¡Salud y Saludos!

The First City

One day, I hope to come close to visiting all of Latin America. Depending on how you count, that means there are no less than 20 countries to visit. Just recently, I got one step closer to my goal. I spent a few days in and around Santo Domingo—the capital of the Dominican Republic.

The capital city is considered the “first city of the Americas.” It was the site of the first European settlement in the New World. Christopher Columbus landed here in 1492. His brother ‘officially’ founded the city in 1498. As a result, you’ll find the oldest cathedral, hospital and university this side of the Atlantic.

For me, this experience represented more than anything else an opportunity to come face-to-face with another Hispanic culture. While Dominicans form a large community in cities like New York, they’re also growing in numbers in places like North Carolina. In the Triangle alone, I have several close friends who are from this Caribbean country. However, I had never set foot on their homeland to see just what life in Republica Dominicana is like.

The first thing that struck me about life in this relatively small country,measuring slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire, was its degree of poverty. The D.R. is poorer than I expected. I know it borders Haiti—the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. But I lacked thorough knowledge of the D.R.’s economic status. Sadly, it shares this common economic trait with a large number of the other poor countries that make up Latin America. Despite the conditions in this country of nearly nine million, however, you’ll see a surprising number of people who own cell phones, and who go out and enjoy themselves as best they can. But the inner workings of the country are those of a classic third-world country—another common theme in most of Latin America. The bureaucracy is everywhere, perhaps a lingering legacy of the 30-year dictatorship of Rafael Leonidas Trujillo, whose term ended only when he was assassinated in 1961. The country has gradually become more democratic, but has continued to struggle economically.

Yet, despite all this, it is clear this country shares many of the characteristics of its Latin neighbors such as Cuba and Puerto Rico. Dominicans are jovial individuals who don’t need to have their arms twisted to find a reason to throw a party. They share similar styles of food preparation. They also drive like maniacs. And I can personally attest to that, as I rented a car while on my trip there. I definitely now feel like I’ve graduated to a new level as a driver.

The first thing I noticed behind the wheel of the car is that it’s perfectly acceptable to drink beer while driving! Also, this place lives up to the idea that “traffic lights are nothing more than a mere suggestion.” People rarely stop for more than a few seconds at most red lights. And it’s not uncommon to see oncoming traffic in your lane. Yes, it’s an experience not for the fainthearted.

The natural beauty here is also noteworthy. I visited beaches, caves, and colonial areas of Santo Domingo that were reminiscent of Cuba’s Havana Vieja (Old Havana) and Puerto Rico’s Viejo San Juan; the condition of the buildings in Santo Domingo fall somewhere in the middle.

As a product of both Latin America and North American cultural influence, at times I felt like I was completely out of my element in the Dominican Republic. At other times, I felt like I completely fit in. And this is precisely the kind of experience many immigrants feel after assimilating into the United States. It is a natural feeling. It is then that a little patience goes a long way!

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Last Modified: July 31, 2006