http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Central America Caribbean , Dominican Republic , Santo Domingo , Ciudad Colonial en-us Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:50:46 +0000 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:50:46 +0000 Sat. August 8 2009 Departure from Miami to Santo DomingoEveryone who travels with me knows that I like to sit in an aisle seat on an airplane. Contrarily this time I was happy to get a window seat because I anticipated seeing islands surrounded by breath taking water. I sat next to a Dominican boy approximately eleven years old named Sodocrenise he advised that it was ok to call him Sam w http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-430500.html Well here I am. The lone traveler has landed in her homeland. Excited Yes. Distressed Absolutely. Confused Without a doubt. These feelings are something I knew would be inevitable upon my arrival to my home state. The things I saw and experienced will never be forgotten or disregarded I intend to use what I have learned to expand my horizon through a refreshed state of mind. I know my life wi http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-424476.html DR ROUND 2Well here I am again attempting to continue this not so successful blog but I thought I should let you all know how round two is goingFirst and foremost the city of Santo Domingo the capital of the Dominican Republic. I love it So much more fast and bustling and so much more too see and experience. Also the people are much easier to understand for some reason it is probably http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-374881.html On the bus ride to Santo Domingo Keith and I exchanged many messages as we both seemed to be running later than late. And I was soooooooooo cold. The AC was on full blast as usual and I was sitting there in my wet bikini and tiny beach dress. Amazingly enough I did not become illTwo hours later than expected I turned up at the Condominium Parque Hotel near Zona Colonial same hotel as I stayed http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-349842.html After a long flight and only 1 hours sleep i got up and made my way to the bathroom for a well deserved shower. The 1 hour of sleep was hot humid and buzzing with exitement.I sorted my room and made my way to the reception in the hostal and to get familiar with my new surroundings. Downstairs a lovely patio bar and common area awaited me. The staff was friendly and chatty. I got pointed in the http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-329497.html I have always been so unlucky whenever travelling before but this trip so far has been one lucky break after another I got to Oslo Airport Gardemoen with flat battery on both my Pc and mobile a backpack that weighed toooooooooooooo much for comfort. I checked in and the women at the check in desk weighed my bag looked at me for a moment and i assumed she was trying to find a nice way of t http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-326917.html Buenas noches a todsRemember me I used to have a blog. Wait nothat's not quite right. I still have a blog. What I used to have was time to write in it.What do I have now instead of time A family four classes and an internship where I work 20 hours a week. A free hour is harder to come by lately. A lot has happened since I last wrote 79 days ago. Here are some quick updates http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-266152.html Sometimes itrsquos hard to believe Irsquove been here for three whole weeks. Other times itrsquos hard to believe I havenrsquot been here longer. The last twentytwo days have been full of the excitement frustration discovery and homesickness that Irsquove decided are typical of the initial stages of most grand adventures. School is almost in full swing Irsquom about to begin a http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-239147.html Great news I made it though my first weekThe last eight days have gone by quickly. There's too much to do and listening to and producing Spanish all the time is so mentally tiring that I come home each day physically exhausted. We finished orientation on Monday and on Tuesday classes started at Bon a university where Irsquoll be taking two of my four classes this semester.Bon is a semi http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-235003.html Well I made it After three short weeks in the US I am now in Santo Domingo Dominican Republic. I arrived on Wednesday afternoon and spent the night in a hotel and on Thursday evening I moved in with my host family. It's now Friday night and I'm too exhausted to do anything but write this. I am in Santo Domingo with CIEE the Council on International Educational Exchange. There are about http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-232959.html From our insel Air window SDQ looked green flat and sparsely populated. Rusty zink sheets covered the roofs of the homes in the shanty town which lie along the flight path. The approach was turbulent but the landing was good and the passengers broke into applause. It was 2.16 pm. Bienveniedos a SDQ. We spent the night before at Tante Ligia who graciously offered us to share her house since we ha http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-159800.html A country that is poor and impoverish and somehow the people here are desprite to make a living by targeting at tourist. My spanish is not getting any better but i'm trying my best. Most of the people are african origin and it seems very hard to hide away. Every comment i get actually all of the carribeans has been Chino Chino Chino. I'm kind of use to it but a place with majority being blac http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-155529.html after the reception http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-147111.html the reception http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-146646.html the church service. http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-146640.html Before church http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-146636.html Actually it's mine. Unlike Aussie weddings where you sign the registry papers during the church service it's a Dominican custom to do this in a government office about two weeks beforehand. The significance of the event is juxtaposed against the normalness of meeting some registry lady in an ordinary office in the city and signing some papers.... So one midweek morning we get up dress casually w http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-146633.html So I haven't updated this site in the longest time like about 8 months and all I have to say for it is.... whooohooooo marriage is GREAT God is very good to put us together to partner with each other for this life. I definitely consider myself a very blessed man and when people ask me how we met I like tell them that I won my wife in the lottery haha. OK so here goes a bit of a pictorial ru http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-111820.html I have just had the most amazing and awesome last few days of my life This past weekend I proposed to my gorgeous spanish senorita in the Carribean and she said YES Some people win the lottery and its money or a car or something else but I won the lottery in order to meet this amazing girl Literally The green card which I won took me to the USA back in January but I had decided it wasnrsqu http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-29613.html Alcazar de Diego Colon. Ojo yo no soy el sanki que sale en la foto.Jean Bergerwww.hostpupil.com http://www.travelblog.org/Central-America-Caribbean/Dominican-Republic/Santo-Domingo/Ciudad-Colonial/blog-6417.html