tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39359919882877964092024-03-13T12:09:18.488-07:00El mundo is our Oyster !!!Las aventuras of 3 girls pleine d'avenirles voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935991988287796409.post-65236957617694002392009-09-20T14:28:00.000-07:002009-09-20T14:29:54.150-07:00<div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">Bye Bye Barcelona!! </span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#3333FF;">And thanks to All of You for the nice farewell Party!! See you soooon!</span></b></div><div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JKGa2Wh3jeo9TNVsKK1wTSRP7Rme_0akgg-xQhkaXn60halZtYXlmrN-OuCA3TvBk997XAwZJWLTBEEqgKEBvtPOS6KrEVmcl3jvAZdygxOnr-S2IVSw0neUNRk2bULmbJ2ocH__bZi-/s1600-h/15-09-09+036.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-JKGa2Wh3jeo9TNVsKK1wTSRP7Rme_0akgg-xQhkaXn60halZtYXlmrN-OuCA3TvBk997XAwZJWLTBEEqgKEBvtPOS6KrEVmcl3jvAZdygxOnr-S2IVSw0neUNRk2bULmbJ2ocH__bZi-/s320/15-09-09+036.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383664765033698130" /></a><br /></div>les voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935991988287796409.post-43210559545138498812009-09-19T15:34:00.001-07:002009-09-19T16:03:36.301-07:00The end of Barna, beginningof the crazy trip!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Nice to know more from your on-sites experience Soph!!!<br /><br />I finally Sold the last clothes:</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4jLax2s3hkT7GCBVcMVpzjM91lrZwV0TUjDClBbDdBaq3aF-zL428_gunFtX_CJwrD7HLbFrtvCUbAYpDEcUyo0ufa9-1r5tgqYbix-gZ5EjFrrOD_-B3aCOumoeDiIeN7ctF4OqiqnWk/s320/P1150241.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383311823208091650" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Visit my favorite places once again:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSGxfCrJ4b7GZrSJDMIW2FzqRUhmQBHcrDM6JFtj23MZb14CF-R3pqzyEMx9bAsBFIA75kl1-PQ6frgroPmy5RsOwuthnqauP23jzcmClNYf620Wn_IzbT9KpDUgKDDIvWSzDS4ElTSTIG/s320/P1150257.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383311432915840434" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Went to lovely villages in Catalunya:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGcg1cviKzihWdEtWxtuoEdaCUGYvvzEuMlH2ZNZcjwqj7vU9zd4XYGnTn_QwKQYy4cYkPV7upUGzO5DFp6lmWgMMTw7s-oDJxq-5IiypX9J13cIzqOVHfuVuGkK_oYUrAkLev0ZE2CHzR/s320/DSC_0074+%5B800x600%5D.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383312480209056418" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">And say goodbye to good friends!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEict83EOtbTXbND_e5LOq1NunkVS9P5wrwUW-yAQVYVdQMNs1_jS9LRmxVUnkIGx6g2zNna12Q72H3zyWXbLAPEnPP8rmyrb6z3hqz-XEDO4gp8BfqeWoAi2thN5FAUfg_WhtbpN4fbWNsB/s320/P1150201.JPG" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383314369555992930" /><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">(and farewell party picture soon online... haha)</span></i></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">It's Time to Leave Barcelona with good mood!!!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">I'll spend10 days at home before flying forMalasia on 3rd of October!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000099;">Céline!!!!</span></div><div><br /></div></div>les voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935991988287796409.post-54492426283827554382009-09-18T08:18:00.000-07:002009-09-18T08:21:48.867-07:00<strong><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;">Ya llega la hora de irse amores!!!! Woohoo!!</span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;color:#ff0000;">Que tengais una despedida de puta madre!!!!</span></strong>les voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935991988287796409.post-88362110845067206662009-09-14T11:22:00.000-07:002009-09-18T08:22:45.074-07:00Finally got to go on-site!!!!Hello World! Hello Oyster!<br /><br /><br />Uff 2-3 weeks already not having written anything, have to catch up otherwise i may forget, actually i have no idea what i can talk about, but talking shit is a great skill i have ;)<br /><br />Boca Chica was pretty good, it's the closest beach to Santo Domingo, clear-blue water, white sand, little tiny island you can swim to if you want some privacy. But basically it's the place to go on sunday to cool down and have drinks all dressed-up in the water with your friends and familly. Many people, loud merengue, lots of "tigres", souvenirs, massaje, all types of food etc. Apparently Juan Dolio is a lot more quiet, i'll have to check that next week-end maybe.<br /><p>After that i went during the week to visit one of the project i'm working on in Barahona's region (South-West towards Haiti's border). Was suppose to be for a whole week, but of course it got posponed, then shortenned...i thouhg i would never get there...