Week 1

The first full week was full of new and varied experiences.

The students did a variety of activities with their families over the long holiday weekend. Several went on church bus trips to visit distant beaches. Others met extended family in the area or explored Santo Domingo with host parents or siblings. All spent time together with their families, getting to know them better.

Tuesday began our regular schedule of morning language classes followed by afternoon lectures. This pattern continues throughout the first six weeks in the capital, interspersed with Wednesday "Casa Goshen" days and field trips. Our first lecturer was Puro Blanco, whose lively introduction to the "Dominican Soul" gives students insight into what makes the "typical" Domincan tick. Puro will return to give two lectures later.

Wednesday the students spent the day at Casa Goshen, sharing their experiences since their arrival, singing and worshipping together, sharing a meal and of course playing dominoes.

Following language class on Thursday morning, students learned more about some typical Dominican family structures in their first afternoon lecture. These family patterns, while changing, are very different from those typically encountered in North America. During the second hour, the unit doctor, Dr. Catherine Scheraldi gave the students an introduction to the medical system in the DR as well as some specific advice on how to stay healthy during their time here.

Friday the students met in the Colonial Zone (the oldest part of the city, dating back to the late 1400's) to explore the sights. Known as a city of "firsts," we visited the first cathedral in the Americas, the first permanent military installation (pictured here on top of the tower inside the fort), and saw the ruins of the first monastery and hospital in the Americas. The morning ended with lunch at an outdoor café, followed by a free afternoon to spend additional time exploring this part of the city.

From Tuesday to Friday International Education Director Tom Meyers and Academic Dean Anita Stalter joined us. This was their first time to visit the DR, and they took the opportunity to learn more about the city, the country, its people and culture. They joined in with various group activities to get a feel for how SST operates in the Dominican Republic.

Saturday we took a trip outside of Santo Domingo to visit a series of underground water caves called "Los Tres Ojos" or "The Three Eyes." Since much of the time so far has been spent in the city environment, this was a chance to start to experience some of the natural wonders of this small country. Despite its small size, the variety of topography and terrain is amazing from the highest point in the Caribbean (and east of the Mississippi in North America) to the lowest, from desert-like conditions to lush mountain forests to spectacular beaches. The latter was our final destination for the day. We spent the rest of Saturday at Guayacanes beach getting to know each other better. We ate a picnic lunch on the beach, enjoyed the blue waters, played dominoes and cards, and observed Dominican families enjoying a day out.

The first part of this coming week will include more background lectures on Dominican life and culture. At the end of the week we'll travel to the central part of the country (the "Cibao" region) to explore some of the area's rich agriculture and historical sights.