I'm feeling a little Dominican!

Thought I'd use the weekend posts for putting up some pictures from our trip. This first batch is mainly our first couple of days of flying in, seeing Jean and her apartment, and meeting some of the locals who have literally adopted Jean (and subsequently us) into their circles of family, hospitality and love.

Above, first siting of official Dominican Republic terra firma!

First view of Jean - looking very Peace Corps chic with her cotton skirt. When I commented on it, she said, "Mom, I wore this because I knew you'd think that!" She knows me well!

Mom and Jean after lo-o-o-n-g happy hug. Tom was seeing to the rental car.

Jean and my first grandchild, Wally, having a brief love fest on her mosquiteroed bed.

Wally exercising anti-malarial strategy napping under the mosquitero...
A close friend of Jean's, along with her two daughters stopped in to meet the parents during our first hours at Jean's apartment.

Jean and her friend Freddie (Frederenka) from Germany. Freddie is in Janico for a year doing a volunteer project with a water management effort. She and Jean comprise the entire blonde caucasian population of Janico, and have become wonderful friends. Freddie's English is better than mine!
>
First morning, Jean jumped up a cooked us a big pot of Dominican oatmeal. Delicious! Much better than Quaker :D

Jean in front of steps that lead up to her casa. We were setting out to watch her teach an ESL class at the high school.

Heading off to the liceo through the streets of Janico.

Lots of vistas of rooftops everywhere, due to extreme hilliness of the terrain.

That mountain peak was climbed by the 3 of us the next morning, and yielded some lovely pics!

Jean in front of the school. She was greeted by numerous students who seemed to know her well.

Little nuclear family at the school.

Classroom scenes...where Jean goes - Wally goes. Note him sporting a bolero that was given to him by one of Jean's students! (It was a little tight for his Dominican physique.)

More class activity...

and note the attentive student with the long tail at the head of the class!

In addition to ESL, she also teaches Computer skills in this lab.

Jean with her slightly vertically challenged holst mom Esmeralda (black top) and her host sister, Fanny. Jean lived with this family for the first 3 months in Janico. Their hospitality and generous spirit was exceeded only by the love they also extended to Jean's padres (us!)

Jean and Daniella, her host niece (Fanny's daughter) - an adorable sprite with a deep twinkle in her eye. She and Jean are BFFs!

The first meal prepared for us by Esmeralda - amazing local fare of rice, beans, chicken, salad, avacado, corn cakes, broccoli and cauliflower fixed some Dominican way. These folks would have fixed every meal for us if we'd have let them.

Neighbors of Esmeralda, and another "surrogate" family of Jean's.

On the way home after our feast at Esmeralda's, we had this chance encounter with some amigos playing Monopoly!

Typical sidewalk views while walking through town.

Common Dominican flora - Plaintain trees!

That's all for now. I'll try to put up a few photos sampling some mountain views and countryside, but the more I look at my pictures, the more I see how inadequate their portrayal of the beauty of this country is! Some of it will just have to reside in my memory.