5 Weeks of Paradise..... One Month later....

Meredith

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Jan 24, 2002
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Well, I am a little late with this trip report, but better late than never. This may be a long one, sorry guys......

Well, I arrived in the beautiful D.R, on July 21st and mi amigo Miguel picked me up from the airport and we went to Consuelo where I met up with my 2 other friends who were lucky enough to go to the D.R. five days earlier. It was the best feeling in the world to be back again, to see my family and all of my amigos, that I missed so much. Of course, my first night I had to go dancing at Landis, which is the hot spot. Also, when I arrived Patronales was going on, so it was a huge street party (which went on for 9 days ;) ). Just my luck!! hee, hee.. Aventura played out of 4 different speakers, same song, Obsession, and let's just say that I got a little obsession over that song the rest of the trip, it rocks! That and Amor de Madre, makes me cry that song :cry:

Skipping a few days... on July 25th, I visited the batey where my friend grew up and it is so beautiful there. It started to rain and we decided to go horseback riding, bareback! Ouch, the most painful experience of my life, we couldn't even walk after!! We had some money raised through my old high school and decided to use it to help the community to paint the school there. After a lot of hard work we finally finished, we had to chip all the old paint off, paint the rafters, the roof and even the chalkboards! It looked awesome though and the kids were so excited!

Let's see, July 27th.. I did some more dancing at Landis' and I came to the realization that Dominican boys are the most frustrating people in the world and that I wish that I didn't love them so much! hee, hee....

In the noche of July 28th, we went to the Juan Dolio beach and had a party because the 2 other girls are leaving soon. All was going swell, until the truck broke down at midnight outside of Juan Dolio! Let's just say that we did not get home till 4am because they had to take a motor to San Pedro, a cab back, then the cab to Consuelo, then back to the gas station with our car. Ay yi yi! Next, they tried to tow the truck with this little piece of string attached to the car! WHY? I don't know, it just broke. So, then I drove the car and we finally got the truck going, only after 4 hours!

Father's Day was a huge celebration in the D.R. We spent most of the day at the church celebrations and visiting some familias and watching some friends playing some futbol. Good times had by all.......

Cont........

:confused:
 

Sli

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Mar 25, 2002
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Finally...I was gonna have to make up your trip report myself...hehehe!!!
 

Meredith

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Jan 24, 2002
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And the story goes on.....

July 29, we headed to stay in the capital (Herrera) for a bit with a friend from P.E.I, who has lived there for many, many years.
I also got to visit my batey Arroyo Indio where I had lived for 2 months. I started to cry, I love it there so much and all of the kids are so grown up now and there are a lot of new faces too.

The next day, I went to a conference on CODEVEME (Comunidad en Desarrollo Por una Vejez Mejor). If you are ever in Los Alcarrizos, visit these senior women. They are the most amazing, the youngest seniors you will ever meet in your entire life! They are the coolest:cool:

July 31st, I had the chance to work at this child care centre run by single mothers. It was the hardest job of my life, the kids were crazy!! There were about 30 of them, we had to feed all of them breakfast and lunch, we had to bathe them, change them and put them down for naps. Try doing that without knowing their names, the language very well and having no toys to occupy them with! AAAAaaaahhhh, I have great respect for those women!

In the noche, we headed off to San Cristobal to prepare the centre for the group of Canadians who were arriving in 2 days. We had some free time, so we HAD to go buy 2 Aventura cintas, so that we could introduce them to the group, hee, hee.... They hated us by the end of the trip and knew all the songs off by heart!!
The group was very cool and we did a lot of things liking visiting El Cacao and the coffee growers, different bateyes, a tour city, the senior women's group, free trade zones and CDD (Centro Dominicano de Desarollo). I hung out with them for a week until they went off to family placements.

Let's get back to my batey, I went to visit it again, and it seems that a lot of rich people had started to build around the batey and they bought the land where the people live and they can get kicked off at any time with no place to go! I couldn't believe it, it is so cruel, the people have to leave their home, their entire community, their entire life to start over in some barrio in the capital like capotillo, where there is drugs, crime, no space, it is just so awful and upsetting. This day was very hard to handle and the reality finally sunk in about the realities of life in the paradise of D.R. They live in a batey, where they have started to build a few opportunities for themselves and the next second everything is gone. What amazes me is the spirit of my friends, they just take one day at a time and live it as if it will be there last. They are still so happy and they make me so happy too.

