Santiago, Dominican Republic Travel Blogs

Thanksgiving is just around the corner......
Nov 21, 2004

... can put you in a state of bliss for the time being. This year I will be spending the holidays here in the Dominican Republic. I am not the only volunteer and therefore feel better about this. Also, things are a little different this year. I love ...

HIV/AIDS Conference in Santiago
Jun 5, 2004

... chance to jump on a computer and do some quick e-mailing or just finding out what is happening in the work or in the Dominican Republic. I figure that you will know if a hurricane is going to hit the island before I will find out. One of the things ...

My first trip
Jun 1, 1980

THE FIRST TRIP I REMEMBER I was 3 years old when my mom and recently-born baby brother first returned back to the Dominican Republic. My only memory from this trip was that I managed to climb my grandmother's china cabinet, knock it over, break all her ...

No surprise here, back in Santiago
Aug 1, 1990

THREE MORE YEARS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC The highlights? The friends I made, dancing merengue, having my first love and my first heartbreak, visiting the Capital (Santo Domingo), getting published (yeah!), celebrating my Quinceanera, and too many more ...

The Medical Mission
Nov 13, 2006

... contributions go unnoticed and unappreciated. The medical staff and staff of ILAC not only gave hope and well-being to the Dominican and Haitian people needing surgeries, but to the Peace Corps volunteeers as well. You can find out more about the ...

Two years in Santiago
Jun 1, 1985

CAN I DIG A HOLE DEEP ENOUGH? I spent two years with  my grandmother in Santiago, along with my younger brother. Since we had taken a plane that flew many thousands of feet above the ground in order to reach DR, I assumed that the ...

Goat Slaughter
Oct 14, 2006

... A friend of mine killed the goat yesterday morning in his campo and brought the two halves of the goat carcass to Santiago, where I assisted in butchering the goat into manageable sized pieces. Butchering is actually pretty hard work, especially when you ...

Tamarinds & Guavas right off the tree
May 1, 1982

Spent a few months in Santiago in 1982. I was 5 years old then and my most salient memory was that I met and played with most of my 30-some cousins! I also remember eating delicious tamarinds and ripe guavas right off of my grandmother's trees (may ...

Medical Mission
Nov 12, 2006

... . Eight of us were able to go, and I was lucky enough to be a part of that team. We arrived Sunday in Santiago to find out our jobs and receive a general orientation. They needed three volunteers to help in the reception area where they received patients ...

Mondays!
Aug 17, 2009 (1 photos)

Hi Everyone! Very busy Monday.  We started out doing home visits with the International Child Care Center.  My group saw two children.  One child was so neurologically unstable, that he really wasn't a great candidate for "therapy" per se.  He is being raised ...

In The Campo
Aug 16, 2009 (6 photos)

Hola Todos- We just arrived back from spending a few days in the Campo.  The Campos are "poor" communities outside (about 1 1/2 to 2 hours) of the city.  These communities are somewhat self-contained (they have "businesses" there, and most work their own ...

Adios Santiago!
Jun 29, 2007

... you can't.  That's different.  So you see these huge cracks of lightning and silence.  Insane.  The Dominican culture is really unique.  So many different types of people- but all Dominican.  Love you all. And chat at you ...

I had Pizza Hut for dinner & I feel gorda.
Jan 6, 2009

... , Lexus. I didnt think anyone would really have their own car in the city, but several families do. I like that Santiago is Nashville size...its hip but tranquil at the same time. Also surprising, the amount of American influence....they have most ...

"We Pray For Children"
Aug 19, 2009

We pray for children Who sneak popsicles before supper, Who erase holes in math workbooks, Who can never find their shoes. And we pray for those Who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire, Who can't bound down the street in a new pair of sneakers, ...

First Impressions in Santiago
Jan 3, 2009

Upon first arriving in Santiago I thought - Whoa! This is more beautiful than I expected! Santiago is in the Cibao valley so it has a tropical climate with palm trees and lots of green but is surrounded by gorgeous mountains. We spent the night at Camp ...

