Dominican Republic: Dream Achieved

Spanish-speaking cultures have always been heart-close to me. The language sounded like a floating song of legato tones sewn together—words that rustle like a new dress twirling out around your ankles.

My first trip to the Dominican Republic lasted for three months. I lived with a Dominican family in the town of Jarabacoa, two hours outside of Santiago. My American roommate and I took Spanish classes during the day while working on our Spanish with our families as well.

In the second half of our time there, I worked in a preschool where my language skills were even less than the preschoolers in a lot of ways. But the children loved me anyway. The first time I taught the class, they swamped me with one big massive hug.

The Dominicans stripped back my American norms and tickled their way in with kisses on both cheeks and personal bubbles popped. New acquaintances touched my arms, my face, my legs, my hair. When they spoke to me, they stood only a foot away. Dominican men whistled when we walked on the street, yelling compliments that sometimes we wished not to understand.

Chickens and dogs slunk about the yard. Roosters chortling their song of ownership over all who could hear their piercing calls.

Beans and rice for lunch—la bandera, the most common and national meal. Rice, beans, chicken guisado, avocado, fried plantains. Despite having some variation of this daily, I never tired of it. No one cooked it like my adopted mamí.

I learned how to kill a chicken, to clean it, to section it, and to cook it. I made the mistake of naming my chicken, and lunch tasted only half as good. Poor Penelope.

Since my first time in the Dominican Republic, I have been back once. I discovered on that second trip that I had buried a portion of my heart in the island earth, where my American ice princess had softened in the heat and learned to share life with the warm friendliness of the Dominicans.

What About You?

Have you visited the Dominican Republic and what town? What’s one thing about the culture that stopped you and made you reconsider your normal?