Playa Sans Souci Hotel Cabarete

... guys, who actually lives in New Jersey, offered to go up with him. It was funny, because clearly no one thought he would jump - after he walked away, there was a chorus of, "Look! The gringo is going up to the cliff! Snicker snicker snicker.." Shen is definitely not one to show off, but the poor expectations made it totally necessary, so he did a back flip off a 35-foot cliff. The group made several comments about how the gringos never jump, they had ...

... define that, because the whole north coast is stunning. The beach is indeed gorgeous, with trees buffering the road from the soft sandy beach and a long peninsula of palm trees shielding one side of the bay. Shen was hoping to surf, but the guy with the surfboards wasn't there, and also there wasn't there any surf. Supposedly it gets very good in the winter, but this time of year it's hard to predict. He ...

... the next six months.  The<br>comforts of home with the people I love, will surely see me through. That I<br>know for sure-<br>I hope you have all enjoyed the blog.  I have loved sharing some thoughts,<br>albeit probably a bit superficial at times, as feelings are often difficult to<br>retrieve-<br><br>Thank you for following my journey.  <br>Please look for more pictures in the days to come.<br><br>Love,<br><br>Lani<br><br>< !--EndFragment--><br><br><br>

Hi everyone,<br>Just when I thought I had seen what living in destitution represented, I walked into a neighborhood this morning that redefined the word "poor" for me.  It seems that this redefinition is a consistent happening here.<br>This community lives in squalor, not only in ramshackle "buildings" but in filth.  In fact, their homes are literally built upon a dump. So, you ...

... aren't spoiled by anybody,<br>Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,<br>Who live and move, but have no being.<br>We pray for children who want to be carried,<br>And for those who must,<br>For those we never give up on<br>And for those who don't get a second chance.<br>For those we smother,<br>And for those who will grab the hand of anybody kind enough to offer it.<br> -----by Marian Wright Edelman 

Hola Todos-<br>Have you ever thought of how fortunate you are, just because you were born in a certain geographic location?  We went to a Haitian Batey today.  The Bateys in the DR are kind of like a no-man's land, not recognized by the DR, or by Haiti.  Consequently, the people who live in them are literally without a country.  These people live very poorly, and are rarely allowed out of ...

... I had started to feel comfortable in Santo Domingo. I knew a great local place to grab cheap Dominican meals, a tiny bakery around the corner that served some delicious dulce de leche type desserts and a mean tres leches cake. And I has also had the chance to make several new friends and become familiar with people in Zona Colonial. So it wasn't such a surprise that my trip up north brought up so much dread and angst, especially considering I had no idea what to expect. But ...

Wow, so it's been a while. A lot has happened these past few weeks. I'm feeling comfortable living here now. I've been through my culture shock phase, for the most part. I just got really tired of eating rice and chicken gizado every meal, and the inefficiency that's rampant here is still slightly frustrating. (I've been trying to get access the the pool for about a month and a half now.) I solved my problem by ...

... Santo Domingo a few months ago and recognized her by her black hair with a white streak. Later that day, my uncle explained that the government provides a guard for Dede because she's considered a national treasure, being the only surviving Mirabal sister. After visiting Ojo de Agua, we found the main road again and headed east toward the museum. It was fairly easy to find and we only had to pay 60 pesos (a little under $2) I think to enter the museum.

... importantly, surf shops. Whether you are at Kite Beach or Bozo Beach (named for the novice kiteborders who are often found washed up on shore entangled in their ropes), the cobalt blue waters are active with windsurfers, surfers, boogey boards, catamarans and sea kayaks. From sun up to sun down the pure blue sky becomes a kaleidoscope of confetti as multi-colored kites ...