DAY 1

Following breakfast, we attended mass at the ILAC center. This was a traditional mass done in Spanish with local community members. During the mass, our group shared that we could feel the liveliness of the congregation and that we were able to enjoy the service despite many of us not understanding the language. The sign of peace at mass stood out to our group as a unique expression of the communities tight-knit relationship. We witnessed many members going out of their way to show peace to those across the church, not a common experience for many in the United States. Following lunch our group learned a brief history of the Dominican Republic and was able to visit the Monument to the Heroes of the Restoration in the city center. We explored the monument, interacting with Dominicans and viewing the city from the top of the monument. While at the monument many of us had unique experiences, some received flowers from a stranger and others took photos, being that we stood out in this particular location. To end our tour, we grabbed cold treats at Bon, the local Dairy Queen equivalent before heading back to ILAC for some dinner.