Sunday - Higüey

Today we had lots of stops planned for our schedule. A trip to the traditional basilica, Our Lady of Altagracia, souvenir shopping, another traditional Dominican meal which was cooked over an open fire, and even dancing the Merengue and Bachata. The market hit me first. We didn’t even buy anything, but just being in the middle of it felt like a whole new world. The colors, the smells, the sound of people talking,

It was so vibrant and alive in a way you can’t express in a photo. It was easy to be caught away in judgement; however, it was about stepping into someone else’s everyday life, and it made me realize how much I take for granted in mine.

Lunch, once again, completely shifted my perspective. We were invited into someone’s home, and from the moment we walked onto the property, it felt warm and genuine. The food was homemade and so good, but what really stuck with me was how open and welcoming everyone was. From pulling out all of the chairs they

owned to taking us on a tour of their countryside ranch, I feel I got welcomed from the second I stepped off the bus.

Then came the dancing. I was nervous. But after a few steps and a lots of laughs, something clicked. No one cared if you messed up. It wasn’t about being good, it was about trying, together. And that made it one of the best parts of the day!

 Leah Johnson, Roanoke Co.