Apagones

It's been difficult getting online lately, as the rainstorms have caused a lot of "apagones," or blackouts. Sadly, these blackouts are always occurring throughout the country, making work and life a lot more difficult. As a forewarning, I do have no idea how often I will be able to write my blog from here on out, as the rainy season is about to get worse. Let's hope every now and then it lets up enough that I can access internet.
In relation to the apagones, it is a reflection of the political instability here in the Dominican Republic. It is 2010, and the country still suffers from blackouts, which should be only a minor concern for a country. And yet, the corruption, the constant bureauocratic reforms that impede any progress, and avarice for wealth make it difficult for the country to move forward. The saying here in the Dominican Republic, is that if a person ones to become a politician, they are only doing it for the money and not for the people. Hopefully, someday the country will find a way to combat corruption. It will not come from the politicians, however, but rather must come from the people themselves.


I received a question regarding the impact of the earthquake in Haiti and how it has affected the DR. It has not. It has affected the amount of immigrants from Haiti into the DR, however. Sadly, the Haitians are not well received and are treated like second-class citizens. More on that perhaps another time. I fear that I am about to lose internet again.

Caves/Waterfalls

This past weekend I went with some friends to 27 Charcos. It's a place located in the mountains where guides take you up and then you can jump from waterfalls. It was intense. Swimming against the strong current, scaling steep cliffs, falling from 30-40 feet! The first time I jumped I didn't think I was ever going to land. It was definitely the most exciting and thrilling thing I've ever done in my life.
Tomorrow, I'm off to Santo Domingo to discuss more about my project. So far, I have some input about how to improve the micro-lending process. I'm excited for the meeting because I will get some answers for the many questions I have, as well get some feedback about my ideas. As always, the office has been hectic and my days have been non-stop. I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Benjamin Brennan, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic

Rough Day

I woke up early, rushing out of the house by 7 am without breakfast. My partner and I drove a half hour out into a community in the hills. While we were running our meeting, some teenagers slit our tires. By the time we finished the meeting the tire was completely destroyed. We had two other communities to visit and we were already late. The blazing Dominican sun was relentless as we changed the tire. Dressed in slack and a polo, I thought I was going to melt away. The people were very helpful though, as they helped us with the jack and filled air in the remaining tires. Finally, we were on our way again. We dropped off the blow-out tire at a repair shop.
We finished that meeting and went straight to another. It was about 11:30 by now and I was starving and thirsty. I was getting really dizzy. I felt like passing out. We waited for another hour for the group to get their money together. Always a difficult process. When we finished we went back and received the old tire. We exchanged tires again and went off to another group looking to join Esperanza. We explained to the group the responsibilities and expectations we had of them, and how the process work.
When we finished and walked out to the car, we realized that the tire burst again. At that moment, the rain started coming down hard. Better than the blazing sun I guess. For the third time that day, we had to change tires under the rain. It was about 3:30, and I still hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch. The rush, the hot sun, the strenuous activities, all had me in a really bad state. I had an incredible headache, I felt light as a feather, and I was so dizzy. I had trouble keeping my balance every time I stood up. Finally, on the way back home we ate something. I felt like a new man again. It was a stress-filled day, but I made it through.

Benjamin Brennan, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic

It rains here every day in Hato Mayor. Clamoring thunder accompanies the rain that floods the streets and muddies the dirt roads. Women can be seen with trash bags over their heads so that their hair does not get wet. Straight hair is a luxury here, and both Dominicans and Haitians take pride in presenting themselves well. As we arrive in a small community outside Hat Mayor, I spot a child pushing a tire with a stick, laughing hysterically as the raindrops splatter against his high cheekbones.

Sitting under a tin roof, the rain pattering against the metal dripping off all sides, I am surrounded by a group of Haitians during a loan meeting. Today, the women must pay back the money they borrowed. Switching fluently between Creole and Spanish, they are arguing amongst each other. They do not have enough money to pay back the loan, and are in danger of losing their contract with Esperanza.

The rain has made many businesses very difficult to conduct productively. There are fewer customers outside, and the rain can sometimes ruin the clothes people are trying to sell. Therefore, the group is unable to reap any profits, let alone repay back the loan. The people are arguing furiously. Words are exchanged but nothing is resolved. We leave the impoverished community both discouraged and heartbroken. As much as we would like to help them, they did not hold up their end of the bargain. The chances of Esperanza giving them another loan remain very slim.

Despite the disappointment of today, I remain very positive. Microfinance has helped thousands ease the suffering of poverty. It is not, and never will become, solution to poverty but it propagates a sense of pride and honor for the people that participate. The Haitian community still has a chance to succeed, but the rainy season makes it very difficult. This experience has taught me that I need to take the good with the bad. Nevertheless, the pouring rain, and the grey clouds seemed to capture the emotions of that day.

The Culture

The culture here is very different from that of the United States, obviously. Dominicans are very emotional people. It is common to be in the office and hear people screaming at the top of their lungs during an argument. Though some things they do may be considered inconsiderate in the United States (such as referring to you as they see you, calling you "fatty," "ugly," "skinny," "baldy,") I like to think that they mean well. They are not afraid to ask you personal questions. They enjoy making fun of others, even if that person is a stranger. They also exaggerate tremendously, making even the smallest thing a huge deal.
Despite their somewhat offensive way of expressing themselves, the appreciation they have for life and what little they have illuminates from their eyes. For more than a century the Dominican people have seen their country torn apart by dictator after dictator, most notably Trujillo and Belaguer. The atrocities committed against them by bellicose and ravenous leaders remains imbedded in their minds. Even the youth here is reminded of the days when life was cheap, when speaking your mind could cost you your life.
I find the Dominican people and their culture to be contradicting. They are both exaggerated and emotional, but at the same time humble and reserved. Their food is bland and tasteless, but their national dance (merengue/bachata) is exuberant and passionate. They laugh at other people´s expense but are too proud to laugh at themselves. The dictatorships they suffered, it appears, have insinuated a complex and crucial identity crisis. So many times in my travels I have noticed just how influential the past is for a country. The Dominican people know who they were, and who they are now, but are not sure about who they will become.

First Week.

It's been a whole week since I first arrived in the Dominican Republic. I was assigned to a small town in the east of the Island called Hato Mayor. So far it has been a tremendous experience. I've been working closely with the communities surrounding the town, examining the process of microfinance. The people that receive their loans are extremely proud of what they have accomplished with their small yet profitable businesses. Their lives have changed so much. I am looking forward to an entire summer of working with people to better their lives.

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Posted By: Ben Brennan, Hato Mayor, Dominican Republic