Tour of Tortuga Bay

Today Jorge (one of the Dominican teens) met us at 9:30 a.m. with a golf cart to show us around the Tortuga Bay residential area.  This is adjacent to our Puntacana hotel.  Tortuga Bay was developed and designed by Oscar de la Renta.  The homes there reminded us of Robin Leech’s TV shows of “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.”  Obviously a stark contrast to what we have seen this past week. 

Jorge and his aunt and uncle so graciously gave us a tour of their beautifully designed home of which they did themselves as architects. 

Then Jorge drove us around in the golf cart while several of us followed on bicycles.  The flowers were spectacular and I took many close up photos of them.  All of the lawns are taken care of by hired help and it is absolutely beautiful there.  Many of the homes are open air and I actually peeked (from the road) through the doors and could see the ocean on the other side. Wow…I do not think that I have ever been in a neighborhood like this.  Justin said that it reminded him of the Hamptons.  Jorge told us that most of these homes are rented, much like the beach houses at the beach in the US.  Rental fees for these homes range from $3000 to $7000 a day.  Of course, you also have a complete staff at your disposal for every whim that you may be able to pay for…This was a real treat for us and we will never forget this tour!!! 

Reflecting on this makes me again think more about our mission and service to the Dominican Republic.  We have made many friends with our Dominican teens and most of them we see every year.  This trip is not only changing and impacting our 4-Hers, but is also changing the  future leaders of the Dominican Republic and the world.  These more affluent teens of the Dominican Republic are learning service to their fellow country peoples. They have been everywhere with us and have commented on many of their experiences which I do not feel all of them have seen or been previously exposed to. 

As for Jorge, he is one of the most polite, sincere, and thoughtful teens that I have worked with and I will not forget him.  I wish him the best as he pursues his dreams.

Contrubuted by Suzanne Loveland, Shenandoah County chaperon