</p><p>It was so hard and frustrating to write about a project i haven't even seen, i really needed this visit to stick together the puzzle pieces of information i got from all the reports i read previously. It's actually a pretty fucked-up project, it has been running for 3 years now and due to natural distasters but also human incompetence, it got soooo delayed, the warehouse is still not built, so we can not install the processing plant to extract the oil from the seeds... Now i have to take over the "Brown" (El "Marrón") and slove everything to achieve the objectives of the project before February!!!! (Other wise the Spanish governemnt ask the NGOs to give the money they gave back, and with interest!!!! Outrageous...)</p><p>So went there, for 2 days, first day the representants of the local NGO, the cooperative, and myself for CODESPA (wooooo!!!) officialy gave silos to the each of the communities of agricultors.. Completely useless celebration, just for the show, for pictures, free food, and all-prepared speeches to the donors so that they hear and see what they came for. </p><p>It was so obvious, especially with one of the beneficiaries, who had all the merit to have learn his lesson really well, making us the list of all the trainning he received, and how great they were, and that he already started making soap out of the Jatropha's oil (even if we didn't actually start producing oil...) jajaja. Second day was just visiting the fields.</p><p>Continuing with the visits on-site last week, i went to visit another project, CODESPA is actually implementing (for all other project we are only givingf funds and technical assistance to the local NGOs). We went to 2 pf the poorest neighbouhood of Santo Domingo, Saban Perdida & Cañitas, where CODESPA is giving grants to pay 80% of the schooling fees for 200 children.</p><p>And this week, i went to the inner-country, in the mountains of Bonao, rode a mule to get to a coffeecultors community for a course on sustanaible agriculture.</p><p>It is great to see different segments of the dominican society, with different type of resources and needs. Urban vs Rural, it also changes a lot between the inner-country and the west, where there are a lot more inmigration from Haiti.</p><p>I finally get to see another reality, and confront what i've heard, learnt with what i witness!!!!</p><p>Today is Friday - the 18th, i'm thinking of Amy and Kwin probably having right now their farewell party, it's their turn to leave BCN, while i'm working hard, as you can see jejeje - and i can't wait to leave worl at 5 and go on a week-end to Playa Bonita!!!!! Just the name give you an idea of what i'll be doing, playa, bbq on the beach, grilled-fish, rhum....hmmm can't wait!!!!!</p><p>Have a nice week-end!!!!!!</p><p></p>les voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935991988287796409.post-74833895716192830552009-09-07T05:55:00.000-07:002009-09-07T05:57:08.721-07:00Happy Birthday Soph!!<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(51, 102, 255);font-size:130%;" ><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0); font-weight: bold;"><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">Hepaaaa....!</span><br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 204, 255);">HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR DOMINICAN GIIIRL!!!</span></span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 255, 0);"></span></div>les voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935991988287796409.post-81861055597908137722009-08-23T07:23:00.000-07:002009-08-30T08:56:34.460-07:00Tourism & local stuff... Easy to choose from!!!!!<div style="text-align: left;">Just a quick Sunday morning post before going to Boca Chica today with my roomies and some other friends, and i'm having a bit of nostalgie :( BCN times... crazy times...</div><div><br /></div><div>However things are great here, last week-end we wnet to Casa Campo a really huge, hype location, closed to the public, you can only</div><div> get there if you have been invited, pass teh security, leave your driving license... Lucky we were invited by Carla a girl from Porto Rico, i personally didn't know, but she welcomed us anyway to celebrate Jolly's birthday. So tehre we were Jolly and his great escort girls jajaj 6 lovely ladies.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><span style="COLOR: rgb(0,128,0);font-family:times new roman;" class="Apple-style-span"><a href="http://www.casadecampo.com.do/">www.casadecampo.com.do</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'times new roman';color:#008000;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family:Times New Roman;color:#008000;"></span> </div><div></div><div>This place was maybe a bit too much for me, too perfect, perfect people, houses, grass, fake medieval village, golf cars to get around, beach cleanned and set for tourist. Was fun being in another world for the week-end.</div><div><br /></div><div>Coming out of croudy Santo Domingo, to Casa Campo, were you are not a minority anymore, things are all european-like, a real resort for rich people. Experience i'm sure i won't be able to do again, good to do once, but only once.