First impressions in Santo Domingo
Upon my arrival in Santo Domingo on Saturday afternoon, I immediately noticed the hot and humid weather. Going from cold and rainy Boston to the warm and humid Dominican Republic was quite the transition. Once we got to the hotel and were able to explore Santo Domingo, I was able to form some impressions of the city.
One of the first things I noticed is that while there were tourists, most of the people I saw out and about were locals, who seemed relatively friendly. And while it is very hot and humid, most of the locals I saw here were dressed nicely, not wearing tank tops or short shorts. I saw lots of women wearing nice blouses and capris and long pants. I don’t know how they could manage that. I was definitely impressed.
I was also pleasantly surprised to see stray dogs and cats all over the city! I love animals, and I know I shouldn’t touch them because they might have fleas or be sick, but they are adorable and it is always pleasant to see dogs and cats just chilling while you’re going somewhere.
Another thing I observed is that the culture is very strong here. Over the weekend, there were several events with live, traditional Dominican music and dancing that were well-attended by both locals and tourists. Two of my friends got pulled into the dance floor at a concert on Sunday night. It looked like a lot of fun!
On Sunday, we had our orientation at the CIEE study center a short bus ride away from the hotel in Santo Domingo. We first took a tour of the building. It had a nice kitchen and a few nice open rooms to study in. Then we learned about safety precautions to take while in the Dominican, and finally we learned about the culture.
One thing we learned at orientation that stood out to me is that the tap water isn’t safe to drink! This is going to be a bit of an adjustment for me because I’m used to just drinking tap water, and now I have to buy bottled water to keep in my hotel room and at restaurants. I also have to be cautious about the tap water when brushing my teeth.
Another thing that I learned that I found interesting is that race is constructed differently in the Dominican Republic than it is in America. In the DR, there are more ethnicities and usually they are based in appearance. Interestingly, Dominicans are more hesitant to identify as black. And while race is different than in America, Dominicans’ primary identity is their national one. Dominicans are very proud of their national heritage and their relationship to Spain.
One final thing that stood out to me at the orientation is that two dogs live in the study center! I’m going to have to go there more often.
