I noticed this the night myself and some other students from the study abroad program decided to all go out one night after our all day excursion. We spent the day exploring the historic side of Santo Domingo, the oldest modern city in the Western hemisphere. A tour bus took the other 15 students and me in the program around to various sites while an older Dominican tour guide broke down the historic significance.The first place we visited was a museum that foretold the story of the Dominican culture through three statues placed outside its doors. The first statue was of an Arwak Native American warrior with a noble face and a tall spear gripped firmly in his right hand. The second, a Spaniard Catholic clothed in robes while thrusting a cross forward and clutching the Bible in his other hand. And the last statue, a strong beautiful half naked African slave with his arms outreached over his head to God with chains on his wrists and nothing but his own fists in his hands. The Dominican Republic today is the product of the combination of these three symbols of unique cultures that have blended over the centuries.
Since I myself am “mixed” (my mother is Dutch-American and my father is African-American), I find this a good fact to know because to me skin color is only important as we chose to make it. A Labrador retriever is still a Labrador retriever despite its fur being white, gold, brown or black. Humans aren’t less or greater because of a color. Color is simply the reflection of light. In darkness our hearts all beat to the same rhythm.<-- (President's office)
During our excursion we also visited the place where the first recognized speech about human rights was given by this pastor who was giving a speech to the Spaniards to discourage using Native Americans as slaves. He argued that Native Americans human beings just like them. It still boggles my mind that we as people could look into another person’s eyes and say that because we spoke different languages, wore different clothes, and didn’t look exactly the same that we weren’t of the same species. Didn’t we both walk on two legs? But anyway, I won’t bore you with the other history we learned that day because if that was your interest I’m sure Google could do a much better job at explaining Hispaniola, Christopher Columbus,, and the constant dispute between the Dominican Republic and Haiti than I can. Plus, my friends and I were more concerned about taking pictures of each other than listening to the tour guide talk about the year Juan Pablo Duarte died so I honestly don’t remember much of what was said.
But any-who, let me introduce you to two of my closest friends down in the DR so far. First there’s Arcena also known as mi prima. Arcena lives right next door to me, so we have developed that old fashioned kind of friendship. That God pre-destined and if heaven forbid we lived in a world where cell phones didn’t exist nor was there a Facebook, we would still be friends because we don’t communicate that way. We meet up, go to school together, walk around, talk, and explore via foot! I’ll use my host mom’s word and describe Arcena as “sweet”. Arcena is my same age and is a God Girl. She always puts God first. Even with her boyfriend, Michael, she says that she told him from the beginning, “You can be my boo on the side, but Jesus is already and will always be my first boyfriend.” Arcena is dark and slender with a flower permanently attached to her head aside her natural curly hair. She’s a singer with a unique voice that is hard to even find artists to compare her with. Try and imagine a Chrisette Michelle, Janelle Monae, but with more spirituality. And to my envy, she also plays the guitar. She has morals and values that she holds to high regards with a smile on her face and a laugh preparing to escape her lips at any moment (and if something is funny enough, maybe a snort too). She’s beautiful, natural, with bright eyes and a bright soul. What I love about Arcena and me is that we didn’t force our friendship. It just sort of happened.
And that’s sort of what happened to our other primo, Gregorio. Greg also lives in our vicinity and Greg, (I smile while trying to find a way to describe Greg). Greg is like an iPhone in a world full of Nokias. He’s a completely different breed. Greg is that one person you know who can do everything. He speaks amazing Spanish, writes speeches, travels with the Mayor, acts, cooks, does spoken word poetry, performs magic card tricks and on top of all that, he told us that miming is his “spiritual gift.” Greg is a character to say the least. Like me he wants to become and International Correspondent so that automatically makes me ready to befriend him. Some people find these over the top and overly boisterous people annoying, but I can see the light of his good heart and spirit shining brighter than any of his other qualities.So Alyssa, Arcena, and Greg, that’s the trio. My quest for whatever just came with two companions. Each here for their own divine purposes as well. Good to know I’m not in this solo, and if I ever need a break from Spanish I have people to keep me company in a comfortable language. Columbus had three ships, I have two friends.
And I don’t think I mentioned this, but I’m trying to film a documentary while I’m down here. Still haven’t found a topic. Hopefully I’ll find some inspiration soon! If you have any ideas please let me know. What do you think would be interesting to film in the DR or what type of issues intrigue you? Also check out more picturess from my Santo Domingo outing on FB.
Adios!
-The Girl with the Monkey Mind
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