Sunday, December 8, 2013
My New Life, Punta Cana, Domincan Republic
Well once again I have packed up my life to start all over again…this time I have landed in Punta Cana, Domincan Republic! Well I don’t actually live in Punta Cana, I just work there. I actually live in Pueblo Bavaro a small town where most of the population who works in Punta Cana lives. I have been here for four days working at my Dolphin Explorer as the first ever full time Education Officer. Which is my dream job, and I’ll tell you all about that! But first let me take you on my journey to get here! It basically started in the end May when I was offered the position! Yes I said May, it is now December and I’ve just gotten here! It took months and countless hours to get all of my documents for my visa so I could work it this country. That was very stressful and left me almost wanting to give up and continue my life in Portland, Oregon. However I finally received my visa the last week of October and quit my jobs and left Oregon a few weeks later. Now 6 whole months later I am finally here and have begun my new life! For those of you who knew that story sorry! I left California Tuesday Dec. 3rd after first driving 3 hours to the airport, then taking three flights and quite a few hours sitting and sleeping on the floor got here on the 4th. After waiting an hour for the Dolphin Explorer driver to pick me up finally got picked up and then some how made it to my apartment! I am living with my friend Veronica from Hawaii and am so grateful that she is here! For the time being there are three of us living in a 2 and a half bedroom apartment in Pueblo Bavaro. It’s quite nice and though there are a few things that need to be fixed, and a lot of bugs it’s home!
After traveling for two days and getting no sleep I have to work in the morning, getting my paperwork done as well as a few other things! Naturally I’m exhausted but oh well I might as well just jump right in and get going! Since my first day was spent driving around doing Human Resources stuff I really didn’t start my job until the next day! Friday I had a meeting with my boss the director of the zoological department discussing what my job entails! Which is quite a lot more than I expected! As I said above I am the first ever, full time Education Officer here so the job description is a work in progress! So I have a ton to do and almost no one to help me, but that’s okay it just means I wont me bored with my job! The job is not only running the children’s program for visiting schools it also includes maintaining all the education resources for the whole park i.e. signs, brochures, materials. Trainer education, developing an outreach program for local schools, developing a kids program for children who come to the park with their families and keeping records for the trainers! As I said a big job because the park is quite large! The park has 30 Atlantic Bottle-nose Dolphins, sea lions, Fur seals, nurse sharks, stingrays, exotic birds, and a large snake (don’t know what kind because I haven’t seen it)! There are plenty of activities to do including a sailing expedition, kayaking and paddle boarding! You can see all this on our website at dolphinexplorer.com.do (which needs a lot of improvement, which might also be considered my job)!
As for life in Pueblo Bavaro and the neighboring towns life isn’t too bad! There is a major shopping center we can go to that includes a small Ikea! And restaurants and plenty of beach resorts to go around! Fortunately we have transportation to and from work that will drop you at the shopping center on your way home so you can go shopping!
So for now that’s all I can think of! I miss everyone so much! Buen dia!
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Super fun week!
Nov. 28
So I have done some pretty cool stuff this last week! Wednesday we all went horseback riding on the beach! That was fun, but hot, I had to ride with KK during the first half and ZZ during the second half! It was really beautiful, we went up to the top of a hill and were able to see to the next beach over!
Thursday we went to Las Muertas Beach (yes it's the beach of the dead! It's right on a cemetery!) THen for Thanksgiving dinner we went to a huge mansion on the cliffs over looking a private beach! We saw whales breaching and dolphins jumping right in front of the house! Wow AMAZING!!! Even though I didn't feel incredibly great because I have strep throat and an infection it was still pretty cool! THe house was insane, it was completely open and was so big it could be a hotel! The infinity pool over the cliff in the living room I think was the best part!
