Personal Narrative-It's Time To Stay In Punta Cana

Two years ago, my family did not know what to do on vacation at Key West, so my dad started looking for activities. We've already done all the main activities, like walking down Duval Street. While looking, my dad found snorkeling, and the whole family liked the idea. The next day we rode on a boat with two instructors/guides and their pet cat. We started out to the reef where our snorkeling session would occur. We put on our wetsuits and our snorkel masks, and when we jumped in the ocean, the water felt awfully cold even with our swimsuits on. We then had to swim to the reef because the boat could not come too close to it. When we finally arrived at the reef, I became a bit nervous due to the closeness of the reef to my body (about 2 feet

We had been waiting for this trip for years. Every 5 years we go on a trip to someplace fun. When five years passed after our trip to disneyland we were all waiting to go on some other adventure. I had done this twice, but 2 things about our trip this year were special.

What do you think of when someone says “Dominican Republic”? Do you think of spas, hotels and beaches? When I think of it I recall dirt roads, poverty and dilapidated shacks. My senior year of high school I went on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic with my basketball team with the simple goal in mind to advance our skills as basketball players and to help the people of the Dominican. Little did I know this trip would change my life completely.

The day has finally come to go on vacation. My family and I departed promptly from our house at 4:30 in the morning. Our flight was scheduled for 7 in the morning at Pittsburgh International Airport. We had to arrive their early because all people flying international had to be their two hours before the flight would leave. We boarded the flight out to Punta Cana, which is located in the Dominican Republic. I can remember that I was so excited to go, that I was the first on the flight. I am pretty sure that it took about three hours to get to the Dominican Republic from Pittsburgh. It was a really long flight to me because I could not wait to get there and I just wanted to land. Finally, the moment has come and we landed. When we departed

It is an amazing thought to think that I am sitting on a beautiful white sand beach in the South Pacific where there are no tourists!

The pilot said, “Ready for take off!” I was dreading those words and the day in which I had to leave everything behind. How could I leave Colombia? My house? My family? My friends? My whole life?

My parents have always raised me to be grateful for what I have. I live in a safe and wealthy town with a superior education system, I have amazing friends and family, a roof over my head, and proper food and clothing.

The weekend of October 20th will be a forever memory that I was glad to be a part of, with great friends and especially with that gorgeous thang by my side. Congratulations to Zack and Jessie, the happy newlyweds living the Forbes life in Cancun, will be one for the books! Also, celebrating my boy Grant and his Jordan birthday year with a little Fifth Harmony, Happy Birthday brother! Laughing always with our Sunday Funday group to wrap it up with a little corn maze and posting on the Facebook app at the gassy Blind Pig!

It is hard to say goodbye. In life you have to be strong enough to handle situations you don’t want. As I grew up my parent’s always teach me the value of a family. They always say that the most important thing in life in being close of the ones you love. Family is the most beautiful gift that God gave us and we all must know that. One day I was with my parents sitting in the living room, we were eating popcorns, they tested so well, you can felt the butter and the salt, while you were eating your mouth got watery. While we were eating those magnificent popcorns My parents started to tell me that in my country I would not have any future. That’s made me really sad, but at the same time I knew they were right. I knew that before, when I was younger, but I didn’t want to pay attention and I always decided to ignore that situation. Since I was 15 most of my friends moved to other countries. Actually, statistics show that around 12% of the Venezuelan population moved from Venezuela in 5 years. The moment that I knew my friends were leaving really broke my heart in three thousand pieces and just because it wasn’t fair that for a government people who really cares and loves you, have to leave to get better opportunities. But at the same time I have to admit I was literally jumping and hugging

The first day of my life took place in a military hospital in Wurzburg, Germany. My father was an officer in the U.S. Army and my mother stayed in the home. While living in Germany I attended a German school where my brother and I were the only students who spoke English. Despite the fact that we did not speak the same language, we were able to interact the same way most young children would. As an adult I have often thought that my desire to travel and search for diverse human relationships was influenced by my early childhood.

One grand adventure that I went on this summer was a missions trip to the Dominican Republic. It was probably the best two weeks of my life and not a day goes by that I don’t think about it and want so badly to go back. I didn’t always have those feelings though… The first couple days were pretty rough from lack of sleep, being in a totally new environment in a country I have never been before, being way out of comfort zone and being slightly home sick. The first full day at our site I nearly had a panic attack because I just couldn't get over the language barrier and that was the first time I have ever worked with kids. I just felt so helpless and that I was’t showing these kids God’s love. But I was because just being there for them showed them God’s love.

It was December 26th when I was fixing to leave for Gulf Shores, Alabama with my boyfriend T.J. and his family. We originally were supposed to leave until December 27th, but they decided they wanted to leave a day early and stop in Nashville for the night. I had to be at his house at eight-thirty to get all of my things loaded up, because they were wanting to leave at nine.

Trying to find memories is like looking for treasure. You look at the surface and see something mediocre, but you dig deep and find something cool, pretty, and meaningful. It took a while to think of a fond memory, but once I thought of some, it was hard to choose a favorite. Growing up I have had many great experiences in the form of vacations. Between going to Disney World, owning a vacation home, hanging out with my grandparents in Arizona, traveling to Canada and more. They all make amazing memories that I will forever cherish. The vacation spot we go to the most, though, is Wisconsin Dells. A few times I have been allowed to invite friends to come with. When I am allowed to bring friends, it is always a ginormous amount of fun. We goof off in the hotel room, play in the arcades, and swim in the water parks.

As my eyes lit up like the fourth of July, I stood with my feet stuck to the ground, and my nerves tingle with happiness because of how marvelous it was. I didn't know a Mexico resort could be so nice.

The trip itself was also full of bonding moments among my family members and me, for we couldn’t help but overflow with the joy presented to us by the locals’ grins and the city’s overall never-ending vitality which made Rio even more memorable for me. This was the cherry on top of the cake because not