dominican republic

The Sounds of Quisqueya Call Me Right Back

by Jose 05.19.2009

Today, Raquel Cepeda linked me to a post about Dominican-Haitian relations that she wrote on her blog, and for those of you who know me, you know I had to jump on that quickly. Most of you know my story already: Dominican mom, Haitian father, grew up conflicted about my identity and how people sought [...]

17 comments Read the full article →

In The Heights and Why I Hated/Love Musicals

by Jose 01.12.2009

On Saturday night, I saw the exuberant, Dominican-New Yorker-inspired In The Heights on Broadway, a musical about a young Dominican man trying to discover his life’s purpose with the backdrop of a romanticized version of Washington Heights (around 181st St, Manhattan, NYC). First, I’d like to say that this was a really good musical: good [...]

4 comments Read the full article →

A-Rod Can Haz Dominican Culture Now?

by Jose 12.08.2008

Back in July of 2005, the World Baseball Classic committees were just getting their international rosters, and most people stuck to their countries of origin, as stipulated by the rules. With 16 teams in the competition, many of us baseball fans almost salivated to the chin being able to watch these all-stars playing on the [...]

7 comments Read the full article →

I Walked Across an Empty Land, I Knew The Backways Like The Back Of My Hand

by Jose 08.14.2008

This is one of the lost blogs I wrote while I was at Dominican Republic. It was inspired by another Clay Burell post, regarding tourism and its caricatures. Thought I’d post it up tonight in light of the recent immigration post. I also updated a few things here and there, in brackets. Enjoy. Originally written: [...]

4 comments Read the full article →

Ojala Que Llueva Cafe En El Campo (Hope That It Rains Coffee In The Field)

by Jose 07.22.2008

Juan Luis Guerra’s quintessential song is “Ojala Que Llueva Cafe En El Campo,” a song that comes across more as a incantation that the poor and hopefully at the least have coffee somehow fall from the sky to bless them, as if to say that G_d might bless them with their basic necessities to relieve [...]

16 comments Read the full article →

El Costo De La Vida (The Cost Of Life)

by Jose 07.21.2008

In “El Costo De La Vida (The Cost Of Life)”, Juan Luis Guerra starts off the song like he and his friends are reading straight from a stack of newspapers he’s got on his desk. Check the flow: El costo de la vida sube otra vez el peso que baja ya ni se ve y [...]

3 comments Read the full article →

My Hood, Your Hood

by Jose 06.30.2008

By the time you read this, I’ll be more than halfway to the neighborhood from which my mother originates in Santo Domingo, DR. In said neighborhood, as in many neighborhoods, the impression us “Dominican-Americans” give off is that indeed we have more money than them, we are more well-off, and that we have greater access [...]

0 comments Read the full article →

My Middle Finger’s Swollen!

by Jose 06.30.2008

If there is a will, there is a blog. Mi gente, bienvenidos desde La Republica Dominicana! It’s a sunny day outside, about 30% chance of rain. Some cloudy skies, winds blowing in the NW direction. I’m sitting here in shorts and a tank top (something I don’t usually do) and relaxing. it’s been OK so far. [...]

3 comments Read the full article →

Can’t Tell Me Nothing

by Jose 04.17.2008

Excuse the double negative, my people, but a brotha’s got a little less patience for fools than usual. Imagine me watching ESPN today, when I see a segment about 4-time All-Star (possibly more if not for the Jeter-A-Rod-Garciaparra collective from a few years back) and future Hall of Famer Miguel Tejada, now a member of [...]

5 comments Read the full article →

Protecting Our Children From What?

by Jose 03.04.2008

On Friday, our grade / floor celebrated Dominican Independence Day / Black History Month, through a series of performances, from song and dance to Powerpoint slides and poetry (including yours truly.) I wasn’t bothered at all by the performances or even the more pro-Dominican stance the school usually takes. It’s ingrained nationalism, and perpetuated by [...]

9 comments Read the full article →

← Previous Entries