Working Hard...But Not for the Money

Hello bold, brave world!

As usual, I am here to update you on my time and travels in the Dominican Republic. And further, per the usual, those time and travels have been fruitful and enjoyable. I have spent these last few weeks traveling and as you can probably guess from the title of this post... working HARD! 

La Universal Seguros has sequestered me another fantastic working opportunity with yet another prestigious law firm in this country. For the past two weeks, and for the rest of my time here, I will be working at this law firm. And when I say working.... I really mean working! I was recently given the monumental task of translating one of the firm's attorney's billable hours from Spanish to English!

Now some of you may think to yourselves... Translating? I mean, how bad can that be? WELL LET ME TELL YOU.... It takes forever!!! Not only am I translating from a different language into my own, but I have translating the professional, legal usage of this language (And if you don't already know...NO! This is not the Spanish they teach you in school!), and FURTHER, I'm trying to translate the attorney's Dominican slang into regular Spanish AND THEN into English!!!

ARE YOU GETTING THE JIST NOW?! M-O-N-U-M-E-N-T-A-L!

While this is taking me a while to complete, I am learning quite a lot! For example... The word hipoteca means, "mortgage". And the phrase en ocasión does not mean on occasion. In fact it means, "regarding". I am so proud of my newfound knowledge and I look forward to continuing to work through the EIGHT PAGES of translation I have to complete.

The other good news about this task is that the deadline for its completion is after I will be gone. Therefore, I do not feel ridiculous pressure to finish this task in two days. I can take my time and make sure its correct. Not only that, I can learn in the process! I mean... isn't that what they are "paying" me to do?! "Paying" me in experience! 

So I will remain at my little desk... working hard, but not for the money... but for the EXPERIENCE!!! 

VIVA LA REPUBLICA! 

ESPAÑOL:

Hola audaz y valiente mundo!

Como de costumbre, estoy aquí para informarles sobre mi tiempo y viajes en la Republica Dominicana. Y además, por la costumbre, esos tiempos y viajes han sido fructíferas y agradables. He pasado las últimas semanas viajando y como Uds. Pueden adivinar del titulo de este post… trabajando MUCHO!

La Universal Seguros me han encontrado otra oportunidad fantástica con otra oficina de abogados excelente. Por las últimas dos semanas y hasta el fin de mi tiempo aquí, yo estaré trabajando en esta oficina. Cuando yo digo trabajando… Quiero decir trabajando mucho! Recientemente fui dando esta trabajo monumento de traduciendo uno de los abogados horas contables desde Español a Ingles.

En este momento unos de Uds. están pensando… Traduciendo? Quiero decir, como mal puede ser? BUENO, DÉJAME CONTARSE… Lo toma un eternidad. No solo tengo que traducir desde idioma diferente a mi lengua natural, pero tengo que traducir el uso profesional y legal (Y si no sabía… NO! No es el Español que enseñaron en la escuela!) y ADEMAS, estoy tratando a traducir las palabras dominicanas escrito por la abogada a “español normal” y después a ingles.

ENTIENDEN UDS. AHORA?!?! M-O-N-U-M-E-N-T-O!!!

Aunque este trabajo esta tomando mucho tiempo, estoy aprendiendo mucho! Por ejemplo, la palabra “hipoteca” significa mortgage en ingles. Y la frase “en ocasión” significa regarding. Estoy muy orgullosa de mi conocimiento nuevo y estoy emocionada a continuar a trabajar en estos ocho paginas de traducción.

La otra noticia buena es sobre este trabajo es que no tengo que cumplir un plazo exacto, porque el plazo es después que yo dejo. Por lo tanto, no siento una presión grande a terminar este en dos días. Puedo hacerlo en el tiempo mejor para yo y hacerlo correcto.  Y no solo eso, pero puedo aprender al mismo tiempo. Quiero decir… no es esto qué ellos “me pagan” a hacer. “Me pagan” en experiencia!

