Winter Break Tour with The Harvard Callbacks!

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Eliana Class of '27
Authored on February 12, 2026

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I escaped the cold New England winter and spent my break in the warm Dominican Republic (DR) doing what I love, singing, with the Harvard Callbacks for our annual international tour!

The Dominican Republic is known for its beautiful culture, magnificent waters, and being the birthplace of merengue and bachata music. As a music lover, it was a perfect tour destination. I sing mezzo and alto with the Harvard Callbacks, and I truly had the best time exploring DR with different individuals who share the same passion.

We visited Santo Domingo, the capital, a truly remarkable city with stunning scenery, especially Los Tres Ojos National Park, also known as The Three Eyes National Park. The name is attributed to when it was first discovered; There were three open-air sunken lakes formed by collapsing caves. Every eye (ojos) represents its own lake and has its own name. 
A picture of one of the lakes at the Three Eyes National Park

One of the lakes in The Three Eyes National Park

My acappella members and I debated whether the park's name should stay as The Three Eyes since there was, in fact, a fourth secret eye, only accessible via a wooden barge with a boatman. I think that makes it more exciting, as tourists don’t seem to know about the fourth lake, so it was thrilling to explore the lesser-known lake!

Eliana and her acapella group members posing in front of the fourth hidden lake

Me and a few members at the fourth hidden lake

The final city we visited was Punta Cana, a resort town with clear waters and spectacular beaches. Since I was coming from  New Zealand, which has summer in January, it was nice to have continuous summer weather. It was around 29 degrees Celsius (84.2 Fahrenheit), which was perfect for a beach day!

One of the beaches in Punta Cana

One of the beaches in Punta Cana

We also had the privilege of performing with the Puntacana Chapel Choir in the beautiful Capilla Nuestra Señora de Puntacana. As the summer breeze blew across our faces while singing, it created a perfect moment, one I could not forget. Some of the songs we sang were by Adele, The Beatles, Olivia Dean, The Red Clay Strays, and Maggie Rogers. I loved every moment of the tour, and it was an incredible experience. Performing in such breathtaking venues and meeting new people was a movie-like moment that I will never forget.

The Harvard Callbacks singing together at an event

Me singing the Alumni Song 'The Letter' with The Harvard Callbacks

I was truly grateful for the opportunities I have been given, and I look forward to the upcoming performances with the Harvard Callbacks. Our Spring Jam 2026 will be on April 3rd, 2026, in Sanders Theatre!

For more updates and information on the Harvard Callbacks, you can follow our Instagram page @harvardcallbacks

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  • Arts & Media
  • Residential Life
  • Student Activities
  • Student Life

Eliana Class of '27

Hello everyone! My name is Eliana, and I’m from Auckland, New Zealand. I am a junior in Adams House, studying Economics and Government. 

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