After a long day of traveling (we left our house before 5 a.m. this morning!), we made it to Santo Domingo a little after 9 p.m. this evening. Just getting out of the airport and through customs by ourselves was a fun little adventure–and we quickly had opportunities to brush up on our Spanish! 🙂
One of the local staff from Compassion and Marie (who works with Compassion in the U.S.) met us at the airport and we made the 45-minute drive to the hotel. Along the way, we got to experience a little glimpse into the city here and Marie shared stories with us from her visits to Kenya, Haiti, and other countries.
The hardest thing so far? Trying to remember not to use the water to brush our teeth, figuring how to configure the international outlets with my laptop cord, and trying to explain to the hotel staff that we’d like some regular pillows.
(They had some straw-type pillows on our bed that didn’t have pillow cases on them. So we called the front desk to ask if they had any regular pillows with cases on them. It took a number of minutes and various front-desk people for them to understand what it was we were asking for. But once they finally understood, they graciously brought us some normal pillows. And yes, I know that it probably sounds silly that with all the needs we’re seeing around us, we’re asking for replacement pillows, but we’re new to all of this and figured we’d probably sleep ten times better if we had different pillows.)
Tomorrow we’ll be visiting two of Compassion’s projects here and we’ll have the opportunity to visit in some of the homes and meet many of the locals. I’ll share some stories and photos from our experiences tomorrow evening.
I grew up in the Dominican Republic and twenty years later I still don’t use water to brush my teeth 🙂 Since I started doing it when I was so young, I never knew that people actually used water to brush their teeth. My husband told me I was very odd to not use water….I thought he was odd to use water. It took us a long time to figure out why I don’t use water 🙂
You are such an inspiring woman.
I’m reading “Kisses From Katie” right now, so when I imagine you on your trip, I imagine the types of things she describes in her book.
God bless you, your husband, and the people you meet on your trip.
Welcome to my country!!!!! tap water is not drinkable, however you can brush your teeth with it (I’ve been doing it for 38 years) however just don’t swallow it. Use mosquito repellent all times, we are in Dengue timing and hang around with those anti-bacterial gels to put on your hands because there is a pretty bad flu going on. Feel free to email me or call me if you are ever in an emergency (my email is [email protected], I will email you my cell phone number if you are interested). Welcome and enjoy!!!!
I am so inspired by what youare doing. I am a longtime daily reader of yours. May God continue to give you courage!
My husband is from the Dominican Republic and we are traveling there next month with our two little boys to visit family. We will be staying in Santo Domingo. I would love to check out the ministry you are helping!
That’s so neat. Have a great time! We have two children there from Compassion International.
Yuli and Samuel. They are so sweet!
You are such an inspiration Crystal! I will pray for you and Jesse while you are there 🙂
We will be traveling to the Dominican (la romana) in june and am interested to see what it’s like. Look forward to your pictures! Hope they have “normal” pillows at the resort we’re staying at!
My husband makes fun of me but I always bring my pillow when we travel (if I can at all manage it)! International travel always has challenges. When we stayed with missionaries in Africa, they had a little water tank in the bathroom to use when brushing teeth. 🙂
Glad you made it safely! Excited to hear more!
When I went to Mexico I just left a bottle of water in the sink, easy way to remember. I hope you remembered to pack bug spray! I’ll never forget the size of the mosquito’s down there. Good luck with you trip, I can’t wait to read all about it!
Praying for you! Thank you for all you do to encourage all of us.
Following this closely. You inspire me in countless ways.
Don’t trust the water – I’ve visited the DR several times (working on moving there as missionaries), and every time I accidentally brush my teeth with it, bad bad bad things happen!! Those who live there longer may develop more immunity?
And double-check with the people you’re staying with, but they should have the same type of outlets as we do in the States (unusual, I know! but very convenient). Enjoy!
I’m so excited for you guys! We’re praying for you.
I’m so happy for you guys! Santo Domingo is just wonderful. I wish I was there too! I went there on a mission trip and God taught me a lot there… My husband also likes to say that’s where we fell in love. 🙂
If you have a van driver named Eric, tell him I said “que lo que!”
