“Santo Domingo, which is in the south, became the capital, however, because it was used as the major trade port to the rest of South America. It was hard to look at all of the heavy equipment that the Spanish forced the Dominican natives to carry throughout the island upon their arrival. When the Spanish arrived, they enslaved the natives. Looking at the old Spanish architecture was interesting as well. Our group noticed that the doorways and hallways were very short and also observed how the clothing, displayed on mannequins, appeared to be smaller and tighter and long and heavy. The clothes were worn conservatively, probably to show a certain status. It’s difficult to picture people wearing these heavy garments in the hot Caribbean heat. If I learned anything about this trip, it’s that I need to come back to the Dominican someday as there is still so much of the country, culture and history to explore. I’m so glad that I decided to spend my spring break abroad.”-Parker