Entonces, me quedarme en mi escritorio pequeño… trabajando duro, pero no por el dinero… sino la EXPERIENCIA!!!

VIVA LA REPÚBLICA!!!  

***Disclaimer: If any of my Spanish grammar is incorrect, please feel free to comment! I am trying to expand my horizons by trying this in English and Spanish!***

A Post in Photos

I know I have been slacking so I decided to do a post in posts! This is our trip to La Zona Colonial. This is the area of the DR that was first colonized by Christopher Columbus! I hope you all enjoy!

The Statue of Christopher Columbus

The house of Diego Colon (Chris' son)

Inside the first church in the Americas

A confessional

This is supposed to be lucky and blessed cross. When you touch it you become blessed and protected.

A Flame tree.... So beautiful

A sundial

J!!!!

View of La Zona

Trabajando en La Republica

Hey guys!

I know it has been a while (3 weeks) since I blogged last, but my schedule has become so hectic! Everyday is so full of trying to see and experience everything. But alas, I am a blogger and therefore blogging is what I must do!

Let me give you a quick update on my schedule.

M-F:

8:30 - Go to work at La Universal Seguros (actually right now I am working at one of the top law firms in the country. I will be here for a total of three weeks.)

9:00am-12:30pm - WORK! WORK! WORK AWAY!

12:30-1:30pm - Lunch 

1:30-4:30pm - WORK! WORK! WORK AWAY!

4:30pm - Quitting time

This is pretty much the schedule that I have daily, with variations sometimes, depending on if I have a special trip planned for the day or another special task. My work at the law firm has been so meaning and I have been learning so much. These past two weeks that I have been there, I have worked on two movies contracts for films soon to be released in the DR. I spent my time going through the contracts and making sure all of the small details aligned together. I have also worked on power of attorney agreements (where an individual or an entity gives their power to complete certain tasks and make certain decisions to an attorney). The kicker about all of this, other than the fact that all of the contracts are in Spanish is that I have done none of these type of agreements in ENGLISH!!! I am sure you can imagine how intimidating it is to conquer such intricate matters in English... but Spanish is a whole other battle. However, I am proud to say that the attorney's offices are still standing and I have not burned anything down.

I have also been lucky to visit the Dominican Congress. I went to the Senate and the House of Representatives. While there I was able to meet both Senators and Representatives. While the type of law practiced here is different from the United States (the US exercises English Common Law and the DR exercises French Civil Law), the separation of the state powers and the means by which they operate are quite similar. I know I have bored you to death with all of these facts, here is what you really came for.... AWESOME PICTURES! These photos are from my time in the Senate. I attended a public viewing that was discussing a new piece of legislation regarding the Dominican peoples involvement in their daily decision making processes.

Lost in Translation

Just this past Sunday, myself and my Dominican travel companions, J & A, were attempting to find a good place to eat that served native Dominican food. At the time, we did not realize that on the island, the food is called comida criolla. Dominicans believe Dominican food to be any restaurant here in the Dominican that serves food! So, all afternoon we were walking around in the hot Dominican sun, asking everyone we could were would be a good place to eat Dominican food. We kept getting responses like...McDonalds is down the street, and what about the Wendy's over there.

(Now, I do not know about you, but when I am in another country, the last thing I want to eat is some "down home" American food! Thanks! But NO THANKS! I've got enough of those around me back home to last me a life time! )

Anywho, the entire time we are trying to find some comida criolla that we subsequently calling Dominican food. (Shame...at our Americanness!!! ) We finally spoke to one of the drivers of the program that is sponsoring our internship here, and asked him if he would take us to a place that served authentic Dominican food. His Spanish was really fast and spoken with a deep food and a strong Dominican accent.  We thought we were understanding what the types of restaurants that he was suggesting. When we would ask us a question, we would respond..."Perfect! Sounds good!" (Our pride wouldn't let us admit that we were completely missing some important part of the conversation!)

