The return of the Canadians

The last of the latest crop of visitors turned up this week for the weekend. Those of you who have followed the blog for a while may remember the crazy Canadians who climbed Pico Duarte and who dragged me to the market in Dajabon. It was the same couple, Heather and Ian. This time they had brought a group of students from Dartmouth in Nova Scotia to learn about Dominican life and to help out in the poor bateys near Consuelo, which is near San Pedro de Macoris to the east of Santo Domingo.

Here they are leaving Canada.

And working in the sugar cane fields.

Helping to rebuild a house which had burned down.

There are several NGOs operating here, but it is truly heart warming when a group of young people come and really make a difference within a week and I am sure it is also a humbling and learning experience for them.

Having said goodbye to the students and sent them back to Canada, Heather and Ian made the long trek up from the capital to come and spend the weekend with us. Chivirico wanted to see Ian and Heather again, so he came up to the house for the weekend as well where, as usual, he charmed them to bits. He and Heather made cupcakes.

And he iced them using all these posh squirty icing things which Tracy had brought.

And off he and Heather went to sell the ones he iced with the Dominican flag. They sold them all - 5 pesos each so Chvirico was 50 pesos better off - just over US$1. He came to see me and said now he had to go and give Heather a tip for helping him. I said I wouldn't bother but he insisted and tried to give her the whole 50 pesos! Luckily for him she refused.

Chivirico adores boxing and everytime he is here is desperate for Danilo to box with him. Ian announced that he used to box and so spent quite a while teaching Chivirico and declared that he might have talent. We are now looking for a boxing club for 7 year olds.

Luckily Heather and Ian are dog people too and not only did we have a fabulous weekend, even the puppies had fun.