Friday morning we all woke up. We had breakfast at 8:00 AM and were excited to go to Renacer Christian school. The previous four days at the school went great and our last day there this week was no different. We started our day there by being divided into partners and attending a couple of classrooms. We did this to get a sense of what school was like in Dominican and how different it was in Canada. I was partnered up with Raina and we attended the Gr. 5 mathematics class where we received lots of hugs and letters from the students. We then attended the Gr. 9 math class where they learned about geometry and it covered most of the same stuff we learn in Canada. All the international block students and grade 12's from the school then gathered in a room and played games, did some worship, and shared our faith with each other. We are excited to be meeting at least once a week with the students. Later in the day our group and some of the kids from Renacer went to a teachers house. We played board games, went for a walk, had spaghetti, and tried to learn a couple of Dominican dances which was embarrassing but fun. It was such a blast and it was a great way to get to know the students as well. We ended the day chilling out on the roof.
Saturday morning we all woke up. We were very excited because it was the day that we were going on another adventure. After breakfast, we all piled into the car, not expecting what was to come next. We had an hour and a half long drive and a seemingly long and steep trek, we then arrived at our destination: A waterfall. It was a bright azul pool of water with a giant roaring waterfall that was surrounded by the dense Dominican jungle. It was a beautiful spot and we enjoyed the day there swimming, exploring some underwater caves, snorkeling, and hiking around the area. It was really fun and a great way to spend the day. Once we got back we attended a local youth group at a church. I think everybody would have enjoyed it more if we understood what was going on, but it was still a good and meaningful experience. During our circle time we were surprised to get a letter that our family members wrote to us before the trip. It was a nice surprise and a great way to end the day. Thanks Mom.
Sunday morning we all woke up. We attended Franklin's church, although his church was small it was definitely not quiet. During the service, the people there worshiped God as loud as they could, even though there was only about 50 people, it felt like there were more. Mina and Alice even went up to sing Oceans, and although it wasn't in Spanish, people still tried to sing along. After church we went out for lunch and enjoyed chicken, beans, and rice. After lunch we all went to the mall where we got to spend our valuable pesos on snacks. While at the mall, we all go to connect with our families back at home. We found out that it was a staff member of Synergia's birthday. Her name is Carine and she is one of the cooking/cleaning ladies. We bought a cake and balloons to surprise her with after supper. She was so happy that we took the time to celebrate her birthday and we all went to bed that night feeling good.
Before the trip I was expecting the food to be a struggle since I was told that we almost always had chicken, beans, and rice for every meal. But now, 2 weeks in, the food here has been nothing short of amazing. Every single meal is freshly cooked and tastes so delicious. We enjoy Dominican foods such as fresh pineapples, papayas, roasted ham, and my personal favourite, the deep fried fish. But the ladies in the kitchen also cook up foods like french toast, pancakes, chicken, rice, boiled vegetables, and bacon. Yum. We are all so thankful for the people who make the food and it has made this trip very enjoyable.
By: Andrew Beerda
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