Complicated Traveling

A blog post by Adam. In celebration of Melissa's birthday we decided to go away for a long weekend to the Samana Peninsula. It would be our first multi-day trip on our own in the DR. We wouldn't have Mina's guiding nor driving support. It would just be us, our backpacks and a bunch of buses.

The decision to make the trip, however, wasn't so simple, and not only because we would be without Mina's direction. Our time volunteering, and particularly Melissa's experience at the grassroots organization, has changed us. At this point in our time here, we have met so many people who struggle to just get by. We haven't just seen them on the road or spent an afternoon with them. We have gotten to know them.

Melissa's coworker, for example, makes about $300/month (not an uncommon wage in the DR). She spends a third of her monthly salary on transportation costs to and from university, another large percentage on supporting family members and the rest on trying to pay monthly bills. Melissa's coworkers and most of the people at the Clinic have never been to Samana. They can't afford it. Could we justify such a trip? We debated. We struggled. We decided to go.

We caught our first bus from La Romana at 7:00 am. After another bus ride, a truck ride, a kilometer walk, and $30 in transportation fares, we arrived at Ecocampo La Sangria. It was incredible. Situated in the middle of a large pineapple farm, we had our own secluded cabin at the end of a guava tree lane. Lizards, frogs, and birds abounded and we felt a world away from La Romana. Plus, the grounds included a small swimming pool, and the price included a gourmet breakfast and dinner. All of this for just $50 a night.

As if the food and accommodations weren't enough, the Ecocampo was located just up the hill from Playa Rincon, which is apparently the second most beautiful beach in the world. We borrowed two barely functional bikes and snorkels and headed to the beach. We were not disappointed. The beach was amazing, but just as incredible as the beach itself was a fresh water river emptying into the ocean at the beach's edge. We walked up the river and then snorkeled down toward the sea. I couldn't see much because I'm blind without my glasses, but what I did see seemed impressive - tons of fish, rocks, moss, various underwater plants, and mangrove roots combined to create and underwater kaleidoscope of colors and textures. After the snorkel we ate freshly fried fish and drank a Coco Loco on the beach for about $20. We relaxed and reflected on the perfect day.

Playa Rincon

Melissa, biking to the beach.

The following day we took a tour of the surrounding farm, including a break to milk the cows.

The pineapple farm.

Adam milking.

After our morning farm tour we took a few more buses to Las Terrrenas at the other end of the peninsula. A town overrun by Europeans, we enjoyed beach time and a hike to an incredible waterfall. 

On the final night of our trip, we went out for a $5 drink at a restaurant right on the beach. We watched the moonlit waves crash onto the beach as our thoughts again returned to our lives in La Romana. Despite the fact that this very beach is only four hours (in bus) from La Romana, most of our coworkers will never see it over the courses of their lives. How strange it feels to spend our days working with people who are so committed to improving their country, and then go off for the weekend to parts of their country they will never know. We spent about $250 during our four days (bus rides alone cost $75). This is clearly beyond the budget of most people we know. 

We thoroughly enjoyed our trip at same time that we felt just as conflicted about it at the end as we had at the beginning.  We never imagined that volunteering and knowing a place and its people would make traveling so much more complicated. We have more trips planned. We wonder, how will we (and our coworkers) feel next time we pack our backpacks and hit the road?