Santo Domingo and Carnaval!

Hey Everyone!
Since I wrote last we've been to Santo Domingo and started our service learning project in Veron. We are teaching English in a private school about 20 minutes away from the Fundacion. But I'll tell you first about our 4 day trip to Santo Domingo. After Lisa Kennedy left and we finished up our Physical Geography class, Antonio Fernandez came to teach our Spanish Culture and Civilization course. We're actually finishing up the course right now. Today we have our last lecture. Most of the material that we are covering, I had already seen in the Spanish Culture and Literature class I took a couple semesters ago with Fernandez. However, the first time I took the course it was all in Spanish and this time it was all in English. I wish I could say I already knew everything that we've been taught the last 11/2 - 2 weeks but to be honest I got alot more out of the class this time in English. But it was nice to at least be familiar with the material; it wasnt completely new. We've had lectures everyday (besides our time in Santo Domingo) in the morning for about an hour before lunch and after the service learning group returns from the school, we have lunch at 12-1, and then continue lecture until 2:30 or 3.
Our time in Santo Domingo was great! We stayed in a very nice hotel called Hotel Europa. We stay pretty much in the Colonial Zone of the city; our hotel was a block up from the house of Diego Colombus, the son of Christopher Colombus. I really felt like I was in Europe rather than the Dominican Republic. Santo Domingo is packed full of historic sites; Diego's estate, the first cathedral and school in the new World, a hospital built for Indians that became sick with diseases from Europeans, the monument that (suppositly) contains the remains of Christopher Colombus (the body was transported between the DR and Spain several times after his death and at some point there was confusion on whether they had the body of Christopher or his son Diego...both places want to claim the have the remains, but there are DNA test currently being done to determine who really has the body of Christopher Colombus...Im just going to pretend like we really saw the box containing the remains of the founder of the New World: Christopher Colombus. Even though, after 500 yrs I dont think anyone can be sure.
While in Santo Domingo we also visited the National Aquarium, Botanical Gardens, and two museums: an art museum and history. The art museum had some really cool pieces and I thought of you all: Dad, Ivan and Katie:) Ill post some pictures.
The other big event on our trip to Santo Domingo was a side excursion to Carnaval. It was CRAZY! We didnt actually go to Carnaval in Santo Domingo because it isnt until a later date but instead we traveled to La Vega (about an hour north of Santo Domingo...i think). We went with a group of people on a charter bus. Some of Heyddy's friends were in the organization that was planning the trip. It was $30 for the bus, drinks, a t-shirt, and lots of fun! :) There were some crazy Dominican girls on the bus with us but they made us feel very welcome. They especially liked the American boys with us. We thought the bus ride there was crazy but once we actually got to Carnaval the bus ride didnt compare. There were so many people, it was almost impossible to walk and the music was so loud my eyeballs were vibrating, seriously! haha it was crazy.
All the different regions dress up in different costumes that they work on all year to think of and creat and parade through the streets and compete for the best costume. They were all handmade and very elaborate. Im going to post some pictures, so you can see for yourself. They also carry around these mallets and hit people. I was lucky enough to not get hit very hard but I did get hit gently and that still hurt. Some of the people we were with got hit hard and it definitely left bruises. The idea is that they're beating the bad spirits out of you. It was a cultural experience to say the least.
Hope everything is going well for everyone!
PS- I forgot...we also went to the Presidential Palace also! I've posted some pics.