This is the story of how Andrew, a Peace Corps Volunteer in El Salvador, came to serve in the Dominican Republic.

For a more information about what was happening in El Salvador when the Peace Corps program closed there, listen to The Capital, an episode of the NPR news program Embedded: goo.gl/sZ1h9L

A batey is a unique type of community that exists only in Cuba and in the Dominican Republic. Historically, a batey is a company town, a self-contained community built by a sugar plantation to accommodate workers.

The sugar industry collapsed in the 1980s and in recent years bateys became permanent communities. Kevin and I visited another PCV, Karolina, who lives in a batey to see what life is like there. Although Karolina's batey is no longer owned by a single company, the day-to-day is still really difficult, and very different from life in other parts of the country.

This episode is a conversation I had with Karolina about what life is like in her community.

During her service, Karolina worked with the local elementary school and with Yspaniola, an education non-profit. Visit Yspaniola on the web for more information about their work: http://yspaniola.org/

Pic: Karolina sitting outside of her house with the cutest neighbor ever.

Earth Sangha is a nonprofit with a mission of ecological restoration as a form of socially engaged Buddhism. They’re based in Washington DC, but also maintain a plant nursery and relationship with a farmers association in a town not far from where Kevin and I live.

We spent an afternoon with Chris Bright, the founder of Earth Sangha and his son and the conservation manager of the organization, Matt Bright, talking about Earth Sangha's reforestation efforts in the Dominican Republic. Learn more about Earth Sangha here: http://www.earthsangha.org/

The tables are turned! Ann, my friend in Philadelphia, does the asking in this episode.

Ann wanted to know about all sorts of things. We talk about barging into people's houses, the treatment of animals, and if the experience is dreamy or has become a grind.

In the pic: Our cat, Bilba Bolsón, chills on the table. Very un-Dominican of us to let her do that.

My friend Austin and I talk about boiled bananas, mamajuana, menthol lollipops, and other edible things in the Dominican Republic.

Austin has had some bad luck with food during his service, and he shares some strong opinions during our conversation. Keep in mind that not all volunteers feel the same way as he does about Dominican food.

In the pic: Kevin peeling green bananas, or guineo, to boil for dinner.

It’s been a few weeks since Hurricane Matthew hit the Caribbean. Here's the story of how we passed the storm in the Dominican Republic. Spoiler alert: We're fine, as is our community.

If you worried about me or Kevin or our community during Hurricane Matthew, I urge you to donate to the relief effort in Haiti. Doctors Without Borders is always a good choice. Here also is a list of Haitian organizations recommended by the novelist Edwidge Danticat: https://www.facebook.com/edwidgedanticat/

Welcome to part 2 of the 2 part episode about money in the Dominican Republic.

In part 1, Kevin and I talked about how much we earned, what our monthly household budget is, and how that compares to a typical Dominican household in our community.

In this second part of the episode, we talk about talk about clothing, transportation, banking...and gambling!

This is an episode in two parts about money in my rural corner of the Dominican Republic. Kevin and I talk about how much people earn, how much they spend, and what they spend it on. Including us.

This is part one of our conversation.

A handful of observations about differences between Dominican and American daily life. Well, my Dominican and American daily lives. Plus the news.

Dictators gifting house, mechanics wearing towels, Haitians fighting for education...and more!

One month in to our permanent assignment / jobs / living situation, Kevin and I discuss our daily lives in the Dominican Republic as Peace Corps Volunteers.