Submitted by Aileen Kerrigan on the 2018 winter session program in Dominica sponsored by the Department of Geography and the Department of Applied Economics and Statistics…
Sundays are weird in Dominica, and I was told they would be before I got here. Not much is open around the city, because the island is very religious, and Sundays are used for church, family and simply resting from the busy work week. I underestimated how empty the streets would be, but it was a good break from the constant hustle and bustle of people and vehicles.
On Monday, we all went on a short hike to see a Catholic monument. The original path up to the monument was not able to be used due to the hurricane, so we went a separate way, seeing a lot of different vegetation on the way. It was very informative, and the view when we got to the top was great.
Tuesday and Thursday were free days, so we all mostly slept and looked for souvenirs, as a break from all our hikes this week. Wednesday, we took a hike to Middleham Falls. The “trail” was rough; it was pouring rain on the way there, making the logs wet, the soil very muddy and rivers were flowing right where we needed to walk. It was all completely worth it when we got there though! The water was falling 150 feet into a little pool in which we all took a short and icy dip. The walk back was much easier after the water had all dried up.
Friday was a trip to the Emerald Pool, one of the most visited places on the island. Again, the trail is not ready to be hiked on, so we are just going in from the Visitor’s Center and going straight to the Pool. It was still amazing, and extremely green!
Saturday (my birthday!) we went on a whale and dolphin safari, and it was the best day of the program so far. We saw lots of whales, but when we came across a pod of dolphins, everyone was having the time of their lives. They jumped so high in the air it was unbelievable, and they were swimming at the front of the boat like it was a roller coaster ride. This will be a hard birthday to top in the future, and I’m so glad it was spent here.
Food is continuing to be an issue, since I’m a vegetarian, but every day we are all finding more options for me at different restaurants. When our hotel gives us dinners certain days a week, the chef prepares a separate dish for me, and it is always delicious. More stores in general are opening, which is a good sign for the community of recovering from the hurricane. I am so glad to be here after our debate about coming or not, because everyone is so grateful to see us walking down the street, and being able to contribute to their economy makes me feel like I’m spending my winter break very wisely.
Yes, we are learning too! The funniest thing about class was learning about “mountain chickens” last week, and only finding out this week that they are actually frogs! I am learning a lot about natural resources, and having it specifically about the island is such a great experience.
