April 10, 2012

Hola amigos! We're back!

We're back from the Dominican Republic! It was an amazing week. Fantastic. Astounding. I can't seem to find a word that truly captures it. To sum it all one in one blog post would be impossible as well, so I decided to just take it one day at a time. I'll be posting highlights from each day of the trip. 

Re-entry is hard. It's always hard, even when you come back from an actual vacation. But to come back from living in a third world country, experiencing the it's sweetness and hardships, and then returning to your old way of living takes a tole on you. People and and lifestyles are so incredibly different. Being there for a week and giving you a taste, makes you yearn for a simple life. I know that actually living there long term would be a bit different. It's bittersweet.  After I came back from Belize in 2001, I was messed up for a long time. This time, I hope it passes more quickly. I've come to accept the fact that I live in the American culture....and it's ok. It's a goal oriented, fast paced world. That's the way it is. It doesn't make it any easier after a trip though. I'm going to let it be motivation to show love more often. Be friendly and smile around strangers. This country needs salt & light like never before. We can make a difference no matter where we are. We need to keep perspective. I don't know if I'm making sense at all.
My mind is a whirlwind of emotions. . . this is all I've got. 

Saturday March 31, 2012. Travel.
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Super early in the morning at  Pittsburgh International Airport. We can barely contain our excitement! 
Dominican Republic
45 minutes to Newark, NJ - 4 hour layover -  then 4 hours to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Dominican Republic
Mostly cloudy the entire way. 
Dominican Republic
Finally we made it! Temperatures in the mid 80's and extremely humid. :D
Dominican Republic
Election signs everywhere!
Dominican Republic
It took a while to get to the MGM facility. We didn't mind... it was wonderful to just take in the scenery. 
 
Exhausted...I did not take any more pictures that day. More tomorrow!