By Katherine Swisher on
Montessori Teaching Fellow, DREAM Project, Dominican Republic
From surfing to hiking the tallest peak in the Caribbean—here are my top 10 most memorable moments from my first six months abroad.
It’s hard to believe I’m already halfway through my year in the Dominican Republic. When I first arrived last August, I was full of both excitement and fear. The heat and humidity was immediately overwhelming, and for a long while, all I could think about was how dehydrated and sweaty I felt. On top of that, I had just uprooted my life—leaving behind a stable job and the loving community I had built over three years in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
The Dominican Republic is no Jackson Hole. Located in the Caribbean on the island of Hispaniola, the country is known for its playful bachata and merengue music, hearty sancocho, passion for baseball, and stunning beaches. Culturally, it is a unique blend of Afro-Latino, Spanish, Haitian, and Taíno influences. I live in Cabarete, a touristy beach town on the northern coast of the country. Cabarete boasts a thriving resort scene, however many locals - Dominicans and Haitians - live with limited access to resources and face widespread poverty.
My first night here was spent in the city, Puerto Plata, in a tiny Airbnb with no air conditioning or potable water. I looked out at the bustling Malecón—teeming with people, stray dogs, discarded bottles, loud motorcyclists, and the relentless sun. In that moment, I couldn’t help but break down. How was this going to work?
In recent months, I’ve grown more accustomed to the Dominican lifestyle and have developed a love for this country. The cooler weather starting in November has certainly helped, making it easier to enjoy daily life. I’ve begun finding my rhythm here, exploring new experiences, foods, and relationships. That’s not to say every day is easy. I still have many moments when I feel out of place or uncomfortable, but I’m proud of how much I’ve grown over the past six months. As someone who loves making lists, I decided to reflect on my time here by writing down the top 10 most unforgettable experiences from my first six months living in the Dominican Republic.
Learning to Surf at Playa Encuentro
One of the best parts of living in Cabarete is that it is just a 5 minute drive to the best surfing beach in the whole Caribbean! My roommate, Ava, and I have been enjoying getting up early in the morning and trying our hand at surfing.
Photo: Sandra Reyes
Taking Bachata Dance Classes
I’ve fallen in love with dancing bachata, and I owe it all to the Dominican Republic—and to Romeo Santos. Known as the King of Bachata, Romeo Santos, the lead singer of Aventura, is a force of nature. If you don’t know who he is, you will if you ever visit this country. His music can be heard everywhere in this country: outside my house, in the club, at the coffee shop, on the street corner. En todas partes, Romeo está. Bachata class is my hour of JOY! Held at the OJO Club, we spend our time mastering intricate footwork before swaying our hips con aceite (“with oil,” as our teacher instructs).
Navigating the Public Transportation System
Now this is not my favorite experience, but it’s a quintessential Dominican Republic experience. The DR has three main modes of public transport: mototaxis, carritos, and the guagua. Mototaxis are super fun, but be careful and always wear a helmet because traffic rules are WAY less important than baseball en este país. As the name suggests, they are taxis in the form of motorcycles. Motorcycles are widely loved here. I’ve seen entire families—mom, dad, child, and baby—crammed onto a single bike. Carritos are like taxis, but imagine squeezing as many people as possible—seatbelts are a foreign concept here. The guagua is similar, but it’s a minivan. One moment, I’ll be cradling a woman’s child, their tiny fingers clutching my sweat-stained shirt. The next, I find myself practically in a stranger’s lap—¡Ay, Dios!
Sunset Walks Along Cabarete Beach.
Nothing refreshes me more than a sunset walk along the beach. This beach is only a five-minute walk from my apartment. Whenever I step onto the sand and watch the colors change from purple to pink to orange, everything feels okay. I feel so lucky. Cabarete Beach is also a great spot to watch the kite surfers and windsurfers—two popular sports here.
