Jessica Du Rosseau, Volunteer PADF-Interdom Funglode.
Jessica and PADF team
I interned in the PADF office in Santo Domingo this summer working as an assistant to Mr. Fausto Rijo on his project dealing with the analysis of agricultural chains of small producers on the frontier. This was my first internship and first experience living abroad.
I arrived in the Dominican Republic two days after my last final at university and soon realized just how much I would have to learn and adapt. After driving around to see some of the sites, specifically the Malecon and Zona colonial, the driver brought me to my apartment at 10 pm on May 7. I sleepily stumbled through the door with my suitcases to find two roommates and a neighbor sitting on the couch. Looking around, the apartment was more than twice as big as my dorm room had been and beautifully decorated. The whole situation did not seem real for another week.
Although I had studied Spanish for several years, I could not understand the Dominicanismos or much else for that matter with the thick Dominican accents. Como tu ‘ta? Que lo que hay? Vaina! (What?!) However, I continued to surround myself with non-English speakers and week by week noticed that I was understanding more. By the end of my time in the DR I felt much more comfortable with both understanding and speaking Spanish and even caught on to most of the slang.
What really stood out to me working in the office was the level of interaction between everyone in the office and between PADF and the organizations that they work closely with. Everyone in the office was available to offer advice on my research or even to help me practice Spanish. After a few weeks I began to feel part of a tight knit family and appreciated the support of everyone. In our monthly staff meetings everyone in the office and representatives from Peace Corps and the office of OAS took part. Everyone communicated what they had been working on for the past month and shared suggestions and ideas. Even as an intern, my ideas and comments counted.
I had the opportunity to meet with representatives from IDECOOP and CONACOOP, two government organizations that deal with cooperatives, and the World Bank to assist with my research. I also participated in seminars and conferences sponsored by PADF and the Foundation for Democracy and Development. Through these events I received a variety of opinions on issues the Dominican Republic faces that can complicate development and interacted with students and professionals from both the Dominican Republic and Haiti. It was interesting to see how development functions on an institutional level, how each individual entity contributes, and how the public views the success of the process. Since my major is international relations and I live in Washington DC, it was essential for me to see how institutions and policy operate in a foreign environment.
Bahía de las Águilas
PADF promotes a variety of border issues, including environmental conservation. Towards the end of the summer I participated in the CYEN conference on global climate change with fellow interns from PADF and youth from all over the Caribbean. For the first few days we attended workshops to learn about policy advocation then we went to the southern regions to meet with an environmental group in Paraiso and do a beach cleanup in Pedernales. The first day, the participants discussed the reasons for their involvement in environmental conservation. One young lady spoke about how her loved ones had developed cancer because of industrial pollutants and explained that now she takes an active stance in improving conditions so that others won’t have to suffer the same conditions. It was inspiring and impressive to see someone transforming herself into a leader for the betterment of her community.
We also met with environmental groups in Paraiso and Pedernales that consisted of community members working to conserve the environment and spread awareness. People from the Dominican Republic and all over the Caribbean shared their ideas and strategies. Although there was a language barrier and some humorous translation moments, the general message got across. The conference confirmed to everyone that they were not fighting alone but had the support of friends from all over the region to coordinate with. People from diverse backgrounds united under a single cause. I was able to see another side of the Caribbean and meet a diverse group of youth activists, who I plan to maintain contact with.
