DREAM

I am here in Cabarete as a volunteer at the DREAM Center Summer Camp. DREAM (Dominican Republic Education and Mentoring) is a nonprofit organization that was created to address the neglected education system in the DR. Eco-tourists in the 1990s returned with Dartmouth students to build a school, but they found that a school would not be enough to make an impact. They started DREAM, a series of preschools, after-school programs, and summer camps that not only bring education to more kids but train teachers in the DR. I have learned so much about the state of education here and the depth of the problems, and I really believe that DREAM is making a difference.

The summer camp brings 240 kids to two separate camps near Cabarete. One is at DREAM Center and one is in the town next door, La Cienaga. The camps are staffed by 30 volunteer counselors and 20 local Dominican counselors as well as 15 local teachers and 10 international professional development coaches to teach with the teachers. The "Summer Camp" is actually a 4-week school program. Kids attend 7 classes a day (math, reading, writing, sports/HIV education, science, art, swimming) with a 3-to-1 staff-to-student ratio. There are more rules in the school program than the kids are used to, but nevertheless they love "camp" and look forward to it every year.

As an international volunteer staff member, I am staying at the Hummingbird Hotel down the road from DREAM Center. The hotel has apartments and studios, all of which are occupied by other international volunteers. Volunteers pay a fee and cover their own expenses for the trip, and this pays for the local children to attend the camp. Because of the positive impact that DREAM has made on the community of Cabarete and other areas in the DR, visiting DREAM volunteers receive discounts at many local businesses as well as a better exchange rate for Dominican pesos. I feel very safe here as a volunteer, as I know that I am becoming a familiar face rather than just an American tourist.

After orientation and getting to know the staff, I am so excited for camp to begin on Monday! It's going to be hot, humid, and hectic, but definitely worthwhile. I will have 14 girls and 10 boys aged 9-11 with an intermediate reading level. I cannot wait to know each and every one of them and see them grow over the next month.

For more information about DREAM, visit www.dominicandream.org

Vamos a la Playa

The beach at Cabarete is beautiful. In the morning, the wind and waves are calm and the sun rises over the ocean. (It's on my list to get up early enough to see it). At 6:30 AM, there are just a few people walking on the beach, both locals and tourists, and one or two runners. Surfers start early as well, around 7 or 8. The beach gets windy by the early afternoon and you can see dozens of kite surfers and windsurfers flying by. The water stays warm all day, and the breeze keeps everyone cool enough to bear the sun. 

By the evening, the strands of lights on the beach bars start twinkling and you can hear all kinds of music. There is a Canadian bar, a sushi bar, and an Irish bar called "Jose O'Shay's" amongst many others. The food at the restaurants is pricey but definitely tasty. Thankfully I know people that have been to Cabarete before. They gave me the lowdown on which places are worth the money!

The sun sets over the land on the Western part of the beach and luckily the skies tend to stay clear all day! Walking or running on the Cabarete beach in the evening is lovely, and you could stay there all night until the dancing begins!

 

Cabarete

 
Cabarete is a beach city with small town charm and a few international luxuries. "La Callejón" refers to the local Dominican businesses: fruit stands, moto repair shops, mini convenience stores, and comedores. This turns into a small section of the main road and beach with finer restaurants, bars, and shops. The mix of the two makes for a close-knit community of people. I already recognize faces everywhere I go!

I got to explore with DREAM on the first day of orientation. There was a scavenger hunt around the city, and we walked in the heat of the day discovering life here in Cabarete. Some of the tasks on the list:

• Take a picture of a fruit truck (bonus points if you can get permission to speak over the megaphone!)
• Take a picture of the hair-braiders, popcorn sellers, and fruit-basket-carriers on the beach
• Take a picture on the free yellow beach chairs (blue chairs are NOT free!)
• Take a picture of chinolas...

Chinolas (or passion fruits) are one my favorite foods here in the DR. They are sour, but when eaten with sugar or turned into juice... so refreshing! I ate a chinola creamsicle around 4:00 on Monday. It changed my life.

Now every morning I ask the women who cook our breakfast, "hay chinola?" (is there chinola juice?). They always have some for me! :)

Mi Casa Nueva

 Mi cama

 La mesa

 Las otras camas

 Mi rincón

 La puerta de la baño

 El patio

¡Que bonita!

En la Noche

It's amazing here. The Caribbean sea is unbelievably blue and the land is full and mountainous with gorgeous foliage. The little towns remind me of Mexico and any other Latin American country. Motorbikes whizzing by (no one wears a helmet) on dusty dirt roads and men whistling at American girls. I haven't gone into the city of Cabarete yet but I heard the nightlife (discos and dancing) is tons of fun and that the people love the international volunteers and will know us by name pretty soon!

We start training tomorrow: 30 international volunteers + 10 staff + 60 local teachers and counselors. All of the training is in Spanish! The other international volunteers are so interesting and I feel bad for going to bed so early (although I am definitely not alone) but I'm just so overwhelmed!

Hasta luego,
Sarah

¡Hola!

Estoy en la República Dominicana - ¡finalmente!

I can't believe I'm finally here! I am just about unpacked and I'm not really sure where to start... to explore? To take pictures? To talk to the other volunteers?

Too antsy to write anything else, but with free wifi I couldn't resist updating a few people on my status of breathing :)

Hasta luego