I thought I'd give everyone a little update on things. First, the ultrasound grant should be up soon. When it is I'll hopefully have internet and will give you the specific link, but if I don't, you can periodically check this website:
https://www.peacecorps.gov/index.cfm?shell=resources.donors
Type in my last name (Borg) and if it's up it will show up and you can donate money to get my community this needed machine!

Things with the medical mission are going along, but I did not realize how much teeth pulling I would have to do on the end of things here (with the government and community members.) I understand with the community members, right now is their busiest time (harvest) and they just don't have time to help me, but the government dodges the idea altogether. Little do they know that I am more stubborn than the donkeys the farmers use to transport coffee. I go back in on Wednesday to hopefully finally meet with the director of it all (who is on my side) and get everything taken care of.

Thanksgiving is a great time for PC volunteers in the DR. We all get together, rent out a country club and cook a traditional Thanksgiving feast. It was a lot of fun catching up and eating good American food. I couldn't believe how much I missed my family this year (no offense guys, but last year everything was so new, I didn't miss you that much), but this year I can tell the holidays are going to make me miss home. Claire (the closest volunteer to me) and the new German volunteer in my site will both be here, so we will celebrate by going to a cock fight. Then, a friend from high school, Chris, will be coming to visit for New Years (MY FIRST VISITOR!)

This week is my one year in service training. This is where all the volunteers from my training group get together to talk about what has gone well, what hasn't, give advice, and basically just give moral support. I am very excited to share the amazing progress of my hospital and other projects, as well as get ideas on how to proceed with certain challenges.

There will hopefully be something more interesting to report next time, but until then, thanks for all of your support, be sure to spend your Christmas bonus on my project (feeling guilty yet?) and I hope you're all enjoying the chilly weather in the US!

Ben and Jerry's

So, the coolest thing I've done in a while was this last week. First, I went to the East to help another volunteer with her ecotourism guides. We went to her waterfall and then a couple caves. It was fun and I think the guides learned a lot. Then, on Friday, we went to another volunteers site to help build a playground. This playground was sponsored by Ben and Jerry's ice cream from the US. Ben and Jerry's had a contest around the world for people to create a new flavor using fair trade products. Ben and Jerry's made a fair trade ice cream with chocolate and macadamia and decided to buy their chocolate from this volunteer's chocolate (which is fair trade certified) to use in this ice cream. When they came to visit the chocolate site, they decided it would be great to use for the contest finalists. The finalists (from 15 different countries) came to do community service, and they decided to do a playground. So, a couple volunteers came to help translate (all finalists spoke English) and help build the park. Ben and Jerry's brought ice cream for all of us (AWESOME!) and then at the end Ben and Jerry themselves came to inaugurate the park. It was a lot of fun.

The last couple of weeks I have been working hard on the medical mission. I am jumping through hoops with the government, finding host families, and doing community outreach. I also wrote a grant to get money to buy an ultrasound. The grant will rely on online donations from people like you! The online site isn't up yet, but when it is I will put the link up here so you can help make my project a reality!

Sorry this is short, but I've really got to get going, I'll hopefully get an update next week!