Slow Food Movement in the Dominican Republic! 

This is the garden down the street from the hotel I stayed at with my uncle outside La Romana

December 3

One of the many fun things we did during Tony's visit!

November 27

The best Thanksgiving I could ask for!  Glad you could join us, Tony!

November 10

Casa de Campo with these lovely ladies!!

They gave me the grand tour!

Showing off all my yachts in the marina!

This is how we got around!

 

I was so interested in how the Tainos used cotton.             I don't think I was supposed to touch this...

 Landscapes for my grandfather!

 Marc Anthony got married here the day after I took this.

November 8

Today was a more relaxing day!  That is, for me and Drew!

Thanks for these, Drew, I took them from facebook :)

My grandfather demands more landscapes, I will gladly comply:

We went to a Toros game!

I met the guy who wrote the theme song that you hear in this video:

November 7

I arrived in La Romana yesterday, Thursday, and had dinner with Uncle Neil and the whole board.

Today, I joined the board to visit the churches they all support.

This is the school on the property of the church in Punta Cana

It had been raining a lot, so from the roof, you can see the pool in the parking lot.

I heard Anthony Bordain say on his travel show that the rebar sticking out from the roof is a symbol of hope: they may not have the money to build a second floor now, but one day they will.

This is a class in gym class.

This is my uncle explaining the water purification process of a project he put together earlier this year.  They are currently looking to hire someone to train and put to work providing clean water for the pueblo.  Not only will it be a cheaper and more convenient alternative for the people who live near, it will also provide income for the congregation.  

November 6

Got into La Romana just in time for Ryan and his family to pick me up on the way to dinner.  

Ryan was an excellent host the whole weekend!  Thanks to them!

Look who I ran into in La Republica Dominicana!

November 3

Back to class! Most classrooms have a plaque like this in them with the same graffiti 

(Thanks Brynn)

An aula is a classroom.

A jaula is a cage.

These are clever students at my new university...

November 2

One of my favorite trees.  I took this on a stroll around the monument.

The monument is a popular spot to spend Sundays, sometimes picnicking in the afternoon or evening.  You'll find couples sitting on benches holding hands (or more conspicuous PDA), and families with young children riding their bikes around the top of the hill.

October 31

Missing my roommate from 554 S. Main St. today!

Unfortunately, I didn't turn out the way she would, but I did my best.

We all had to improvise here, so I wore my workout clothes and made this race bib.  I think a good pun makes up for what I lacked in any elaborate attire.  

I at least made my mom laugh.  That's how I know it's a good pun! :)

October 30

Thursday morning it was time to get my life together...

A tasty breakfast to go with my agenda and life planning.

Oh yeah, and that night we went dancing and picked up a few tarjetas.  We encountered several men who were rather persistent... seems the norm so far here.  Three is the most I've collected at one time.

October 27

Back to work on Monday!

This is the U

I take this concho to campus most days.  It's route is right outside our apartment.

Somtimes I walk a couple blocks and catch the K, it takes me to the other side of campus.

At 20 pesos, it's less than 50 cents for a ride anywhere on the route.  Conchos are a bunch of privately owned cars driving routes all over the city. They are not always consistent routes, but you can usually trust them.

October 26

Marie watching a beautiful Sunday thunderstorm, listening to Jazz.

La lu se fue!

October 24

On our way to the tea restaurant, we saw these guys along both sides of the street.  They looked like they were just hanging out, waiting for something. It was a bit unsettling.  Courtney guesses there must have been some important politician in the area.

Also note the second soldier from the right.  

Brynn's caption reads, "Halloween costumes or military raid?"

I just noticed shorty in the back, waving to us gringas staring at him from our taxi!

October 24

Thanks, Brynn! I took these from her facebook page...

Don't know what this is about, but one of these guys confused me while waiting for a concho.

Where do the English professors from the US go after a department meeting? This awesome tea restaurant, Naturaliste.   I ordered green tea with mint, no sugar. So refreshing!

This is me taste testing tea with and without sugar.  

October 18

This is a supermarket selling milk.

Milk here is uber pasteurized.  

So much so that it is not refrigerated... 

October 15

Walking to class with Marie.  

Who says there are no seasons here? 

These trees are starting to bloom, and Marie had to stop to smell!

October 10

First pay day!

Marie and I splurged and bought paint!  I'll be sure to keep you updated on my bedroom mural!

October 8

I was never an avid fan of Halloween, sure I enjoyed it, but I forgot about it as soon as it was over.

Now I'm really missing it because it held back the onslaught of Christmas decorations in stores.

I have no such luck here...

That's a full on Christmas tree at the grocery store on October 8th.

October 6

Me and Courtney went to Santo Domingo to go to Festival Presidente

It was such a great music festival!  

Lots of merengue and bachata, then Prince Royce and Daddy Yankee 

with a surprise appearance of Mozart

The last act was Bruno Mars.  What an incredible performer!  

After the concert we got Yaroa!  

My first time trying it was perfect, at 3am, just how it's meant to be enjoyed

September 28

Beautiful and lazy Sunday!

Breakfast on the beach!

This was our view to our left and to our right...