More photos from the week

The internet hasn't been working well the last few days.  Here are photos from Wednesday.  This is one hard working groups of kids!

Painting at the DREAM center.  

By the time we were done painting Friday afternoon, we had painted the entire DREAM center inside and out. 

Donations we packed out for DREAM and their summer camp programs all had to be inventoried. 

Courtney and company were meticulous about their painting responsibilities.  The Bathrooms looked great girls!

15 push ups for every drop of paint spilled on the ground. 

Jon-linko (sp???) is over Sports for Life at DREAM.  He was grateful for the much needed sports supplies. 

Much needed water break!  Have we mentioned the humidity here?!?

Post-painting/pre-lunch dance party with the locals.    We Americans just don't know how to swing our hips!

Repairing books in the library.

We are headed to the beach for our last day here in the Dominican.  We had a long work day yesterday painting, weeding, teaching and designing a mural.  Happy Birthday to Megan and McCall!

Our flight leaves the Dominican at 2am.  We'll be back in NYC by tomorrow morning at 8am!

Day Four

Internet has been a little shotty for the last little bit so we haven't been able to post anything. I hope we can get this post from yesterday night up and then get the one up from tonight.

We are right in the thick of our trip and we are working hard and having a lot of fun along the way. We've been in the sun playing with kids, we've been on the beach, we've eaten chicken and rice every day and we've feasted our eyes on the impossibly verdant beauty that is the Dominican Republic.

I could tell you everything we've done, but I would like you to hear what has been happening from your kids' point of you. Here you go:

Hey US it’s Kristen! Today was my favorite day so far, but then again, I say that about every day here! Earlier this morning we went to the DREAM center to help paint some of the classrooms and so that they would look really nice for the next group of kids coming in for the program! I’ve still got a little paint spackle on my arm, and probably still in my hair, but that’s okay! We got the rooms painted really quickly and everyone was really surprised by our speed and the amount of donation that we brought with us. I think someone said we had 40 suitcases or right around there and they all had about 50 pounds in them. You do the math! That’s a ton of stuff!

We got to go shopping in the city of Cabarete and we all got a crash course in bartering and trying to get the most bang for our pesos! I have to say, I think I’m pretty pro at bartering with the shop owners, it’s way cool to choose what you pay for something. We also went to go get ice cream at a place called Bon’s. It was delicious, we got a whole pint of delicious ice cream for way less than you can get in the states, especially if you’re partial to Ben and Jerry’s. So far, this week has been so much fun, I’ve been trying so many new things it’s crazy! I think my favorite new experience was drinking juice out of a coconut! How cool is that?! Well, I’m going to go get some rest so that I can be alive, awake, alert, and enthusiastic for tomorrow! Hasta luego!

Hola! Como esta? Me llamo Jordan, and that’s all the Spanish I know! It’s not much, but it’s enough to make friends down here. This trip has been the best. I’m so glad I came. So far, I have seen the ocean, kite surfers, a motorcycle accident, people living in shacks, several naked children, and the all around happiest people on the face of the planet. My eyes have been opened to a completely different world than the one we left behind. In the US, people spend time on Facebook, using cell phones, and watching TV, but here people spend their time playing music loud, dancing, and sitting on their porch waving as neighbors walk by. Today we painted classrooms in the DREAM location in Cabarete. It was a long, exhausting job, but I was so happy to see the final project. I think it was a great thing to help clean this school for the kids to enjoy and learn in.

Not everything down here is work though. I have partied more on the beach then I have ever done in my life. I came down here not knowing anyone, and now I’ve made a lot of friends. We all went shopping today, and I haggled for a better price on presents for my sisters. I hope they like them, cause I spend good pesos on them. I’m honestly a little sad that this trip is quickly coming to an end. I can only hope that the next few days measure up to the countless dance parties and night swimming we have done so far. I have loved this trip, and I know that the experiences I have had here will last a lifetime. Well, I better quit being philosophical about this trip and get some sleep so I can enjoy the rest of my trip! (P.S. I’m not sure if my family is reading this, but if you are, Happy (late) Birthday Lauren! Sorry it took me so long!)

Hi! Ho! The Dominican Republic is a whole new world! ☺ I can’t believe all that I’ve seen and done this week, and it’s only been 4 days. I love playing with the children! You could say that I’m the girl that that has everything. We walk a lot but I can go the distance but I’m always sweating. It feels like I’ve covered myself in baby oil and then jumped in water. It’s soft and yet uncomfortable. We are getting by just the bare necessities when it comes to personal items, but that’s just part of the adventure. The people here are just amazing. We can just feel the love… Especially tonight. The beach is beautiful, it’s a dream my heart has wished for! Today we painted for hours upon hours. We broke expectations of what was expected. I feel like I can paint with the colors of the wind. We are having a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious time!