My last 2 weeks to continue tomorrow.... Thanks for the patience with my not always exciting stories!!!!!!!! ;)

Edited: due to a generalization
 
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AnnaC

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Jan 2, 2002
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So far so good Meredith

Edited due to brain being on backwards
 
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Bugsey34

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Feb 15, 2002
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Sounds great, Meredith. Too bad we couldn't meet up while we were there :(. Sounds like you were busy though. Some of our experiences there sound so similar! I am waiting for the next part...
 

Todd

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Sep 18, 2002
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Hello Meredith
I am going to dominican republic for the first time
i am going to punta cana and staying at the papradisus
Can you tell me anything about the night life in punta cana and where to go?
 

MommC

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Mar 2, 2002
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We're waiting!!!!!

So where's the rest of the report??????/
Come on......hurry up already! Just think it could be the 100,000 post and you'll win! Then you'll have another place to go when you come back......and give us another report.
 

Meredith

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Jan 24, 2002
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The Final Episode....

After helping for the first week with the group, we returned to Consuelo because my two friends were leaving the next day to sadly go back to Canada. We spent the afternoon in my friend's batey again with some students who were being placed with families there. They were so scared, I mean, no electricity, water and toilets! But they rocked and had a great time, especially with the kids there.
Afterwards, we went to our beach in Juan Dolio and talked about our plans for the centre/house that we are building for our amigo and us and volunteer doctors and nurses to stay with our program. I am so excited for it and if anyone is around the San Pedro area and would like to help us build, just let me know!!!
In the noche, of the last night for my friends, we had a fiesta in the place where I was staying. Let's just say that we drank a lot of brugal... played some games.... listened to some bachata and salsa and just had a blast!!
The next day, sadly we drove the girls to the airport and it was so sad, but at least I had 2 more weeks left, hee, heee!!!

Well, the next 2 weeks are kinda a blur, so I'll do my best!! I did a lot of just chillin' with the boys where I was staying in Consuelo. We went out for bon, played some billards, did some chiquito bar dancing, delivered some Agua Franco with mi amigo to poor barrios for really cheap prices, did a lot of hanging out under the trees in the front and the bench on corner (the hang out spots), drank some more brugal ;) , visited una amiga in Villa Mella, and then took off to the Capital again!!

While I was in the Capital, I got to go visit the campo and my batey Arroyo Indio again! Woohooo!!! Anyways, I just sat and talked to the families and my friends and played with the kids and it was just the most wonderful experience ever. Before I knew it, the motoconcho was there to pick me up and I had to leave already. It was so sad because next time I return my friends and family may not be there anymore.......

On the Friday of the long weekend, I headed off to the North Coast to visit Santiago, since I have never seen that area before. It is a very beautiful area, especially with all of the mountains, but it is no east for me. I visited a lot of communities where a friend of mine has done some work in. I visited one community, where a lot of the families with children are moving out of. The case is that a couple older men in the community have been inviting children to their house to get some "plantains" for their mom and they end up raping the children and telling them to "promise not to tell anyone". It was so, so sad to see and instead of getting these men arrested and put away in jail, they are afraid and just moving away. It was so sad to see, but the community right now has started to get organized to try to fight the problem which is better, than running away from it.
That weekend I got really, really sick. I had only been eating one meal a day of bread and cheese, because I had no money and no stove and in Santiago I ate a lot of food one day and I got really sick, so I was unfortunately out of commission for one day :( While I was in the area, I also got to visit Moca, another nice area. I sadly, didn't get to visit Hillbilly, no time and no funds!!
 

Meredith

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Jan 24, 2002
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Okay, so I returned to Consuelo again, of course for my last week in the country. Mi amigo y yo, went to Hato Mayor where there was word on an amazing deal on a motorcycle, it turned out to be a very amazing deal, so we negotiated and bought it! Now, we have transportation for all of the work we want to do in the bateyes and I actually learned how to drive it, down the bumpiest and scariest roads in the world!!
Let's see for the rest of the week... I did some more chillin', I met this guy who is the coolest and my new best friend, watched some "Latin Lover", went to some motor races, visited the batey again, visited a lot of friends and family, and had a pre-party on the Thursday night before I left and what did we do? Well, drank a lot of brugal of course and listened to a lot of bachata.

