By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
A small group of Bowling Green High School students traveled with teacher Jo Beth Gonzalez to the Dominican Republic in June.
The trip to the Dominican Republic came after a couple other proposed foreign trips fell through. Plans to visit Vietnam were stymied twice by the COVID-19 pandemic, and then political unrest upended a trip to Peru.
The Bowling Green contingent of seven students, Gonzalez, and parent chaperone left from the high school on June 6, and arrived at their destination on June 7, spending six days in country.
In the Dominican Republic, they joined a group of two Spanish teachers and 13 students from Granville and a group of five from Utah.
The educational and cultural experiences were varied. The students toured the old district of Santo Domingo as well as the nearby Tres Ojos Caves National Park. They also learned about Caribbean history and culture with a museum trip, got a sneak peek at preparations for next year’s Carnival, taking a salsa dance lesson, and visiting a community ceramic center.
They ziplined and visited the nearby monkey preserve and learned about a medical and dental clinic.
They surfed, snorkeled, white-water rafted, hiked, and swam with tiny jellyfish.
Several students shared their observations of the trip with BG Independent:
Lila Vanneman, rising sophomore, wrote: “One of my favorite educational experiences on the trip was learning about how the locals interact with each other and their environment. The DR is a beautiful place solely because of the regard that Dominicans have for their nature.”
She was also impressed with the family they met who designed and stitched costumes for the annual Carnival.
“My favorite cultural experience was definitely learning about and experiencing the Dominican Carnival,” she wrote. “Seeing the care and attention that the people put into upholding their heritage and culture through this colorful celebration was heartwarming and made me want to find some traditions in my own world to carry on throughout my life. Carnival is a beautiful and extravagant festival that was very interesting to experience.”
Vanneman wrote that: “One of my favorite adventures in the DR was the cable car ride to the top of Isabel del Torres peak. It was a beautiful view and gave me a chance to see the country from a completely different perspective. I saw many interesting plants and animals in the forest at the top of the mountain, and the view of the coastline and cities was breathtaking.”
At the top of this mountain, students learned that Christopher Columbus first entered this part of the world through Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. From the mountain’s top they viewed the port at which he first docked in the “new” world.
Piper Stuzman, a rising junior and self-proclaimed history nerd, especially enjoyed the Caribbean history and culture museum.
Stuzman learned that they were good at making new friends. Stuzman explained that they tend to not like being around new people but thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people while on the trip.
Bella Karlovec, a rising junior, said she loved interacting with Dominicans. “My favorite cultural experience was engaging with the community in the Dominican Republic and seeing how friendly and social everyone is there compared to here in the United States. In the DR it looked to me that everyone knew each other and that they are very friendly with tourists.”
She continued: “In the United States it is not like that. Here we are less social and are typically on our phones either looking at TikTok or doing something else on an electronic device, but in the Dominican Republic not as many people are able to have phones or electronic devices like we do and that makes it easier for them to go out and socialize more with people in the community.”
Vanneman discovered on the trip that she really loves dancing. “We took a dance lesson where we learned how to dance the Merengue and the Bachata, and I didn’t think I would like it, but I had a great time. It was a good workout and a great way to express myself through rhythm, and I now feel excited to try new dancing opportunities!”
The arts, Vanneman discovered, play a large part in Dominican culture. “In larger cities such as Santiago and Santo Domingo, street murals and large paintings and intricate architecture are everywhere. Even in the smaller cities, color plays a big role in their community. Most of the buildings in the country are colorful and it is a
good reflection of the colorful history and heritage of the people that live there.”
Food also made an impression on the travelers.
Stuzman reported that the fresh juices served at nearly every meal were amazing. Dominican cherry, tamarind, mango, pineapple, and guava were typical options.
Vanneman wrote: “Something I realized about the U.S.A .that I didn’t know before this trip is that we have a lot of choice in what we eat. While we were in the DR our group ate many different things, but the main staples of the meal were always rice and bread. This made me realize that in America, we take a lot of our food for granted. We have the option to eat vegan, vegetarian, keto, gluten-free, or pretty much any diet we want to choose for ourselves. In other countries, however, there are not as many options as we have in the US and many people don’t have the luxury of choosing what they want their diet to be.”
The group stayed overnight in a hotel on the north coast run by French born wife and Italy-born husband who cooked them chicken curry and sent them on their way with sandwiches made with home-baked bread.
Gonzalez said she would like to organize another trip abroad to a location yet to be determined in 2025.
