Week 1 ? Santo Domingo
I'm a single female traveller and I was looking forward to the challenge and adventure of the DR on my own.
My main aim in coming to the DR was to study Spanish and practice with native people. I enrolled online via a company in the UK who paired me up with IIC Santo Domingo which were a small German run school next to the University in Santo Domingo.
The pickup from the airport was perfect with a taxi driver dropping me off at the beautiful home of a Dominican host family in the Cuidad Colonial. The greeting from the 3 legged Chihuahua(!) was enough to let me know I was home.
The location was perfect only 3 streets up from the Parque Colon; the site of the oldest cathedral in the new world. As a fan of colonial architecture and history it was a perfect location for visiting a new place every day. From the first street in the new world, built so ladies wouldn?t have to dirty their feet, (hen pecked husbands even then ;-) ) to the first clock in the new world there were so many things to appreciate.
There was also loads to learn about the history of the native peoples and the sad genocide of a race in the short 30 years after 1492, the history of slavery on the Island (and the beginning of the end in the New World) and the oppression of the Dominicans/Haitians during the time of Trujillo. It?s amazing how this has shaped the psyche of the people through time.
I was amazed at the friendliness of the local people. The real blessing of Santo Domingo was that there were very few tourists who actually stay in the city. You will have them passing through but the city is relatively white socks and sandals and pink skin free. This leads to the local people not trying to rip you off all the time and the harassment is at a lower level than I have experienced in other larger cities in developing countries.
Public transport was a mixture of gua-gua?s and publicos where you are smashed in with 6 other people for less than 10 cents for a journey. Good cheap transport for the locals and for people who want to keep the budget down and the immersion up.
I was really happy I chose Santo Domingo to learn Spanish as I believe if I would have chosen Sousa or another beach location I would have been subjected to many more people who wanted to practice English or have been so tempted to be lazy with my practice.
Week 2 - Puerto Plata and the North Coast
I travelled down to Puerto Plata with a driver/companion arranged by Johnny (a fellow DR1 local). Thanks Mate!
After a gruelling 5.5 hour drive (we got lost thanks to me) I found the safety and security of Tubauga Plantation resort a comfort after the hustle and bustle of Santo Domingo.
The location was second to none with stunning views over the valley and the city and beaches of Puerto Plata.
From cascading waterfalls to the rolling hills and mountains the view was peaceful and calming. I slept under the stars covered by a mosquito net.
Each morning I woke up to the sound of crowing cockerels greeting the coming dawn. The soft stanzas of classical music floated out of the room of a fellow traveller.
The Dominican people whom I lived with were welcoming and I never felt taken advantage of or that I was in danger.
The owner of the resort, Tim Hall, and his family were genteel, helpful and professional at all times. The beauty of his children and the lovely purring welcome of cats reminded me of home.
The highlight of my trip to Tubagua was climbing up into the mountains with Dave, a PhD in Economic Sustainability, who taught me to respect the land which I was seeing. We walked as a foursome into 3 cascading waterfalls and despite bumps and bruises it was one of the most beautiful hikes of my life.
The local area was easy to access with a short car ride down a beautiful, bumpy mountain round got me into the bustling centre of Puerto Plata. I had local guides to accompany me with Tubagua?s cook, Jacqueline, to show me to the nearest Nail Salon for my treats and her daughter to giggle, run and play with me at the Malecon, and a Dominican to drive me in the mountains and accompany me out dancing bachata.
I would heartily recommend Tubagua to any single female or male traveller who is looking for cultural immersion as well as safety, security and tranquillity under the warm sun in the Dominican Republic.
Heading back to Santo Domingo I dropped off my driver in San Francisco and drove alone to the airport.
All in all the experience was one I recommend to others. The Dominican people were welcoming and supportive.
I did meet a few unsavoury people and unfortunately this is the case whenever a person from the 1st world brings their money and wealth to the 3rd world. But common sense and luck prevailed.
As the memories of the DR fade I wish luck and love to all I met there.
