From the airport, we travel to Ranchete, a small tropical farming town. We are welcomed by stunning panoramic views, hot chocolate, and our Dominican hosts. Orientation activities begin.
Cultural and Environmental Sustainability
The Dominican Republic is home to the first point of European contact with the Americas and continues to be the most visited destination in the Caribbean. Along with the island nation’s breathtaking geographical diversity, visitors are attracted to its vibrant, multidimensional culture. The nation’s complicated political history–oscillating between colony and independent nation, dictatorship and democracy–is accompanied by an equally complex history of cultural imposition, exchange, mixture, and evolution. The culture of the indigenous Taíno people, despite Spanish exploitation and disease, has survived to meld with the cultural practices of enslaved Africans as well as with those of the Spaniards.
Students delve into the sustainable farming practices of the northern Dominican Republic, as well as the ecological diversity of its marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Through ecology focused tours and discussions on conservation, students explore the dynamic balance between environmental preservation and local development, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the context, perspectives, and cultural traditions that shape contemporary Dominican life.
