THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 10, 1995 TAG: 9503100063
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ANGELA L. MOORE, CAMPUS CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
I JUST RETURNED from the experience of a lifetime in the Dominican Republic.
Through a Norfolk State University work study program, I learned about the Dominican culture and the Spanish language at a private college, the National University of Pedro Enriquez Urena in the capital, Santo Domingo. I also interned at a government-owned television station.
The Dominican Republic, located in the Caribbean, is a small country with a population of 7 million mostly Spanish-speaking people.
Blackouts were a part of daily life. Many nights I sat at the table of my host family eating my favorite Dominican dish - beans and rice - and drinking freshly squeezed lemonade, as a candle would slowly burn.
The country suffers from sporadic blackouts because the power plants cannot supply each city with electricity at the same time. I had read about the outages in a tourist book, so I never left home without my flashlight.
Although the D.R. is not as developed as the United States, and despite the blackouts, at times life seemed similar. I watched CNN, the latest MTV videos and HBO movies. I was reminded of home when I saw Shell and Exxon gas stations or ate at Wendy's, Pizza Hut or Burger King.
Some of the Dominicans I encountered didn't let the stress of life bother them. I can remember my host mother saying, ``Escuchas a tu musica o duermes (listen to your music or take a nap) after I had eaten a meal of yuka (a vegetable of the Caribbean) and sausage for brunch.
She didn't want me to study right after the big meal because she felt the stress would cause indigestion. When I informed her that in the United States sometimes we don't relax between meals, she was shocked.
The Dominican Republic has ``siesta'' - two hours for lunch and a break. People go home and eat, take a nap or socialize with family and friends between noon and 2 p.m. every day.
I made new friends daily. I would be riding on the bus or walking on the street and people would talk to me. Many times they would exchange numbers with me in hopes of meeting again.
Once, I went to a restaurant with my friends but didn't want to eat anything. A man nearby wanted to know why. He would not accept my answer, ``yo no tengo hambre'' (I am not hungry). Thinking I did not have enough money, he ordered me some garlic bread and offered me some of his drink.
Being in that environment helped me to appreciate things we take for granted in the United States, such as having electricity all the time. But sometimes I wish I was still in the Dominican Republic. I miss the tropical weather.
I have brought back parts of the Dominican culture. While abroad, I developed a liking for salsa and merengue music. My friends sometimes make bets to see how long I can go without using a Spanish word or phrase.
I was told once you go abroad you catch the bug. I have caught the bug. Si, un dia yo quiero volver a la Republica Dominicana. (Yes, one day I want to return to the Dominican Republic.) ILLUSTRATION: Photo
CHRISTOPHER REDDICK/Staff
Angela L. Moore is a senior at Norfolk State University.
by CNB