Submitted by Evan Driscoll on the 2018 winter session program in Dominica sponsored by the Department of Geography and Department of Applied Economics and Statistics…
We arrived in Dominica on Tuesday afternoon, following a bit of excitement on the plane ride over–though excitement is hardly something you want to have on a plane. On our second flight out of Puerto Rico, the plane’s right engine stopped working. The propeller slowed to a stop and after noticing this, the flight attendant began leafing through a binder. He assured us that the plane could fly on one engine and that there was nothing to worry about. The plane turned around and we returned to the San Juan Airport. We waited about another hour before another flight took us to Dominica with no problem, but I’ll admit it’s a bit unnerving to watch a plane’s propeller die out while you’re thousands of feet in the air.
In the evening after our arrival, Athie Martin and his wife, Faye–friends of Dr. Seraphin–hosted us at their house for dinner. The food was delicious and we learned a lot about the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. A third of Dominica’s population left the island. Seeing barren trees across what would otherwise be a lush landscape, alongside destroyed houses and torn-up roads, had a very sobering effect. Maria was a hurricane unlike any other in a very long time.
Despite the devastation, I’ve found Dominica to still have a very lively community. It’s very tight knit, and the market is an especially bustling place to be. I’ve noticed that there is barely a trace of American culture in Dominica. It’s a completely different place with all sorts of different customs. For example, I’m from the Boston area, so seeing people smile and interact with one another in the city is a foreign concept to me.
We also ate dinner with the Minister for Tourism and Urban Renewal, Robert Tonge, and his wife Gilda; I had the privilege of officially thanking them on behalf of the University of Delaware for meeting with us. They told us about efforts being made to revitalize Dominica’s tourism industry, which has been greatly impacted by Hurricane Maria. Before Maria, tourism was the greatest economic market for Dominica. Now, a task force has been created by the government and they are focusing on fixing infrastructure in general in order to attract more tourists.
I’ve only been in Dominica for a few days, and I can already tell that this is going to be an amazing experience. In the past few days, we’ve traveled to Scotts Head, which is at the southwest corner of Dominica, separating the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea. We swam in the Caribbean Sea, which I must say is a lot warmer than the oceans in New England.
We also visited Ti Kwen Glo Cho, which is Creole for “little corner of water.” It is a sulfurous spring of warm water that was very relaxing. Every day has been packed with fun things and interesting content in the classroom. I can’t wait to see what the rest of January has in store.
