LEX

it's just an IPOD

so i've debated all week about whether or not to post about this. but in an effort to show the real side of what it's like to live in a foreign country as a missionary with very few americans around, here's the story.

this past weekend, camille and i went to santiago to take care of the twins. we were filling in the gap between jennie & miguel's departure and terra's arrival. and since terra happens to be a friend of camille's, camille took a few days off to spend with her. so when sunday afternoon rolled around, i ventured back to puerto plata alone.

monday was a beautiful day full of sun and not too terribly warm. since i hadn't had a chance to exercise in a while, i decided to get out for a walk. camille and i usually go to the malecobn, which is usually pretty populated (and therefore safe). well monday was way more populated than i wanted for taking a walk. it just happened to be a dominican national holiday (labor day or something like that), so the malecon was overcrowded with partiers.

so after stopping at the bank, i came back to the house and decided to just take my walk through the neighborhood. i've done this many times before, sometimes with camille, but at times without. there is virtually no home a/c in this country, so there are always people out and about, playing ball, or just relaxing on the porch. i felt safe.

on my way back, as i was nearing the turn onto our street, i noticed a moto driver slow down. they do this often when they think you might want a ride, so i just kept walking. i began to sense someone behind me, so i started to turn around to see.

as soon as i did, the moto driver grabbed my arm and threw me to the ground. i must have blacked out for a few seconds because i don't remember anything between the time he grabbed my arm and when i realized i was on the ground trying to kick him away. he had a knife, about the size of a dinner knife, though i don't know how sharp. it might have been more for effect rather than use. he then grabbed my IPOD off of my arm, jumped back on his moto and took off.

i rushed back to the house, locked all gates and doors, and tried to figure out what had just happened. it all seemed kinda like a dream. or a movie. it was really just like those scary attack scenes from a movie.

besides a scrape on my elbow and bruises on my hands and backside, i'm fine. a little shaken, of course, but i'm fine.
oh, and i no longer have my ipod. but that's replaceable. i hope he (or whoever overpays him for it) enjoys chris tomlin till the battery runs out.

moral of the story:

white girl + ipod + foreign country = prime target for a robbery

this was a reminder to me and a perfect example of the place of americans (or anyone with light skin) in a 3rd world society. now matter what your economic status in the US, here, you are rich. your possessions are easily replaceable. therefore many people feel they have a right to those posessions, whether it be constant requests (gimme! gimme! gimme!), or taking by force.

posted by Alexia & Jeffrey @ 7:11 PM