I guess no one wants to be black around here

So I met the most interesting person yesterday. His name is Charles from Cameroon (in Africa), he was raised in Dallas, Texas, and apparently he comes from a rich African family who's into politics (his brother's a diplomat in New York). He said he wanted to study medicine in DR and not in Poland (where he was initially going) because he wanted to be in a black country. LOL. You know I had to laugh because Dominicans would hang him if they heard him refer to them as black. He told me that out of all the countries he's ever visited (and this is a very well traveled dude) this is definitely the most racist country he's ever been in. So we had this looong conversation about Dominican society, how deluded most of them are about who they are, and how they bitch because the government steals their money, but they don't realize the government stole something far more important from them than cash: their identity. If you don't know who you are, where are you going? He told me about how he went to the capital and was denied entrance to a club because he's black. Of course the bouncer didn't know this guy could've probably bought out the entire bar that night . He also told me about how in DR when a dark skin girl sees a lighter skin girl walk in the room, she stares at the light skin girl with such noticeable envy, and it's precisely moments like these that make me ashamed of being Dominican. When people of other cultures see how ignorant we are, and I can't even argue with them because they're right. (And since I'm on this topic I'm gonna rave, cuz I've been holding it in since I've gotten here) I'm sick of these women looking at me like I'm crazy because I don't want to perm my hair. It kills me every time I see a dark skin guy kill himself to find a light skin girl cuz he thinks somehow his status in life will go up. (Don't misinterpret my words now! Everybody has preferences in dating of course, and love is love no matter what someone's color is. I myself have dated just about every color in the book. I'm talking about purposely looking to date light skin people because somehow they're "better"). You know? If I keep going I might just never finish. The point is, I've been shouted at in the streets to go to the hair salon, been called broccoli head, been told to go find a comb, but both Charles and I agree that we can't get mad at the horribly alarming level of ignorance (my own parents and family think this way)! All we can do is feel sorry for them, and thank God we know better than that.

What you've missed thus far...

OK so I landed at Las Americas (Santo Domingo airport) on August 18. On that day there was an ginormous explosion of tears that lasted all of two weeks (especially my birthday), and still continues to make it's ugly little appearance, but thankfully more sporadically as time goes by. The first month was  filled pretty much with anger, air mattress sleeping, frustration, no internet, loneliness, fighting with inefficient companies (including la UCE my new home/school), long hours of deep thought, frantically searching for an place to live, missing my old life,  students (and teachers!) who don't go to class the first week, and did I just really move to DR...WTF did I just do with my lifes? Had I wrote on this blog during that time, I (and the world) would've seen what a big baby I was being. So I spared the universe things I don't want to remember anyway. It's now October (how time flies sheesh!) and I already underwent my first round of midterms. There are two and a final in each class (of which I have 9 of them and two labs...yes I basically have 11 classes!). I almost died trying to study for them all, however, I survived with my head high thank God, but realize I need to study more in advance the next time around so I don't almost die again. Just got my check straight from Obama and the American government so I don't literally die (of hunger lol) so I'm super happy. No I haven't gone to the beach yet which I admit is a bit lame and yes it's because I have no life except for the occasional Friday Bohemia Lights (BEER!) with the neighbors, and because I study a lot, but oh well I chose to do this and I'll be damned if I end up a doctor with a C average. Would you want me operating on you?? haha. Plus the time to #$% up in school has ended, thus here come the years of sacrifice. Pray for me!!