Breaking and Entering

For all we try to give as Peace Corps volunteers, we'd be lying to say that we didn't take a lot in return. Some of it is just and expected: language acquisition, cultural awareness, and more specific rewards, such as the gratification we get when children display their new knowledge about the environment. On the other hand, we take things that are not rightfully ours as well, specifically free days at all-inclusive resorts, justifying it by acting disgusted with uncontrolled development that only marginally benefits a small number of Dominicans…while sipping our Mojitos and luxuriating by a pristine Caribbean beachscape.

This entry is a confession. We're not proud, but I do this for your entertainment.

New volunteers, like myself 6 months ago, are overwhelmed by more experienced volunteers' stories of walking into a beachside all inclusive resort, eating, drinking, and making merry for free, and not a single eye batted by the staff. After all, as long as you tip, they have nothing invested in kicking you out. They all made it sound so easy and normal, that on our first trip to a popular resort beach, we though we couldn't go wrong. We walked straight in, beachside, and hung out by the pool for a few hours, albeit unable to get free drinks because we didn't have the required wristband, but still energized by our smooth entry. After swimming in the pool, we were unable to ignore our grumbling bellies, and thought we would try our luck at the open buffet. Rolling our sleeves down, we sat and feasted on mediocre cruise-style food, happy as pigs in mud, until a server appeared and asked to see our wristbands. Gulp.

One of the people in our group, smooth as always, quickly, oh, we thought this was a restaurant and heard the food was good, but we'll gladly pay. Taking full advantage of our mistake, the waiters escorted us to the front desk and charged us an arm and a leg, and another arm, for our meal. I won't say the price out of embarrassment, but I will say that it was a sickeningly large portion of my monthly Peace Corps salary.

Second time's a charm, right? No, that's the third time, coming up next paragraph. So the second time we tried to stick it to the resort-man, several of my volunteer friends were staying legally at a resort for a conference, and tried to sneak a few of us in the front door to pass the evening, prepared with the story that we were guest speakers for the conference and that we needed just a few hours to prepare. That went over poorly. The end.

And finally! Down on my luck, wondering why the older volunteers told us these glittering stories of free food and drink at resorts if it was harder to get in them that it is to break into the Louvre, we finally struck gold. Discovering a resort that, for whatever poorly planned reason, does not provide its guests with mandatory wristbands, we were able, on our second try (can't keep a good volunteer down!) to walk right in beachside, and enjoy the fruit bar, food bar, and bar bar for hours, laying in the sun, swimming in the pool, and feeling less sad every minute about our previous failures.

So what has Peace Corps taught us? If you don't succeed, try try again! And also, dignity may get you respect, but it sure doesn't get you into an all inclusive resort.