I prayed for y’all last night and will continue to do so!! 🙂
I’ve traveled in India where the water is even worse. Here’s a hint – put a washcloth over the faucet in the bathroom. Then when you have to move it, it makes you remember why you put it there. Helps when you’re too exhausted to think and are on auto-pilot.
When our daughter and her husband were living overseas doing missionary work they were always careful to not get the water in their eyes or mouth in the shower either. My daughter said it was so hard to remember that the water was okay once they were back in the USA.
Enjoy your trip, take a picture of the pillow? LOL!
Enjoy the trip! I make a sign to put on the sink that says — don’t drink water…then I remember!
Welcome to my beautiful country! Haven’t been back since I got married there in 2006…. I agree with Cath, you CAN brush your teeth, Lol!
I’ve been traveling to DR since I was a child, I can’t even count how many times I’ve been there. Ive stayed in the best resorts & I’ve stayed in the small humble homes of my family…. And I have no idea what a straw pillow is!
I think it might be more of a decorative thing that just this hotel has on their beds or something! It felt like you were laying on burlap and straw! 🙂
Our Compassion leader here told us about how sick she got from a sip of the water once, so I think we’re not risking it–even for teeth-brushing!
It could also be a case of native people being immune to much of what is in the water, but foreigners are apt to get much sicker.
I fully agree with your statement about natives being more immune. I traveled to China a few years ago, and I wound up with a parasite that ended up with me needing my gallbladder removed. Please don’t risk it! I only used water twice to brush my teeth until I was so sick the president of the university was going to personally take me to a doctor’s office…where we were it wouldn’t have been safe for me to go alone.
I always used the tap water to brush my teeth, and I never got sick. Also never heard of that straw pillow…
Happened to my Grandmother & my sister in law when they traveled in that area. They both brushed their teeth and had stomach ickies for days after. Not worth the risk, lol. Glad you made it by the way!!
I’m with you on the not risking it. After all, if you end up getting sick the that could kind of defeat the reason you traveled there, and that would be a bummer.
My uncles were missionaries in the D.R. for 10 years each. When my dad went to visit them once, he got something from the tap water and all he did was brush his teeth in it. So I’m with you — better safe than sorry!
So cool! Enjoy the time laboring for God’s Kingdom in your faith, the Dominican Republic and your marriage! This brings tears to my eyes… 🙂
Hey! I’m from DR and it’s a beautiful place, try our authentic food you’ll be amazed :p and btw you can brush your teeth with tap water, but you can not drink it. What is a straw pillow?
They told us not to get the water in our mouths at all, including when we brush our teeth, so we decided not to risk it! The pillows had a sort of scratchy straw cover on them and no pillowcase. I’ve never seen one like it, so I’m not sure quite how to describe them. Needless to say, we didn’t find them too comfortable to lay on!
It’s strange that they told you not to get water in your mouth. I go to Haiti once a year and my brother still lives down there and it’s never an issue. We don’t drink the tap water but we use it to brush our teeth. My mom always used also tap water for coffee too. Once its boiled it’s fine. I hope you are having a great time and keep us posted 🙂
I brushed my teeth with bottled water in Thailand, too. It’s strange to do.
The first time I visited Mexico I brushed my teeth with bottled water. I still got sick. Then I moved down to Mexico while my husband and I went through the US immigration process. We lived in a rural area of central Mexico. I brushed my teeth with well water. And I did not get sick. I boiled the tap water to use for cooking. Keep in mind that the dishes you will eat off of will have been washed in tap water. But there is something to be said for playing it safe, so if you feel more comfortable brushing with bottled water then go right ahead.
As someone who is fluent in Spanish and who has done a lot of volunteer work in Latin America I am very excited to read your updates from the Dominican Republic! Good luck with the Spanish and yes, please stay away from the water!!!
I’m excited to hear more! Safe travels Crystal! 🙂
Glad to hear you arrived safely! Looking forward to reading more about your adventures while you are there!
how exciting!! Our family is moving to the DR in July to be missionaries in the city of San Pedro de Marcoris, which is about 45 minutes east of Santo Domingo. I can’t wait to read more about your adventures! Thanks for sharing!