The extent to which I have ‘found my element’ here has been nothing short of incredible. I guess I have had trouble getting over the conceptions that a foreigner could be so much a part of this community. Certainly it has been a long process, and definitely God-guided, for which I am thankful.

I offer several reasons: One is the warm, social culture and environment that makes one feel comfortable and welcome. I have a great family in which I feel free to be myself; I could even say that I’ve encountered a neighborhood in which I feel this way. At home, it may be possible to go years without even knowing or speaking with one’s neighbor. But here that is literally impossible. For one thing, you’re in such close vicinity and there’s such little noise-blockage that you inevitably hear much of what’s going on in the house next to you. This often encourages house-to-house singing and joking, mingling with the afternoon heat and multitude of music. Secondly, neighbors rely on one another to such a deep extent that you can enter any given house at any given time and are likely to find two or three visitors. It is a colorful, thought-provoking atmosphere that encourages and fosters growth in discipleship.

Now, before I go any further, do not suppose I am bashing Canada. I’m not. Believe me, there are times when I wish I could warp back home for a while and have all the comforts and familiar food, language and tranquility that I have always enjoyed. But despite that I do honestly feel I have found a second home. It would be a lie to say that my personality here is not different; I doubt it could have remained the same in a culture such as this.

The vicinity is definitely a big factor. Having so many people so close means I can walk down the street and check if ‘so-and-so’ is in their house. If not, I can continue walking and encounter ‘fulano’ lounging on their patio. We may sit and drink coffee for a while, catching up on life and perhaps going deeper, after which there is still time to visit one or two other friends in the same afternoon.

Vendors swerve by in vans, announcing ‘milk, milk, milk!’ to the whole world. If people pass our house at lunch time, Antonio (the father) will shout: ‘you get in here and eat some stew!’, or whatever we happen to be eating that afternoon. ‘Food is good and important and you simply have to enjoy it; now come and sit down and munch with me!’ That is how central sharing the experience of eating together is to Dominicans. If you’re lucky you may even catch me singing along to ranchero music and evoking laughter, while Antonio contentedly patters away at a broken pair of sandals, joining in the joyous harmony.