Last week the
local youth group threw a fundraising film night in church to raise money for
their biannual youth camp. All the children from school and lots of people from
the local community went which made for a very… lively few hours. We arrived
and sat down in a fairly deserted hall at 6.30ish, however, in classic
Dominican style the opening credits didn't start rolling until 7.45. And so, a
few bags of popcorn later and surrounded by babbling children we tried to
settle down to watch the genius that is ‘Facing the Giants’. Despite the best
efforts of the organizers everyone seemed unaware of the film playing in front
of them and chatted pretty solidly for the first half an hour (good to know
that they aren't just mental in my classes!) However after a wee while everyone
settled down and actually got really involved, so much so that when the
narrative reached its climax (one of the characters scored a vital point) all
the children followed the example of the actors on screen and started yelling,
clapping and running outside, - one way to clear the hall! As a result, the
remaining twenty or so people were able to enjoy the last fifteen minutes in
relative peace.
Despite the
craziness, and probably a little bit because of it, it was a really brilliant
night. I loved being in the hall surrounded by people you know, kids you teach
who come up and fist pump you, play with your hair, sit on your knee or whisper
unintelligible Spanish to you through mouths crammed with popcorn. It made me
realise how much I have come to love living in a small community. Whilst there
are obvious disadvantages (no secrets in La Hoya!) I really am having the time
of my life. I love walking through the village and knowing and saying hello to
everyone I pass. I love hearing the shout of ‘hola teeaaccher!’ around every
corner. I love the feeling of being part of the community when someone imparts
a piece of village gossip to you or when you feel comfortable wandering into
people’s houses uninvited just to have a chat. I love seeing the same people
everywhere and piecing together people’s intertwining lives and relationships.
I love building relationships with people be that the kids from school, who I
am really starting to love to bits, someone from church, or even just the owner
of the local Colmado (kind of like a corner shop). I’ve even grown to love the
shouts of ‘Hello, I love you baby’ that come from the slightly suspicious
groups of guys sitting on corners or guys on motorbikes who slow right down to
hiss as they pass you, or builders who put down their tools to give their
English practice of ‘Hello what is your name, I will love you forever baby’
their full attention.
As I write this I
am sitting the thatched dining area where school assemblies are held,
surrounded by fields of banana trees that stretch up to the green mountains.
When I pause in my typing I love just listening to the noise of the village. I
can hear music from the bar, and the clang of big iron cooking pots from next
door as Mota starts preparing the evening meal for her family. I hear people
shouting at each other over the makeshift fences that separate their back yards,
where chickens scratch and fuss around under big sprawling mango trees that
cast deep shade in the hot sun. I can hear the roar of motorbikes as they speed
up after crossing the speed bump outside school and the chirpings of the tiny
birds that live in the huge palm tree that grows over our house. Over it all I
can hear the chatter and squeals of children that I know and teach as they ride
their bikes and play in the street.
As I sit here
listening, with the sun shining, banana trees swaying and one of next door’s
hens and her brood of tiny cheeping chicks pecking round my flip flop tan lined
feet, I realise how lucky I am. This is the most amazing, crazy, incredible
experience; the next few months can’t go slow enough because right now, I just never want it to end!
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