The driver swerved in and out of the lanes throughout the downtown area and he stopped in front of a big building downtown. He asked us if the place was ok, and confidently we all said... "Sure! It'll be great!" We got out of the car and he told us to call him when we were finished... It was then we realize that we did not have any cell phones! (We were scheduled to purchase and activate them the next day with our sponsorship program, but we had yet to receive them.) He tried to give us his number, but none of us had anything to write with! We finally got his card and phone number, and as he left we turn around to realize.... He had left us at....

                   THE GROCERY STORE!!!!


Oh.... the irony. 


Although we eventually found something to eat... needless to say... we had quite an adventure!


Until later.......

Llegué

I have arrived in Santo Domingo! I am so flipping excited and I know that by the time this summer is over I will be speaking Spanish like a native!!! The "English crutch" is pretty much NON-EXISTENT! This is absolutely perfect because there will be no way to not perfect my Spanish, because people here speak little English!

Because this has been such a full day and I am so tired, I think I'll say later for now...

However, one last comment... (for my Selena fans) "Estoy muy... muy... muy... EXCITED!!!"

Until later

Packing in Pictures

I have a problem... And I can absolutely admit that I am not a "packer." I need options.... and I just can not go to a place without having them.

Just an FYI.... I also hate airline baggage fees and limitations! Just saying... they could give us a little leeway... what is a 50lb bag going to do for my 2.5 month international trip.

However, I digress.... Here a few of photos of my fun...Enjoy!

The scale to weigh my bags

Immediate baggage leftovers

My two checked bags

The remains of everything else I had to leave behind. *insert sad face*

Hasta la Bye Bye Espana...

Hey people!

So as you can probably guess from the title of this post, Spain is no longer happening for me. I was wait listed for both of the programs I applied for... ironically however, I was able to register for Fall classes, even with the law school's confounded lottery system.

I'm just taking that as a sign from God "the Father that Strengthens and Enlightens all that I do, in His Holy Name Amen," that I need to continue on this law school journey uninterrupted. And that's fine! I can deal BECAUSE (a little sneak preview), I will be traveling throughout Europe AND earning credit for my degree the Spring and Summer of 2013, "at the same DANG time!" More on on that later.

But for all of those of you lucky enough to receive placements to the Spanish motherland, espero que tengan un tiempo buenisimo!

Until later....

Pre-Departure

IT HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!!

The moment I have been waiting for! This most wonderful opportunity! And I am soooo EXCITED! My trip to the Dominican Republic is so close I can taste the mangu and smell the platanos cooking! As many of you may know, this summer I will be in the Dominican Republic completing my first legal internship. For those of you who do not know, you can read more about that trip to come.

I do have an update on this trip however. I will be interning with one of the top insurance companies in the country.  They pride themselves in being able to provide their clients with the best and most innovative insurances coverages.  They do this by means of a talented and highly committed personnel.

Anywho, while working for the insurance company, myself, J, and A (yes, that's right.... a new character to the story.... the plot thickens!) will be working with the legal department. A few of our responsibilities will include to compile the main Dominican laws associated with the insurance industry and to assist with preparing a dictionary of legal terms that are frequently utilized in the insurance sector.

But, do not fear.... while I will be working very hard this summer, I DO NOT intend to forget that I am in the Dominican Republic! In my free time I plan on travelling, tasting all of the amazing and fresh foods the island has to offer, taking a few cooking classes, and dance classes as well. All of this I plan on doing while taking as many pictures as possible and posting them to my blog!!!

I think I've bombarded you all with enough for now... but, I will leave you with something rather exciting! My new life-size suitcase! Not just any regular suitcase, this one expands up to three sizes of a regular suitcase. I fully plan on packing my ENTIRE life in for the summer.... hey... maybe I'll have enough space to fit one of you!

Well..... here's to hoping anyways!

Until later......

FINALS!

I feel utterly awful for neglecting my blog... BUT, things just got real at the law school.  That's right! It's finals time! So until after May 11th, I will be on another mini hiatus! However, after that is over, I will be back and in full effect; a blogging fool so to say!