Though it’s only been three days it feels like we’ve been in the Dominican Republic so much longer and it has been amazing! Just walking through the town it is fun to see all the people here. They don’t have much but they are perfectly content with simple things like sitting out on their porches all day. My favorite part has been playing with the kids. Even though we don’t speak the language we can still play with them and just have fun together. Today we went to DREAM and painted the rooms upstairs. We have all become pretty pro at painting now, even if quite a bit of the paint ended up on us. After we were done we had fun learning some dances from the locals before going back to Mercedes for lunch. After going back to DREAM and painting some more we went around to some of the shops in town and worked on our negotiating skills. We ended the day with dinner back at the hotel and free time in which I learned a new card game! This has been such a spectacular week and I can’t wait for the rest of the things we are doing.

Day Three

Hello parents and friends,

It's me, Dane. I haven't had a chance to write on the blog yet. I hope you've enjoyed the personal accounts from your kids a little more than any brilliant thing I could come up with. I haven't had a chance to read the guest blog posts yet, but I imagine they are quite descriptive and with four every night, you should be getting a comprehensive view of what we've gotten ourselves into down here. I say that tongue in cheek because I'm never happier than when I'm doing humanitarian work.

With that said, I wanted to commend you on the way you've raised your children. I had a rare moment of parent-like pride last night, while I was talking to a group of your teens. They were gathered round a table at the hotel talking about the day and laughing up a storm well after their bedtime. I climbed the stairs to have a quick laugh before I went to bed. We did laugh, but before long we had moved on to more serious subjects. I asked the kids what they wanted to get out of this trip and was somewhat surprised by their responses. Rather than talking about the fun and the activities that have been planned "Just C" (Zac Harvey. We have two Zacks.) said he was hoping to learn, to see something he isn't able to see in Utah. He said he wanted to be exposed to the poverty so he could learn from it and grow from it. That, along with a handful of other mature answers were shared and I was suddenly proud to be a part of such a remarkable group of young people. Thank you for sharing them with us leaders. I know of about 50 tiny Dominican ninos that are just as grateful as we are--if the countless piggy back rides given today are any indication, that is.

Lindsay Little

Today was by far my favorite day of this whole trip so far. I say that every day ☺ This morning we went to the sugar cane fields where the Haitian people come to work. We were hanging out with the little babies! The second we walked into the field, those kids were all over us. I had one on my back, and one on each hand. They are the cutest kids ever. There was one little boy running around butt naked so I asked him “Donde esta su ropa?” which means “where are your clothes?” and he said “no tiene” “I don’t have any.” It broke my heart! These kids have pretty much nothing and yet they are so happy! One thing I have learned from these amazing people is that “things” are not the most important. “Things” don’t bring you happiness! Its people and their amazing stories and their company! Its enjoying cultures, tastes, smells and feelings. The little things in life is what happy is. We taught the kids about Dental Hygiene and handed out kits that had a toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss in them. I practically got mauled handing them out! I have never seen kids so excited about a toothbrush! Plus we had delicious food and played on a beautiful beach. I am gonna try kite surfing soon! I think my heart definitely got bigger today!

Maddie Gilbert

Today... what can I even say about today. In comparison to normal life, it was probably the coolest thing that has, and ever will happen to me. We went to the sugar cane fields this morning. The vast majority of this trip there was filled with song singing, bailar-ing, sweating, playing with the cutest children in the world (p.s. what is the penalty for bring home a Dominican child?), and beach loving. Though today was incredible, the Bate (however you spell that) was the most motivating place I have visited. These people literally have no opportunity to move up the class system and they are the lowest of the low. In fact, they virtually have no way to even make money other than tourist, which are few and far between. This is amazing to me and I hope that we made a small but significant difference in those peoples lives. To sum everything up, here is a poem:

The DR is fantastic
And awfully sarcastic
My legs are covered in bites
But hey, that’s just life


We’re sweaty and hot
And have no robots
We’ll be home soon
But first we must swoon?


