21+ Years Veggie

For those of you who don't know, I am a lifelong vegetarian, and have been one for two decades strong. This has been no easy task. Living in a society that caters to carnivores, I've learned to defend my habits and be creative with my orders at fast food joints. That doesn't mean that I've never wanted to try meat. Trust me, I have. In fact, a little bit of peer pressure, plus 21+ years of curiosity culminated this weekend when I had my very first taste. Needless to say, I got very sick soon after, and I think the chicken was to blame. :(

Losing My Meat Virginity 

I spent years wanting to try it,

Told my parents I couldn’t wait

To grow up and see for myself,

place some meat upon my plate.

21+ years of patiently waiting,

A single nugget was all it took

They told me I should try it,

Just one taste and I'd be hooked.

Feeling left out all my life, 

I took one bite to quell the craving,

Hours later, I'd regret it, 

All that pain was not worth the caving.

Side note: Go ahead and have a laugh, I realize it's pretty funny out of context especially. I promise it has only to do with my food adventures this weekend. 

Santo Domingo

I've gone out of town nearly every weekend since I’ve been back on the island. First I went to Jarabacoa and Cayo Arena, later to Juan Dolio, and most recently, I spent a few days with friends in Bávaro. This last weekend was one of the first I’ve spent in Santo Domingo. 

On Saturday I went with some coworkers to the Zona Colonial (Colonial Zone) to explore some of the historic sites in the capital. The weather was sweltering and so our paseando (wandering) was cut a bit short. However, we did get to enjoy a nice lunch at a café on the historic El Conde street, a ride on the Choo-Choo train through the city, and plenty of people watching in the Plaza Colón. I took my film camera with me to capture sights of the day.

This was my third time visiting the Zona Colonial, and it was nice to kind of figure my way around again. It’s fairly easy to understand the layout of the area after only two or three walking tours. If you ever get the opportunity to visit DR (and I hope you do), I definitely recommend a stop in this part of the capital. There are so many historical sites, and “firsts” in the Americas. You can take pictures on the grounds of the first cathedral in the Americas (Catedral Primada de las Americas) and within five minutes be in front of the very first hospital, or even a fortress (Fortaleza Ozama), or the house of Christopher Columbus’s son, Diego Columbus, located in the impressive Plaza de la Hispanidad. Every historic site is within walking distance, and either free or very cheap to visit. There’s plenty to see, so it is a perfect day trip. 

The rest of our weekend was pretty laid back. On Saturday night, we went to a small party at the home of a USAID employee, where we enjoyed two of my favorite things: conversations with U.S. expatriates and delicious food. There was even a German chef there to prepare an assortment of meats for the guests. Although I didn't partake in that deliciousness, I made up for it by eating more than my share of the fresh caprese salad that was also served. I've come to love these weekend house parties, as they provide an opportunity to socialize with coworkers away from the office, network with people from different departments, and interact with the expatriate community here (which includes everyone from young students to military personnel).

On Sunday, my roommate and I spent the day at the pool and in the evening we went to the home of one of our coworkers for dinner. We had spent the past weekend with their family in Bávaro. They will all be leaving the country soon to go back to the U.S. for a bit, and so in an effort to get rid of their extra food, they invited us over for "Thanksgiving in July." We ate creamed corn, green bean casserole, stuffing, fresh bread, and of course turkey. After dinner we were all pretty much in a food coma from the carbs, so we relaxed in their media room, and watched Zero Dark Thirty.

Of course, after such a relaxing, yet fun weekend, I was not ready to go back to work on Monday. The "Case of the Mondays" really does start early! But my roomate and I made up for the stress of a new work week by going out to a sporting event on Monday night. We joined a coworker and his friends for a "pro-basketball" game at the Olympic Stadium, here in Santo Domingo. The Huracanes (Hurricanes) of Santo Domingo played against the Titanes (Titans) of Puerto Plata. These were by far some of the tallest guys I've ever seen in the DR. It was no NBA, of course, but they played a good game. Unfortunately, the team we were rooting for lost by an astounding 30 points, but the experience was memorable nonetheless.   

At a basketball game in Santo Domingo with friends

Midweek Music 3.0

Unfortunately Hurricane/Tropical Storm Chantal prevented me from posting some midweek music this Wednesday, but I thought I'd share a few songs anyways. Happy Friday!!!
1. Age (Ryan Hemsworth Remix)- Lianne La Havas. Another great remix of a Lianne La Havas song.
2. Eyes Wide Open- Gotye. I finally moved past their hit, Somebody I Used to Know, and I was pleasantly surprised to find that Gotye is actually really great.

