Rainy with a chance of christmas lights

It is hard to believe it is already November, mostly because the weather outside is static.  While in Michigan the trees are shedding their summer leaves and preparing for their snowy overcoats, here the flowers still bloom as adamantly as they did when I arrived in July. It almost feels like we are reliving the same month over and over again and each day is different, yet somehow so much the same.

Christmas decorations have already been put up around Jarabacoa, so those who hate seeing giant snowmen before Thanksgiving should never come to the Dominican Republic where the lights are strung before Halloween. Being a Michigander, it's weird seeing lights hung on trees still in full bloom, but at least decorations mark a litte bit of the passing of time and break the normalcy of the seasons.

The onbeat of time has definitely brought on thoughts of the future. As a teacher, I am a constant planner and like to always know what's next or at least pretend that I have all the answers. I have no idea where I'll be next year at this time and that thought definitely terrifies me. Will I stay in the country or will I return to Michigan? I've had a lot of advice about waiting patiently, but not knowing what you're waiting for makes the waiting much more difficult. It's like standing in line at a theme park and not knowing whether you're waiting  for the kiddie train or the world's largest drop...if you knew what was at the end of the line, it would be easier to wait for it. Anyways, I'm definitely learning a lesson on patience whether I like it or not.

Today was our fourth "rain" day of the school year and it was a beautiful surprise to find out late last night, I had one more day of the weekend. Rain had flooded parts in the towns below us, so the entire community had the day off school. It was nice to meet up with friends I hadn't seen in a while and of course make bread, which rose for 5 hours after being forgotten.

One of my highlights of  my day was getting a moto concho driver who actually gave me change back and welcomed me to the country after I announced I had lived here for almost two years.... Also, he shocked me with his vast knowledge of the United States while proudly informing me that he was very much aware that Pennsylvania was very close to Michigan. It's in the right general direction, so I definitely gave it to him.

 School begins again tomorrow,  and I need to figure out how to choreograph a dance to Justin Bieber's Santa Claus is coming to town for our school Christmas show, but I wish everyone a very happy Dominican rain day and as we enter into the Christmas season, may the odds be ever in your favor.