Not ten minutes outside of Santo Domingo and you’re already catching glimpses of the infamous beauty of this country. Mountains in the distance and lush green hills dotted with palm trees in the fore ground. All of it increasing in diversity and complexity until you reach the Cibao Valley - banana trees lining the road and rice fields seemingly extending to the mountains. Then as you turn toward the northwest, the landscape grows rockier, dustier, and despite the climb in altitude, hotter. Palm trees give way to pine trees, and town after town covered in orange dust: the border approaches. About three times a week, all along the border, Haitians flood into the country to pawn off the used clothes and cheap perfumes they receive from U.S. and international aid agencies for items they actually
... read more
