The Dominican Republic is truly one beautiful place and I am so grateful to have been able to see more beautiful parts of the world because of this trip. The rushing of the water on your legs, the sand between your toes and the warm sun shining on you is a constant reminder of the beauty of this country. I could never imagine that I would be able to see the beautiful scenery that you see in pictures up close while here.
One thing that truly amazes me and questions me everyday is the beauty and paradise of a third world country. In the Dominican foreigners spend hundreds and thousands of dollars to enjoy a "vacation in paradise" while people are literally starving and struggling to get by on the other side of the road.
Every time I think of this very topic and visit organizations I learn to understand why people fall in love with the area and come back to volunteer. Although it isn't right, I can also understand why natives of the area commit crimes such as larceny. They are constantly being "teased" by the luxurious items that foreigners wear regularly. The greed and need to survive is so prevalent in this area that it makes these crimes seem meaningless to some. This particular issue is why most of us rarely carried anything meaningful around with us during the trip.
One thing that truly amazes me and questions me everyday is the beauty and paradise of a third world country. In the Dominican foreigners spend hundreds and thousands of dollars to enjoy a "vacation in paradise" while people are literally starving and struggling to get by on the other side of the road.
Every time I think of this very topic and visit organizations I learn to understand why people fall in love with the area and come back to volunteer. Although it isn't right, I can also understand why natives of the area commit crimes such as larceny. They are constantly being "teased" by the luxurious items that foreigners wear regularly. The greed and need to survive is so prevalent in this area that it makes these crimes seem meaningless to some. This particular issue is why most of us rarely carried anything meaningful around with us during the trip.