</div><div><br /></div><div>Amazing how DR is full of constrasts, i read in a guide that it's the country were 42% of its population lives with less than 2$ a day but has the greater rate of Mercedes Benz in the world...</div><div>Actually in Santo Domingo there is a big gap as well, not even in the housing, but also in the leisure offers. For example monday night we went an Happy Hour in Segafredos (150RD$ for 2 Margaritas!!). And this place is very weirs, as soon as you get in, it looks like one of these "Cool" bars in the Born in BCN, design, black white and red, with a huge back room filled with beds, tables, Dj, air-conditionning...And not only "rubios" (dominican name for white foreigners, or guiris in BCN) go there, it's full of dominicans that want to "show". My colleague Felipe told me when we sent to La Vega to visit a partner local NGO, that dominicans work a lot on their appearance, at all levels.</div><div><br /></div><div>(Wealth Dispersion measure by the GINI Index: Lower dispersion is in Iceland with 25 and the highest in Sierra Leone with 63DR 51, FR 31, Spain 34, NZ 36, Oz 35)</div><div><a class="external free" title="http://hdrstats.undp.org/indicators/147.html" href="http://hdrstats.undp.org/indicators/147.html" rel="nofollow">http://hdrstats.undp.org/indicators/147.html</a></div><div>That was for the Development issue of the day jajaj ;)</div><div></div><div><br /></div><div>I'll be able to tell you more about Development next week, as i'm going the whole week to Barahona, to visit 2 projects for BioFuel: one which is ours with 150 families working for a banana cooperative, trying to diversify their activities and grow Jatropha, a plant from wich you can extract oil used for making BioFuel. Tecnically this is great not to be dependent on the price of the banana only and try to boost the use of biofuel in these poor communities do be less dependent as well on the incresing and outrageous price of fuel here.</div><div>The other project is even more toward the border with Haiti, but financed by the EU. So.. It's a lot bigger, towards selling on international markets..</div><div></div><div>I am sooo excited to go there and finally see a project, it's beneficiaries, how it's actually being implemented etc ect !!!! Yepee!!!</div><div> </div><div></div><div>Ok have to go, we're going to la playa Boca Chica, a very tipical beach were the people from Santo Domingo go for a Sunday (as there is no beach in Santo Domingo muf muf)</div><div>Finally some dominican destination!!!!! Do local, Be local!!!</div><div> </div><div></div><div>I'll tell you my impressions when i'll get back next week-end (or maybe tonight if internet works)!!!!!</div><div> </div><div></div><div>Que vaya Bonito!!!!!!</div><div>La Soph</div>les voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935991988287796409.post-2198768097457551692009-08-10T15:41:00.000-07:002009-08-10T16:16:29.963-07:00Still Here and impatient!<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hola Guapetonas!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hey, it's so excitiiiing to see your adventures soph and to remember the "good" moments that amandine pass over in Mexico!! hehe....</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ready for new adventures! I need it Now!! </div><div style="text-align: justify;">In one month and few days I'll leave beautiful and crazy Barceloca! uuuf...</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So happy that Amy is back in my world for at least two weeks in which we will welcome a old friend here (Julie!!) and enjoy the <a href="http://www.festamajordegracia.cat/">"Fiesta Major" in Gracia</a> district and the last summer parties! We'll enjoy right to the end every single days in BCN!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For the moment my future travel is summed up in two beautiful big books: Lonely planet for South East Asia and New Zealand, in a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ts0kLaPWmNk&feature=related">one way ticket</a> (special disco dedication for Soph!) to Kuala Lumpur !!! Read read, think not too much and gooo!! With amy as travel coordinator, I feel relax about the good fun we'll have there!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Let us know about you last week end Soph and have fun!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Céline.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>les voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935991988287796409.post-86491054064756966712009-08-04T04:09:00.000-07:002009-08-05T05:39:38.017-07:00Oh my God !!!<div align="justify">This is So Exciting to read you <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Soph</span></span> !!!