Bávaro Part II: Sun+Sand, Pen+Paper, Friends+Food

While I was studying in Santiago last year, I took a class on political and socioeconomic processes in the Dominican Republic. We discussed that the Dominican economy is primarily dependent upon three sectors: Agriculture, Trade (especially free trade zones), and Tourism. While I've learned about and even witnessed the first two sectors at work (via trips to free trade zones and Constanza: the source of much of the country's produce), this past weekend was my introduction to the latter area.

From Friday through Monday, my friend and I spent our time in Bávaro, a town on the Costa del Coco. It's tourism central; the home of the country's best resorts, clubs, and sanky pankies, among other things. We stayed in one of those all-inclusive resorts and got our first taste of the Dominican Republic, as it is most well known. 

Upon arrival, I expected to have a hard time finding a single non-gringo at the place, but to my surprise there were plenty of Dominicans vacationing at the same resort. I had thought that Dominicans preferred to leave the island for vacation rather than go to these resorts, so this was new to me. Other guests included tourists from from the U.S., U.K., Canada, Germany, and all over the world. 

We had initially planned to meet up with friends in the lobby. After only a few minutes there, we received our first greeting from the friendly staff with complimentary drinks on hand. I already felt welcomed! Our friends found us, standing awkwardly with our bags, and looking disheveled from the fatiguing journey. They escorted us to our room, where we settled in for a bit, and we were on the beach within the hour, taking in the sun, sand, and breeze. Everything we had gone through to arrive at this place suddenly felt worthwhile. 

We spent the next few days enjoying the scenery of Bávaro, some fun-loving company, delicious meals, and much needed quiet moments. I couldn't have asked for a more wonderful place to spend my weekend, and now I better understand why people are always vacationing in Punta Cana and other spots on the Eastern coast. I've seen many beaches in my 21 years, from Sri Lanka to South England, and Mexico to Florida, but the beaches of the Dominican Republic still rank number one in my mind, and this weekend just reaffirmed that for me. 

I am genuinely glad that I had the chance to see this side of the DR, albeit so late in my time here. In truth, it stands in stark contrast to much of what I would consider to be "the real DR"; the commotion of Santo Domingo... the simplicity of the campo (countryside), but all in all I feel I have a better perspective, a more complete idea of the country as a whole now. 

Bávaro Part I: The Journey

I've just returned to Santo Domingo after a long weekend trip to Bávaro, a beachside, touristy town on the Eastern coast of the Dominican Republic. My fellow intern friend and I set out early Friday morning to get to the bus station for the first portion of our trip. We reached the bus station a little after 8:30AM, thinking we were early enough to buy our tickets for the 9AM bus. Unfortunately we were too late, all the tickets were sold out. So we waited in the McDonald's down the road for two hours until it was time for us to catch the 11AM bus. During those two hours, we witnessed some shady business transaction taking place in the booth beside us, I tried to sleep for a few minutes, then spilled orange juice on my white shorts, and later I managed to spill an entire cup of hot coffee on my friend. Thankfully it wasn't super hot, so she wasn't hurt. But what a mess! I'm surprised we didn't get kicked out by any employees!

We headed back to the bus station to catch our 11AM ride. After boarding around 10:40AM, we had to search hard for seats, because we were some of the last people on the bus. Let me just say, this may be the only time I've seen so many Dominicans early for something. We sat in the only two available seats in the back of the bus, next to two random men. Since this was our first time riding the bus to Bávaro, we tried to find out about the stops along the way, asking the other passengers nearby. I ended up asking the driver about which stop was closest to our first destination (Higuey). He told me that we should get off in Berón.

Fast forward three hours later. It's 2PM. We've been in this crowded bus for way too long. The driver suddenly calls out for people stopping in Berón to get off. My friend and I quickly grabbed our things and rushed to the front . I kid you not; this stop was literally in the middle of nowhere. On one side of the road, there was a field, and on the other, a deserted gas station. Just as we were about to step out the bus, the driver tells us to wait for a minute. So we waited. He dropped off two other people, and then drove about two miles more. This next place was our actual stop, the actual Berón. A little town with mucho vago (or unemployed people). We got off the bus, and were left on the side of the road with our bags. 

Here's where the day got fun. Perhaps it was just the overwhelming feeling of being stuck in the middle of nowhere, our mutual disorientation, or a spell of delirium brought on by the heat, but instead of crying or having an anxiety attack, we simultaneously burst out laughing. What could we do, but laugh about our circumstances? So we walked to a little shopping plaza where about fifty men were just hanging around, and sat right in the midst of them, laughing uncontrollably. It must have been quite the sight, two American girls already so out of place. Finally, I suppose we regained our wits, and walked to a nearby Orange telecom store to ask for the number of a taxi service. A less than polite employee instructed us to walk across the street to find one. I don't remember being stressed, probably because we were laughing so much before this, but I was definitely relieved to have received some direction.