Stay tuned guys because I will soon be leaving to go to the Dominican Republic for the summer. That will be a constant blog-fest!

Welp... in the spirit of law school finals....

Until later...

A Way to Spain

THE LISTS ARE MOVING!!!

People, the long wait is finally coming to an end... nearer and nearer.  The placement lists for the Auxilares de Conversacion have finally begun! As of this moment, the individuals who are choosing to renew for another year are receiving their placements.  This means that us first years will soon be receiving ours.

I am so excited that I am that much closer to finding out where I will be spending the next year of my life!

On another note... My family and I have finally come to an accord on me taking a year break from law school.  They are supporting my decision and I could not feel any more at peace.  Taking this step that so many are calling a mistake or a huge risk is scary enough, but without the support of my family it could have felt completely isolating.  I don't have to worry about that now and I couldn't feel any more joy.

Rock Wall Climbing

Two Friday's ago, J and I went rock wall climbing.  Well actually, that is not exactly true... we got CERTIFIED at the UGA Rock wall in the gym.  So happy about that... so now we're certified! #boaw

See our photo's below! Enjoy!

Until later.

BEDA Prorgam

Hello people!

So it's been a few days since my last post and I am just itching to get back to it!

So excited because I started reading the Hunger Games book. So far... I have to dig deep within myself to put it down. It is such a well written book.

However, this post is clearly entitled "BEDA Program," so let me just get right down to it and start on that.

As you know if you have read my earlier posts, I am taking a year off from law school this coming fall. In wanting to do so, I applied for the North American Culture and Language Assistant program that is offered through the Ministry of Education in Spain. I wrote a long post about it... here.

Anywho, being completely absorbed with taking a year off, I had to come up with a back up plan... and here it is.

The Bilingual English Development & Assessment Program is essentially the same as the Auxilares de Conversaion. This program is sponsored and funded through the Catholic church, however, they place far fewer people. I found out about this program from a fellow blogger... Future Diplo. You can find her post about this program here. Her blog is pretty awesome too, so check it out!

I found out about this program at the end of February/beginning of March, but my "inner-laz" prevented me from applying until just recently. I liked this program because it seemed to be very organized and further language assistants get paid slightly more than they do through the Spanish Ministry of Education.

While this program is also first come, first serve, I really hope that I can get accepted into both. The ideal situation would of course be, having the ability to choose which program I would like to participate in. We will see!

Until later!

Auxilares de Conversacion

The Spanish government is trying to kill me... I've decided. However not by any of your normal means.. i.e. death by hanging, stabbing, shooting.... Instead they seek to do so by much more cruel and unusual means!!!

They are trying to kill me with *drumroll*.... ANTICIPATION!!!!

It's sickening I know! I applied to the Language Assistant program in January and am still waiting to find out where I will be placed this upcoming year. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this program, it was started by the Spanish Ministry of Education to increase the knowledge and awareness of Spanish students about the English language and various English-speaking cultures.

The teaching assistants are from The U.S. and Canada. Pretty much, from what I have gathered from my research, TA's are posted in positions throughout Spain. While there, they assist the Spanish English teachers (that sounds funny...lol... "Spanish English") with lesson plans, activities, and proffer general information and knowledge about the Canadian and American cultures. A stipend of $700 euros is given to assist with living expenses. (Find out more information of the Ministry's website: North American Language and Culture Assistants).

Anywho, I am just dying to find out my placement. My region selections were:
1. Madrid
2. Catalunya
3. Pais Vasco

Apparently these were some of the more popular choices, however Madrid has the most placements, so it is likely that I will end up there. SOOOO... Let me tell y'all that I am so flippin excited to start this one year break form law school! I feel like this will be an awesome experience and opportunity. Let me also tell y'all that I am also already scoping out different places to live...more on that later! However, let me further tell y'all that I am SOOOO over waiting to find out! This is killing me... slowly... softly... and ever so discretely!

Hurry up SPAIN!!! I'm ready to go!

