The Caribbean Sea

So here is what happened in my first week;
- I was not picked up at the airport as agreed.
- lost my credit card
- my Garmin watch died whilst diving although it say’s waterproof until 100m...
- lost my progressive sunglasses in the waves of the Caribbean sea....
- locked myself out because the key broke off when locking from the outside. The key pin stuck in the lock. Lots of drama, phone calls and anger to get a locksmith to my place and fix it. Will not elaborate.
- had one diving class in a pool - went really well!
- had a second diving class in the sea - did not go well at all😫, fed my breakfast to the fish🤢
- several trips to different stores because the kitchen is practically unequipped
- Organize a cleaning lady because the apartment was... lets say not really clean. it took her 4 hours. She is one of a kind. Her name is Gercia. She does a lot of community work, is involved in neighborhood projects, in the church, president of this and that.... and very well connected in las Terrenas.

As one can see my travels are expensive because of my clumsiness!

I’m in my second week and things start to improve. I’m developing basic diving skills!
A couple of days earlier I had a panic moment. I was under water, saw literally nothing because the water was full of sand and also could not see my instructor Daria (who is hilarious and a very good instructor!). I signaled that I wanted to go up and wanted to quit diving altogether!
She convinced me to try again and she was right. I think it was the first time in life I experienced panic. I’m familiar with anxiety but panic?

Now I just remembered a moment when I was on a exchange program (Erasmus) in Germany during my studies. Federica and I lived in a student home for foreign students. One night police bangs on all doors and evacuates us - they have received a bomb threat. Federica was nine year old. I totally panicked.

Yesterday I did my first dive without out my teacher attached to me. Compared to the other students she takes her time with me. I think it’s because I told her about my lung issues (I’m not supposed to dive....) and she wants to make sure. We are not diving deeper than 10m. I feel fine.

But sometimes this thought crosses my mind. “Why am I learning to dive at almost 60 years old and with a lung issue?????”

The fish and corals are really pretty but not as colorful like in the movies😥😩. Think I have to go elsewhere!
I’m not sure year whether diving is my thing or not. But from now on I can dive with the other volunteers to clean the coral nursery and more.

The volunteer program I’m with “Aldea de Paz” ist chaotic. Communication and Organizational skill have a lot, a lot!!! of room for improvement. Most of the time the volunteers are not told what to do.

Two days ago coming back from a dive on the boat the captain realized that he didn’t have enough gas to go all the way back...... The captain had to call someone, organise gas, then land on the closest beach, gas was handed over and we could continue our trip home.
This is really irresponsible. If someone had to be brought back immediately because of an emergency or the boat was close to a riff and out of gasoline......🤔?

The mostly early 20 year old volunteers organize themselves. They are full of idealism! They started a project to put bins on the beach..., lets see how this goes.

At night when Claudia and I sleep they go for dancing, cocktails and parties and end the party on our rooftop terrace with a lot of alcohol involved😀 basically doing what 20years old are supposed to do! Two german girls, one Austrian, two french and two Americans.

After 10 days I settle in a routine of diving, meditating, doing my workouts, cooking and hang out on the beach.

As you see in the pictures the place is really beautiful. The beaches, the palms, the light, the food. It is paradise!!

I was here ten years ago and I’m told that things improved. Now most kids (ca. 80%) go to school. Ten years back this number was a lot lower.

I’m in contact with the Spanish teacher I had 10 years ago. His name is Jose. He mostly, with his wife, does volunteer projects. He has always been very invested in the community.
Going to rural places teaching how to wash hands (that was pre covid). Building parks for elementary schools, raising money for school uniforms which are mandatory here, teaching about hygiene.

Many expats on retirement live here and some of them help with substantial financial input in community projects.
10 years ago Las Terrenas was a small, peaceful fisher village with some Expats - today it’s very populated. We live in a apartment house right behind city hall on one of the two main roads. Very noisy.
Fortunately the tourism is still residential - not like the other Dominican touris places like Punta Cana, Puerto Plata.
No high rising buildings, still a lot of Dominicans wherever you go.

The motoconcho is the choice of transportation. See pic! Four can fit😂😳! It’s fun!

Covid somehow seems not to exist. People (sometimes) wear mask indoors.There has been curfews, caribbean curfew😂. You can be out until 9pm, then you have time for two hours to go home - or hangout at the beach until 10.50pm😂.

The age demographics are inverted compared to Switzerland. Mostly young people and thinning out at the top. Since everything’s is outdoors it easier to avoid contamination.
One evening we went for dancing with the girls. It was on a rooftop. We sat there with our FFP2 mask, barley breathing. We did not dance since dancing is probably the second most dangerous activity after sex.... We left after an hour.
Two of the volunteers were infected, quite sick but now well again.
We are cautious and adapt our behavior to situations.

So far so good, I adjusted.

Cheers
ClaudiaLes mer