</div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">I am in my office in Milton Keynes in UK, it’s so cold and raining outside (as always, bloody UK’s weather!!!) but I have the feeling to arrive with you in DR !!!! I can almost listen to the meringue playing :D</div><div align="justify"><br /></div><div align="justify"> </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Your adventures remind me a really bad experience of mine:<br />When I was studying in Mexico, I found an internship in a hotel in Cancun. Once I arrived at the hotel, the girl I spoke to over the phone, welcomes me very happy and everything went great until she presented me to her boss as her intern. I don’t know what happened, maybe it was an authority problem between them two, and anyway, I was finally told I <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">couldn't</span> do the internship there anymore. So I started to search for another one like crazy sending CV every where for days. I finally got one in <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Las</span></span> Vegas thanks to a friend. I buy my ticket to go there so happy and released… and when I tried to do the check in, the girl at the desk inform me that the US requires a new electronic passport to enter. I had really no idea of the new requirement and was refused to fly. I really <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">didn</span></span>’t know to do. I was <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">stucked</span></span> in Cancun with out knowing anyone. Coming back to Europe at the last minute would have been so expensive and I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">wasn</span></span>’t sure to find an internship there so I just started to cry!!! I really <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">couldn</span></span>’t stop. I was crying so much that a guy for the border security asked me to come in their office to calm down because I was scaring out the other travelers. I literally spend the whole day in this office crying. And then magically, a men enter for a problem with his passport, ask me what was wrong with me. I explained him my situation and he offered me an internship in his hotel which was much better than the first one :D</div><div align="justify"><br />I don’t remember now why I was telling this story … oh yes! Because the moral of this story is:<br />1) US Immigration rules do suck<br />2) In bad situations, you get to meet really nice people to make you spend a good time. </div><div align="justify">3) Always check the immigration <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">requirements</span> before entering a country (even though I am sure this will happen to me again)<br /><br />Anyways, it seems <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">DS</span></span> is a really colorful and joyful island! I am so glad that you like it. I really look forward seeing more pictures of your life there: Where you live? Work? Your friends…<br />Also, I have recently read that diving is great there and that there are <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale_shark">Shark Whales</a>!!!!! There are so amazing creatures! I hope you’ll get to know them J There are also some on the west coast of Australia, so when we will do our road trip there you will have to go and see some more AGAIN !!! Life is too hard : D</div><br />For my part, I went to the island of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibiza">Ibiza</a> this week end.<br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366067373924429426" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzqtQOjrL3WidZBUeKTIRTX5-aO7RDAdGew0oOClkLd_QMk5p6huyMa5oePIwMZCceIvmCEOoD1ztIKgq0eADncllZTGoYarbSynZM4I0iDfh03-ZWNkcKn4h3O9s3uXb96Hf4fVcuE2In/s320/Imagen+228.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><br />Honestly, my expectations were VERY LOW because I thought tourism would have “killed the spirit of the place”.<br />But I was positively surprised how cute this island is !!! Of course a lot of people come there to party and go crazy but I found the city of Ibiza very beautiful with its little streets, white houses and old historical buildings.<br /><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5wB7WKvzI7tWEi6PA-3Oa-0GDl-GwL2tleAc_aSDPhHGJT9vNg05lCEYMLqyIRsWq1fb5Hj4YXacMQTQiz5M6UQSWwKZgpjQN6tedK1Scj5hFLOPRYxy1lk97A4CeTNp9TI1gJPz8qgX/s1600-h/Imagen+241.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366066894559343634" style="WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH5wB7WKvzI7tWEi6PA-3Oa-0GDl-GwL2tleAc_aSDPhHGJT9vNg05lCEYMLqyIRsWq1fb5Hj4YXacMQTQiz5M6UQSWwKZgpjQN6tedK1Scj5hFLOPRYxy1lk97A4CeTNp9TI1gJPz8qgX/s320/Imagen+241.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></p><p align="justify"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366066561584547826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3jyonwcLbi8hifFMTmNkN7LNeCSi7bHKMdaHIAvHyyWfljN1LE1RVh4TEFRhksugfk4kT99y4y0ADQ2A8wn8NN5zAik7y0rEEHSvOjIriBBlHOjW8zbHIDe6N6iiMruubT_VjBZyvA5Ll/s320/Imagen+232.jpg" border="0" /><br />The interior is very rural, dry, the land is red.