4H Equipo GIS

…that’s right. The day was filled with tour guides in many shapes, colors, and forms. In our attempt to escape the confines of the hotel in the midst of Tropical Rainstorm Noel, we decided to walk through the shops. While walking to our destination, we soon found ourselves accompanied by a local man. What started as a simple conversation soon turned into him leading us to different “popular tourist destinations.” Upon realizing that he was in fact a tour guide, it was too late to tell him “no thanks.” When we decided to eat dinner, we also decided to part ways with our tour guide. Soon after dinner, however, we were quickly accompanied by another man, who also turned out to be a tour guide. While we were more than happy to be led around, we also wanted to explore the city on our own, which put us in a tough position. “To part or not to part with our tour guide” we asked ourselves. The decision was taken out of hands when the rain started pouring down on us once again and we walked back to the hotel in the rain. Once again, we arrived soaking wet to the hotel.

****

For the afternoon, we worked on our presentation. This included editing our PowerPoint and rehearsing it aloud a few times. With the practice we were able to see our weaknesses and establish a plan on what we still needed to work on before the presentation.

—–

Para el dia de hoy, decidimos caminar alrededor de la ciudad. Despues de solo un rato de caminar, nos dimos cuenta que teniamos compania. Era un senor que decidio ser nuestro guia turistico. Aunque estabamos feliz de tener a alguien que nos ayudara, tambien queriamos caminar y explorar la ciudad solos. Cuando empezo a llover, nos separamos de nuestro guia y pudimos caminar al hotel bajo la lluvia. Esto significo que otra vez llegamos mojados al hotel.

****

En la tarde, trabajamos en nuestra presentacion y hicimos unos cambio necesarios. Asi pudimos ver las partes que tenemos que practicar mas y asi mejorar la presentacion para el miercoles.

-Liz

—>Group photo

The storm appears to be passing us by.  The power is back, lost it for less than five minutes. The warning is now for mostly Haiti, although it is still raining hard!

We just lost all POWER! The lights have gone off and the whole hotel is without light. This is probably because of the wind…we can hear the rain pounding our window outside. Its supposed to be to the west of us but what if it had gone over us? That wouldnt have been good..

[um..the laptop is running on battery, just in case you were wondering where i was writing from]

Oh! The lights just came back on…yay! Well this is going to be an interesting night….

Today we woke up to more rain and heavy swells. It is still warm and humid…that I am told will never end.  Also, we thought that we were in the midst of a tropical storm – Noel [pronounced Knoll] but according to the news and the internet the storm is well to the west of us and will only leave tons of rain behind it. Today we worked on our presentation all afternoon.  We practiced our speech and it seemed to go pretty well. During that time [ when we were working] in the lobby we watched as a huge protest against abortion went by. It was very interesting because U.S protests/rallies there were men, women, children, officers, nuns, teens and all sorts of different people who really felt strongly about this issue. It lasted very long. Another reason on why it was interesting is because it didnt seem to be planned.

After we did alot of practicing and working on our presentation and blogs we decided to go explore some more and have some dinner. Alot of the shops were closed as we walked in a plaza that was supposed to have a market. We were told that they were closed because it was sunday. Something else I found out is that these people like pizza. When we walked through the plaza there were about 6 or 7 pizza places.

We got soaked a little more since it never seemed to stop raining but it is always fun to walk in the rain =) dont you think?

SPANISH VERSION

Hora despertamos a más lluvia e inflamaciones pesadas. Sigue siendo caliente y… esta húmedo me dicen nunca terminaré.  También, pensamos que estábamos en el medio de una tormenta tropical – Noel [Knoll pronunciado] pero según las noticias y el Internet la tormenta está bien a al oeste de nosotros y dejará solamente toneladas de lluvia detrás de él. Trabajamos hoy en nuestra presentación toda la tarde.  Practicamos nuestro discurso y se parecía ir muy bonito. Durante ese tiempo [cuando trabajábamos] en el pasillo miramos mientras que fue una protesta enorme contra el aborto.Era muy interesante porque las protestas/las reuniones de los E.E.U.U. allí eran hombres, mujeres, niños, oficiales, monjas, adolescencias y todas las clases de diversa gente que realmente que se sentían muy fuertemente sobre esta causa. Duró muy de largo. Otra razón en porqué era interesante es porque no se parecía ser planeada.