This adventure is continuing
Nothing rhymes with continuing
So this is the end

Brittney Cook

Today was an AMAZING day! I loved every second of it. We got the opportunity to go Teach the “Deportes Para La Vida” (sports for life) program to the children that live on the sugar cane farms. We taught them games and got the play with them all day!! We all made so many new friends. I made a new friend named Princessa. She was five years old. She was the cutest little girl I have ever met! She wouldn’t let go of my neck the whole time we were playing games and saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I have ever had to do! Being here and seeing how they live compared to how we live has definitely made me more appreciative of everything I have. We also went to the beach today and swam in the ocean, played soccer, and body surfed! It was so much fun!!! The DR is the most amazing place I have ever been!

Sydney Cook

Wow… where to even begin? Today was incredible. It was definitely one of the most amazing experiences of my life. We had the opportunity to go and spend the day with some of the poorest of the poor here in the Dominican. From the moment we first got there, the little kids never left our sides. My new little friend’s name was Denia. She was five and she was adorable. She was attached to my hip (or… more like shoulder haha) the entire day. I wish I could take her home with me!! All of the kids were so cute and so much fun. They were fascinated with me and my sister’s long, blonde hair. They couldn’t stop touching it! It was such an eye opener to see the way they live. It really made me realize how much I take for granted in my life. It was so hard to leave! After all of that, we got to spend the rest of the night at the beach. It was sooo much fun! I absolutely love the Dominican! This trip will definitely be one to remember always! I cant wait for what the rest of the trip will bring!

Photos from day 2

More pictures later today....no time for more than these 3 pictures for now.

Today we will be working in the Bateyes (sugar cane work fields) among the Haitian immigrants. We will be helping with an HIV class and teaching dental and hand hygiene/disease prevention.

Day Two

Rian’s Tidbit on the DR…

Breakfast: Delicious melon drink and egg, cheese, and ham sandwich
Lunch: fried chicken and rice and beans
Dinner: A whole fish (head and everything). Rice and beans, a fruit drink in a coconut, macaroni salad, and salad

As you can see the food was great! We woke up in the dreamy hotel (I say this because the curtains are all filmy like in the movies) and it already felt hot and my skin felt sticky. My room quickly got ready for the big day ahead and went to breakfast which two ladies made out in the pavilion of our hotel. In the morning we toured to school. They bless so many lives here. We had have sports for life come and play games with us. It is a program that spreads awareness of HIV through games. It was incredible how fun it was and how much I learned. The presenter was so eloquent even being translated in how everything we did applied to everyone’s lives.

Then we went on a scavenger hunt. My group had so much fun, and it looked like the others were too. Kierra used a truck’s (it was selling fruit) speaker phone thingy to announce, “Vamos a ganar!” which means, “We are going to win!” We didn’t expect to, but we did.

After, the victors went shopping. I got shoes made in Haiti! The city, Cabarete is so colorful and happy. I can never stop smiling here. It is really funny when guys say funny things in Spanish and call to the girls and say “Linda” or something. I guess everyone can feel pretty even though we are all sweating like crazy. And the guys can feel handsome. Everyone is so nice and I feel like the happiest and luckiest person on earth. I am not sure I will be able to leave. I want to live here! Hey, Mom, can we move here?

After the scavenger hunt we went to lunch at the best fried chicken place ever. Those that were teaching left to give their lessons. My group wasn’t presenting, so I don’t know how teaching went. The rest of us went back to the hotel and then left to check out the beach for a couple minutes to scout it out.

And to finish the beautiful day, we went on a boat ride, but before we went on the boat they showed us a couple animals, like a snake, turtle, and an alligator (thankfully the alligator was in a cage!). The boat ride was gorgeous and the breeze felt amazing! Our boat ran out of gas, but the other boat went back and got us more so we could go to the beach. When it got too dark to swim we went to dinner and I danced my little heart out. There were some little Dominican boys that could dance like crazy. There was a bonfire and the music allowed everyone to be lively and feel like they belonged in the world. It was better than any movie. I love you Mom, Dad, Sam, and Aaron!!!! I miss you, and I could never thank you enough for letting me come. Thank you to all that made this possible!!!

Now, Tamos en chercha- slang for we are just chillin’

Branson Maxwell—

And I thought yesterday was fun. Today was completely amazing. Before we got to go to the beach we got to present our lessons on first aid to the children. Although they were loud, I think we taught them some really great stuff that will really come in handy for them. Then of course the beach was unforgettable and we had a ton of fun dancing with the natives there. They have some crazy moves!

