Fun Facts

As promised I have created a blog so you all can hear about my Peace Corps adventure. I don't leave until March 5th so in the meantime here are some fun facts about the Dominican Republic (DR). T-minus 17 Days!

• The DR is located here: 

• Santo Domingo, the capital, is considered the oldest city in the new world
• The DR is slightly more than twice the size of New Hampshire
  Out of all the flags in the world, the depiction of a Bible is unique to the Dominican flag

National Flag

Coat of Arms

• The population of the DR is 10,088,598 (July 2012 est.)
• There are approximately 1.41 million people of Dominican descent in the US (2010 est.)
• 1 in 4 MLB players are from the DR
• Some famous Dominicans are: Oscar de la Renta, Alex Rodríguez, Zoe Saldana, and  Junot Díaz
• Larimar, a rare blue stone, is only found in a mountainous region of the DR

Larimar Necklace

• Dominicans think it taboo to shower after you eat, as if you’ll open up the shower head get a cramp and drown while showering
• Another taboo in the DR is to open up the fridge if you’re hot. The theory is that hot and cold will clash and your face will freeze frame and stay the same for the rest of your life.
• The DR is the only country where Peace Corps allows Volunteers to ride motorcycles!