Mélange Travel & Lifestyle Magazine July 2016 | Page 102

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

The Sunny Isle
People will wave to you when you cross the street,
and even if your Spanish is a bit rusty, a warm
smile and an “hola” will surely go far.
by Meghan O’Sullivan

R

olling mountains line the
horizon. Green, grassy
hills gently wind through
the village, and palm
trees picturesquely perch atop the
knolls and fields. Black and white
cows and mahogany-colored horses
dot the scenery as a party of goats
congregates in front of the fence
made of cacti. Behind the hills
and mountains, the late afternoon
sun slowly fades into a deep,
purple dusk, and slowly leaves in
shadow a one room shed in which
glasses and dishes are clinking as
a family cleans up the remnants of
dinner. Welcome to the Dominican
Republic.
The first thing you’ll notice after
arriving to the DR is how delicious
and fresh the food is. Whether it’s
homemade yogurt, sour and sweet
straight from the farmer, or mangos
literally falling down from the

trees in the street, produce takes
on an entirely new flavor and color
in the sunny island. Avocadoes,
papayas, pineapples, and mangos
are common, but you’ll also likely
eat breakfast with yucca, plantains,
and ham, as well as potatoes and
scrambled eggs with green onion.
Rice and beans, or “arroz con
frijoles” are another popular dish,
eaten for both lunch and dinner.
Walking down the street, in a
Dominican village, you’ll see
animals crossing the road, children
slurping on gooey mangos, and
families cramped onto a single
motorcycle, driving up a dirt hill
into the hills. Houses on the side
of the road may look more like
small huts or sheds to Western
eyes. Frequently built straw or tin
roofs, homes are small, with dirt
floors and typically have no indoor
plumbing.

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The country is poor but
welcoming. Outside of a resort
or hotel, travelers are struck by
the enormous amount of poverty,
coupled with overwhelming
warmth and friendliness from the
locals. People will wave to you
when you cross the street, and
even if your Spanish is a bit rusty,
a warm smile and an “hola” will
surely go far. The people in the
Dominican Republic are extremely
friendly and kind – and the country
is very safe. It is not advisable to go
anywhere alone after dark, though
– as precautions should be taken in
any area – but the local community
will welcome you with open arms
if you show that you are willing to
take an interest in their life, and
bring a positive spirit with you as a
visitor to their beautiful country.