My journey to the Dominican Republic was truly an unforgettable experience. I don’t even know where to begin! Before I even went on the trip, I promised myself that I wouldn’t hold anything back and I was going to try everything. My promise sort of backfired when it came to the food though! I had the privilege of eating fish scales (which I didn’t know you weren’t supposed to eat) and a brown concoction that was supposed to be juice but tasted like … well, let’s just say that that one went down the sink. Other than fish scales and vile juices, everything else was great.
I envied the lives of the Dominicans. They didn’t have all the things that I had and yet they seemed so happy. When we were visiting the poorest regions of the area, there was just such an amazing peace about the people. They literally had nothing, but they also had everything. We got to deliver food to the individual families too, and it just touched me that they would welcome us into their homes and not even look at the food we brought. They would just look at us.
I think one of the most memorable moments for me was meeting a man named Henry. He was paralyzed and had been in bed for the past four years. I got to meet him face to face and if he can smile after being shot in the back and losing his ability to walk … I should be smiling all the time.
Something that I think Canadian society could learn from that of the Dominican’s, would be the kindness between the people. I could walk down the street and wave to anyone and I would always get an ¡hola! or a smile in return. That’s something I really miss.
What was difficult for me on the trip was not having this profound moment that inspired me to change my life forever. It wasn’t until I got home that I realized how much I had changed and that the change had come gradually. I miss the Dominican and the people so much, and coming home really took some adjusting but even if I never get the opportunity to go back, I’ll never forget what this experience has taught me. - Lindsay Vaive
