Ten Cuidado

Hello everyone!!! I'm here and it's wonderful! I am so happy! Soooo my flights were just dandy... first class the whole time! Thanks dad for letting me use your miles even though you've never flown first :) You're the best! Maybe someday I can be as wonderful as you are... Okay here are some of my new and somewhat surprising favorite things: Justin (of course he still tops the list along with the family!), the sun, licorice, bug spray, cold showers!, Spanish, my curly hair, skirts, fans, sidewalks, sand, granola bars, my toothbrush, the ocean, and motorcycles! Just kidding mom! Giggle. Gosh you'd kill me. DR is beautiful and I'm loving the language. I don't think I've felt dry since I got off the plane, but I'm getting used to it. One plus is that my hair is curlier than ever (except when I got all those ridiculous perms). I have two really sweet roommates. The rooms are nicer than the ones in Africa so I'm not complaining! They are meant for two people so it's a little snug. Last night we thought our fan was broken so I laid there on the bottom bunk on top of my sheets sweating and closing my eyes for eight hours. Then we found out the switch was behind the beds. It was like some sick and twisted joke. I bet the Dominicans got a kick out of putting the switch in the one spot that's not visible. I'm hoping the fan works miracles and lowers the temperature and/or humidity. Now I'll tell you some stories....
1. How I snuck into DR: Okay so if you haven't heard my passport drama here's the short version. I applied in March, it mailed May 29, I called and found out it was sent back to the office because they sent it to Silverlake and Granite Boy instead of Silverwood and Granite Bay. I corrected it and they sent it out again. I again didn't recieve it and found out that they also messed up my name. Hoh (which sounds like hoe) instead of Holt. Not only inconvenient but degrading. :) But yeah so I took advantage of Bush's passport recall thing and went with my birth certificate and proof of applying. So I get to immigration and the official says "Pasaporte" Oh crap. So I hand him my papers and attempt to explain the situation in my advanced Spanglish. He grunts and whispers in Spanish to his friend. They exchange angry glances and he asks in Spanish if the birth certificate is the original. I quickly CTR and tell him it's not even though it would have been easier to lie and say it was. Then he promply licked his dry dark lips, pushes my papers to me, and tells me they don't accept copies. I was about to freak out... okay fine I was freaking out! I was like thinking so what do I do... sit in the airport for six weeks?! But then I started jabbering in Spanglish and I think he was afraid so suddenly he demanded my tourist card, stamped it, and pushed my papers back to me. Whoa that was close... BTW mommy can you bring my real birth certificate so I can get back into the U.S.? Gracias.
2. I don't love mariachi bands: So last night a big group of us went walking on the beach and we stopped at this outside restaurant and got sodas. We were just sitting there and innocent looking mariachi band comes up. They sang a few kinda lovely songs (not really) and then someone tipped them. I was a little jazzed that the performance was over and then they start a new song. All of a sudden one of the guitarists is in my freaking ear and I totally scream and jump. Love my reflexes. Then he starts suggestively cooing towards me. After about 10 coo's and my creeped out level had raised sufficiently I turn to him and say "Ten cuidado!" (Be careful!). He stops playing and chuckles for a fairly long time. I was hoping this comment would deter his efforts but he just continued. Then he started cracking jokes about me in Spanish which was lovely because everyone was people were giggling and I couldn't understand a thing. All I caught was him referring to me as a funny mommy :) and repeating my phrase, "Ten cuidado." They finished their interesting show and I snapped a photo, which they enjoyed. All in all they served their purpose of entertaining.
3. Is tuna made of chicken?: Oh Jessica Simpson. But seriously today I ate chicken tuna. I just had to take this moment to tell you what a good eater I've been! I have eaten everything they've handed to me! I don't know if it's because I'm hungry or if I actually like it. Yesterday I ate pasta which was actually quite American then today I had two chicken tuna sandwhiches! I was especially proud of this feat because they also had celery, cucumbers, and a weird looking sauce on them. I was brave! Haha. Then for dinner we had this brothy soup with a mystery meat and I finished my bowl! Everyone else was forcing it down and complaining but I was very tough. Take that padre! You didn't even have to dare me to eat those things! Remember escargo in France? haha. I hope I continue my good attitude regarding Dominican food...
Anyway sorry if this bored you! I'm going to try to keep this blog going because I think it's easier than emailing everyone. I hope everyone is doing well! I love and miss you all soooooooo much.
Con amor, Allie "Hoh" Holt
P.S. My mom said some people have been asking her so I'll just post it here.... I got into the nursing program! Crazy huh? I was so surprised. Everything in my life has been going incredibly well lately and I am so grateful. Thanks for all your support and prayers!