The Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a country located on the eastern half of the island of Hispaniola. Yunior and Rafa were born in the Dominican Republic and live there with their mother. Their father has left the country to work in the United States and eventually pay for his family's passage. The Dominican Republic is characterized by widespread poverty, and it appears in much of Diaz's work, as he was born there.

The Countryside

Yunior and Rafa spend the summers with their uncle in the countryside, which Yunior refers to with the Spanish word "campo." The particular rural area in which the story takes place is near the Dominican city of Ocoa, which is relatively low in population. Yunior characterizes the countryside as generally quiet and boring from his and Rafa's perspective.

The Grocery Store

Yunior refers to the grocery store near his uncle's home with the...