\So this little guy pretty much sums up my whole day. But let's start from the beginning. I woke up today with the goal in mind of finding my way from my hostel to Pucamaima (Pucamaima is what everybody calls the univeristy, whose abbreviations are PUCMM). It was supposed to be about a mile long walk, but the godforsaken map that I was given was completely inaccurate and didn't include half of the minor roads in the city. After 1 hour and 15 minutes of walking in circles, down dead end streets, and back-tracking, I finally stumbled onto university grounds. I meandered around for a bit and stopped by the Office of International Students to get some housing information and then began my trekk back. I still got lost, but successfully made the trip back in 35 minutes. I'm pretty sure it would only be a 10 minute trip without all of my wrong turns. 2:00 p.m. rolled around and I decided that I should venture out once more to find La Sirena (the closest thing the D.R. has to a Walmart) since I needed a backpack, a flashlight, and a lunchbag. Armed with my not-so-trusty map and a few pesos I set out yet again under the cloudy skies. Now there are 2 different Sirenas in Santiago, and after an hour long search for one of them (lost again!), I decided to give up and search for the other. So I headed back towards the city center. After walking several blocks a small puppy limped toward me and stared at me with irresistible brown eyes. I stopped to look at him for a bit because he was so darn cute and he was obviously lost and alone and hurt. But what was I going to do with an injured pup? I don't even have a permanent place for myself to live, let alone an underfed stray. Plus I was weary from all my walking and I was on a mission. I needed to buy some crucial supplies. I walked on.
But those eyes! I made it another couple blocks when it began to rain lightly, and figuring with my luck today that the light rain would turn into a torrential downpour, I decided to abandon ship on my plans and just head home. Of course this meant walking by the little puppy again who was now lying pitifully on the side of the sidewalk. I couldn't walk by without petting him, the poor little guy was even more lost and unlucky than I was. Some young guys hanging around on the corner told me that they had seen him get hit by a car. I couldn't just leave him! So they gave me a box to put him in and I carried him back to my hostel. The hostel owner, Elaina, who has to be the sweetest person in the world, knew of a veterinary clinic close by I could take him to. She couldn't show me the way herself because she was preparing for a potluck that she was soon to host, but her 7-year old son Mikai knew the way. So me, Mikai, and our unlucky little pup set off. I already stick out like a sore thumb here, but with an injured pup in a box and 7-year old leading me along, I'm sure we had to be a sight.
Mikai is perfectly fluent in both Spanish and English and the most talkative little boy you will ever meet. I asked him if he could help me explain what happened when we arrived at the vet and he happily agreed. Once there though, he got gun-shy and I was left trying to explain in my broken Spanish why I was bringing them this injured puppy that wasn't mine. Thankfully, I got my point across and the vet said she would keep him, and if he got better, try to find someone to adopt him. I guess that's all I can hope for.
As it turns out, after dropping off the pup at the vet, my day got much better. I was invited to the potluck, which was being held at my hostel, for CIEE students in a service-learning program, along with their host families. I got a chance to meet some other Americans, lots of native Santigueros (people from Santiago), practice my Spanish, eat lots of delicious food, and in general, not feel lonely. So i guess, thanks karma.
P.S. I'll keep you updated on the pup, I can pass by the clinic to see how he's doing anytime since its not far.
But those eyes! I made it another couple blocks when it began to rain lightly, and figuring with my luck today that the light rain would turn into a torrential downpour, I decided to abandon ship on my plans and just head home. Of course this meant walking by the little puppy again who was now lying pitifully on the side of the sidewalk. I couldn't walk by without petting him, the poor little guy was even more lost and unlucky than I was. Some young guys hanging around on the corner told me that they had seen him get hit by a car. I couldn't just leave him! So they gave me a box to put him in and I carried him back to my hostel. The hostel owner, Elaina, who has to be the sweetest person in the world, knew of a veterinary clinic close by I could take him to. She couldn't show me the way herself because she was preparing for a potluck that she was soon to host, but her 7-year old son Mikai knew the way. So me, Mikai, and our unlucky little pup set off. I already stick out like a sore thumb here, but with an injured pup in a box and 7-year old leading me along, I'm sure we had to be a sight.
Mikai is perfectly fluent in both Spanish and English and the most talkative little boy you will ever meet. I asked him if he could help me explain what happened when we arrived at the vet and he happily agreed. Once there though, he got gun-shy and I was left trying to explain in my broken Spanish why I was bringing them this injured puppy that wasn't mine. Thankfully, I got my point across and the vet said she would keep him, and if he got better, try to find someone to adopt him. I guess that's all I can hope for.
As it turns out, after dropping off the pup at the vet, my day got much better. I was invited to the potluck, which was being held at my hostel, for CIEE students in a service-learning program, along with their host families. I got a chance to meet some other Americans, lots of native Santigueros (people from Santiago), practice my Spanish, eat lots of delicious food, and in general, not feel lonely. So i guess, thanks karma.
P.S. I'll keep you updated on the pup, I can pass by the clinic to see how he's doing anytime since its not far.
potluck! That yellow casserole dish is called pastelón: its kind of like lasagna made with sweet plantains mashed up instead of noodles.
Ok so as I´m posting these pics, the power has gone out. Darn it for never making it to La Sirena to get that flashlight!
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