School in Yasica & Puerto Plata

Every evening after dinner and an educational lecture, the group assigns new leaders for the next day. “Stars of the Day” — two individuals nominated. Ian created an enthusiastic chant that is yelled at the top of our voice. It’s a lot of fun and definitely brings the group closer together. Today, the leaders woke us up bright and early for breakfast before the sun was even up. We were out the door at 7:00 am with full bellies tired from the day before, but excited for the day ahead. 

Today we visited a school up in the mountains. It was a long drive which most of us slept on, but I put my headphones on and watched the scenery change outside the window. It was a very beautiful drive through green vegetation and small towns; lots of people out on the streets and motorcycles zipping by. 

When we got to the school I was expecting it to be a lot smaller than it actually was, but it was a decent size. However, when we learned later how many students were being taught there it wasn’t big enough! Ages of the students ranged from pre-K to about middle school. All taught in one school! Quite a lot of different ages that all played together during their breaks. I noticed that some kids wore uniforms and some did not and that was mostly because they didn’t have one.

We were shuffled into a small library and were introduced to two teachers, both who have been working closely with Peace Corps volunteers for years. On the outside of the library wall building there was a mural of the world and further down near the recreational area, there was another mural made out of painted bottle caps. Both of these were done by previous Peace Corps volunteers that worked in the school. It was quite amazing to see. One of the teachers stayed and talked to us about the school and answered questions. Wilson and Christian were great interpreters for the whole day! We definitely would have been lost without their help with translating. We learned a lot and how important volunteers are, which I was very hesitant about when I first started the program. It is reassuring to hear that volunteers are welcomed by the community and locals. I found it interesting that fundraising isn’t popular and that field trips are outlawed completely. Most of the school funding is done by the government, but schools still lack resources which makes it difficult to improve the quality of education in the Dominican Republic. 

After learning about the school, the Peace Corps involvement, and the students we got the opportunity to interact with all the students during their lunch break. Lunch is also not provided because the government stopped funding it so students must bring their own lunches or buy them from the vendor carts outside the school grounds. We saw a lot of kids buying junk foods and other various candies from the vendors which they make the exchange through the chainlink fences surrounding the school. A couple group members were wrangled into a heated game of volleyball by some of the older students, while others mingled around the grounds with younger kids.

I’ve never experienced or got to interact with so many young kids in a completely different language and culture. It was truly unforgettable and very emotional. Especially as we all gathered to leave and bid everyone a heartfelt farewell. Children ran along the side of the fence waving goodbye as our bus departed for our next adventure. What an unbelievable day. I will cherish the memories and the smiling faces that greeted us and dragged us along on their lunch break. 

Once we got to the port city of Puerto Plata we headed to our lunch spot and enjoyed some Dominican cuisine at a restaurant. The food was once again delicious and hearty. During this time we shared some thoughts from the morning meeting with the children and staff of the school. After which we ventured to the city center and weaved through shops for gifts to take back to our home. We got to visit an Amber and Larimar stone museum for a quick tour. The larimar stone is a stunning baby blue color and is only found in the Dominican. At the end of the tour it opened up into a cigar shop where an old man was hand making them. It was cool to see the dried tobacco sheets being transformed into a handrolled cigar. A few of us made some purchases while trying a medicinal drink made with wood chips and rum. It actually tasted pretty good. 

After the tour, we checked out an area with rainbow umbrellas that floated above in a street and a pink alley with pretty flowers. There were a lot of tourists around and a big cruise ship loomed in the distance. We got to eat some delicious ice cream and a church in the square. Venturing from the city center we began a walk along the coastline that ended with an old military fortress and statues of generals. There was an adorable stray dog that loved all the pets and I helped give her some water too. We opted out of the fortress tour and decided to all chill on the grass and relax in the sun. Some of us took the time to write in our journals which is what I am doing right now. 

It was a very long day and as we made our way back to the van I took some time to reflect on how lucky I am to experience this with such an amazing group of people. I definitely learned a lot today and broadened my eyes.