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366067734922024082" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDdWI3dpf3Nl2kPfQHLe5ytvyscJB4OunSyYSH-wZIB8BU21E79F1mOltdNj6IUjuAd8U25sHeq-EXaAy7kld3BukR9c8UW57SoHwxtw_lrQ0jFSmJDltG7SYgCGM7QjIK2Sb_skx5S_FR/s320/Imagen+222.jpg" border="0" /><br />The water is so clear and quiet!!! The <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Mediterranean</span> is <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">definitively</span> MY sea (even tough I like to make a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">exception</span> for the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Caribbean</span>). </p><p align="justify">Once again, having the beautiful <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Baleares</span></span> islands so close, make me say that Barcelona is definitively the perfect city : )<br /><br />I miss you very much and think of you every time I hear the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">commercial</span> for the "Ron <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Brugal</span>, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">el</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">ron</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">de</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">los</span> <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Dominicanos</span>" on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16"><a href="http://www.spotify.com/">Spotify</a></span> even <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_17">tough</span> I am pretty sure I am more <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_18">Dominican</span> that it actually is.</p><p align="justify">Celine, what are you up to my darling (with the british accent) ??? Shall we take a cup of tea this week end? I really look forward to come back to the "Cuidad Condal" and go out with you!!! See you in a bit!</p><p align="justify">Take care girls and Soph, make us dream very soon (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19">cain't</span> wait to leave !!!) </p><p align="justify">Amandine</p>les voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935991988287796409.post-14572152575020591422009-08-03T19:00:00.000-07:002009-08-03T21:53:29.526-07:00<div style="text-align: justify;">Ok here i am, finally after a week in the Dominican Republic (DR starting from now), i finally manage to get to write something!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The trip to get here was full of adventures, first never transit through the States, this country is getting ridiculous with their immigration rules, i had to pay a full price return ticket 1300€ coz i didn't have a visa for 2h transit!! And avoid Continental Airlines, i lost the conecting flight and got stuck in NY airport for 17h with no hotel, no food, sleeping on the floor (lucky i had my yoga mat!) ... Oh well the good thing is thatin this type of situation you always get to meet people. I met these two amazing 50 years-old Sue and Maria, from Manchester who were going to travel through Latin America for a month. I wish we'll keep on travelling like they do when we will be 50 girls!!!!! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I met the first Dominicans in the plane from NY to Santo Domingo the day after: two ladies who didn't know each other, but in 5 minutes they were laughting out loud in the plane completly histerical, exchanging their mobile phones numbers even if they were way different! One with literally 3 pairs of sunglasses on her chest, each one bigger than the other one, gold, 5cm of nails covered with some weird psychadelic nailpolish.. and the other one very classical, freaking me out asking me how i was getting prepared for judgement day.... But llenas de alegria, that's for sure! </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think it's a good definition of DR so far: it's very contrasted but the joy it's inhabitants are born with brings them together.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Finally getting to Santo Domingo after 2 days of travelling, the heat and humidity hit me. Add to that a cahotic traffic, pollution, 4 people on a motorbike, 6 in a shared car (carro publico), vans with no door replacing the public buses (wa-wa)... wahoo this is far away from the idea of paradisiac beaches everybody was taking to me about. The motorway going to the airport to Santo Domingo is actually along the beach, but as you look closer you realise it has nothing to do with what's in the guidebooks: trash, horrible smell and fishermen still getting there every single day trying to earn a little to live. Cooperation as a lot of work to do!