My Weekend Getaway

By: Carlos Gonzalez

InteRDom Correspondent, Carlos, has completed three years of his Bachelor's degree in Political Science at St. Peter's University in New Jersey. He is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Carlos and his participation in the Correspondent Program here.

Whenever I plan a weekend trip to disappear from all the craziness at home, I usually carefully plan-out where I’m staying, where I’m going and when. This time, I didn’t make any plans. In fact, another intern thought it would be a great idea to go to the 27 waterfalls (or charcos) as a weekend trip. I had no idea what this was going to be like, since the intern (Krysta) had planned out every detail without my help. 

Once we got to Cabarete I immediately noticed all the European tourists. I am genuinely surprised by the amount of Europeans that come to the Dominican Republic as tourists and workers. This includes, Italians, French, British and Spaniards. Before I came to the country, I was not expecting as many Europeans. 

We arrived at our hostel, which had a cabin-like ambience, and the workers were extremely friendly. In the hostel we encountered people from all over the world, enjoying the fruits of the Dominican Republic. That same day we laid at the beach for the rest of the afternoon, were the three of us got to relax and enjoy the sun, ocean, and the scenic view of Cabarete beach. The next morning we woke up early to travel to the 27 charcos, which took around an hour and a half.

At the waterfalls, we hiked up around thirty minutes to the 12th waterfall, where Alex (another intern) and I jumped off the cliff and into the water. It wasn’t easy to get over how high we jumped. The tour guides were pushing us to jump, telling us that there is nothing to fear and that it’s safe. Alex jumped first, and then I jumped. The feeling of jumping as high as the 12th waterfall was exhilarating. The rest of the waterfalls were smaller than the 12th, yet still fun. It was nice to have the scariest one as the icebreaker for the rest of the waterfalls.

The ride back to Santo Domingo was uneventful. All I could think about was going back to Cabarete laying at the beach and enjoying the waterfalls. I suppose next time I shouldn’t plan a getaway weekend.

Is it really almost over?!

InteRDom Correspondent, Carlos, has completed three years of his Bachelor's degree in

By: Carlos Gonzalez

Political Science at St. Peter's University in New Jersey. He is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Carlos and his participation in the Correspondent Program here.

All the sunny days, beautiful weather, and delicious food have almost come to an end. I can only wish for more time, but my home calls me. This experience has taught me plenty about living, studying and working abroad. All I can say is; I cannot wait to do it again. As it is my first time living abroad on my own, I have learned more than just basic living skills. I have broadened my knowledge of Spanish, grew accustomed to Dominican culture, and have developed a stronger work ethic. Through my internship at INTEC, I have expanded my knowledge on environmental issues and policy.

I was able to follow and be mentored by my boss, Dr. Yolanda Leon. She has taught me a great deal about environmental studies as well as her passion for conservation. Dr. Leon’s work is well-known throughout the Dominican Republic, as she has fought to maintain the forests for its rich biodiversity that contributes to Hispaniola. She has also taught me the importance of the government’s role in fostering environmental awareness in the community.

Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh once wrote “...forests are our lungs outside our bodies.” This powerful quote highlights nature’s vital role in sustaining human life. We cannot live without our biosphere because we are interconnected. Just as Dr. Leon fights for this right, it is important for the rest of us to become aware of this reality and fight for our planet as well.

The Two Extremes

By: Carlos Gonzalez

InteRDom Correspondent, Carlos, has completed three years of his Bachelor's degree in Political Science at St. Peter's University in New Jersey. He is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Carlos and his participation in the Correspondent Program here.

Santo Domingo has offered me a wide range of fun experiences. I am amazed by the city’s lively nightlife, great restaurants and an unlimited option of malls on all corners of the city. There is definitely something to be said about the economic flow occurring in Santo Domingo. But as I am witnessing the perks of Santo Domingo residents, I am also witnessing the contrast with the Dominican Republic’s “el Sur” (which is what Dominicans call the southwest of the country). 

On my trip to Independencia and Bahoruco Provinces to do research for my internship, I saw many small rural communities near the border that are drastically different from the capital. Some of these communities have been self-sufficient in providing themselves with proper nutrition, health, harvesting their own food and cattle, and building their own houses,while other communities surrounding Lake Enriquillo lack all of the above, especially those communities that have suffered the most from the lake’s growth. 