Friday we went zip lining and had so much fun! Coco got super scared when we first started and didn't even want to go, but we convinced her to go on the first few and after about 4 she was having a blast! She now wants to go again! I had tons of fun there too! The guys that work there were really funny and gave me the new nickname "kitty kitty" can't say that I really love that one, but it's funny! I went upside down on most of them and on the last one I went upside down with no hands!!! THat was awesome!!! That evening we went to The Sayulita Cafe for dinner and I had the largest mango margarita of my life! The golf cart ride home was super fun! even though I got a little beat up buy it!
Today (Saturday) we went on a boat trip to the Marietas Islands! It was a beautiful trip and so much fun! THe guys that worked on the boat were super cool and took us to these awesome caves on the island! THe kids had a blast and really loved it! It was super cruise and we got to see whales and dolphins!
So I have done some pretty cool stuff this last week! Wednesday we all went horseback riding on the beach! That was fun, but hot, I had to ride with KK during the first half and ZZ during the second half! It was really beautiful, we went up to the top of a hill and were able to see to the next beach over!
Thursday we went to Las Muertas Beach (yes it's the beach of the dead! It's right on a cemetery!) THen for Thanksgiving dinner we went to a huge mansion on the cliffs over looking a private beach! We saw whales breaching and dolphins jumping right in front of the house! Wow AMAZING!!! Even though I didn't feel incredibly great because I have strep throat and an infection it was still pretty cool! THe house was insane, it was completely open and was so big it could be a hotel! The infinity pool over the cliff in the living room I think was the best part!
Friday we went zip lining and had so much fun! Coco got super scared when we first started and didn't even want to go, but we convinced her to go on the first few and after about 4 she was having a blast! She now wants to go again! I had tons of fun there too! The guys that work there were really funny and gave me the new nickname "kitty kitty" can't say that I really love that one, but it's funny! I went upside down on most of them and on the last one I went upside down with no hands!!! THat was awesome!!! That evening we went to The Sayulita Cafe for dinner and I had the largest mango margarita of my life! The golf cart ride home was super fun! even though I got a little beat up buy it!
Today (Saturday) we went on a boat trip to the Marietas Islands! It was a beautiful trip and so much fun! THe guys that worked on the boat were super cool and took us to these awesome caves on the island! THe kids had a blast and really loved it! It was super cruise and we got to see whales and dolphins!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Long Week!
Nov. 23
So it's been a long week! Well I guess last week it was! I have now been in Mexico for over 2 weeks and am really feeling like I'm at home! Sayulita is a fun town and I'm really getting a chance to experience life here! Even though I work a lot, I still get to experience so much. I have found some really cool shops with great stuff in them (like my super cool new shoes!) and awesome people! I'm starting to meet all kinds of people who are really fun, so on my time off I'm not just hanging out completely alone! So I'm sure you all want to hear another funny story about the kids! Hmm...so the other night I was off but hanging out at the house, when I hear the kids start screaming! THey are yelling that there is the biggest bug ever and it just flew right over Coco and KK's heads! So of coarse I grab my camera and head outside only to see the most massive beetle I have ever seen! It was so big I thought it was going to get me! It was awesome! Another funny story...we are potty training ZZ, and the other day I took his diaper off so he would try to use the potty that he has. After like 10 minutes he comes running to me saying KATIE I just went pee pee!!! I was of coarse very excited, only to find that he didn't use his potty, however he did use the rock right outside my door! And it's not a rock that goes down to dirt or grass, it goes onto the cement right outside my door! YEY I love potty training! Hope you all get some laughs out of that one! Anyways time is flying by here and I can't believe we are on our 3rd week here! Can't wait for all the cool stuff we are planning to do!
