Day 3: Culture & History of D.R.

Now that we had a day to get settled at Rancho Ruisenor, Day 3 was our first venture into the city of Jarabacoa. We loaded up in a safari-style truck that took us to the primary fire station.  We heard a brief presentation from the fire chief who then let all of us (who wanted to) take a slide down an actual fire pole! Our Program Coordinators, Diana and Nicole, took us on a walk around the city, ending up at an ice cream parlor where they treated us to super fresh, homemade deliciousness! The street is shaded by colorful umbrellas. What a delightful splash of color!

We jumped back in the safari truck and headed up the hill to Bohios Campo Anil, a historical preservation site where we got to see a demonstration of how coffee and chocolate were processed in traditional ways.

While we waited for lunch (which was delicious!), we got to hang out in a gaming area where some played dominoes and many others showed off their skills (or humorous attempts) at playing pool.

Upon returning to Rancho Ruisenor, we had a quiet self-reflection workshop, followed by a not-so-quiet dance lesson!  A local teacher and his student came to our residence to teach us local, historical, D.R. styles of dance including Merengue, Bachata, Salsa and Dembow.  Most of us really worked up a sweat and were grateful for the time in the pool to cool us down!

Tomorrow is our Community Day, and it’s sure to be a big adventure! Tune in tomorrow for the full story. ?