More...Life in the Dominican Republic

Christina Anderson looks into the origins of fruits and vegetables, and sketches them.

When I think of the crops typical in the Dominican Republic I often envision a fruit stand, one of the many which dot sidewalks and intersections across the country. The fruit stand sells the usual: sunny yellow bananas hang above mangoes, with lavender eggplants and peeled orange halves for sale as well. A little natural history will tell you how ironic this is. All crops mentioned above are not native to the island. They were brought by the Spaniards from Africa, Asia and Europe.

Crops that were here when Columbus arrived include: Tobacco, yuca, guava, guayaba, coconut, mamey, piña (pineapple), cajuil, peanut, sweet potato, corn, peppers, and avocado.

Crops introduced after Columbus include: Bananas/platanos, rice, mango, coffee, eggplant, and sugarcane.

Charlotte Gingerich, living in one of the most remote towns on her service placement, writes about life in the countryside.

This how you do it. When you're walking along the street and aren't sure of the time, whether it's still before or already after noon, or just want a quick, "I live here and know how to do it" greeting it's "Buenos". Here you gotta say "Tú ves?!" and "Tú sabes?!" and make this motion, like you're cleaning your hands of the situation--así--a lot when you talk. You shake hands every time you meet and leave and you have to visit your aunts and uncles and grandma and cousins at least once a day and other people every few days. And when you ride guaguas [pickup trucks] you gotta know this, if you're "goin' in", into the mountains and rough roads. If you're standing, you grab onto the bar above the cab and use your legs as shocks, loose, to ride the waves! If you're sitting on the edge of the guagua (the back) it's best to sit with one pelvic bone resting on the side and one off, a bit inside kind of as a brace--then hold on tight! And to use a machete -- always put your left foot in (if you're right handed). Then when you make your swipe your foot is safe. Also don't try to control the machete or use your muscles to work it--just let it fly--it's more of a whipping motion--use it's own weight--like Eastern defence methods. Oh, and always offer a seat and food when people visit. And everyone visits when there's a sick person, including the gringa. Visit new babies too. This is how it's done here.

Monica Kaufman describes "telenovelas"--soap operas.

Almost every evening I watch La Usurpadora with my mother and cousin Alex. Here telenovelas are broadcast not only during the daytime, but also in the evening.

I've found the telenovelas I've seen quite amusing. They're very melodramatic and surreal. For example, in La Usurpadora * there are two women that look the same. One's name is Paula and the other's Paulina.

Paula is married to a man whose family owns a factory. She and her husband have two children and they live with his family.

Paulina is poor and has no family. Paula and Paulina decide to trade places for a year...

*[La Usurpadora is probably the most popular telenovela in the DR. Radio stations broadcast summaries of the latest episodes for those who have to work. It's created in Mexico.]