All I can say is wow. What I was expecting to be a regular, humdrum 4-H trip turned out to be so much more; from amazing friends, daily rice, and of course the scenic beauty.
I suppose I’ll start from the beginning with my 2:30 a.m. wake up call. After having a few hours of sleep I popped tall as my alarm went off and I headed to the car excited to meet my fellow counselors and board my first foreign bound plane. After meeting at the Shenandoah County Extension Office to rendezvous with the southern counties, we all hopped into our vehicles for an hour plus ride to Reagan National Airport. The ride there was fairly uneventful because, as you would imagine, everyone was sleeping; however, the excitement rose as we reached the airport. After checking our bags in, going through security, and waiting an hour to board the plane we were finally Dominican bound!
My first sight of the Dominican Republic was coral reefs we could see from the plane and I was amazed at how clear the waters were. I had never been to the Caribbean before so the absolute clarity of the water was something new to someone who was used to the dark, choppy waters of the Atlantic. Once I stepped off the plane I was greeted by a wave of heat and humidity, but surprisingly enough it wasn't any worse than Virginia in my opinion. The ride to Punta Cana was relatively uneventful and I was engrossed with the island scenery, it was so different from what I am used to! When we arrived at the hotel we immediately headed to our rooms after checking in to unpack and have a little bit of down time.
Meeting the Dominican teens the next day was a great way to start our week; from just meeting Jean Paul, Joanna, Nicole, Laura, and Melissa I could tell we were going to have a fantastic time. They were more than helpful throughout the entire week and were always fun to hang out with whenever we had free time!
Our service project for the week consisted of going to the Polytechnic High School in Veron. The day started off pretty well; our mission was to plant 100 leafy shrubs around the school grounds. Easy right? Well we thought so too, until of course we realized that the Dominican soil there is primarily limestone and that the school’s foundation essentially covered the entire property. Nonetheless, the boys went straight to work and a few lucky ladies helped as well. I helped to move the shrubs to where they were to be planted, mowed some of the property, and planted trees that needed to be relocated. It was hot and sweaty, but definitely worth it after seeing the end results.
After finishing our main project we went even further into Veron to another school where we delivered much needed supplies for the upcoming year. Students and children from the area were outside the gates watching us make our deliveries and were ready to play once we finished. For a bit we kicked/tossed/head bumped a soccer ball around and then handed out candy much to their delight. However, time was running short and we wanted to walk around the village before we had to leave. As we were walking I noticed that the homes were very decrepit and definitely not what I am used to. It made me wonder how I well I would survive; being that I am spoiled. I have always had plenty of food, a roof over my head, clothes, and extras that some people would die for. I was also a tad shocked to see so many feral cats and dogs running around. I am so used to just walking up and petting animals, but down in the DR I couldn't for fear of getting bit or scratched; a downer for an animal lover like myself. I also saw more trash than I would like to recall; it was EVERYWHERE. The streets, alongside houses, and fields; I never realized how lucky I am to have free waste disposal. Talk about eye opening.
However, the kids day camp was probably the highlight of my entire week; funnily enough the language barrier was no problem at all. While I couldn't understand many of campers verbally we were able to understand one another via body language and the like. I honestly wasn't expecting it to be as easy as it was, and if we still couldn't understand each other the Dominican teens were always ready to help. I had a blast tie dying, painting, and swimming with the campers. Voila, Besty, Grendi, and Nikki are just a few of the campers I had an amazing time with and I hope that they’ll be there next year to play Uno and jump rope with me!
Higuey was the next stop on our list and it really was a great city to go to. Our first stop was at the farmers’/ meat markets and I really enjoyed the entire experience. I thought that it was really neat how the animal that was slaughtered that day had its head placed beneath the table where its meat was being sold; easy way to I.D. Bartering was also something entirely new to me and I’m still not sure if I like it. Almost every vendor I met would say something along the lines of “I like you, I make a deal for you”. In my head I knew what was going on, these guys knew how to wheel and deal. I’m fairly sure they suckered me a few times, but you have to do what you have to do. One item that I’m really glad that I purchased is my larimar jewelry. They really are beautiful stones and unique to the Dominican area.
The free time was also a blast at the resort! I went snorkeling for the first time and saw a barracuda! Talk about awesome! I also visited freshwater lagoons for the first time and they were simply amazing. It was refreshing to swim in cold spring water and jumping off of the ledges was fun! I would also be remiss to not mention the beach; gorgeous. It was so relaxing to just sit down in a chair beneath the palms and sleep.
Overall, I had a fantastic time in the Dominican Republic! Major impressions for me started with the food; it is so much healthier than the American lifestyle. Rice accompanying two meals a day was more delicious than I would have thought and fresh fruit was always a must. After a week of eating DR foods I can honestly say my stomach got a little upset when I had Burger King as soon as I got back in the states. There was also a startling difference between classes in the DR. It appeared to me that you were either considered rich or poor; no in between. I think that was more of a culture shock for me because in America the largest population is middle class. Finally, the Dominican hospitality was by far one of the best memories I will carry. No matter where I went there were always smiles and waves; way different from large, American cities. The farewell party at Jean Paul’s and Joanna’s demonstrated just some of their country’s hospitality and cuisine. I simply cannot wait until next year!
Much thanks to all of our supporters and donors! It would not have been possible without you!
Hallie Harriman, Shenandoah County
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