Last Day in Santiago
May 29, 2008

... Spanish class and we also learned how to dance reggaeton and salsa.  I just got finished spending about 3 hours with two Dominican students and two of my fellow American students.  We went to the mall and got some Dominican-style American food... ...

No Personal Space
Aug 11, 2009

Hola Amigos!  I noticed that the pictues I downloaded of the ILAC Center, are on the first entry page.  Oh, well, just know that those photos belong to entry two. We just arrived back at ILAC after journeying into the city to meet the director of the ...

27 Charcos
Aug 9, 2007

This last Monday, Megan, Kevin, and I took off from Santiago to go climb some waterfalls!  It's a place called 27 Charcos, and it's about 40 mins from where I live, and it's something everyone needs to do if they come down here!  So we get there, ...

Caribbean Treasure Hunt
Jan 9, 2009

... & dance. I'm also taking - History of the Caribbean, Literature of Hispanic America with the theologians, our required Dominican Culture class and the highest Spanish level. Our director said I got the top score on the exam so that was exciting! ...

The Dengue
Jun 27, 2007

So this last week or so wasn´t the best week in the DR.  I started feeling pretty crappy last week, with a fever and my body hurt, but I was hoping it was just the flu.  After a couple of days, I decided to call my doctor at the Peace Corps ...

La Sirena
Jan 18, 2009

I made my first trip to the supermarket today. It was quite the adventure, but I learned a lot of cultural lessons & the resulting healthy food made me SO happy. I got shredded wheat & whole wheat bread...which was way cheaper than the other ...

My new life as an artist
Sep 18, 2007 (5 photos)

Hey guys, I know it's been awhile, sorry!  Life starts to get into a routine and everything feels so normal, that I never feel like anything is blog worthy!  These past couple of weeks, another volunteer, Marita, and I have been painting a ...

Got through the first 3 months!
Aug 2, 2007 (5 photos)

Hola!  Well, I´ve been in country 6 months and in my actual site 3 months...woo hoo! :)  We just had our 3 month In Service Training, and our whole group was together again for the first time since we swore-in, so it was pretty exciting.& ...

If you can't say Orlanj you can't say Orange Juice
Jan 7, 2009

... campus and went up to the Monumento a Los Heroes. The view was amazing! Mountains on every side. Also a plus...I had my first Dominican frozen yogurt. I really can't wait until I get into a regular schedule though. Right now it just feels awkward.

I'm a Volunteer!
May 3, 2007

... progess this week as I've been going to the schools everyday, running by myself in the evening, and today I'm even in Santiago...SOLA...ahh, I didn't realize how much I valued my independence until coming here.  I will be living with my last family ...

My first hurricane!
Aug 19, 2007

Hey!  Ok, so all is well, I was not swept away in crazy Hurricane Dean!  Actually, it wasn´t even close to me, but it was still close enough.  I live up in the north of the country, and we just got a lot of rain, but nothing too damaging.& ...

Daily life in the DR
Aug 24, 2007

... ; I'll try to give a somewhat accurate account, even though sometimes I don't even understand the craziness that is the Dominican Republic.  For employment, people in my communities work in the fields(tobacco or plantains), work in the factories in ...

Mosquito Madness
Jun 8, 2007 (10 photos)

... the guys yelling out or hissing.  But it's so strange to me.  If we were in the US, and I saw a Dominican guy on the street, and started yelling out "Dominican" "Brown guy"...that would be really weird!  But that's what they call ...

Ay, mi madre...el paseo estaba loco!
Jul 2, 2007

Un Paseo:  a trip.  I took a paseo with my community to Cabarete, a beach town on the north side of the country, and at first I was really excited to go to the beach with my community, and then that passed, and I was really scared to do a ...

stop in at Cabarete & Sosua
Feb 20, 1991

this is where we bought the great painting done by haitians but sold by Dominicans..