Tag: travel

All Americans Drive Hummers and All Dominicans Dance Bachata: Thoughts on Culture and Stereotypes

The other day I did an interview about my internship for InteRDom and one of the questions I was asked was “What makes the DR unique?” Having been to many places (in North America, Central America, Europe, Africa and Asia), I thought I was well equipped to answer the question, but the more I think about the more I realize it is a very difficult question. Yesterday, "mi suegra" (useful Spanish word for significant other’s mother) and I were talking about food and she started talking about Russian salad. Russian salads are common here. You can get them at the “Chinese” restaurant to go with your plantains and wontons, they are traditional around Christmas, at... Read More

1000 Words

To mark my somewhere-near halfway I thought I’d just give a little photo summary of my time here so far. These pictures are a combination of my phone photos as well as some I’ve found online. First, the view from the airplane: foggy, I could see the air was thick, the heavy clouds cast shadows on the deep green fields speckled with dots that up close must have been pieces of life: small towns, occasional roads and farm equipment. The occasional baseball diamond assured me I was landing in the right place. As we got closer to the city I was able to catch a glimpse of the ocean – a rich turquoise for deep... Read More

Time has flown by and the end is near

By: Alexandria Rogers InteRDom Correspondent, Alexandria, has completed three years of her Bachelor's degree in Sports Administration and Spanish at the University of Miami, Florida. She is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Alexandria and her participation in the Correspondent Program here. With a little less than two weeks left in the country, I cannot believe my time here has gone by so quickly! While I am excited to see my friends and family again in the US, I cannot help but feel sad to have to leave the friends that I have met here, socially and at work, and this beautiful country that has been my home... Read More

A Grateful Community and Dramatic Weather

By: Alexandria Rogers InteRDom Correspondent, Alexandria, has completed three years of her Bachelor's degree in Sports Administration and Spanish at the University of Miami, Florida. She is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Alexandria and her participation in the Correspondent Program here. These past 2 weeks since my last blog post have definitely been busy, both at work and socially. I am continuing to enjoy my time here and cannot wait for more that is to come! Last Monday, the San Diego Padres hosted a community event in Najayo, Dominican Republic. With the help of the community department of the MLB office in Santo Domingo, with whom I am... Read More

In my element

By: Kim Sanchez InteRDom Correspondent, Kim, has completed three years of her Bachelor's degree in Film and Video at the Visual Arts College at the University of Toledo in Ohio. She is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Kim and her participation in the Correspondent Program here. We went to Constanza on Sunday for a three mile hike and it was the best time! I had so much fun. I love hiking and being outdoors, but I made sure to shower myself with mosquito repellent first. I love mountains. I never see them back home. Some day I will climb taller mountains, but this was a nice day trip.... Read More

Los Dos Extremos

Por: Carlos González El Corresponsal de InteRDom, Carlos, ha completado tres años de su licenciatura en ciencias políticas en la Universidad de St. Peter en Nueva Jersey. Está participando en el Programa de Verano Caribeño 2013 de 10 semanas de duración. Para aprender más acerca de Carlos y sobre su participación en el programa de Corresponsales, puede ver su perfil aquí. **Traducción realizada por Carlos.** Santo Domingo me a ofrecido un rango de experiencias divertidas. Estoy asombrado por la animada vida nocturna de la ciudad, los gran restaurantes, y los ilimitados centros comerciales por todas las esquinas de la ciudad. Definitivamente hay mucho que decir sobre el flujo economico en Santo Domingo. Pero ya que estoy... Read More

Orgullo

By: Ikenna Okoro InteRDom Correspondent, Ikenna, has recently completed his undergraduate studies in Biology at the University of Miami, Florida and is participating in the 2013 10-week Graduate and Gap Year Program. You can read more about Ikenna and his participation in the Correspondent Program here. As a research assistant for Hospital General de la Plaza de la Salud, I am conducting a study of health system efficiencies in Santo Domingo. To fulfill this goal, I have been shadowing physicians in a neighboring community, La Barquita. The citizens of La Barquita cannot afford and do not live close to major hospitals, therefore access to medical services is difficult. In the program that I am following,... Read More

A Note to My Friends

By: Kim Sanchez InteRDom Correspondent, Kim, has completed three years of her Bachelor's degree in Film and Video at the Visual Arts College at the University of Toledo in Ohio. She is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Kim and her participation in the Correspondent Program here. Dear Friends, I'm having a wonderful time here! Work is keeping me busy. I'm editing together footage from art expositions held at FUNGLODE. This country has a lot of cultural events to offer, you would love it here. I'm never bored! There is always something to do or to see here. Another intern and I went out to a neighborhood bar... Read More

Living the Life

By: Alexandria Rogers InteRDom Correspondent, Alexandria, has completed three years of her Bachelor's degree in Sports Administration and Spanish at the University of Miami, Florida. She is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program.You can read more about Alexandria and her participation in the Correspondent Program here. I have now been in Santo Domingo for two weeks and I have nothing but good things to say! The people are some of the nicest people that I have ever met and from what I have seen the country is beautiful. Upon landing in the country, I was so excited and took so many pictures on the drive on the way to the apartment. While driving,... Read More

Exploring the Dominican Republic from East to West

By: Carlos Gonzalez InteRDom Correspondent, Carlos, has completed three years of his Bachelor's degree in Political Science at St. Peter's University in New Jersey. He is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Carlos and his participation in the Correspondent Program here. I found myself swimming in crystal clear water, listening to merengue, and feeling the warm sun on my face last Saturday afternoon, when a few of the interns and I went to Boca Chica beach.Given that the Dominican Republic is an island in the Caribbean, I would have never thought that I would have to drive out of my house thirty minutes to get to a beach. Thirty... Read More