Vaya Con Dios all!
I'm a single female traveller and I was looking forward to the challenge and adventure of the DR on my own.
My main aim in coming to the DR was to study Spanish and practice with native people. I enrolled online via a company in the UK who paired me up with IIC Santo Domingo which were a small German run school next to the University in Santo Domingo.
The pickup from the airport was perfect with a taxi driver dropping me off at the beautiful home of a Dominican host family in the Cuidad Colonial. The greeting from the 3 legged Chihuahua(!) was enough to let me know I was home.
The location was perfect only 3 streets up from the Parque Colon; the site of the oldest cathedral in the new world. As a fan of colonial architecture and history it was a perfect location for visiting a new place every day. From the first street in the new world, built so ladies wouldn?t have to dirty their feet, (hen pecked husbands even then ;-) ) to the first clock in the new world there were so many things to appreciate.
There was also loads to learn about the history of the native peoples and the sad genocide of a race in the short 30 years after 1492, the history of slavery on the Island (and the beginning of the end in the New World) and the oppression of the Dominicans/Haitians during the time of Trujillo. It?s amazing how this has shaped the psyche of the people through time.
I was amazed at the friendliness of the local people. The real blessing of Santo Domingo was that there were very few tourists who actually stay in the city. You will have them passing through but the city is relatively white socks and sandals and pink skin free. This leads to the local people not trying to rip you off all the time and the harassment is at a lower level than I have experienced in other larger cities in developing countries.
Public transport was a mixture of gua-gua?s and publicos where you are smashed in with 6 other people for less than 10 cents for a journey. Good cheap transport for the locals and for people who want to keep the budget down and the immersion up.
I was really happy I chose Santo Domingo to learn Spanish as I believe if I would have chosen Sousa or another beach location I would have been subjected to many more people who wanted to practice English or have been so tempted to be lazy with my practice.
Week 2 - Puerto Plata and the North Coast
I travelled down to Puerto Plata with a driver/companion arranged by Johnny (a fellow DR1 local). Thanks Mate!
After a gruelling 5.5 hour drive (we got lost thanks to me) I found the safety and security of Tubauga Plantation resort a comfort after the hustle and bustle of Santo Domingo.
The location was second to none with stunning views over the valley and the city and beaches of Puerto Plata.
From cascading waterfalls to the rolling hills and mountains the view was peaceful and calming. I slept under the stars covered by a mosquito net.
Each morning I woke up to the sound of crowing cockerels greeting the coming dawn. The soft stanzas of classical music floated out of the room of a fellow traveller.
The Dominican people whom I lived with were welcoming and I never felt taken advantage of or that I was in danger.
The owner of the resort, Tim Hall, and his family were genteel, helpful and professional at all times. The beauty of his children and the lovely purring welcome of cats reminded me of home.
The highlight of my trip to Tubagua was climbing up into the mountains with Dave, a PhD in Economic Sustainability, who taught me to respect the land which I was seeing. We walked as a foursome into 3 cascading waterfalls and despite bumps and bruises it was one of the most beautiful hikes of my life.
The local area was easy to access with a short car ride down a beautiful, bumpy mountain round got me into the bustling centre of Puerto Plata. I had local guides to accompany me with Tubagua?s cook, Jacqueline, to show me to the nearest Nail Salon for my treats and her daughter to giggle, run and play with me at the Malecon, and a Dominican to drive me in the mountains and accompany me out dancing bachata.
I would heartily recommend Tubagua to any single female or male traveller who is looking for cultural immersion as well as safety, security and tranquillity under the warm sun in the Dominican Republic.
Heading back to Santo Domingo I dropped off my driver in San Francisco and drove alone to the airport.
All in all the experience was one I recommend to others. The Dominican people were welcoming and supportive.
I did meet a few unsavoury people and unfortunately this is the case whenever a person from the 1st world brings their money and wealth to the 3rd world. But common sense and luck prevailed.
As the memories of the DR fade I wish luck and love to all I met there.
Vaya Con Dios all!
