Dominican Republic in the Spirit of Dante
Bound for Santo Domingo I found myself on a Boeing 737 among an intrepid group of 28 travelers visiting the good people of the Dominican Republic. The journey was an initiative by Indiana State University, Center for Community Engagement known as Alternative Spring Break. An opportunity to spread community service on a more global scale. This particular team was of the Greek life; all members of fraternities and sororities coming to serve. Much like Dante’s passage into the Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise we were about to see a mixture of these journeys intertwined within the next 6 days. Arriving at Santo Domingo, and stepping outside in the warm air, sunshine and welcoming atmosphere it felt much like paradise. During the bus ride to the SCORE complex in the city of Juan Dolio we received a bit of an introduction to the Dominican society just watching the view out the window. Our guide for all these service projects was Felix Fils Reyes. Much like Dante’s guide