOP THE CAR RIGHT NOW!  And I got out immediately.  I'm glad I didn't pay because I doubt I would have gotten a refund even afer being on the car for only thirty seconds.

Guess what I did after getting out?  I slammed the door, of course.  This time on purpose and with the only intent to let him know that you don't mess with an angry Puerto Rican girl (or any other client whatsoever) when they're paying for their service.

Oh, and if they have to say somthing they should learn to be respectful and nice about it.

I spent too many years of my life working with customers, so I know that even a client who pays 35 cents for whatever they're buying is extremely valuable.

No pictures.  Thank God.  

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NaBloPoMo

Day 22

Can't say anything more than:

Happy Thanksgiving!  (again)

I am so full of food I literally can't do anything right now.  So I'm going to bed.  Stay tuned for regular programming scheduled to continue tomorrow.

Nite, nite!

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NaBloPoMo

Day 21

Because a picture says more than a thousand words.

This is a bad picture, as it is one from the taken-from-the-backseat-through-a-dirty-glass series.

Click on it to make it bigger.

I found it really funny.  I am easily amused.

Show Girls

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NaBloPoMo

Day 20

I'm not in the mood, sorry!

Anyway, NaBloPoMo is all about posting every day for the month of November.  This counts as a post, doesn't it?

Even if it lacks substance (as if all my other posts were full of it).

I'll be back tomorrow.

Promise.

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NaBloPoMo

Day 19

There are many vendors on the streets here.  They sell all kind of things.

There are also kids, like 10 of them on a single street with a squeegee and a bottle of water trying to clean your windshields.  The fight among themselves to get first to your car and even if you say "NO", they will still clean it.  It's kinda annoying, especially if it's raining and it's not needed.

We don't have a car here but I've seen it happen on cars on the streets, and the cars of people that gives us rides.

Anyway, these are pictures of street vendors.  I was sitting in the back seat of an SUV, and these guys walked past it in less than a minute. 

Remember these are non-professional pictures taken through a dirty glass.  Also, I remember I was in the back seat and very bored.

This guy was selling sunglasses:

Sunglasses

This guy was selling roses, real red roses:

Roses

This one was selling peanuts, and caramel-peanut crackers, and other cookies made with peanuts.  They are so yummy, especially the toasted, salted peanuts.  They are home made and delicious!

Peanuts

I had a picture of another vendor, the one that was selling cell covers and chargers and stuff.  I deleted it though.

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NaBloPoMo

Yes, I failed.

Day 16 - FAILED

Day 17 - FAILED

So, Day 18 is it.

But I'm not going to give up.  I'll go on. 

Today's subject will be Haití.

As you know Haití is located in the western one-third of the island of Hispaniola (La Española), which it shares with the Dominican Republic.  Their main languages are French and Haitian Creole.  I am sure that Creole is most widely spoken than French in Haití though. 

Haiti

Haití is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.  The majority of its 8 million residents live on less than $1 per day. Unemployment is close to 80 percent.  Average life expectancy is less than 50 years. 

There are many Haitians in the Dominican Republic.  Most Haitian immigrants arrive in the Dominican Republic illegally, and work at low-paying, unskilled labor jobs, including construction work, household cleaning, and on sugar plantations.  Current estimates put the Haitian-born population in the Dominican Republic as high as 1 million. Working conditions on these sugar plantations have recently caused controversy, with assertions that conditions are near-slavery and a form of de facto apartheid with the children of illegal Haitian immigrants denied citizenship, under the Dominican constitution, and basic health care, and frequent physical attacks and roundups on adult immigrants.  Check out this New York Times article regarding the subject, it's really sad. 

The irony of it all is that as much as the Dominicans discriminate against the Haitians, in Puerto Rico we have a problem with Dominican illegal immigration.  But I'll talk about that on another post. 

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