Our last day in Jarabacoa

It is hard to believe, but the first four days of our trip have passed and we are preparing to depart Jarabacoa for San Pedro de Macoris bright and early tomorrow morning for the second phase of our trip. We had a fantastic last day working up in Hatillo and are proud to say that the water project is complete. Today brought with it much sun and hotter temperatures, but it did not hold the group back. The students worked just as hard, taking frequent breaks to hydrate and reapply sunscreen. Part-way through the morning, we were joined again by local students and community members who pitched in to help, speeding up the pace of the work and allowing for great fellowship and fun. We officially finished the project right around lunch time and headed back to Rancho Baiguate where we all refueled and relaxed a little bit before setting off on a hike to Salto Baiguate (a local waterfall). Though it was hot, the hike was well worth it as the waterfall is absolutely spectacular. Students enjoyed wading in the water and taking many photos before we then headed back to the ranch for a late afternoon swim and more fishing in the pond. 

I think it is safe to say that we finished the water project much faster than perhaps our guides had initially expected, which is why we've had so much relative down time. That is likely to change as we are scheduled for full days of service work in the bateyes. Tomorrow, we will spend all morning travelling to San Pedro de Macoris before spending the afternoon working in a community garden in Barrio St. George. Beginning on Thursday, we will be working directly in the bateyes (the communities scattered throughout the sugar cane fields inhabited by workers and their families) completing various construction projects. This next phase of the trip promises to be a thought-provoking and eye-opening experience, one that will be a stark contrast to what we have experienced thus far. Though the group is sad to be leaving Jarabacoa, there is a palpable feeling of excitement to begin this next part of our journey through the Dominican Republic.

Over the coming days, our access to the internet will be more limited, but we expect to be able to post every other day. We will have our cell phones, so we will not be totally out of reach. Stay tuned for updates from the bateyes!

We will leave you with reflections from two students and wish you all buenas noches from Jarabacoa!

After starting to dig yesterday, I was excited to work hard today to complete the pipe line. We arrived at the work site and began to lay the pipe in the trench that we dug yesterday. Then we began gluing the pipes together and filling the long ditch back with dirt to cover the pipe. On top of working very hard, it happened to be an extremely hot day (don’t worry mom and dad, I was wearing sunscreen). With the help of some local students, between the ages of twelve and fourteen, we were able to complete the project before lunch! It was so rewarding to work alongside the children and see our efforts complete. I feel beyond accomplished to see my hard work pay off from start to finish. For a little break, we taught the children to play ninja. Although some of the rules were lost in translation, we were all laughing by the end of the game. Throughout the day we even discovered a type of seed enclosed in a pod that can be used as paint. When the seed is smashed, it becomes an orange paste. Our group and the children all began painting each other’s faces. I loved the “painting” part of the day because it shows that we can use our resources (and nature) to have fun and bond. Since we worked so hard in the morning, we were able to hike to a waterfall in the afternoon. It was a peaceful journey and a time to take in our beautiful surroundings. I am so happy to be able to return to the Dominican Republic. While observing the picturesque mountains and perfectly clear sky, I knew that I will return to the Dominican once again someday. Overall, we had a wonderful day: a mixture of accomplishment and complete serenity.

-Madeline ‘15 

Being able to experience the trip to the Dominican Republic once is one thing, but being able to return is an entirely different story. On our first full day, we were given the opportunity to revisit the community of La Jagua (the town where we had worked last year) to reconnect with the community members and to see what our past work had accomplished. We watched pride and joy cover a woman’s face as she excitedly twisted the faucet of her sink to show us her recently acquired running water. Words do not have the capability to capture the pure intensity and magic of this moment, nor do photographs do it the justice that it deserves. It is pretty easy to say that this was the best possible start that could have begun my second trip to the Dominican. I was instantly motivated and reassured that the work our group is doing here is truly making a difference. Each of the past two days we ended up finishing what we had planned to get done early leaving us with time to enjoy the beautiful country and spend time conversing with local children. Tomorrow we will be heading off to El Barrio St. George and the Bateyes for our next couple projects. I am positive that we will continue to accomplish unexpected amounts of work and will keep forming close bonds with the people of the Dominican. I am overjoyed to be back and extremely grateful for my parents giving me the opportunity to return. I have learned countless life lessons that will never leave me for the rest of my days. Gracias mis parientes, se amo.

-Ashleigh ‘14

Kimmy and one of our guides, Kate putting the pipeline together

 Lynn securing the pipe

Bianca taking a turn at securing the pipe

Pipe in the trench

Finished!

 WRA students and students from Hatillo pose together as we finish the last bit of the aquaduct

Group shot at the work site

 Hiking to Salto Baiguate

Ms. Hedgspeth posing by the park sign

Salto Baiguate - beautiful!

Ms. Hedgspeth and Ms. Barlow in front of the waterfall

Group shot in front of the waterfall

One last shot of the students in beautiful Jarabacoa