Learning to Cook Plátanos and Exploring Dominican Cuisine
Plátanos van con todo, as children’s book author Lissette Norman writes. I have a love-hate relationship with Dominican food. More often than not, the last thing I want to eat is a GIANT mound of arroz blanco (white rice) served alongside a single piece of pollo frito (fried chicken), a slaw salad, and a cup of unseasoned habichuelas (red beans). However, there are Dominican dishes that I love, including plátanos fritos (fried plantains), sancocho (a hearty meat and vegetable stew), chicharrón (fried pork belly), and pechulina (chicken nuggets). One day, the chefs at Dream Project offered to teach me how to make plátanos fritos. The labor and time it takes to peel, fry, and mash these plantains is insane. It goes without saying that I needed a lot of practice!
Weekend Trip to Samaná
At the beginning of the year, a few of the Dream Project PiLA fellows traveled to the Samaná Peninsula. On the way, we stopped at the beautiful beach town of Las Terrenas, visited the famous Salto de Limón (a giant waterfall you can swim underneath), explored Caño Frío—a fun, communal river swimming spot where the river merges into the ocean—and spent time in the town of Samaná, where we attended the Coconut Festival!
Mastering “Dominicanismos”
From “Que lo que?” to “grajo” the Dominican republic has many unique phrases and words. Here are my favorites:
- ¿Qué lo que? (abr. KLK): KLK is the Dominican version of "What's up?"—it's the go-to greeting when you run into someone.
- Chin: You use “chin” (or “un chin”) when you want just a little bit of something. For example: “Dame un chin de arroz, por favor.”
- Ya tú sabes (normally with the s dropped): You know! It’s like saying “You already know” or “Of course!”
- Vaina: Vaina is the ultimate catch-all word. It can be roughly translated to mean "thing," but it can mean practically anything depending on the context. For example: "Pásame esa vaina" (Pass me that thing).
- Grajo: The smell of stinky armpits, usually in reference to someone on public transport.
The Carnival Museum in La Vega
At the end of this month, I will experience Carnival in La Vega. However, the Carnival Museum in La Vega is worth a visit at any time of the year. We visited the museum during a short trip to Jarabacoa, the mountain region of the Dominican Republic. Carnival is taken very seriously in the Dominican Republic, especially in La Vega. It is a month-long celebration featuring colorful masks, costumes, and boisterous parades. The event is a loud display of Dominican folklore, traditions, and values. Each region of the country competes with a different costume every year. Some popular characters include "Roba Gallinas," "Los Lecheros," and various interpretations of "El Diablo."
Working at The Dream Project
Most of my time here is spent working—and thankfully, I like my job. I work for the Dream Project, where I am responsible for administering teacher workshops, conducting early childhood research, and creating educational resources. The Dream community is welcoming and kind. As my supervisor told me, “Somos como una familia aquí” (“We’re like a family here”). All my co-workers are passionate about youth mentorship and education. Like any job, there are ups and downs, but overall, I am grateful for my placement.
Hiking Pico Duarte
Last but not least, I had the incredible opportunity last month to hike the tallest peak in the Caribbean, Pico Duarte! With 10,000 feet of elevation and a relentless uphill climb, Pico Duarte is no joke. My partner, Kieran, visited me in the Dominican Republic to join me on this adventure. The hike was a three-day event, and our group included about 40 Dominicans, two women from France, and a couple from Hungary. The whole experience was muy Dominicana. We played dominoes at the basecamp, enjoyed traditional meals of sancocho and moro, cheered each other on during the hike with affirmations like “¡Vamos muy bien! ¡Vamos a lograrlo!” and shared plenty of snacks (Dominicans love to share food). At night, we slept in a communal shack surrounded by stray dogs and the symphonious sounds of snores and growls. Kieran and I shared one sleeping pad, and each morning, we sipped on mysterious beverages that were supposed to be coffee but tasted more like a mix of herbal tea, hot cocoa, and coffee grounds.
We came out of the trip with stomach bugs and staph infections but full hearts nonetheless.