My training on the Geographical Informational Systems (GIS) for mapping in Sosua is complete, and by Thursday night I will be with my 4 other roommates, and one of my professors sitting in the Charamicos (the REAL Dominican) side of Sosua eating a REAL Dominican meal. Rather than eating and relaxing on the El Batey side of the town, which is entirely tourism and consists of a large German influence. El Batey is where our home will be for the next month, simply because it is safe, and has good security.
The mapping that we will be doing is social mapping of social institutions and their location and services in comparison with the night life which most likely consists of drugs, alcohol, and sex work.
Upon reading the book What's Love Got to Do with it?: Transnational Desires and Sex Tourism in the Dominican Republic by Denise Brennan, I've learned most of my pre-departure information about Sosua and exactly what kind of work we'll be doing. The book explains all about the normative behavior and effects of tourism, transnational sex and love, as well as how those things have brought dramatic (and mostly negative) changes to Sosua and its culture. Sosua is known all over the DR and the world as a sex capital of sorts, of which I plan on engaging myself in entirely as a professional (don't worry mom).
According to my professor, my 4 other roommates and I will be very tired of alcohol and sex by the end of our trip because of the work we'll be doing in bars and among sex workers and tourists. Nice to know.
