3 weeks in...

I haven't blogged in a while and I know you all are dying to know what's been going on with me, so I thought I'd give you a quick update...

We have finally started working! I know you guys were probably thinking I'm here in paradise on vacation all summer long, but we actually have an internship. We work in the legal department of the largest insurance company in Latin America and our supervisor, Doña Josefa, knows everyone who is anyone in Santo Domingo, so we do a lot of rotating between different legal departments within the city so that we can, in her words, "saber todo de la ley dominicana! (know everything about Dominican law!)." We've been to both traffic and criminal courts to observe the differences in the legal systems (as compared to the American legal system) and there are definitely a lot. For example, when we walked into the traffic court, we did just that- walk in! There weren't any metal detectors and I don't recall seeing any security guards. Luckily, no one flew off the handle while I was there. Judges and lawyers here also have to wear special robes when in the court room which feature berets adorned with colored balls on top. (Judges wear one color, defense attorneys, another, and so on). Besides that, we generally stay in the office and assist the attorneys in the department with whatever tasks they ask of us. And no matter what, we aren't allowed to speak English. Our coworkers are so excited to help us better our Spanish.

Outside of work, I finally made it to the beach. We've been to Boca Chica twice, but whenever we tell people that I work with that we've been there, they always give us the same look like "Eww, why would you go there?" Apparently, Boca Chica is the dirty beach that no one wants to go to (I have seen garbage and stray dogs), and now one of the worst beaches in the area. BUT, it's crazy because the actual beach itself is more gorgeous than any beach I've ever seen in the States! Must be so nice to live here and have your pick of tropical beaches! Anyway, while lounging on the beach people come up to you selling everything ranging from fresh seafood and coconuts to CDs and wooden sculptures. There are also food stands that sell fresh fish which they fry right in front of you after you select the one you want. Being the adventurous eater that I am, I just had to try one although our program doesn't want us eating "street food." L and A were too scared to try it (Lame! Lol), so my newest roommate and I split a plate of fried fish (it was huge) and tostones. It was so good! Too bad I forgot to take a picture to show you all...

In cultural excursion news, last weekend we took a three and a half hour WALKING (-___-) tour through the Colonial Zone. We visited a cathedral in the heart of the zone which I was told was the oldest gothic cathedral standing in the Americas, dating back to the 16th century. I thought it was absolutely beautiful despite the fact that laid within the floors and walls were the tombs of countless men who had been buried there centuries before. The most interesting part about the cathedral, though, was that it housed the tomb of Christopher Columbus! Yes, the Christopher Columbus that we all read about in school books who "discovered" America! Although we couldn't actually enter the tomb since it was roped off, it was still cool to be that close to a piece of history that I have heard so much about.

Tomorrow we are going to Santiago, which used to be the capital of the country before it was destroyed by an earthquake and relocated here. I am so excited to get outside of the Santo Domingo area so I can see what the rest of the country looks like! Stay tuned because I will most definitely be updating when I return...

Nos hablamos! <3

Roadside food stand where I bought some chicharron to try for the first time

The stairwell leading to Christopher Columbus' tomb

Inside the oldest gothic cathedral in the Americas

Laying in a compartment in the first fortress in the Americas. Soldiers would lay in these to get good range on opposing forces without being vulnerable to return attacks.