dominican journal

I got up later than usual this morning so Martin and Sophie left without me and I called a taxi. But as I was walking out of the door the new babysitter (who I’ve never met before) stopped me and asked me for my number “just in case something happened during the day”. I gave it to her without really thinking twice.

Later on I got a missed call at school. Again, didn’t think anything of it. Then I got a message from the same number telling me, and I quote/translate: “I like you a lot and I want to be with you”. This time I thought it must be someone at school who somehow got my number and wanted to take the piss. So I asked around to see if anyone knew the number, but to no avail.

Later in the afternoon I got another missed call. This time I called the number back and guess who it was. Yes, the bleeding babysitter!

The conversation went something like this:

Babysitter: Hello
Me: Hello. Who’s speaking?
Babysitter: It’s Sophie’s babysitter. How’s it going?
Me: Fine thanks. How are you?
Babysitter: Good! Did you get my message?
Me: Hmm, that was you?
Babysitter: Yes! So did you read it?
Me: Yes I did.
Babysitter: And?
Me: Well… hmm… I’m not sure what to say.
Babysitter: Ok. So, what are you doing?
Me: Eating at the moment.
Babysitter: Ok, is Sophie around?
Me: Yes. Would like to talk to her?
Babysitter: No. So, tell me something…
Me: Hmm, just finshed work and having dinner. What about you?
Babysitter: Oh, I’m at home. So, tell me something…
Me: Well, look, I’m not sure what to say. I don’t even know your name.
Babysitter: I’m [insert name here, I've forgotten it] Your name’s Daniel, right?
Me: Yes, it is.
Babysitter: So what’s up?
Me: Look, can we carry this conversation on by message? I don’t have much credit left.
Babysitter: Sure, no problem. Take care. Bye!
Me: Ok, bye.

And that was it… As I write this I’ve just received two more messages from her telling me that in her eyes I’m a very special person and then another one asking why I’m not replying.

I’ve never met this girl in my life and I’m not the least bit attracted to her and yet she’s calling me as if I was the love of her life. And, surprise surprise, she just called me again.

If anyone has any friendly advice on how I can let her down easily, I’d be very grateful. I thought of telling her I already have a girlfriend or that it’s not worth starting a relationship because I’m leaving in a month but who’s to say she’ll stop calling if I tell her that? I could be brutally honest of course but again, that might not work.

I’m sure most of you are rolling around on the floor in fits of hysteria asking yourselves how bad can it be. But seriously, it’s more annoying than funny not least because I have no idea how to let someone down easily in Spanish! Oh God, she’s calling again…

Apologies for neglecting the blog in recent weeks but I’ve been rather busy at school getting exams ready. My own studies have also kept me hard at work and it seems to be paying off. I’m not one to boast about my academic achievements (namely due to the fact that I don’t have much to boast about) but somehow I managed to get marks in the high 90s on my last three assignments (99% on the last one!). So, have I become some kind of uber dorky mega nerd? Well, I should hope not but it’s certainly starting to look that way.

Moving on. My phone decided to go mental this weekend for no particular reason. Half the keys have re-mapped themselves so that what used to be a 2 is now an 8. The 8 is a 2. The 5 has become the delete key and the delete key only works when it realises that it’s not a 5. The 0 key doesn’t work at all, which is a shame given that the standard prefix for most numbers in this country has a zero in it. What’s more, the button to navigate backwards in menus has become the select key. This leaves me with a phone I can’t dial numbers on and if instead I choose a contact from the phonebook, I can’t get back to the home screen without turning the bloody thing off and back on again.

Most of you who know me well are probably thinking that I’ve gone and blown all my money on a brand spanking new iPhone to replace it. You’d be wrong. I actually went on a bargain hunt and bought a new Nokia for 645 pesos (€13). At this point, I would usually take great pleasure in listing all its features but as you might have guessed from the price, it doesn’t have any! Do you remember when mobiles had yellow backlit screens and no camera, or picture messages, or bluetooth, or internet? Well, that’s pretty much what I’ve got now. But I’m not moaning because it was a bargain and it vibrates, which ten years ago was an optional extra. In fact it’s so retro, it almost makes me feel old.