Después de practicar y de trabajar en nuestra presentación y blogs decidímos ir explorar mayor y cenar. Muchas de las tiendas fueron cerrados mientras que caminamos en una plaza que fue supuesta para tener un mercado. Nos dijeron que estaban cerradas porque era domingo. Algo más que e descubierto es que esta gente tiene gusto de la pizza. Cuando caminamos a través de la plaza había cerca de 6 o 7 lugares de la pizza.

¿Conseguimos empapamos poco más puesto que nunca se parecía parar la lluvia pero es siempre divertido a caminar en la lluvia =) usted no piensas?

Here is the NOAA National Weather Center’s image of NOEL. Santo Domingo is just to the east of the blue warning area. 

Upon giving room number 605 a wake up call this am, I was informed verge of a major storm. (Our hotel is maybe 50 yards from the ocean. Separated from the ocean y a perhaps ten foot burm, cement railing, and a four lane avenue.

I thought Thomas was kidding. He wasn’t….since this morning the storm has turned into a named Tropical Depression. NOEL!

 

Most of it appears to be expected to pass by us, but we will be watching closely. The warning says hat we may have significant rains and winds in the next 24 hours!

The waves breaking on the beach are monster size, at least five times the size we saw yesterday!

 We will keep you updated!

~Sarah C

Advisory taken from: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT1+shtml/281443.shtml?

000

 

 

WTNT31 KNHC 281443

 

TCPAT1

 

BULLETIN

 

TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIXTEEN ADVISORY NUMBER   3

 

NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL   AL162007

 

1100 AM EDT SUN OCT 28 2007

…DEPRESSION ON THE VERGE OF BECOMING A TROPICAL STORM…

 

…SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL AND FLOODING POTENTIAL FOR PORTIONS OF THE

 

CARIBBEAN…

 

A TROPICAL STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE

 

SOUTHWESTERN PENINSULA OF HAITI FROM THE HAITI-DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

 

BORDER TO PORT-AU-PRINCE.  A TROPICAL STORM WARNING MEANS THAT

 

TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITHIN THE WARNING AREA

 

WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS.

 

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF

 

SOUTHEASTERN CUBA IN THE PROVINCES OF GRANMA…SANTIAGO DE

 

CUBA…AND GUANTANAMO.  A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS ALSO IN EFFECT

 

FOR JAMAICA.  A TROPICAL STORM WATCH MEANS THAT TROPICAL STORM

 

CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WITHIN THE WATCH AREA…GENERALLY WITHIN 36

 

HOURS.

 

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA…INCLUDING POSSIBLE

 

INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS…PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED

 

BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

 

AT 1100 AM EDT…1500Z…THE CENTER OF TROPICAL DEPRESSION SIXTEEN

 

WAS LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 16.5 NORTH…LONGITUDE 72.5 WEST OR ABOUT

 

220 MILES…355 KM…SOUTHWEST OF SANTO DOMINGO IN THE DOMINICAN

 

REPUBLIC AND ABOUT 145 MILES…235 KM…SOUTH OF PORT AU PRINCE

 

HAITI.

 

THE DEPRESSION IS MOVING TOWARD THE WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 6 MPH…AND

 

THIS GENERAL MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DURING THE NEXT 24

 

HOURS.  EVEN THOUGH THE CENTER OF THE DEPRESSION COULD PASS SOUTH

 

OF HISPANIOLA…HEAVY RAINS TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE CENTER

 

WILL PASS OVER THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC AND HAITI DURING THE NEXT 24

 

TO 36 HOURS.

 

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 35 MPH…55 KM/HR…WITH HIGHER

 

GUSTS.  SOME STRENGTHENING IS FORECAST…AND THE DEPRESSION COULD

 

BECOME A TROPICAL STORM LATER TODAY.  AN AIR FORCE HURRICANE HUNTER

 

AIRCRAFT IS SCHEDULED TO INVESTIGATE THIS SYSTEM THIS AFTERNOON.