HUNGER GAMES!!!

NOTE: Sorry for the length. I was excited!

                                                                                source

O-M-FREAKIN-G!!!!!!

People! I just saw Hunger Games. And let me just say.... AMAZING!!!!

So I'm sure y'all are like..."C'mon son! It's probably not even that good!"

Well let me assure you.. It is. Let me take you on a brief journey of my experience with this Hunger Games phenomenon.

About two months ago, the law school was abuzz with people going on and on and on about this Hunger Games "thing." Now I am not usually easily pulled into "hype," so I just keep going about my daily business ignoring the Hunger Games chatter. Plus, my brief was just beginning and so I was focusing "hard" on getting that together. (For more information on the required 1L law school brief.)

A few weeks later... we were coming up on the due date of our brief and my friend J (also known as Juicy) had the NERVE to be reading a book... for pleasure... in the library... at the very first table!!! And what was it you might ask?! None other than Hunger Games!!!! The nerve of her to be reading a book for pleasure in the library in front of all of our faces DAYS before the brief was due.

(Sidenote: For those of you wondering why this is such a big deal... This brief is usual 40-55% of your total grade for the required 1L Legal Research & Writing class. People stress over the particulars of this assignment and most usually spend right up until the minute it is due working on perfecting it. No one has time to really do anything other than work on the brief. So much so that come brief due date... people are skipping entire classes and days of school just to work on. Soooo.... it's pretty much a big deal.)

Anywho... let's just say J's little stunt had people glaring at her in the library as they walked by. And Twitter and Facebook were aflutter with comments about her nerve!!!

Fast forward to earlier this week. Yet another Hunger Games discussion was going on and people were talking about how they were going to be at the midnight screening and all of this hoopla. I again was just waiting for this conversation to end. But today around 9pm, J texts me to see if I wanted to go see Hunger Games. Having nothing else to do on a Friday night... I obliged. Mind you... the entire time I was giving her a hard time and saying that "For all of this hype, this BETTER be the BEST movie I have ever seen in my life."

I got to the theater... bought a ticket and had to wait in these ridiculously long lines AFTER purchasing the tickets just to get a seat. So I continued to say how good this movie better be.

PEOPLE!!! By the time I left the theater... I was already asking her to borrow her Hunger Games book. They made a believer out of me! The movie was freaking amazing. When the characters were happy, I was happy. When they were scared, I was scared. Shoot, I was nervous the entire movie like I was apart of the Hunger Games!!!

I know I'm getting long, so I will end this by saying... go see Hunger Games! You won't be disappointed!

Until later!!!!

Law School

In case you guys haven't figured it out... I really really REALLY dislike law school. It sucks the life out of you. It stresses you out beyond measure. And when it seems like it has taken EVERYTHING from you and you feel as though it can take no more.... It swoops from behind and steals the reserve of the little bit of something you had left.

I know y'all are probably thinking... "Well shoot, if you hate it so much why not just quit?!"

Well guys.. it's not that easy. Finding the ability within yourself to be completely comfortable with walking away from something you worked so hard at achieving... is immensely difficult. I worked SOOO hard to get to law school. I have never quit anything before... and I don't know if I have the strength to do that right now.

So until then, I will continue to rant about how much law school irks me, and I will hope that it will eventually get better. *kanye shrug*

However... there are two good things... is one good thing about law school. That is the people. My law school has such a relaxed atmosphere. People don't work hard to cut you down, even though we are all competing for the same grade. People instead work to uplift you.

Exhibit A:

One of my fellow classmates posted this on the wall of one of the study rooms. Law school is tough and depressing... but things like this make it that much more bearable. 

Exhibit B:

One of my fellow 1Ls gave me some wonderful advice that I am going to share with you guys... I told him that I was having a hard time adjusting and how I was not sure if this law school thing was for me. So here is what he told me:

"Just because you worked hard to get in the door... doesn't mean you have to stay in the room."

And I think with that... I'll end this post until later!