• Learn Spanish in Rp. Dominicana

• Learn Spanish in Santo Domingo.
• Learn Spanish in Sosua.

Know República Dominicana

The Dominican Republic occupies the eastern two thirds of the island of Hispaniola, the second largest island in the Caribbean. Formerly a colony of Spain, it shares the island with Creole-French speaking Haiti, located at the western end of the island. Hispaniola is part of the Greater Antilles island group in the Caribbean and lies between Cuba to the northwest and Puerto Rico to the east.

The Dominican Republic offers some of the most beautiful and diverse topography in the Caribbean.

The country's geography doesn't lend itself to easy classification. It is best to think of the Dominican Republic as a combination of highlands, lowlands, and highland valleys. Geographers have divided the country into twenty distinct regions. Two of the more interesting features include over 1,000 miles of spectacular, sun-drenched Caribbean beaches, plus the highest peak in the Caribbean region; Pico Duarte which rises to over 10,700 ft.

Some of the more interesting highlights a visitor should not miss include some of the following destinations.
Santo Domingo: The colonial section has been carefully restored to retain its original charm, and is home to the first university, cathedral and hospital built in the New World. The modern city of Santo Domingo, by contrast, is a thriving port city, equipped with discotheques, gambling casinos, shops and the Cultural Plaza which houses the Gallery of Modern Art and the National Theater

To the east of Santo Domingo is the city of La Romana, home to the understated elegance and graceful charm of the 7000-acre Casa de Campo resort, designed by Oscar de la Renta. Nestled within the resort is Altos de Chavon, a reconstructed 15th-century Mediterranean-style village for culture and art which is perched high on a cliff overlooking the tropical Chavon River and Caribbean Sea. Altos de Chavon hosts major events in a 5000-seat Greek amphitheater, built in the traditional design of Epidaurus.

History

In 1492 Christopher Columbus on his first voyage to the New World found what is today known as the Dominican Republic. Upon landing, Columbus decided that the island should be named La Española. Later in 1496 Santo Domingo was founded and became the first European settlement in the New World.

For about 300 years the Dominican Republic was a Spanish colony. During a period of about 30 years the island was transfered to the French, fell under the control of Haitians, was returned to the Spanish, and in 1821 became independent. In 1822 Haitians took over again and retained control until 1844 at which point the Dominican Repbulic officially came into being.

The country still saw years of turmoils Interestingly, in 1870 the country asked the US to be annexed. The US passed on the "deal" and the country experienced another few decades of unrest culminating with the arrival of US troops in 1916. Troops stayed in the country until the early 1930's.

In 1930 a coup let be Rafael Leonides Trujillo overthrew the government and established a dictatorship that lasted 31 years until his assassination. More turmoil resulted, and Lyndon Johnson once again sent in troops to quell unrest in 1965.

Eventually peace was re-established and Joaquin Balaguer won the presidency in 1966.

Trouble reared its head again in 1978 when Balaguer had the army suspend balloting (Balaguer was trailing in the election). President Carter made a stern warning against election tampering and eventually a different president was elected.

Culture

The culture of the Dominican Republic today is the result of many different influences over the centuries. The language is Spanish and came about due to Spanish colonialism. The Catholic Church is the dominant religion. The Taino culture has influenced certain foods and medicines. And of course the African slave trade had a profound influence on the Dominican Republic.
Without a doubt dance and music stand out, and in particular marengue. No matter where you go in this country you will hear various styles of music and people dancing.

Art is also very prominent in the Dominican Republic.

The Dominican Republic has a long tradition of art. Many fine artists live in this country. If you have a chance stop by some outdoor markets or hit some of the galleries to see what is available. In Santo Domingo stop by the Museo de Arto Moderno.

As you travel around the Dominican Republic the architecture will catch your eye. There are some impressive colonial Spanish building found throughout the country. Of particular interest is the colonial section of Santo Doming.

We are confident that as you learn Spanish in the Dominican Republic, you will fall in love with the local culture

Visual arts and handicrafts are popular in Republic Dominican, but the country's most distinctive cultural outlet is probably its music, which is an eclectic blend of European, African and indigenous rhythms. Theater is growing in popularity, and there is an active literary scene, especially among the younger generation.