DU in the DR
By Charlotte Myers & Parker Litts
Page Title
Course Description
This Intensive Course Abroad, Culture, History, and Community Engagement in the Dominican Republic, offers students a unique opportunity: to explore the rich culture of the country within an urban setting, the capital city of Santo Domingo; to participate in civic engagement through working on a mural art project within a local community in the city; and to visit some of the island’s beautiful public beaches.
Santo Domingo: Culture and History, led by Dr. Gabriella Ibieta and CIEE staff. The program places our contemporary experience of Santo Domingo within the country’s cultural and historical contexts. We will tour the capital’s Colonial Zone, a UNESCO World Heritage site; visit museums as well as cultural institutions and sites, such as the Fortaleza Ozama, the oldest European fortress in the Americas; and view the renowned murals at the Autonomous University of Santo Domingo (UASD). In conjunction with CIEE, we will travel to the city of Santiago for a tour of the renowned cultural institution Centro León; visit the ruins of an 18th century sugar plantation in the town of Boca the Nigua; and spend some time at beautiful public beaches.
Intoduction
For this course, a group of six Drexel students traveled to the Dominican Republic for this eight-day trip. While living in Santo Domingo, Drexel students engaged with middle-school students at their school in the Cristo Rey neighborhood. Together, the group painted a beautiful mural that rests along a wall of the school's front entrance.
Academics
Credits: Students will be registered for ENGL 399: Culture, History, and Community Engagement in the Dominican Republic as part of their spring term course load. This Intensive Course Abroad is 1 credit; students have the option of taking the course for 3 credits; if so, they will be required to complete additional work (details to be determined with the Instructor). Students must leave space for this credit in their spring term credit load or will have to pay for exceeding the 20 credit maximum. The course credit for this program is not optional.
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrival in Santo Domingo, DR; welcome dinner with CIEE
Day 2 Colonial Zone: Parque Colón; Fort Ozama, Alcázar of Colón; Royal Houses
Day 3 Mural Project Orientation and Community Exchange Activities
Day 4 Mural Painting; trip to colonial sugar mill at Boca de Nigua; Playa Palenque
Day 5 Visit to Artecuseco Jewelry-Making Workshop; Playa Bayahibe
Day 6 Visit to Centro León in Santiago
Day 7 Mural Painting; Colonial Zone: Cathedral; colonial churches; group dinner
Day 8 Check out and Group Transfer to Airport