 

ESTIMATED MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE IS 1003 MB…29.62 INCHES.

 

ABOVE NORMAL TIDES ARE LIKELY WITHIN THE WARNING AREA.

 

THE DEPRESSION IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE TOTAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS

 

OF 8 TO 12 INCHES OVER HISPANIOLA…SOUTHEASTERN CUBA…AND

 

JAMAICA…WITH POSSIBLE ISOLATED MAXIMUM TOTALS OF 20 INCHES.

 

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE EXPECTED

 

OVER PUERTO RICO DURING THE NEXT 24 HOURS.  THESE RAINS COULD CAUSE

 

LIFE-THREATENING FLASH FLOODS AND MUDSLIDES.

 

REPEATING THE 1100 AM EDT POSITION…16.5 N…72.5 W.  MOVEMENT

 

TOWARD…WEST-NORTHWEST NEAR 6 MPH.  MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS…35

 

MPH.  MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE…1003 MB.

 

AN INTERMEDIATE ADVISORY WILL BE ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL HURRICANE

 

CENTER AT 200 PM EDT FOLLOWED BY THE NEXT COMPLETE ADVISORY AT 500

 

PM EDT.

 

$$

 

FORECASTER KNABB

 

      Hoy estaremos preparando nuestra presentación de GIS todos estamos muy exitosos y listos para llevar acabar una presentación en la Republica Dominicana que ningún otro miembro de 4-H Techwizards a hecho. Me Siento muy orgulloso y agradecido por ser seleccionado para representar mis compañeros en Forest Grove High School. El Primer día era un día para recordar. Pero hablare de eso ya luego.

             Nothing could have prepared for the amazing and sometimes scary things I was about to experience here in the
Dominican Republic. Although my fellow blogers have covered most of the main events, I will cover my perspective. At around 5 in the afternoon Friday evening, Lisa calls me to tell me she will pick me up in about 45 minutes. My mom who was supposed to buy me some of the things I needed for the trip was nowhere to be found. At the same time I was packing like crazy trying not to forget anything. Then Lisa calls me again to tell me she won’t be able to come until 10 after 6 pm. We agree instead to meet at

Capitol
Center so I my mom has time to come home. At about 5:50 pm my mom arrives and we are on our way to meet Lisa. We arrive at

Capitol
Center, I’m ready to go, and Lisa asks me to show her my passport. So I open my bag and realize that it is not in there. After maniacally looking for it I have a movie style flashback to realize that when I was packing the passport I also packed a 700 hundred page in my bag. When I decided that the book was too large I pulled it out and as fate would have it my passport was neatly tucked inside. I then immediately called my brother to get it over to where I was and in 20 minutes we were off to the airport.

            At the
Portland airport it was very straightforward. Everything went very smoothly. At the terminal I got to try out some nice looking and sounding ear buds. They were a $250 dollars a piece. On the plane we got to see a “nice” and family friendly movie by the title of “Nancy Drew Get a Clue.” After 4 and half hours we arrived at out halfway point of New York City. Contrary to popular belief I did not find the city very exiting, maybe because of the rain. By that time at around 7 am (4 am
Pac. time) I was feeling pretty tired and ready to take a nap. Heading finally towards Santo Domingo I was momentarily anxious to get there until we arrived to a very warm, humid, and rainy
Santo Domingo. I hope the weather gets better soon.

