The Dominican Republic is a Latin American country situated on the island of Hispaniola in the Great Antilles region of the Caribbean. The country shares Hispaniola with Haiti, which is bordered to the west. Hispaniola is the second-largest island of the Greater Antilles and lies east of Cuba and Jamaica and west of Puerto Rico. The island experiences a sunny, tropical climate typical of countries in the Caribbean region, with pleasant temperatures all year round, with a mean average of 25 degrees in January and 30 degrees in July. The country has a wet season, between November and March, with most rain falling in the Northern and Eastern parts of the island. The average yearly rainfall is 1350 mm. The country's capital city, Santo Domingo, is also the largest city with a population of a little more than 2.2 million inhabitants. It is the oldest inhabitated European Settlement in the Americas, with Spanish-influenced living dating back to 1492 after the arrival of Cristobal Colon. Consequently, the region has maintained much of its Spanish and European feel despite the tropical storm of 1930 that forced the rebuilding of much of the city. There are some beautiful buildings and historic landmarks that attract many tourists each year. These include Catedral Santa María La Menor, the Alcazar de Colon and the Plaza de la Cultura. Music is a very important part of the culture in the Dominican Republican with "merengue" being the most popular. It is a very energetic and lively form of music that encapsulates the Latin way of life and will get you singing and dancing in no time at all! There are numerous trendy bars and restaurants iwhere music is enjoyed, both modern and traditional.
Learn Spanish in a swinging city
Located in a colonial building in the historic heart of Santo Domingo, Academia Hispaniola is the perfect place for a successful Spanish language course. As well as the classrooms and excellent teaching and learning facilities, there is a bar and a restaurant in the building, both of which constitute a sociable meeting point for the students. The language teachers all have experience of teaching foreign students and are very friendly. The accommodation is in the form of a host family or in a shared apartment. Both are an excellent way of practising Spanish and for meeting new people. The host families are very friendly and have a lot of experience in looking after foreign students. All accommodation used by students has been selected by the school and has an excellent location with the appropriate facilities. The accomodation is inspected regularly to ensure standards are being maintained.
Social programme
There is a meal and merengue music on the roof-terrace every Friday and Dominican students are often present. They heartily invite you to practice the first strides in dancing merengue or salsa or practice your Spanish! And if you want to go to one of the beautiful beaches at the weekend, then you can take a "guagua" (small bus) and it takes approx. 50 minutes. There is so much to see and do in Santo Domingo and will keep you entertained for hours. Many students enjoy discovering the city on their own or with a group of friends or classmates.
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Impression
Hawkers, shoe-shiners and artists from Haiti make up the streetscape of the main street of Santo Domingo. Here, everyone plays a unique role in the drama of life, as the ever-present merengue music echoes at the background. Before I knew it, I was dancing in the arms of a shop owner and trying to match the rhythm of the waggling bachata. Overwhelming and contagious… these are two of the terms which best describe the atmosphere in the Dominican Republic!
Elin Karlsson, Sweden.
