I still remember the beginning like it was yesterday. The days in between blur and mingle together, but the beginning is indelible. It would suffice to say that the ending was another mark that has been left on my soul, but the ending has not been written, it is ongoing as life is still being lived to the full.
I remember a tight hold around my chest as I breathed in and out traveling in the early morning air. Not wanting to be late, searching to hold on but wanting to let go of everything I knew. My family surrounded me one last time as I felt numb to what was about to happen.
The time came and I stepped forward, towards the next 11 months of my life. Walking away from everything I had ever known and clinging to it as I walked the corridor. Looking back at my parents, my brother, my best friend. They knew change was coming, maybe even better than I did.
As I stood in the line to go through the gate that sent me on this journey, I stared behind me all the way not wanting to shut my eyes in fear that I would never see those faces I loved ever again. It’s a memory etched in my memory for all times.
I boarded the plane and determined to be strong. I would not cry! Perhaps God knew my resolve would not stand. I talked to a man, seated next to me, about what I was about to do for the next year of my life for the entire plane ride. I had no time to think about what I had just left or to worry about what was to come.
When I arrived in the Miami airport I found myself getting close to giving up and turning around to go home, until two beautiful faces came walking down the aisle straight towards me, it was Jenni and Kameron. They embraced me, the first of many, and we went to meet up with others who were already waiting. It was a long night of welcoming the squad and sharing our excitement and fear.
The plane ride the next morning was quick, only a couple hours from Miami to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The heat hit us quickly. It was January, but the humidity in the DR was raging! Patience was needed as we waited for the entire squad to join us and depart for our 4 hour bus ride.
Most of my teammates slept as we made our way to our first destination, but I took in every site, landmark and difference in culture that I could as we drove. I watched as the sun glistened off the beautiful water on the coast. Tourist destinations followed quickly by run down shacks all lining the streets. New scents hovered in the air. Billboards plastered with Spanish. Men and children walking in and out of cars trying to sell everything they could, and I really mean Everything!
Once we made it closer to San Juan, Dominican Republic, the sights were a little different. It was more rural. Markets and stands lined the streets. The people were relaxing on old, fold out chairs, talking and sharing life with their neighbors. Palm trees were dispersed throughout the landscape with pockets of vegetation and patches of dry arid land. It wasn’t what I was expecting. I had been to Costa Rica and though there were similarities, it was different.
When we arrived at the house in San Juan, it was a little more what I was expecting. We all packed into the house 30+ girls in the house, 10 girls in one apartment all the guys in another apartment across the street and the married couples tenting in the backyard! It was tight and hot! Fortunately I was able to snag a corner by the kitchen for my sleeping mat and pack. It was around the corner from the bathroom so people were walking through that area a lot, but I was happy because I had a breeze sometimes and was not on top of my squad mates while sleeping!
We had a small, truly Dominican dinner of meat (of some kind), plantains, rice and beans. It would become our staple meal for the next month! Then when we gathered for our orientation the lights went out. They did that quite often. You never knew when the power outage would strike! You undoubtedly needed a headlamp if you were going to see anything! I can’t remember what was said at Orientation. I’m sure it was brilliant, but I was tired and that was a long time ago! I’m sure that the things that needed to stick did their job to get me through that first week.
When I went to sleep that night I thought about how it had only been the first 24 hours of this journey. I was now surrounded by a new group of people, who would become my family. I thought about the responsibility that I had as a team leader. I was overwhelmed.
