Well, I have two countris. I have two passports.
Currently I live in the USA, but was born and raised in the Dominican Republic.
The DR is a small island nation in tha carbean west of puerto Rico, east of Cuba, and north of Jamaica. Ya, the one that Haiti is on.
Anyway, the DR has the nice half of the island
. Interesting story to that, the Hatians had no conservation laws and basicaly burnt down all of their rainforest for timber. Much of the fine woods that grew there were sold off to the US and Europe, as a result, today Haiti is a Destirute nation, considered the poorest in the world. The DR has very strict concervation laws to the point where one can be shot for illegal logging (or so the rumors go) ! The border between Haiti and the DR is clear cut down a river valley. On one side of the river you see nothing but brown dirt, on the other green trees and grassy fields. Guess wich side is Haiti?
Anyway, enugh Haiti bashing
.... oh ya! One more tidbit, did you know that Haiti used to be the Richest country in the world? In colonial times Haiti was the economic center of the new world. But years of war, opresive governments, and europen imperialism has taken all of the resources that it once had.
The Domican Republic is a Democratic nation with a parlimentry system modeled after those in europe. The populace is very political, and everyone votes. Election days are insane, rallys everywhere, people waveing campaign propagandah etc. Pretty neat stuff. Too bad the government there tends to be pretty corupt. There is allways one scandal or another.
The DR is a poor country economicaly, life can be pretty hard for the poor in the cities. But generaly people live well, they may not have much money, but they make good use of what they have. If you go out to the country in the DR and enter a poor persons house you will notice that everything is kept orderly and clean, the family is well mannered, well fed, and well taken care of. That's allways something I admired about the people of my home country, we may not have much but we make the best of it.
Though I would be lieing if I said poverty isn't bad, cuz in some places life is hell over there.
The beaches over there are the most beutifull in the world. I have never seen clearer water. I live in Miami now, and the beaches here are horrible! If you ever get the chance to travel and want a vacation resort type thing, give the DR a look.
Dominican food is awsome! It's all we eat in our household
In the DR we have great parties durring carnival. Here people dress up in traditional costumes and drink themselves silly while dancing in the streets. The costumes are calld Lechones, they look kind of like a cross between a harloquin and a minoraur. The mask has horns like a bull, and the suit is multi colord and adorned with mirrors and bells. The Lechon carrys a bull whip and a balloon made out of an inflated and dried cow blader (not as bad as it sounds
), anyway, his job is to seek out people in the crowds who don't seem to be having a good time and beat the crap out of them with his weapons untill they do. It's all fun and games, and it dosn't really hurt (most of the time
).
Another wierd holiday is St. Andrews day. Here, kids get to throw flower and eggs at people. Why? I dunno. Suposedly St. Andrew was the patron saint of bakers, but most people just like throwing flower and eggs at each other
It's a really popular holiday, kinda like Halloween in the US. Kids have developed ways of rotting eggs, and will prepare their arsenal a full two weeks before the holliday. But those are only the jerks, I would never do anything like that
.
That's about it. Haven't been there in like eight years. Friends tell me alot has chaged, the economy is growing over there and because of that cities and towns are getting crowded. A double edge sword I suppose. But I will allways have fond memories of the place I grew up in. Can't wait to go visit one day.