Mackenzie Quintero-

There is so much to say yet I’m not sure how to explain everything we have done so far in just two days. We have gone swimming in a cave, hiked in the jungle, gone to a zoo where I have held a turtle. We have also ridden a boat, which broke down, but don’t worry it was fixed, on the river to the beach and it was so beautiful! Once we arrived at the beach we swam in the ocean and it was amazing. Just when you think things are already awesome, things got better. We had dinner on the beach and it was delicious! Then we danced and had a bonfire! It has also been fun seeing all the children and learning more about the culture of Dominican Republic. Everything is just so great!! All of this plus more has happened in just two days!! I can’t wait to continue our experience!!

Halley Baum & Zack Slaymaker—

Hola de Republica Dominicana! Today we had a FANTASTIC time. We rose out of our painted concrete hotel around 7:30 and ate breakfast before venturing off to the DREAM facility where we were given a tour. We were introduced to deportes para la vida (sports for life) and played games for a while. After that we were split into teams and sent on a scavenger hunt throughout the town. The little kids were so happy to see us and wanted all the attention they could get! We had a delicious lunch called La Bandera, which is rice, beans, and chicken. Back at DREAM we taught our classes and got the kids laughing until they nearly peed their pants! When 6:00 came around, we had a jungle tour and got to hold some local animals that were not either dogs or chickens (thank heavens). We loaded the boats and followed the river to where it met the ocean. It was beautiful. We had an amazing dinner.

Coming from a seafood lover, we had some of the best fish I have ever had. I ate two whole fish!! Music started getting louder and the dance party had started. The little boys had better moves than all of us combined. They were all happy to show off. We then stood around a giant bonfire and loaded the buses once again to head back to the hotel. Today was quite the experience for all of us. It sure makes us thankful for all that we have at home! Can’t wait to see what is yet to come!

More photos from day !

our lizard whisperer

On our way to the cave

In the cave

The Dream team lands in the Dominican Republic

Day 1 in beautiful Calbrete

We have arrived safely and without incident flying from Salt Lake City to Santiago yesterday, an amazing feat considering we were trying to keep track of 35 people. All our bags arrived—doubly grateful for that small blessing.

After arriving at the Santiago airport last night at 1am, our bus was ready and waiting to take us to the city of Calbrete 2 hours away from the airport. Our first major experience in a 3rd world country occurred half way through our 2 hour drive. Our bus was the first vehicle on scene to a motorcycle accident that happened a few hundred yards in front of us. Not being able to provide assistance and knowing that medical services in a country like this are lacking were hard facts to face as we drove by. It has reaffirmed to us the importance of the education we have brought to share with the people here in this country. First Aid and safety is one of the four classes we are prepared to teach.

It was close to 5 am DR time before we were in our rooms sleeping and thankfully we got to sleep in and taking things a little slow for today. Our DREAM team guides Willie, Jack, and Chi Che took us on a hike in the national park, just a walk away from our hotel. I think the highlight for most was hiking up a small hill and entering into a cave wall through a hole in the wall that led us down a latter and into a pool of water for cave swimming. Although it was fairly dark except for candles in the cave, the water was crystal clear and cool, a perfect exchange for the humidity and heat we were all feeling.

Now for our first guest blogger for the night!

Guest Blogger: Jentrie Jensen

After a very long night we have arrived! And my first thought was “man it is hot here, and why did I bring sweats for pajamas?” After waking up this morning our room was freezing and I was glad. Today we woke up a little late and almost missed breakfast. We then went on a little tour of the community and a hike up in the hills. On this little hike we got to swim in a underground cave and then had fresh fruit after words. On our way back we saw some boys playing baseball and a couple of us played with them. Overall it was a great afternoon!

Chase Ward

We had an excellent breakfast this morning after getting what little sleep we could squeeze out of the night. Today was overcast and of course, very humid, causing us to sweat before exerted any energy at all. We met our Dream Project friends, and they took us on a spelunking adventure. We swam by candle light where Dane impressed us all with his jumping skills. We spent the afternoon hiking the jungle where we saw Chi che’s “tree of life,” and got to walk through the streets like the naïve and giddy tourists we are. The scenery is muy bonita and the people seem very friendly although I understand less than one percent of what they say to me. I’m ready for dinner now and I’m very excited for the fantastic experience that awaits us, this is just the beginning!

