Other articles by Maria Elena Salinas:

Small margin of error for El Salvador leader Priest may be poster child for anti-celibacy debate A man of the cloth but still just a man Flu deepens Mexico's suffering Obama's support vital to DREAM Act Latin America seeking partnerships with US Obama team takes on Mexican drug war Tone of immigration debate promotes hatred My opinion Maria Elena Salinas : Immigration reform should be a priority My opinion Maria Elena Salinas : Obama must name more Latinos to posts

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LA ROMANA, Dominican Republic

I'm back at one of my favorite places. This country that together with Haiti makes up the island of Hispaniola is one of the poorest in the world, but one of the richest in beauty and hospitality. It's the pristine beaches, the spectacular landscapes and the lively music, but mostly it's the people.

Dominicans smile, dance and sing in the midst of adversity — and believe me, they have their fill of adverse moments. If it's not a natural disaster, it's a political scandal, an energy crisis or an increase in the cost of food supplies, not to mention the high cost of gasoline. So you have to wonder why it is that in such a poor country people are getting by with a positive attitude, and in our country, which is one of the richest in the world, we are constantly complaining.

For instance, the morning I left to come here for a minivacation, I read an online article about how record gas prices in the United States are creating fears of an economic debacle

"The cost of gas reaches $4 a gallon in parts of California," read the headline. "Food prices rise with gas prices as the economy worsens and the dollar weakens," stated the article.

I don't want to undermine the seriousness of our economic troubles — I complained about the $75 it cost me recently to fill up the tank of my SUV — but maybe if we consider how much worse off other countries are, it could bring us some relief. Just maybe.

With the cost of gas at almost $6 a gallon in parts of the Dominican Republic, a person has to pay well over $100 to fill his or her tank. That is, of course, if he or she can afford to have a vehicle. A new car that would cost $30,000 in the United States is more than double that amount in the Dominican Republic. So, in a country where the minimum salary is the equivalent of $140 a month and the average income is around $400, most people would have to choose between driving and eating — except, of course, the wealthy, who drive Ferraris and Mercedes-Benzes.

But somehow the poor and middle class are managing to do both in creative ways. A few years ago Dominicans began adapting their vehicles to use propane gas instead of gasoline. Housewives now use it for both cooking and driving. A gallon of propane gas is around $1.60. But while it might be more affordable than gasoline, it has its risks. It can damage the motor, and there is a higher risk of an explosion in the event of an accident.

The government of President Leonel Fernandez has been working on alternatives to fend off a worsening of the country's energy crisis. He approved the sale of gasoline mixed with ethanol, a move the government claims will cut the country's fuel bill by at least 30 percent, according to a report by Caribbean Net News. The Dominican government announced an agreement with sugar companies Central Romana Corporation and Grupo Vicini to build an ethanol plant capable of producing 50 million gallons a year. The price tag: $500 million.

In an additional move, the government has begun to promote the use of natural gas as yet another alternative and will be making arrangements to convert thousands of public-service vehicles to natural gas during the next three years. Then they'll figure out how to make it available to the public.

Well, if knowing the trials and tribulations of Dominicans doesn't help Americans feel better about their own economic woes, at least we can follow their lead in keeping a positive attitude in the face of adversity — and we know we've also had our fill of adverse moments, and surely there are some new ones yet to come.

Lea a María Elena Salinas en español los viernes en La Estrella. laestrella.azstarnet.com