14 total days in the DR: Santiago, el campo, Santo Domingo

Sarah S, and Allison here, ready to give you a recap of our time spent here in the Dominican Republic. We’ve learned so much in these past two weeks and the time has flown by! It’s so hard to put into words all the things we’ve encountered and experienced, so here is a list of some of the highlights and things we’ve learned.

14 total days in the DR: Santiago, el campo, Santo Domingo
Group bonding occurs quickly when 23 people live in close quarters, sharing meals, stories, and all free time together
26 people can cram into one Guagua during our daily trips into the city!!
Our services provided to community members during PT clinics were challenging as they were one time eval and treats, but we did our best to provide useful education and interventions that patient’s could incorporate into their lives
The city of Santiago is vibrant, crazy, and awesome!
Bon ice cream=delicious
We’ve learned a lot about the DR history and relations between different cultural, socioeconimic, gender, and nationality groups and were able to make connections to our own country
Bug spray and sunscreen are every day essentials here… yet tan lines and sunburns are inevitable
Fresh mangos are delicious!
The lives we touched at our service sites will stay with us for years to come; children, elders, staff, community members
Dancing!! The traditional Latin dances of Merengue, Salsa, and Bachata were such a fun way to immerse ourselves in the culture
Looking out for one another has become a second nature, whether it’s physically, emotionally, or mentally
Daily reflections were a safe space to express thoughts and to learn from one another.
The hospitality of our hosts was incredible, unlike anything ever experienced before and we are so very grateful to have had this experience!!

It’s hard to leave knowing that there is always more can be done, but we know the memories and the lessons we’ve learned here will be carried with us in our future PT profession and in our daily lives.

Adios Dominican Republic!!

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