Dear RPCV,
Summer is coming now which means so is my permanent sweaty face. I’m hot all the time, sweaty all the time and my Dominican vecinos never want to let me forget it. I feel like this Caribbean heat might be the death of me. How can I survive this summer without wanting to dar una pela to the next kid that points out my sweat mustache?
Signed,
Hot and Bothered
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Dear Hot and Bothered,
The answer to this is uniquely Peace Corps related because if we had both money and luz one could just buy some air-conditioning. But, volunteers tend to have neither of aforementioned qualifications for AC. Also, all of those holes in our houses would render AC useless.
So, what does one do? Campo AC of course! Remove all clothing and lay on your concrete floor. I recommend shutting all doors and windows first. The hard concrete stays cool(ish) all year round.
The relief is incredible. Unfortunately, there just is no way to go out into public and avoid sweating. The shade of a mata is as good as it gets.
Good luck!
RPCV, Claire Dal Nogare
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About our RPCV:
Name: Claire Dal Nogare
Served: October 2014-2016
Sector: Youth, Family and Community Development
Community: Batey Hato San Pedro, Monte Plata (WOOP WOOP MONTE PLATANOS)
Population: ~1500
Where am I now….
Park Ranger in Alaska at Denali Nation Park. Educating city kids who shop at REI how to actually use their gear.
Development of Self: A Peace Corps Story 
I’ve come to find the idea of using my abanico with a bag of ice behind to be appealing for me. Please try that and give me some comments from the results.
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When you have electricity, this is an excellent idea! It’s when we are in one of our blackouts that cooling off becomes more complicated 😒
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