Happy Friday Everyone

Yesterday, Thursday, I went to Boca Chica for a bank meeting. This particular bank has eight groups and a total of forty people. The meeting took longer than usual because there was people missing and all the payments weren’t complete. One lady was unable to do her payment of 600 Dominican pesos, approximately $17 US dollars because she had been sick and could not work. Everyone pitched in 15 pesos, an equivalent of .42 US cents. It was great to see that everyone in an organized matter did this without any real protest.

When the payments were complete Alejandro, the loan officer, jots down their information on individual booklets. Each person takes the booklet home and is able to see how much they have paid, what is left, their savings, interest, etc. While the loan officer is doing this (takes time to do 40!), Esmeida, the Human development coordinator, talked about the literacy course that was in session. An associate (client) also brought to the attention the desperate need to have Esperanza help with the people in the community who were not registered. If you are not registered you cannot be legally inscribed in schools, so many of them who do attend cannot get their degree. I was surprised when everyone in the community raised their hand to say that they had a family member, friend or neighbor they knew who weren’t registered.

After official business was sealed, we proceeded to singing Christian songs. I even pitched myself to say a joke. Since I only really know a few jokes I shared the one about the Christian horse, everyone enjoyed it. Finally after Alejandro finished with the booklets, we prayed to close the meeting.
After the meeting I met the leader of the bank’s son, for the purpose of this blog I will name him John (I forgot his name…). John and I had a decent conversation in English because he wanted to practice what he was learning in school. Even at the young age of 20 he is an Esperanza associate who invests in buying sugar cane tickets. In surrounding communities, the sugar cane plantation owners pay their daily workers in tickets. Those tickets can be later cashed at the end of the month. John finances some of those tickets for people who cannot wait until the end of the month to cash their tickets; he charges a 20% interest.

It’s Friday, wow does time fly! I just got off the phone with Milan, and educational director for a school here in San Pedro. I will begin teaching English courses on Monday. Here is a picture I pulled from Reader’s Digest that show children from her school.

This morning I have been busy putting together their lesson plans for the following two months (I will teach them twice a week).

So far it’s a Good Friday. The weather is nice and cloudy, I have few new mosquito bites, and I get to have lunch with Claire who is visiting from Santo Domingo.

I hope your Friday is going as nice as mine,
Maira