Day 7: Beach Day!

Submitted by Sarah Rodibaugh:

  

After a long couple of days including adventure and health care facility visits our group traveled to Puerta Plata to relax and absorb the Dominican Republic sun. More specifically, we visited Cayo Arena for the day to visit paradise and experience an excursion of a lifetime. We cruised down to a sand bar in the middle of the ocean and enjoyed the vibrant surroundings. We stopped to see the “pool” of water and swam in the beautiful clear water. We hopped back on the boat and made our way to the island beach. When we arrived on the beach, everyone had a smile on their face and felt the immediate warmth of the sun. During my time on the beach I was able to bond with the group and form close relationships. My time on the beach was very relaxing and a great time to reflect on all of our past experiences. We have spent a lot of time learning about the public health of the Dominican Republic, so today was a time to take in the other aspects of the country. 

Submitted by Megan Kwiatkowski:

At Cayo Arena today, we went snorkeling to see fish and coral in the ocean. The national park is home to endangered coral that inhabits jellyfish, Royal blue tang, orange green triggerfish, clownfish, and fire fish. We were able to utilize our go-pros to  take underwater pictures of the aquatic life as well as our student snorkelers. This was an amazing experience since it was such a pure, natural creation. We were all in awe of the differences between the types of coral and appearance of the island. No one knew what to expect from our trip today, but there was definitely no disappointment in this excursion. I had also never realized how difficult it can be to train yourself to snorkel and become a mouth breather. It was tough, but so rewarding! 

Submitted by Martasia Carter:

After yesterday’s adventure, we arrived at our home for the next few days— Cofresi Resort! Settled in Puerto Plata, this place had a lot to offer & lived up to its reputation as an exquisite and luxurious resort to stay at. The staff was very courteous and even respectfully assisted when some of our phones deactivated the room keys. Relieved to be in a place so elegant, this morning brought us a full breakfast buffet. Different than the traditional Dominican breakfast we’d been enjoying all week, the full buffet included French toast, sausages, fresh fruit, eggs of all makes, baked goods, and omelets made to order! After we filled our bellies, we drove to our next excursion— Cayo Arena.

We then witnessed first hand the closeness of Dominicans and their domestic livestock (as we have many times this week). We were greeted by herding cattle, which provided an excellent view on our long road trip to the beach.