I’ll try to use this
post to give a brief update of the past four months: life after service, seeing
family and friends, re-entry into America, and my future volunteer plans. In that time, so many things happened and I
have so much to be thankful for – I’ll do my best to share them in an abridged
way, but I will apologize ahead of time if I leave out someone or something
that should be mentioned.
Leaving the Dominican
Republic…
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| Going from this to 40 degree weather in a matter of days. |
With the conclusion of
my service in the Dominican Republic, I’ve had a brief hiatus and have used it
to rest, relax and see some loved ones.
My last week in the Dominican Republic was spent with a good friend in
Caberate, a beautiful coastal town on the north side of the island famous for
kite surfing and its beautiful beaches.
It was interesting to see the north side of the island and a great time
to relax, but my heart was still in the south – in Barahona.
After a week of sun,
coffee, fresh fruit, kayaking, and relaxation, I was ready to go home and see
my family. Though, a weird feeling was
present in me – that longing to see people that you have not seen in a while,
but also that feeling that you know things are about to change. It was a combination of excitement and
nervousness – to take my present self with new experiences back to my old
life. What would this combination
yield?
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| Tranquility |
I spent my last nights
in Santo Domingo with Anna, who accompanied me in Cuba. She was such a blessing to me and so very
hospitable. Sleep evaded me during my
last night in the Dominican Republic, my thoughts were like a crowded
intersection. Thoughts of the past nine
months zoomed by: the people I had met, the experiences I’d had, the sights I’d
seen and they were colliding with thoughts about the future: my family, my
friends, and what the future may have in store for me.
…and arriving in
Louisville, KY...
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| British Virgin Isles |
My flight from Santo
Domingo to Puerto Rico to the US went very smoothly, thank God. However, I immediately realized that it would
take some time to readjust to living in a first world country.
My second connection was in Charlotte, NC and I
had some time to spare. For some time, I
had craved sushi, since it practically does not exist in the Dominican
Republic. Giving into my cravings, I
thought that I’d treat myself to a bit at a sushi bar in the airport. My mouth watered as I walked up and scanned
the menu. The woman next to me had just
gotten her Salmon Roll, but was busy on her cell phone. My stomach gave a small growl and I wondered
what I should get. Not two minutes later,
the woman next to me took one bite of her roll, laid cash on the table and
walked away. An idea popped into my
head, but I hesitated to take action: Should
I take the rest of her food? She didn’t
touch it except for one piece and it was just made. Plus, it would be a free meal for me…
When I finally made up my mind to scavenge her
meal, the waiter took action first, taking the plate and promptly throwing the
freshly-made sushi in the trash. She set
a new napkin in place, greeted me with a smile, and asked what I would like to
eat. I smiled back at her, but replied,
“Nothing, thanks. I’m not really that
hungry.”
When I got back to
Louisville, I was greeted at the airport with smiles from my family and a happy
heart. Not even the sushi incident could
bring my spirits down in this moment.
There was so much to say and so very much to get caught up on. We spent the rest of the night sharing time, a little wine, and a "puro Cubano".
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| The guys sharing a "Puro" |
My arrival back home
did not leave me with too much time to rest – something I didn’t think about
ahead of time. I arrived back the night
of October 6th and had plans to fly to Phoenix on the morning of
October 14th for a presentation – one that I had not yet made. But all that could wait. For the time being, I was happy to be home.
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| Emma and James |
The last couple days
leading up to my flight were more hectic than I would have liked them to
be. I rushed to finish my presentation
at the last minute for the INFORMS conference in Phoenix, leaving me with a
feeling that I was not fully prepared to deliver it. The day before heading off to Phoenix, I was
able to relax and celebrate, as it was the day for two of my good friends, Emma
and James, to be married. The ceremony
was beautiful and the reception was festive – a wonderful time was had by
all. The reception gave me a chance to
talk with many friends who I had not seen since last January, it was a very
refreshing to know that even if I had changed, some things like friendship
would always remain the same.