So it's been a long week! Well I guess last week it was! I have now been in Mexico for over 2 weeks and am really feeling like I'm at home! Sayulita is a fun town and I'm really getting a chance to experience life here! Even though I work a lot, I still get to experience so much. I have found some really cool shops with great stuff in them (like my super cool new shoes!) and awesome people! I'm starting to meet all kinds of people who are really fun, so on my time off I'm not just hanging out completely alone! So I'm sure you all want to hear another funny story about the kids! Hmm...so the other night I was off but hanging out at the house, when I hear the kids start screaming! THey are yelling that there is the biggest bug ever and it just flew right over Coco and KK's heads! So of coarse I grab my camera and head outside only to see the most massive beetle I have ever seen! It was so big I thought it was going to get me! It was awesome! Another funny story...we are potty training ZZ, and the other day I took his diaper off so he would try to use the potty that he has. After like 10 minutes he comes running to me saying KATIE I just went pee pee!!! I was of coarse very excited, only to find that he didn't use his potty, however he did use the rock right outside my door! And it's not a rock that goes down to dirt or grass, it goes onto the cement right outside my door! YEY I love potty training! Hope you all get some laughs out of that one! Anyways time is flying by here and I can't believe we are on our 3rd week here! Can't wait for all the cool stuff we are planning to do!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Ojo Negro!
Nov. 19th
Okay so the last few days have been a little crazy! Since Monday we have really been getting settled here in Sayulita. We were just hanging out and trying to figure out this little town! Everything was going pretty good, with the exception of some dehydration for some of the kids. There are some really great shops here in town and lots of cool people to hang out with! I’ve just been relaxing on the beach during my time off and shopping! Now that we are settled however thing are getting really crazy! Yesterday I was with KK and ZZ in the morning until about 12:30, that went well! Ha, ZZ got super mad at me for having his Lolo and head butted me! I now have an awesome black eye! After I got really mad at him and he had a time out! Later I was given some time off, so I took KK shopping for her bday and then went back in to town to hang out for a few hours on my own!
Today was better or at least until tonight! We had a great morning; we started out with a drive to the end of the beach and visited the Sayulita cemetery. Since Dia de los Muertos was two weeks ago all the graves were decorated and you can see them in the below photos! Then we went to the beach for the entire morning, because our power was out and we figured it was better to be gone then home! Also L mom and Coco had a surfing lesson so we figured the beach was the best place to hang! So I hung with Emi, KK and ZZ and swam while L mom and Coco surfed! Later we all got to do a little surfing, which was nice although the waves were pretty small! Tonight we went to a turtle talk down at the beach and got to release about 100 baby Olive Ridelly Turtles into the ocean! That was pretty cool especially because those are the same turtles I released in Costa Rica! You can see a bunch of my cool pictures of the turtles below! Can’t wait for what tomorrow brings!
Okay so the last few days have been a little crazy! Since Monday we have really been getting settled here in Sayulita. We were just hanging out and trying to figure out this little town! Everything was going pretty good, with the exception of some dehydration for some of the kids. There are some really great shops here in town and lots of cool people to hang out with! I’ve just been relaxing on the beach during my time off and shopping! Now that we are settled however thing are getting really crazy! Yesterday I was with KK and ZZ in the morning until about 12:30, that went well! Ha, ZZ got super mad at me for having his Lolo and head butted me! I now have an awesome black eye! After I got really mad at him and he had a time out! Later I was given some time off, so I took KK shopping for her bday and then went back in to town to hang out for a few hours on my own!
Today was better or at least until tonight! We had a great morning; we started out with a drive to the end of the beach and visited the Sayulita cemetery. Since Dia de los Muertos was two weeks ago all the graves were decorated and you can see them in the below photos! Then we went to the beach for the entire morning, because our power was out and we figured it was better to be gone then home! Also L mom and Coco had a surfing lesson so we figured the beach was the best place to hang! So I hung with Emi, KK and ZZ and swam while L mom and Coco surfed! Later we all got to do a little surfing, which was nice although the waves were pretty small! Tonight we went to a turtle talk down at the beach and got to release about 100 baby Olive Ridelly Turtles into the ocean! That was pretty cool especially because those are the same turtles I released in Costa Rica! You can see a bunch of my cool pictures of the turtles below! Can’t wait for what tomorrow brings!
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