2 weeks in a tiny community

[windrifter]

Hi everyone. I just returned from spending 2 weeks in a tiny community of Veragua. For those of you wondering where this is, it's located about 1/2 way between Cabarete and Gaspar Hernandez and slightly inland from the coast. My friend's wife was brought up in the surrounding area and they have built what may be a possible retirement home here. This home is the only home of its kind in the area. By this I mean it looks like what most gringos expect a spanish type home to look like and has 2 bedrooms a kitchen ,dining and living room with indoor plumbing. electricity and running water. Next door is a small 3 room concrete casita (no kitchen or indoor plumbing) that she had built herself before she met her present husband. She also owns a small local tienda that is run for her by her widowed sister and niece. The rest of the homes here are extremely poor usually no more than one or two rooms constructed of old wood with a concrete floor. Each home is kept meticulously clean inside and they always seem to have room for one more guest to sit down and you are always offered coffee or water or food. The second day of the trip a major transformer in the district blew and we had neither hydro or water for the next three days , fortunately everyone drinks bottled water and I am used to camping so it wasn't a real hardship for me. The rest of the locals use the river that ran behind us for bathing and laundry normally so it didn't make much difference to them but did cause me one potentially embarrassing moment when i went for a walk and came across a family with young boys splashing joyously in and out of the water naked. The boys saw me and quicky dived in covering themselves and I quickly turned my body position so I was not directly looking at them. They then went back to their running in and out as if I wasn't there. Once the transformer was fixed we still had blackouts every day until about 11:00 o'clock at night so we had romantic suppers by candlelight that were prepared for us by various members of her family including her sons who live in the district. They would casually drop by sit and have a presidente then get up and prepare plantain and rice and either fish or chicken for everyone, stay and chat for a while then leave. I understand that this provides them with a meal for themselves but it also gives them the dignity of knowing they earned it by preparing it. One day a family friend stopped a man on the road who had fish he had just caught. She purchased the fish then brought them into our house cooked and cleaned them along with rice and plantain, set us all down to eat, got up did the dishes then said good-by and left. Now try that in North America!! Well, I now know what it's like to ride with 3 adults and one small child on a small motorcycle(motoconcho) through the washed out ,potholed backroads in the dark. Let me tell you it is rather hair raising but I became quite comfortable with riding by the end of the 2 weeks. I also learned what it's like to travel with 22 people crowded into a small van as this was the quickest way to travel between towns.(.By the way I am no longer a young woman in years being over 65 though I am fortunate enough that most people don't realize this, so, the motoconcho rides were quite a feat for me !) . I was taken around to meet her family and old friends and was overwhelmed by their generosity and genuine hospitality and I can now understand better why Dominicans go to other countries to better their situation but still want to return home to live in the end. There is a feeling of community belonging and open heartedness that is lacking in our N. American countries. I also know that there are many well to do Dominicans but this was my first really intimate encounter with the people who i believe make up the majority of the population. These people were hard working, turning their hand to anything respectable to earn a little dinero. Poor materialistically but rich in spirit. . People tend to shy away from things that are different to what they are used to and in doing so miss out on some of lifes' richest experiences and rewarding friendships. I can only say that I am thankful for the opportunity I was given and hope to continue. If life is good to me I hope to return in September and who knows what adventure awaits me.

Elizabeth

[Berzin]

These are some of the experiences that are sorely lacking from out turista visits to the DR. Good for you-the motoconcho rides must have been something. I personally hate those buses, where the theory is "let 3 off and pile 8 more on". But hey, it gets you around!!

[LatinoRican]

Your post reminded me of an experience I had in a "campo" around Puerto Plata some years ago. I went with some friends to an acquaintances house which seemed in the middle of nowhere. We forded several streams in a jeepeta and drove inland until we came upon a clearing and a large wooden house. On the way, we passed several "bohios" or small, wooden houses with thatched roofs and earthen floors. Once at the house, we were warmly greeted, invited to sit under a huge mango tree, and offered a cold Presidente. After a while, the woman of the house decided to cook for us, so one of her sons went to cut down some green plantains to boil. In the meantime, she took a few handfuls of corn and stepped out into her yard or "batey." There she made a loud, clucking sound and threw the corn on the ground. Immediately, dozens of chickens, ducks, and turkeys came running to peck at the corn. Then she walked around and grabbed a young turkey while it was pecking at the corn. "Aquí está el almuerzo!" (Here is our lunch!) she said as she headed with the turkey under her arm back into the house. We were then invited for a swim in the river while lunch was being prepared. We enjoyed the cold, clear water for quite some time until we were called back to eat. We went into the house to find that a long table had been set for us! On it were the fruits of the Dominican campo: ensalada verde con aguacates, boiled platanos, stewed turkey, and rice. I beleive that only the rice had been bought at a store, the rest was taken from or cultivated right on their land. I forgot to mention that their was no electricity or running water in the house. They got by with a battery operated radio and their water they got from the nearby river. However, they were very happy and optimistic people and seemed to live their lives unburdened by the "necessities" of modern, city life.

[boss170]

Your story was very interesting, nice post!

[Music]

Great post thanks for sharing! Glad you enjoyed your trip!

I agree with you that's why I don't want to live in North America for the rest of my life And that's why many people fall in love with the DR!
Quote windrifter:
There is a feeling of community belonging and open heartedness that is lacking in our N. American countries.

[MommC]

Many of the best times we have had in the DR were with "ordinary " folk whose income may be insignificant but whose hearts are solid gold!

[heldengebroed]

Reminds me off my fathers trip last year.
I'm married to a dominicana and allthough my mother went to the DR my father had always refused to do so and thus didn't have a clue what we were talking about when we were together. So christmas 2003 my father had a little to much beer in his belly and proclaimed that he would like to go to carnaval in the DR with his stephdaughter. Next day he denied that he had said it but i bought him a ticket anyhow.
Reluctantly he went...
For 2 weeks we didn't had any direct contact with him, which made us rather nervous (what if he didn't liked it)
Untill the present day we only have vague discriptions of what he has been doing, including traveling around the country with Francis on a moto, Visiting SD with an armed bodygaurd, appearing on television in a soap etc.


Every time we talk about the DR a strange smile appears on his face

I wonder why

Greetings


Johan

[twhitehead]

great post - cost of such an experience - PRICELESS

[Ladybird]

Thank you Elizabeth for this post. About 10 days ago I was up a deserted track in the area you mention when I had a puncture. No cell phone reception, my jack was jammed and not a soul around. Suddenly about 3 men arrived, put rocks together and solved my problem. The people, the people. Those cynical on here are thinking they were after some money. Think on!

[carina]

Great post - and the experience will be with you forever!