There is a song here that goes, "I'd like an American girl, for what? To get my Visa!" The Dominican boys love this song, and really enjoy singing it to the Americans as they walk past. It's pretty comical. I'd post a video, but I couldn't find one without outrageous dancing.
The song's theme is extremely relevant to Dominicans. It is difficult for them to obtain a Visa to the United States, and a way around that is to marry an American. Many Dominicans have family members and friends living in other countries including the US, Puerto Rico, and Spain. Most of our host families have one or more family members living in the US. My El Seibo family has a daughter in Florida, and my Santo Domingo family has a sister/aunt in Virginia. I've seen both families receive money and gifts from the States.
That said, two of the largest sources of income here are remittances and tourism. That leaves Dominican livelihood in the hand of foreigners or those living abroad. I am hoping that my work in adult literacy (an adult is anyone over 15) will encourage more self reliance and motivation.
Today was our last day of CBT. We'll be in Santo Domingo tomorrow and settle back in with our first host families. My family moved houses, but still live in the same neighborhood. I'm excited to see my new digs! On Sunday I'll be soaking up the sun on another island!
Side note: I put up some photos you can check out.
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