Columbus

---

Every morning I pass Christopher Columbus’ memorial on the way to work. This memorial is somewhat of a controversy here. Christopher Columbus is a bad man to the Dominicans. He is responsible for killing all the original Indians here in the DR. No one here likes him at all. The memorial was built, but no one wants it. It is also part of another controversy between Spain and the DR. Spain says they have the bones of Christopher Columbus and the DR says they have them. I guess even Cuba says they have them. It’s a big deal. The pictures attached are of the memorial.
Today was a better day. I think I’m over the jet lag. The group wanted to change their hours from 9-6 to 8-5. We will start this new schedule tomorrow. This is better for me too. 9-6 is pretty long. Today we got all the computers hooked up and started some training. I think tomorrow will be more smooth and we will get a lot accomplished.
There is a girl at my work who has a close friend who is in real estate and she is going to take me out apartment hunting on Thursday. She has 4 apartments for me to look at.

---

Comments

[art]

[e-mail]
Did you let everyone know that your father was born on Columbus Day? Pretty wierd looking memorial.

[Jay]

Cristobal Columbus?
Some Dominicans tend to shy away from the monument because of the exhorbitant amount fo USD that was spent building it; in a time where civil unrest was on everyone's mind (high rate of unemployment, socio-economic issues and the likes tend to do that to any human being). Also at night this monument has high power lamps that form a huge cross in the sky, like the old batman lamp that formed his logo whenever the commissioner needed help. Picture this if you will, you live in a nearby neighborhood and there is a blackout, (did I mention blackouts are a part of daily routine?), and you look at the sky and see this huge cross, stealing the electricity which you are not consuming. Also there is an area that has what they call the wall of shame, which prohibits tourist from seeing the poor neighboring areas that border this monument; afterall, tourism is about culturial history, not present day reality.

[Auntie Chris]

I am really looking forward to reading all about your visit here. Perhpas you shoud learn spanish Lauren as you look the part, now you should talk it too. Just kidding!! Hey take a picture of the drive into work, sounds crazy!! Love ya!