Guest blogger: Kaelis Sandstrom

Our first day here in the Dominican Republic has been quite eventful one. It was wonderful to come to the hotel in the early hours of the morning and get a few hours of sleep before we started on our adventures. After a really good breakfast the guys from the DREAM Project talked to us about what we needed to know about the Dominican, laid down some ground rules, and told us about what we would be doing that day. They took us down the road to see where the DREAM Project building. It was really cool to see a place that is dedicated to education of the people here. Everyone was excited to find out that we would be hiking up to a cave and going swimming. Going inside the cave was quite an adventure. We had to climb down a ladder that quite frankly I did not trust; and then many of us had to convince ourselves that we would be just fine if we jumped into the cold dark water. I am glad to say that I eventually summed up the courage to do so. The cave was fantastic! After that we climbed out of the cave and had our guide, Chi che, show us around the jungle. It blew my mind when I found out that Chi che was born and raised in the jungle. Chi che took us to the place in the jungle where he was born. The jungle is a beautiful place, even when a wandering chicken scares you half to death. It’s been absolutely amazing to be here and to meet the kind people that call this place home. And I am so excited for the adventures to continue.

Guest Blogger: Kierra Larsen

The Dominican Republic has been amazing so far-and it’s only been one day! I have seen and done so many adventurous things such as trying new food, hiking, swimming in a cave and walking around town. My favorite part of today was swimming in the dark cave. Jumping into a pool of cold water in a dark cave is not something that people can say they have done. It’s now officially crossed off my bucket list! The people are all so friendly and nice. I am thrilled to be able to interact with the people more once we start teaching health classes.

Stay tuned for tomorrow--our first day of teaching and in the evening a bonfire on the beach~

This Is Really Happening

Em just sent me these. Funny.

Let me introduce you to your fearless leaders:



Wait a minute, I'm going on a weeklong trip with these weirdies?

Tomorrow!!!

Just a reminder, we are meeting at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow at the Delta terminal (Terminal 2). Please be wearing your orange t-shirt. Have your passport and photo I.D. handy. Also, have your name badge on you, so we can start learning names. All liquids should be in your bag you will be checking. Let me know if you have any questions before tomorrow.

Dane DeHart
801.400.2743

Five More Days, People, Five More Days

Explorers, parents and leaders,

We have only five more days until we leave on our humanitarian trip. Please come back to this blog throughout our trip to get updates, see photos, maybe some video and hear accounts for your kids about their adventures. We will also be posting to our Facebook page, UVRMC Medical Explorer Post 955.

With such a short amount of time left, I wanted to make sure you had all of the information you need to prepare and have an amazing experience in the Dominican Republic. All of this information has already been given to you in one form or another, but for your convenience, I will post it again here. Let's start with the simple things:

Packing List

Here is our packing list. I would caution you to bring as little as possible. When traveling foreign it is a lot less stressful when you aren't worrying about all of the hundreds of items you brought. I would also encourage all of you to enjoy a week without constantly worrying about how you look. I know that sounds scary, but it's actually kind of liberating.



Please add to this list,

your name badge
blue scrubs
PASSPORT and copy of passport
Money exchanged to Dominican Pesos ($50 - $100 worth, depending on how many souvenirs you will be buying. I think you can get plenty of memorabilia for $30 or less. Does that make me sound like my dad?)

Flight Information

Once again, I've included our flight information so you can know exactly when we will be up in the air. But please know, these times are not "up in the air." Please be to the airport at 8 a.m. this Saturday. Let me repeat, be at the airport at 8 a.m. Parents, we will be rolling in on Sunday, the 24th at 4 p.m. Please be at baggage claim to pick up your children between 4 and 4:30 p.m.

Delta Flight #106 Leaving June 16 from SLC at 11:06 AM Arriving at JFK at 5:53 PM
Delta Flight #555 Leaving June 16 from JFK at 9:10 PM Arriving at STI at 1:12 AM

Delta Flight #556 Leaving June 24 from STI at 2:10 AM Arriving at JFK at 6:00 AM
Delta Flight #2174 Leaving June 24 from JFK at 12:55 PM Arriving at SLC at 4:04 PM

Itinerary



Contact Information

Here is our contact information if you need to get in touch with us during the trip:

Email

danedehart@gmail.com
emily.dougall@gmail.com

Phone

I'll be posting emergency numbers as soon as we get down there.

The DREAM Project Information

Plaza del Patio, Tienda J
Cabarete, Puerto Plata
Republica Dominicana
Tel: (809) 571-0497


Hotel Information

The Hummingbird Hotel
Callejon de la Loma
Cabarete
Dominican Republic

biggi@hummingbird-cabarete.com

I'll stop there.

You Guys Should Be So Proud