Settlers of Jarabacoa

3 weeks in and we're totally "settled in" at this point. By "settled in" I mean that we have a car, an apartment, furniture, phones, food, etc. The staff here keeps telling us how quickly and smoothly it's gone for us. Our current schedule is to study Spanish in the morning and work in El Callejon in the afternoon.

Funny Cultural Differences:

1. Have you ever been at the store and thought that they were starting to sell things for an upcoming Holiday way to early? Well when we went to Santiago on October 18th the stores were totally decked out for Christmas and playing Christmas music all day.
   
2. Electricity is really expensive here and we live in a pretty modest part of town but yet every other house already has Christmas lights up. Most of them would be considered hideous and tacky in the US.
3. The country only has 1 hit song at a time on the radio. We probably here it 7 times a day on our street, in the car, or blaring in El Callejon. It's a love ballad in Spanish.
4. Instead of a traditional church service this pass Sunday a Christian Rap Artist from Santo Domingo played a show. If anyone from MTI is reading this you'll LOVE his name: Aaron Kelly...I promise.
5. Motorcycle drivers have a complex hand signal system that explains what they're about to do...including: left turn, right turn, stop, pass, slow down...and several others that I haven't figured out yet.
6. There's no door-to-door mail service here, but there are bills. We received our cell phone bill when someone got out of there car and threw it on our balcony.
7. Car washes are also bars. When Dominicans get their car washed there's always a bar on site and they sit and drink beer until their car is ready. This starts at 8am!
8. I talk best in Spanish when I'm trying to be a Spanish Radio DJ (not really a cultural difference). Caroline and I also really enjoy talking in Spanish like we're on Rosetta Stone.
   

We can receive mail now, so note our new address on the blog homepage. Several people have asked us if there's anything we need/want from the states. Caroline is in charge of posting that list so look for it soon.

Prayer Requests:

1. Spanish. That we would learn quickly! The Spanish where we're working is pretty rough and hard to understand. Also for boldness in communication
2. Microfinance site. We're in the process of creating the system from the moment we meet a possible client to the day they make their last payment. Pray for wisdom as we plan.
3. Relationships. Pray for our relationship with each other and that we would make close friends with other US missionaries and nationals

Here's some pictures of the Aaron Kelly Concert and our place. We tried to make them more exciting then just pictures of rooms.


At one point he rapped to the beat from "Jesus Walk" by Kanye West.


It was pretty crowded...probably 300 people....in a small room...with no AC.


Our front porch on Laundry day. We live above an 80-year-old couple whose daughter is our Land Lady.


Our dining room.


Second story apartment means SWEET view.


Caroline is in timeout.
The 3 bedroom apartments were the same price as the 2 bedroom ones, so we have an empty room. Hopefully, we'll be renting it out by the first of the year.


The office/guest room. The couch Caroline is relaxing on is also a bed.


Our living room. The couches are way less comfortable than they look.


Just for fun.