Houses in some of these communities are made out of branches and corrugated metal. As I drove by with the team I’m working with, I noticed the sadness in some of these residents’ faces. I could see that they have needs with which they need help in meeting, but they have not received aide. Despite their sadness, I admired their positivity and optimism when I spoke to them. They seemed to be happy with their lives, even if they lack some of the basic commodities that developed nations enjoy. 

As one who has been living in the US his whole life, I have never seen the reality of the developing world. This is a phenomenon that I have only seen in the Internet or in movies. Although my country has its own struggles, I must say that at least a large population of the US has access clean water, a basic necessity for human existence. 

From my research, I have found that the quantity of people living in these conditions is in the thousands, in the southwestern provinces alone. Although there has been international aid, government projects and NGOs working for these communities, many challenges remain. Additionally, if these communities are facing these struggles, I can only imagine what’s happening on the other side of the border, where even fewer resources are afforded to the Haitian populations. 

These past few weeks have given me a great deal of knowledge in terms of what it’s like to live in the Dominican Republic. Those who live on the top of the social and economic platform have lifestyles similar to those in the US or Europe, while those living outside urban areas sometimes lack basic resources. As a foreign student I can only show what I am seeing immediately, but I can also show the world that there is still much work to be done. 

Exploring the Dominican Republic from East to West

By: Carlos Gonzalez

InteRDom Correspondent, Carlos, has completed three years of his Bachelor's degree in Political Science at St. Peter's University in New Jersey. He is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Carlos and his participation in the Correspondent Program here.

I found myself swimming in crystal clear water, listening to merengue, and feeling the warm sun on my face last Saturday afternoon, when a few of the interns and I went to Boca Chica beach.Given that the Dominican Republic is an island in the Caribbean, I would have never thought that I would have to drive out of my house thirty minutes to get to a beach. Thirty minutes and a $5 US dollar cab ride later and we arrived to Boca Chica. The trip was worth it! I don’t remember the last time I had seen such clear waters. Not to mention the sun that was beaming heat which complemented to the coolness of the ocean.

 After a few weeks of living in Santo Domingo and I feel like I am getting the gist of Dominican culture, food and politics. I have been taught these concepts in my college courses, and have somewhat experienced them when I lived in Puerto Rico when I was younger. However, living in the country, I feel as if I can fully grasp Dominican life. The beauty of the island, fantastic food, music and generosity of fellow Dominicans does not compare to any other country. The brand new metro system doesn’t hurt either.

 As for my internship, I have been busy researching on the social and economic implications that the communities surrounding Lake Enriquillo have faced due to mass flooding. I am currently packing my bags to take my first trip to the lake communities next week. I will be gone for five days exploring, assisting and researching the social and economic effects of the flooding. I will be staying in a town called Jimani in the Independencia Province with a team of students and professionals working on the development of the communities. I am also excited to travel to a rural community for a few days. I wonder how different the people are there from the capitol, Santo Domingo. I am also curious about how quiet nights will be compared to the busy and loud nights in Santo Domingo.

Goodbye Home, and Hello Caribbean Ocean!

By: Carlos Gonzalez

 
InteRDom Correspondent, Carlos, has completed three years of his Bachelor's degree in Political Science at St. Peter's University in New Jersey. He is participating in the 2013 10-week Caribbean Summer Program. You can read more about Carlos and his participation in the Correspondent Program here.

The semester is over and the summer has finally begun. The Dominican Republic is only a few weeks away. I am ready and excited to embark on this new journey for 10 weeks away from friends and family, to meet new friends. There is much to look forward to in these ten weeks -- wonderful food, weather, culture and a new internship.

I will be working at a local university as a research assistant to work on Lake Enriquillo. Lake Enriquillo has been flooding the infrastructure and homes of the people in neighboring towns.  This will give me the opportunity to apply my knowledge of political science and interest in environmental studies. I will hopefully find the damages and the issues that these towns are facing. I will also meet a group of professionals and students that are interested in similar projects.

Now that I have bought my ticket for the summer and I will be working in an environment that I believe will be an unforgettable opportunity for my working career, I only hope and pray for one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. As I said before, I am ready and excited!