Portland, Oregon … una comparación verdadera a Santo Domingo. OKEY, deja empezar del principio. Abandonamos el aeropuerto a las 11h20. Esto fue un vuelo fácil de Portland a Nueva York. Nueva York fue una experiencia interesante. La primera cosa que sentí tan pronto como nos quitamos del avión fue la humedad. ¡Puf! Esto fue … horrible por supuesto la lluvía … sólo hizo las cosas peores. JFK estuvo bien … allí avia un par de aves que casi chocaron directamente en mí [porque ellos volaban dentro]. La cosa mas chistosa pasó después de que estábamos en el avion y listo a marcharnos. ¡Fuimos retrasados aproximadamente una hora o dos par la LLUVIA! Siendo un oregonian verdadero este es realmente divertido sólo a mí =] Un par de horas más tarde [4 para ser exacto] la isla de la República dominicana apareció de las nubes. Esto fueuna vista hermosa.Más… Llegando al aeropuerto pasamos por immigracion. Esto fue interesante fui “un extranjero” actual en un país diferente. Nunca he tenido que pasar por ningun tipo de la inmigración antes. También sólo el hecho que todo estaba en el español me pareció un poco extraño a mí. Yo no se por qué, pero esto me tomó un poquito de tiempo para para golpearme que el español era todo que ellos hablan aquí. Cuando nos fuimos del aeropuerto, fuimos tratados como la gente más importante en el mundo. De la puerta de aeropuerto a la acera donde quisimos agarrar un taxi, había toneladas de personas que rayan los lados como papparazis en un estreno de película. Siendo la persona egoísta soy [guiñe, guiñe] lo amé…

Más… El paseo de taxi. WOW. La vida es diferente. Parece ser que no hay ningunas reglas de tráfico en este país. Sarah seguramente lo describe muy bien en su blog encima. Nuestro taxista condujo en medio de dos veredas para quién sabe cuanto. Mientras todos en casi vacío el tanque de gas.

Más… Nuestro hotel es muy agradable. Aquí esto es un hotel de clase medio, no muy extravegant, pero no una cosa fea. Comparado a hoteles estadounidenses este es un hotel de cuatro estrellas. Tan pronto como me puse nos quitamos del taxi. Se nos acercaron dos muchachos de campana que tomaron nuestro equipaje. Ellos abrieron puertas, elevadores sostenidos no noa dejaron hacer nada por nosotros. El personal entero es muy amistoso. Yo realmente podría acostumbrarme a esto…

Más… Nuestra primera tarde aquí era una experiencia verdadera. Una vez colocado en el cuarto decidimos tomar un paseo a lo largo de la playa. Anduvimos alrededor por la acera [porque tristemente la zona frente a la playa en el lado de Santo Domingo esta muy contaminada] e hizo una pequeña visita turistica. Comenzó a llover un poco entonses nosotros decidimos volver. Liz, Tomas, Gabriel, y Christian no habían llegado aún entonces nosotros decidimos a blog y tomar photos, esperando.

Más… Una vez que ellos llegaron decidimos salir y tener alguna comida. El conductor del taxi nos tomó a un restaurante encantador todo era imponente. El alimento, grande. Después de la comida que los turistas somos [y los americanos locos] decidimos andar atrás al hotel. Estaba lloviendo un poco, pero nosotros no pensamos la mayor parte de ello… nada como Oregon … probablemente sólo nos hizo sentir más en casa que algo. Bien, minutos más tarde comienza a llover, como gotas actuales de la lluvia. Decidimos seguir andando ya que vimos que éstabamos mojados ya y era caliente afuera de todos modos. Poco hizo sabemos que en el tiempo tropical dominicano es muy extraño. La lluvia siguió y esto comenzó a manar. Vertiendo cubos de la lluvia … éstabamos empapados entonces corrimos para tomar la cubierto. Ahora esta vez decidimos dejar a la lluvia reducir la velocidad un poco. En nuestro camino atrás teníamos las mas miradas interesantes de la gente. Era imposible decir que nosotros no eramos turistas.

Más… Finalmente terminamos nuestro día feliz, mojado y cansados. Con muchas grandes memorias en un día.

~clara

Portland, Oregon…quite a comparison to Santo Domingo. OK, lets start from the beginning. We left the airport at 11:20 pm. It was an easy flight from Portland to New York. New York was an interesting experience. The first thing I felt as soon as we got off the plane was the humidity. Ugh! It was awful…of course it was raining…which just made things worse. JFK was ok…there were a couple of birds that almost smacked right into me [because they were flying inside]. The funniest thing happened after we were on the plane and ready to leave. We got delayed about an hour or two for RAIN! Being a true oregonian this is just really amusing to me = ] A couple of hours later [ 4 to be exact] the island of the Dominican Republic appeared from behind the clouds. It was a beautiful sight. (more…)