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The most popular pastimes in the Dominican Republic include dancing, playing dominoes, and watching and playing baseball.
Merengue is the official music and dance of the Dominican Republic. The unique dance is characterized by partners holding each other closely and facing one another, with knees slightly bent. If done correctly, it is a two-step beat with the hips of the partners moving in the same direction.
You are never very far from a baseball field in the Dominican Republic. Dominicans have been playing the game for well over 100 years. Though baseball is played year-round, the professional season lasts from October to January, when the sugar mills are slow and everyone roots for one of the four major teams representing their region.
Dominican cuisine is a zesty combination of Taíno (Native American), African, French and Spanish influences. The dishes are often as colorful as the tropical landscape from which they are made. One of the most popular dishes is known as “The Dominican Flag.” Often eaten at lunchtime, it is considered the most important meal of the day. It consists of rice, meat, beans, vegetables and fried plantains.
Phrases
Are you thinking about visiting your sponsored child? Get ready by mastering these simple but useful phrases:
- “Hola” – Hello
- “¿Qué hora es? – What time is it?
- “Feliz Cumpleaños” – Happy Birthday
- “Estoy feliz de ser parte de tu vida” – I’m glad to be a part of your life.
Did You Know?
- Dominican children often cannot afford bats, gloves and baseballs…so they improvise. One common practice is to use a bottle cap, which the “pitcher” snaps from his or her fingertips, as a ball. The hitter will strike the cap with a broomstick or some other thin wooden object.
- The Columbus Lighthouse, a famous monument and museum in Santiago, is said to hold the remains of Christopher Columbus. This is highly disputed, however, as Spain also claims to be in possession of the famous explorer’s remains.
- Bachata is another form of music that harkens from the Dominican Republic. Said to have been born in the poorest Dominican neighborhoods, it is a slow style of music, often characterized by mournful lyrics and accompanied by a Spanish guitar. |
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