Birthday, 4th, and CTC training

July has been a whirlwind so far. I went down to San Rafael for my birthday, and then on to Los Patos and Paraiso with the rest of my training class for the 4th.  The southern beaches are almost all pebble beaches, with smooth oval stones that make a really neat noise when the tide goes out.  We got bolas (hitchhiking) from town to town, swam in river mouthes, and ate fish fried in little beach huts.  It was amazing and beautiful, and great to hang out with volunteer friends.

I got back to Yamasa in the afternoon on Monday, and then Tuesday morning headed to Santo Domingo for a CTC training camp.  The First Lady's Office periodically holds these training camps whenever they try to start up a new program at the CTCs, and this was supposed to be on how to run a water conservation summer camp.  It had very little on water conservation, and a whole lot on ice breaker games.  It also lacked information on how to actually... run... the camp, or how it should be set up.  The CTCs were all supposed to send their Peace Corps volunteers, but somehow, only Mas and I ended up going.  I can't complain, though, because the catholic convention center had running water and private bathrooms. Sure, a Motel 6 or Red Roof Inn would have been a huge step up, but running water... can't beat it.

I should mention that no one at my CTC knew what the camp was for, if I was really supposed to go, if anyone else should go with me, or where exactly it was.  That's about how it goes. Crash-course in summer camps, Peace Corps style! ....and this would be alongside the youth groups, diagnostic, and house-hunting that are already going on... busy busy.