My Trip to DR 12/20/06 - 1/2/07 (MAY GET LONG)

[suitelady79]

WOW!! I'm glad that people actually took the time to read my story. I wasn't sure that anyone would read it given it's length. I'm so happy that people read it and appreciated it.

As far as dancing is concerned, what sets me apart from a lot of people and what surprises many dominicans about me is that I started dancing to bachata and merengue here in Philadelphia before I ever set foot onto the island. So when I went there, I think many of the people were surprised that I could dance as well as I do. I love the music. I love music in general and I love moving my body to different rhythms and stuff. I can outdance almost anyone (depending on what shoes I've chosen to wear on any given night). I know a little bit of all types of dances from hip-hop to rhumba. It all makes me feel good. I think this is why I love the DR so much. I think many of those folks feel just as passionate about dancing as I do. I think the evidence of this is how packed the discos are in the middle of the day when people should be at work or looking for work. I thought, this is where I need to be! LOL Music all day and clubs jumping off all night (and day)!

I know that people say that the DR is a Machismo society, but I found it interesting how many men I saw that were able to cook and wash their own clothes. Albeit only two, but I was impressed because from what I expected and had heard/read, I expected to be that 99.9% of dominican men were lazy bums when it comes to anything domestic. Needless to say, when I saw it, I took pictures because this was something I would not want to forget! I'll post them on my picture site and put a link here when I do--hopefully I don't forget to do this.

One other note worthy thing I saw that I forgot to include in my original story was that almost everyday a truck would come into the barrio with huge water containers on the back to distribute clean water to the residents. Ok, so you're thinking yeah, yeah, yeah--this is normal! Oh contraire, mon frere!! The truck was old and rickety and like the guaguas I had been on was probably one or two potholes away from falling apart. It had no rear view mirror (which I guess made since because you wouldn't be able to see anything through it anyway with the gargantuan water containers on the back. But after I saw and took note of all that, I took note of it's 10-12 year old driver and nearly passed out! I couldn't believe it. It was this same little boy coming around every day driving this truck. He was accompanied buy an adult or two but they rode in the back or hanging off the side with the water containers. It was unbelievable! One of these days, a little girl was out playing and the truck was backing up to make it easier for the family he was serving to get their water. This little girl darted out behind him and he nearly hit her, but at the end of the day you think, what day goes by in the DR when someone doesn't almost get hit. People yell at her, she keeps on running and doesn't get hit, the family gets their water and the little boy drives off to his next stop and "everything goes it's caribbean way".

If for nothing else, the DR is exciting for all the little things that happen that you're not used to seeing. I love it for that! I can't wait to go back!

tktoronto, I did the same thing. You would think after the first week that that cold shower would get easier...it didn't. I had to stand there and try to run around the water stream to try to get used to it. It was horrible, but would I trade it for a hot shower? Nope. But I was happy as hell when I got home and got in a long hot shower with some soap and a wash cloth!! It was funny too because the hotels --the one in Bani and the one in Higuey-- provided us with 1 towel. There were two people staying in the room, but we ALWAYS got ONE towel! No wash cloth.

Oh one other thing I forgot, at my friends house there was no running water and there was a community bathroom that all the apartments on the upper floor would share. So as I stated in some of my earlier posts, I was eating food that was so good and so plentiful. Another thing about me is that I love food so whenever I go to a different country or restaurant I always want to try something different. Arroz con habichuelas (or more like Arroz with 5 or 6 beans and lots of bean juice) was a mainstay and something that I am not used to eating regularly but ate here almost everyday. I'm not complaining because they were GOOD. BUT, I was REGULAR after all these beans and full of gas! One afternoon, my friends mom cooked us something to eat. Dominican people seem to always make sure that you have a mountain of rice and plenty of other things to go with it. There was no way in hell that I could eat all of that food, but I didn't know whether it would be rude not to so I practically busted my gut trying to. After it was done, needless to say, I needed to make a trip to the community bathroom. I had been to this bathroom many times before and always just did what I needed to do and came on out because I didn't know how it worked. There is no nifty toilet flushing button or anything special like that. There was no comfortable toilet seat to sit on and do my business in comfort. This day was special. Someone else had been in there before me and who knows maybe they didn't know what to do either or forgot as they left their "business" in the toilet. My stomach is bubbling and rumbling like a freight train so there was no time to find out what to do with someone elses business that was already there. So I proceed to handle my "business." Because I practically had to stand, Plop, and someone elses business splashes up on me! I know this is disgusting but it's true. And if you go to the DR, these are some of the things that you might encounter. After all this, I came out and my friends mom asked me if I needed some water. I guess since I spent about 15 minutes in the bathroom, my friend, his mom and her husband all knew what the deal was. I was embarassed. They gave me a bucket of water to pour into the toilet. Light bulb moment for me! OH, that's how this works! I poured it in, and the stuff wouldn't go down. I go back and get more water, poured it all in and the stubborn log still wouldn't go down. My friend offered to go in and rectify the situation. I insisted that he not go and look at it. He insisted that he should. So he goes in and tries again. It still refuses to go. He comes out making fun of my "man size" "business". I was sooo embarassed by this time. I told him it was the arroz and habichuela. That's all I could say. It was about 24 hours before someone got that thing to go. Beware of arroz con habichuela!!

