Personal Narrative: My Trip To The Dominican Republic

It was a hot, searing day as the sun beat down on my skin. The lush green palm trees provided me shade as I sat and observed my surroundings. Children, barefoot and dirty, wearing tattered and stained clothes were running around laughing and playing. Their joyous giggles put a smile on my face and warmed my heart as I watched them.

When spring break began my parents gave me the opportunity to have 2 weeks of spring break, where I would spend the first week hanging out with my and fiends and the week they go back to school I go on a cruise. While I was on the cruise me and my family visited 4 different islands over the 8 day voyage. On the third day on the boat we visited the Dominican Republic, on the fifth day we visited St. Thomas, on the sixth day we visited Puerto )Rico, and on the seventh day we visited are final island Grand Turk.

When thinking of my memories it’s as if you were surfing through TV channels. Some making me wish I could go back to that day and relive it. Some I hope I will never have to relive. Most memories make me smile and think of how much I want to be little again. Although at that age, all I wanted was to grow up and live my own life. My memories can range from being at home to being anywhere but home. Although, some stick out more than others. One of those few fond memories is going to the Dominican Republic with my family.

In 2015 my grandmother died. When I received the news I was on the couch and my mother told me “Miguel we have to talk” I was sweating because my mother was so serious and she told me that my grandmother was dead, and in that moment all I could think about was being back in the Dominican Republic, growing up with her, imagining the moments I spent in her house and the mornings that I sat in her living room, watching TV and smelling her amazing food wafting through the pass-through window from the kitchen. Then I snap back on reality and realize the future my grandmother would want for me.

I traveled to Nicaragua the summer before my senior year of high school, and it changed my perspective on many things in life. It was crazy that I went to serve them, but I had no idea what to expect when I got there. The people I met were the most grateful people I had ever met and despite the little they had, they managed to be some of the genuine people I met as well. I knew that one day I would use my medical experience to give back to this community, and it is an honor to know I can use this summer to make that happen.

My whole family and I were devastated by the sudden death of my uncle Ryan. He had been sick with what we had thought was the flu, but later realized that it was pneumonia. I believe that we learned so much from this experience and were able to come closer as a family. As a result of my uncle’s death, my whole family decided to take a get-a-way trip to the Dominican Republic during his birthday and Christmas. While I was there I learned a very important lesson; I am blessed to live in the United States.

My family and I left for Panama city, Florida in June of 2011. The trip was so fun; we sang songs and laughed hysterically during the whole ride there. When we arrived we were all ready for the beach warm sand and it’s cool waves. We stayed at the beach until about nine and everyone prepared for dinner. Once everyone settled in we sat and ate dinner, as always the dinner was great with my family. Everyone talked about any and everything; we even cracked jokes on each other.

The day has finally come to go on vacation and 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 there early because all people flying international had to be there two hours before the flight. All of us boarded the flight out to Punta Cana, which is located in the Dominican Republic. I can remember that I was so excited to go, and I was the first on the flight. I am almost positive that it took over 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 from the plane, they had hula dancers dancing around us, and it was the coolest thing I have ever seen. They had people that would take pictures of you when you got off the plane. My family and I obliged and got our pictures taken. After all our pictures were taken, we went inside the airport and

Moving to another country is something that for the majority of people it might be a challenge. The toll of cultural defiances, unfamiliar traditions, society, and language are the most important and consternating struggles that people faced. But changes occur every minute, every second, and everywhere. Changes bring doubt, fear, and even pain to most people. But changes are something that I always look forward to because they alter my perspectives on things. Changes remind me of unpleasant memories, but also about learning experiences. The question of why here and not there, was something that I answered 6 years ago.The answer lied in a series of actions and childhood memories. My life is separated into two geographic locations. The first

I was always careless about all of my valuables,that was until they were all gone. It was Christmas vacation of 2011 and my mom was planning a flight to go to Dominican Republic to escape the cold Boston weather. My mother could only pick between me and my sister to go with her and naturally she chose my sister. She was probably still mad at me for times she has bought me electronics and video games that i don’t even touch anymore. I wanted to stay home by myself while they were away but she practically forced me to go to New York where my dad lives. I wasn't against the idea of seeing my dad I just didn't want to go a state where he was the only person I knew. But it was already decided so I got my stuff ready and got ready to leave and left in a transportation bus to New York. When I arrived there my dad was waiting for me in front of the apartment that he lived. Before even entering in his house his took me out to eat.I didn’t even have time to unpack. About the time we were eating my mom and my sister were arriving to Dominican Republic. After me and my dad finished eating he asked me

Since traveling to Nicaragua, I find myself perplexed by the Nietzchean idea that language is the enemy of experience. It is difficult to explain in words an experience that is both awe-inspiring and awful, edifying and heartbreaking, beautiful and atrocious. If my time on the Bucknell Brigade was either entirely great or completely horrible, it would be easier to write about. But since the memory inhabits a confusing and ambiguous space between two intense opposites, my voice had withdrawn into silence.

I recently made a trip to Colombia about a few weeks ago. The day I stepped back onto American soil, I never looked at my life the same. The one aspect that has changed me and has impressed me more than anything, is how different people are treated in one country verse another. My experience in Colombia was an amazing one that I will never forget. There I was treated like an actual person, I was not judged by the way I looked, nor the way I dressed. Every corner I turned, everywhere I went some one was there to greet me. I had a conversation with a lady that owned a restaurant in the same house she lived it. It wasn’t much that she had, but she was the most charismatic, optimistic person I have ever met. She explained to me how her family has

A place of perfect content is one devoid of strain, one where the mind is free to wander while the body is free to rest, a place of invincibility, of full exposure and complete protection. In no place, aside from La Habana Panorama’s solarium, have I felt so entirely liberated and absolutely invincible.

just a year ago my parents bough four airline tickets or the dominican republic. My mom always wanted to go there. the airport was in warsaw. by plane you can go futher, faster and very often also cheaper. i was very stressed on this trip. the day before my stoach ached. nevertheless we want to the airport. after an hour of flight i didn't feel good. In the plane's toilet i vomited. i need an immediate assistance. cabin crew didn't lose one's mind. they gave me pills on my stomach. after awhile i got better. the rest of the flight was nice. i will be in the dominican republic for another two weeks. unfortunely we'll return by

I do not know how to start defining you, but you will know that I am talking about you once I finish. Should I mention your perfectly circular shaped stomach? (not that’s too much) Or should I start by giving a description of those eyes that fill you up with a sense a superiority? Well… My beginning is irrelevant since there is not a set of accurate words able to describe the stunning disgusting feeling you produce by just thinking that you are superior.