Dominican Republic Spring Break: Day 9
Saturday 3/12/16 - Adio República Dominicana!!
Checking into our red-eye flight has me feeling all kinds of emotions. However, our trip has ended in the best way possible. A toast with Presidente as we sit together, all reminiscing on our unforgettable journey together.
As we boarded the plane, we were handed the letters we wrote to each other and were able to feel comfort in the memories we shared together. Reading my letters, I came to a realization. Words like soft-spoke, gentle, kind, and warm filled my heart with joy. I came to the realization how important these kinds of compliments mean to me. And I noticed how the Dominicans themselves compliment each other on being strong. Even one of our drivers, Beans, pointed to my arm muscles, as I hauled buckets of water, complimenting me on my strength. If I were to bring back one cultural norm in the states, it would be to pay more attention to strengths and accomplishments in others rather than physical appearance. In the states, people are often criticized for their weight. During my trip, most of the people we encountered didn't worry about weighing themselves, and when they did get the chance to use a scale, they had fun with it. They praised each other for their weights, getting disappointed only if they weighed less than they hoped.
We arrived in New York around 5AM and immediately went through customs, security, and rechecked our bags. Once that was done, around 6AM, we got breakfast and waited for our flight to Chicago, the last flight in our journey home.
We landed in Chicago around 11am, collected our bags from the baggage claim, and hauled them through the airport and outside to wait for a shuttle for the hotel where our cars were. Once we got outside to wait for our shuttle, you could see the tired, sleep-deprived looks on our faces. But we were still happy, happy to have shared in an incredible experience. The lost sleep the night before was worth the adventure we had.
And it was almost over. By 1pm, we were on the road again, driving back home, back to our warm showers and comfy beds. Once I got home, however, I didn't feel as excited as I expected before I left. It felt weird walking back into my apartment. And it hit me hard. Was this home anymore? Was I happy to be back? Would I get to make more incredible memories with those I had bonded with so deeply? Would I be able to feel the absence of a personal bubble again?
To keep these thoughts at bay, I kept myself busy by putting my stuff away and showering. I then went with Nick and Courtney to the National Championship game of our school's hockey team. When I got back to my room. I laid on my bed for the first time in over a week. And immediately fell asleep.
Checking into our red-eye flight has me feeling all kinds of emotions. However, our trip has ended in the best way possible. A toast with Presidente as we sit together, all reminiscing on our unforgettable journey together.
As we boarded the plane, we were handed the letters we wrote to each other and were able to feel comfort in the memories we shared together. Reading my letters, I came to a realization. Words like soft-spoke, gentle, kind, and warm filled my heart with joy. I came to the realization how important these kinds of compliments mean to me. And I noticed how the Dominicans themselves compliment each other on being strong. Even one of our drivers, Beans, pointed to my arm muscles, as I hauled buckets of water, complimenting me on my strength. If I were to bring back one cultural norm in the states, it would be to pay more attention to strengths and accomplishments in others rather than physical appearance. In the states, people are often criticized for their weight. During my trip, most of the people we encountered didn't worry about weighing themselves, and when they did get the chance to use a scale, they had fun with it. They praised each other for their weights, getting disappointed only if they weighed less than they hoped.
We arrived in New York around 5AM and immediately went through customs, security, and rechecked our bags. Once that was done, around 6AM, we got breakfast and waited for our flight to Chicago, the last flight in our journey home.
We landed in Chicago around 11am, collected our bags from the baggage claim, and hauled them through the airport and outside to wait for a shuttle for the hotel where our cars were. Once we got outside to wait for our shuttle, you could see the tired, sleep-deprived looks on our faces. But we were still happy, happy to have shared in an incredible experience. The lost sleep the night before was worth the adventure we had.
And it was almost over. By 1pm, we were on the road again, driving back home, back to our warm showers and comfy beds. Once I got home, however, I didn't feel as excited as I expected before I left. It felt weird walking back into my apartment. And it hit me hard. Was this home anymore? Was I happy to be back? Would I get to make more incredible memories with those I had bonded with so deeply? Would I be able to feel the absence of a personal bubble again?
To keep these thoughts at bay, I kept myself busy by putting my stuff away and showering. I then went with Nick and Courtney to the National Championship game of our school's hockey team. When I got back to my room. I laid on my bed for the first time in over a week. And immediately fell asleep.
Comments
Post a Comment