I spend a lot of time reading books on my porch and experimenting with new recipes. I usually exercise in the early morning before the sun comes up or in the evening when it cools down, and I like to follow along with YouTube workouts when I have good enough cell service. So far, I’ve really enjoyed living in my town and getting to know everyone. In the DR, it’s normal to leave your door open all day long so your neighbors can stop by and say hello. My students like to visit me a lot and go looking for cacao (raw cocoa) in the finca (small farm) next to my house. My house is made out of concrete and has a zinc roof. I get my running water from a tinaco, a big storage container that is filled up once a week. I cook with a gas stove, using vegetables that I buy from the veggie truck that drives through my town on Sundays. I sleep in my mosquito net and fall asleep every night listening to the sounds of the countryside - crickets, roosters, cows and the neighbors playing salsa music. It’s a lot different than my life in D.C., but I appreciate every moment of it.