I spent my last entire day in the batey, where I watched some volleyball teams that Miguel has organized and they are so good! I went for a long walk through the sugar cane fields with the kids and for the rest of the afternoon I went for another horseback ride. I got to round up the other horses and then I went on a ride through the entire batey and some of the surrounding ones. It made me so happy, the people, the life, I was just so relaxed and the happiest I have ever been in my entire life. It was the perfect last day and I wouldn't have changed a moment of it.
In the noche, well had another fiesta, did some dancing, some drinking, some singing, some games of connect four, ate some pan y aguacate and just hung out with my best friends before I left.

The next morning before I left I said all of my goodbyes and went to the Juan Dolio beach just to relax before the flight and just unwind and talk about plans and projects for the future with mi amigo. Mmmm... I also went to my favourite place in San Pedro and ate some squished cheese sandwiches and jugo de chinola, delicious! I also saw Sammy Sosa's brother when I was there.

Leaving was so hard at the time, but now being back in Canada is even harder. I am now back at work at a job for 3 months before I continue my travels. What does the future hold for me? Well, esta noche I am having a giant fundraiser with 400 people raising money for the centre that I am building. As well, 3 of my dominican friends are coming in October to visit and do some work with my old high school and the kids there. The volleyball team in mi amigos batey is now going to competitions which is great for them. There has been a lot of racism towards them because they are from a batey, a lot of jeering and making fun because they are not as rich as the other teams, but boy did they show San Pedro's team when they kicked their butts!! hee, hee... Teaches them to talk :mad:

Well, that is my trip report, very long, but each trip means so much to me and will never ever leave my heart. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope to get some pictures posted real soon!!!!
 

MommC

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Mar 2, 2002
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Hey....sounds like you really had a blast!!
Hopefully you'll be able to come back while I'm there this winter and we'll get to meet. I don't hang out a lot at the beach in Juan Dolio (which one to you go to?? the one behind Playa Esmeraldo-los vicini??) but the main public beach is about 300 feet from our condo!!
Hope to see you there!!
 
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Meredith

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Jan 24, 2002
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MommC.....

It's the public beach (Guan... i forget how to spell it, but it's beside a blocked off resort area and the entrance is off the main road and their are always kids playing basketball on the road. I will hopefully be returning in December or April depending on my funds, so hopefully you will still be around!!!!
 

MommC

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Mar 2, 2002
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Gotta wait and see!!!

I know the beach you mean on the road to Guayacanes......
Won't know when we're going until we get back from Europe. How long we stay depends on hubby's work load.....the business lets him know when he has to come back!!
 

AnnaC

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Jan 2, 2002
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You did well Meredith. Can't wait to see the pictures. Have you found a place to have them scanned?
 

jdiaz

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Sep 10, 2002
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Hey, guys...
I'm going to dr in a few days I'm planning on staying at Playa dorada in Puerto plata. It cost's approximately $50USD a day per person. Do you any of you think I can do better somewhere else?
 

AnnaC

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Is that with meals or without? Actually you should start a new thread. You'll get more responds
 
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Meredith

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Jan 24, 2002
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Pictures...

are scanned, on c.d. and will be posted in the next couple of days!!!
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Excellent reports Meredith. I am so very sorry you did not call. we (the hillbilly clan ) could have fed you for a while and avoided a lot of pain... You did have my number, didn't you???
Another thing. About the shoe factory. Now that was in a Zona Franca, right? And you thought that that was sweat shop conditions? It is apparent you have not experience reall factory work in your young life. Do you know that those factories have to comply with OSHA regs and ISO 9000 and ISO 9001 qualifications? Unless, of course they were Korean owned. Then it is possible that the Koreans were demanding and getting Korean style, lock step production. However if the parent company is Western, either Canadian or US they have to conform to OSHA regulations. Levi's does not even allow the kids younger than 18 to bring food into their plants for their moms and dads, just in case anyone should see them and say that there was child labor being used... Please be careful of these generalizations. Factory work is tough enough and if you want to see more of it, I can take you to see the Timberland factory here in Santiago the next time you come down...

HB