Barahona, Dominican Republic

Over the long Memorial Day weekend we decided to embark on a journey. Us along with three other families from the Embassy decided to travel to the Dominican Republic for an adventure and some fun. Well, it was both for sure. To get to the Haiti/DR border from Port Au Prince is like 1.5-2 hours depending on the traffic/road. Well, it had rained a considerable amount before we left on Saturday. So, we had heard that the road to the border is really bad and often floods. So, we had some of the mobile patrol go check it out, they cautioned us against going but we really wanted to go so we forged ahead. They weren't kidding sometimes it floods. In reality we probably shouldn't have gone through what we did, but all in all we made it and it was an adventure. So, the road is literally right by a lake with hardly any barriers. So, it floods a lot but especially in rainy season. Here is what we did on the way there.

 See the road??or do you just mostly see water? Yeah Crazy Right and this was only the Beginning!

That Big Machine was trying to help but it really wasn't!

So, we arrived in Barahona, DR around 10 or 11 am, after 4 hours of driving. We were for sure ready to get out of the car and out to the beach! The area was beautiful. Actually the drive was just beautiful too. It was so interesting it was like once we got out of Port Au Prince aways it got more beautiful, but after we crossed the border there was drastic differences. The streets were cleaner. There were roads that were more driveable, and there were not as many people out on the streets. Granted it wasn't a big city but it was definitley more organized and had a  nice feel to it. The DR is still a developing country, but it is still much farther along than Haiti. It was also just a beautiful country. It kind of made me sad to see how beautiful Haiti could be everywhere if they just kept it up! So, anyway the hotel was simple but nice. We spent a lot of time eating, swimming, and being at the beach. The beach was really rocky but still its the ocean and I just enjoy sitting by the water listening to the waves and also exploring. My friend Laura and I just walked around the little beach area and took pictures and it was beautiful. It definitley felt a little "Pirates of The Caribbean" to me. It was cool. Here are some pictures of the hotel/beach we were at.

The View from the Pool

The View of the Hotel's Beach

Me with the View!

  I also got a massage for the first time here in the DR. It was wonderful although it was outside so people just walking by could see me. At one point there was like 5 guys and one of them stopped and talked with the maseuse.. Kind of Awkward for me! So, on Monday we left and apparently Monday is market day between Haiti and DR. So, there were a lot of people and the Market was really gross. I feel so bad that these people live this way. I mean there was just trash and gross water all around and people were walking in it and trading their food and goods in it. Just craziness!



Chickens anyone??

Truck loads of food/rice/and supplies!

This was right by where all the market was happening!

This is the border! We are in DR about to enter Haiti....it was Crazy!

A very full Tap Tap leaving the Market

 Part of our Caravan, under water

And Again...it was much higher and more scary on the way home!

Well, that is that for our DR trip.

I have a few more pictures I wanted to post from other random times.

My friends Reina-she just got married and Derdy-he just got back from a mini mission and will soon leave for his full time mission-he is a good kid!

Ok this little girl is beautiful! One Sunday she came up to me and just started going through my purse. She found these earrings that she is wearing. I was planning on giving them to another little girl but I just gave them to her. Then, her sister (in the blue) was so sad that her sister got some and she didn't. I had one other pair so I gave it to her and they matched her perfectly. The whole sacrament meeting this little girl was going through my purse wanting the lip gloss and all the other fun stuff in there. So, I appeased her. It was so cute. The next sunday she came and sat with me the whole sacrament just loving on me. It was sooo cute!

I went to Stanley's cousin's wedding with him. It was very interesting. I was the only white person there of course. But, no one seemed to be bothered or care about that! It was a good time. It rained though and was very humid so my hair is a little crazy!!!

One of Stanley's cousins(He says he will only date a white girl! haha) and one of the cute little boys at the wedding! It was a good time.

Well, other than that it has been a good time in Haiti. I can't believe it but I only have two more weeks here before I head back home to embark on another adventure. I'm really glad to have this experience and can't wait to see what the next two weeks will hold for me!!