We met a taxi driver just down the road, and asked if he could take us to Higuey. We originally thought that our first bus would drop us off in Higuey, where we would catch another bus directly to the resort in Bávaro. It was a complicated plan to begin with. We soon found out that Higuey is an hour away from the stop where we actually got off (Berón). The driver started on the way to Higuey, asking us about our final destination. When we told him we were trying to get to Bávaro, he just about turned the car around in the middle of the road. Apparently driving to Higuey would have been "45 minutes in the wrong direction," he told us. After debating over directions for a bit, he eventually offered to take us to the resort himself. 

We spent the next 50 minutes in what I assume was once a limited edition Chrysler Plymouth minivan, complete with thumbtacks holding up the ceiling interior and roll-down window air conditioning. After a smooth ride, filled with hundreds of potholes and speed bumps, dembow and reggaeton blaring on the radio, and the pleasant scenery of emaciated bulls all around, we finally arrived at our resort. I am certain we looked dazed and distressed after it all, but we were so grateful to have arrived safely. Fue una aventura, de verdad! It was truly an adventure!

I Went to the Sky

I went to the sky.

The sun was just a cloud away.

I stayed there because I knew the warmth would soon find me.

I traveled in your direction, a long awaited reunion.

We fell from the heavens together,

Toward a place where we could feel both pure and free,

Then held on to each other for as long as we could.

 © 07.2013 Alexandra Hall

Your Smile

The water here tastes different. 

Perhaps they just neglected to add so much fluoride.

So my teeth are slightly less clean, 

but in these parts that's no issue 

Because the majority of people won't show me theirs in passing.

Yeah, smiles are hard to collect here, 

So I look them up in photos of people 

(some strangers, others friends)  

whose smiles I'm trying so hard not to forget. 

I, however, was gifted with a slippery memory, 

so some have already escaped me.
 © 07.2013 Alexandra Hall

The 4th from Afar

It's Independence Day in America!

This is the first time I've been abroad on July 4th, and it's been an interesting experience so far. I decided to dress for the occasion and wear my favorite high-waisted red, white, and blue shorts with a basic white tank. Although I don't think I'll get to celebrate with fireworks, BBQs, and picnics, like many of my friends in the States, I'll be paying tribute to U.S. culture and values in my own little way. Tonight, I'll be volunteering at a 4th of July event for work, and I couldn't think of a more perfect moment for cultural exchange with the Dominican community.
Happy 4th, Everyone!

Update 7/5: Here's a quick recap of how I spent my 4th of July:

Attempted to bake a red velvet + vanilla cake using this recipe

Enjoying a 4th of July celebration with coworkers

 

Midweek Music 2.0

1. Around the World- Sam Cooke. Simply greatness. He's always been a favorite of mine, and I grew up listening to his music. Although I love his greatest hits, like A Change is Gonna Come, You Send Me, and Cupid, my current favorite is Around the World. I've decided that it is the perfect song for a wedding playlist. I'm not sure if it will play in my wedding (granted I am to get married), but I might just have to convince a friend to put it in theirs!
2. Lost & Found (Maya Jane Coles Remix)- Lianne La Havas. In case you didn't already know, Ms. Lianne is one of my favorite artists. This is one of the best remixes I've found of one of her songs. It is also my go-to for every running playlist.
3. The Crying Game- Hannah Cohen. I recently came across this song on an internet radio stream that my parents listen to. Her voice is absolutely angelic, and the music video is just perfection.

Pre-4th Party

July 4th is just a few days away, but I began the celebration this past weekend with a little summer party for the office staff + families. Saturday gave us just the perfect Caribbean weather for a potluck lunch by the pool. My roommates and I ended up bringing corn-on-the-cob and cookies to add to the feast, and although July 4th tends to be one of the least agreeable holidays for me food-wise, I managed to find plenty to eat at this event. Believe it or not, there were six or seven varieties of salads there, and oh so much delicious dessert. I remember browsing the dessert table and seeing, "Cookies, cupcakes, fruit, and then yuca cake." Yeah... I may be surrounded by tons of Americans at work, but it's the little things like yuca cake that remind me of where I am. 

After the party, my roommates and I went over to a friend's home to chill for a bit and watch Despicable Me. The apartment we were at has a beautiful balcony that overlooks part of Santo Domingo and the Caribbean sea. It is truly a spectacular view. The film definitely ranks in my top 10 favorite animated movies. So I was happy to watch it with my new friends. It is just so witty, and I love that both kids and adults alike can enjoy it.

In the evening, a few of us went out to a restaurant, called Falafel, in the Zona Colonial where we met up with people from the 4th of July party earlier in the day. The restaurant was absolutely beautiful. There was no roof to the space, so we sat under the stars as we ate. Talk about great ambience! After dinner, we went out to dance and enjoy our Saturday night. I've only been back on the island for a short while, but this weekend was already one to remember!