Thanks for reading MrDr and BettyB2! I really appreciate it!

[shadInToronto]

Read 1st 2 installments, perhaps continue manana (temporary ADD). Good report, kudos for your bravery. One question, broken tap in restroom ... unwashed hands?

[tlc32875]

i have to say that was the best trip report i have ever read ...u are pretty damn funny ..sounds like u had a blast thats awesome ...thanks for teh good read !!!!!!!!!!
tracy

[Music]

Great report sounds like to had a great time and really experienced the DR ! Very funny too, I've experienced the bathroom sharing scarey it was lol But you just make the best of it. I shall wait to see some pics!

[suitelady79]

Originally Posted by shadInToronto

Read 1st 2 installments, perhaps continue manana (temporary ADD). Good report, kudos for your bravery. One question, broken tap in restroom ... unwashed hands?

Shad, It does my heart good that you came through! You know I always do this when you come around...we already discussed that. You are absolutely right, I didn't wash my hands when I went to the restroom in this club. On top of the sink being broken, it was full of paper and hair from chicas who needed to fix their hair and makeup. They just didn't give a damn anymore. Not to worry though, I only touched others on an as needed basis. Please come back for the other installments as there are more restroom tales that you have yet to read about!

tlc32875, thank you so much for taking the time to read it all. I'm glad you caught my humor. I tried to make the best of everything while I was there. It was the experience of a lifetime! There are other things that I didn't even get to write about--so much happened!

Thanks Music! I was freaking out with the bathroom thing...I'll try to post the pics ASAP. They are still marinating on my camera at the moment.

[Robin'sGirl]

More please

[CarpeDReam]

Niiiiice job suitelady...I usually browse through these reports but I figured it was worth reading a bit more since it wasn't your usual 5 star resort hotel report...then I just had to read the whole thing bc it was amusing. You really know how to enjoy the DR and I applaude you for that.

I know this isn't probably the place to give this info, but I figure since you and TkToronto were thinking of taking a trip back there, if you're interested in doing an internship (whilst you learn more spanish and about the country, etc), you should check this out:

Global Foundation for Democracy and Development - GFDD - Home Page

There is an internship section managed by a lady named Alicia Alonzo...I've met up with her and she's very willing to help if you're interested.

Thanks again for the read!

Jose

[tk toronto]

Originally Posted by CarpeDReam

Niiiiice job suitelady...I usually browse through these reports but I figured it was worth reading a bit more since it wasn't your usual 5 star resort hotel report...then I just had to read the whole thing bc it was amusing. You really know how to enjoy the DR and I applaude you for that.

I know this isn't probably the place to give this info, but I figure since you and TkToronto were thinking of taking a trip back there, if you're interested in doing an internship (whilst you learn more spanish and about the country, etc), you should check this out:

Global Foundation for Democracy and Development - GFDD - Home Page

There is an internship section managed by a lady named Alicia Alonzo...I've met up with her and she's very willing to help if you're interested.

Thanks again for the read!

Jose

Thanks, CarpeDReam, I'll totally check this out!

[Mr_DR]

Originally Posted by suitelady79

WOW!! I'm glad that people actually took the time to read my story. I wasn't sure that anyone would read it given it's length. I'm so happy that people read it and appreciated it.


Thanks for reading MrDr and BettyB2! I really appreciate it!

I like your stuff suite,

Please let me know when you get your pics going.

[BettyB2]

Yes, pictures please. Cant wait to see them!!!