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I got to the office, met my colleagues (2 Dominican Girls Patria and Myriam, my boss Kenia from Honduras) all of them extremely friendly and easy going, and i got straight away to work. It's very exciting i'll be basically working on a Biofuel project and Microcredits project both subject i am really interested in alternative energies and alternative finance systems.. The world is my oyster!!</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I can't ask for more, the first night i spent it drinking my first Presidentes (THE Dominican beer, always the freshest, 100 RD$ for a jumbo 1L) with my boss, talking about the doubts i had about Development Cooperation (decisions are taken more by political interest than in the people's interest) the situation or DR and Haiti, which are one of the first colonies after the USA to take their independance and however still struggling due to enormous economic pressure they are having from their former colonists etc. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">She showed me what would have been the MACBA in Barcelona, the place where everyone drinks beer they buy at the neighbouhood store (colmado) in the street and where you always meet the same people: Plaza del Duarte in Zona Colonial (the center). There we had a great dinner: pinchos BBQ made out of the trunck of a car! it's unbelievable how people get creative here, they have nothing and manage to set a car, to make a BBQ in the truck, umbrella if it rains, have plates, cuttlery, bread, veggies all for 130 RD$ (around 3€).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On thursday night, we went with my flatmates and their friends to check out a concert a guy i met on Couchsurfing invinted me to at Espiral (used to be called 8 puertas, an gorgeous building from the 16th centruy with 8 doors, 4 on the street, 2 on the exterior patio and 2 on the side) reconverted as a bar and having every night concerts in the patio, beers 2x1), listenned to an interesting fusion between Dominican rythms, eletronic music and african drums and drank my firsts Santo Libre (Rhum, 7up & lime 150 RD$) hmmmm delicious!! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">DR has so much more to give than white sand beaches. It's a shame there is none of that written on the tourist guidebooks. Well actually, it may be better, so that only people leaving here and making the effort to get to know the people can have the priviledge to see this side of the country. And i have to admit, the insecurity issue may not invite tourist to get very adventurous: if you are a white girl like me (rubia as called foreigners) you never have to go alone at night time, always take a taxi, be very carefull to book the taxi in advance and not take any out of the street etc etc.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">So for the week-end i was good to get away from croudy and cahotic Santo Domingo to get to Cabarete. At the other side of the island, in the North, it took us 5h by bus to get there, but i did worth it! Cabarete is just one little street, along the beach, with a few bar and hostels for the surfers, kite-surfers, wind-surfers.. basically all kind of surfers. Even if it's THE sport for surfers to come, it's still very quiet, Dominicans are not pushed away by the tourist and come to the beach with their famillies or friends. And at night time, everyone mixes together drinking Cuba/Santo Libre, Presidente, dance on some Merengue sound, follow the flow from bar to bar and at the end at the casino where strangely there is a disco. Me, Ariel and Chirstina where at 6am the only rubias left which gave us the opportunity to get free merengue lessons but no surfing lesson the day after, as our brain was melting out of our ears on sunday, we could only crash in the sand ;)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">More stories to come... xxxx </div><div style="text-align: justify;">La Soph</div>les voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3935991988287796409.post-43739473886771633242009-07-30T00:18:00.000-07:002009-07-30T03:42:59.794-07:00Sophie, first to leave!<span style=";font-family:webdings;font-size:130%;" >Hey Sophie, </span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:webdings;font-size:130%;" >Waiting for some news...We just know from your FB that you arrived: </span><br /><h3 style="font-weight: normal; text-align: center;" class="UIIntentionalStory_Message">"After almost 48h of travelling and many adventures i'm finally in Santo Domingo!!!!! Sweating like a pig, drinking fresh "Presidente" and having BBQ from a trunck!!! Loving it so far!!!!"</h3><span style=";font-family:webdings;font-size:130%;" >So, it's official, our Blog can Begiiiin!</span><span style="font-size:130%;"> let's traveling!<br /><br /></span><span style=";font-family:webdings;font-size:130%;" >Céline.</span>les voyageuses du bout du mondehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16886127895286587188noreply@blogger.com1