Joy's Top 8 Learning Experiences About Traveling To The Dominican Republic




I traveled to the Dominican Republic for a week in early March of 2018 and I experienced things I will never forget. I don’t know the best way to write about my experiences because so many things happened, I can’t possibly share them all. I will instead give you this list. It pales in comparison to my actual experience, but here’s a little taste.



Things I learned after traveling to the Dominican Republic:



1)      I have zero street smarts. In other words, it is unwise to walk the streets of a foreign country, speaking English, with alcohol in hand.

2)      A Dominican twist on food from other countries is something I can live without. For example, Dominican sushi has plantains and my only response to that is WHY?

3)      Flushing toilet paper down the toilet is a no-no. It will clog up the toilet. Fortunately, I never had to discover that first hand.

4)      I am not built for roughing it. I spent two days without any indoor plumbing and spending the rest of my trip at a resort was a major relief.

5)      The African Diaspora is legit. Despite the language barrier and cultural differences, I still felt a strong connection to the black people around me.

6)      “Motos” (motorcycles) are an effective way to get from point A to point B. As in, you can often flag down a moto to catch a ride to where ever you need to go for a small fee or sometimes free if they happen to be going in the same direction as you. Up to 2 people can hitch a ride, so 3 people per moto.

7)      Pedestrians DO NOT have the right of way and traffic signs are a suggestion. Self-explanatory right?

8)      The sense of community and belonging was very strong. Outside the city, the kindness and openness of the community I stayed in was amazing. I loved the way people related to and connected with each other. Open doors & generosity was commonplace. You hungry? Have some of my food! You tired? Come sit with me! Just amazing.




While in the DR, I stayed in Santo Domingo for 2 days, San Juan for 2 days & Juan Dolio for 3 days. I hope to return this October.

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