traveling along the country side
pineapple growing
a man hand processing coconuts
the beach
Really I've being trying to put this post together in my head for a while now. See over a week ago we were blessed with the opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic for a family vacation. We enjoyed the sun, the beach, the people, and the immense beauty of this place-yet in my mind,-as a visitor, you know- I often wondered about the daily lives of the people who actually live there. Staying on a resort for a week, with food and drinks available 24/7 can close one's mind to the reality that exists beyond such boundaries. One thing which I was grateful for was that we were able to participate in a tour of the country side-seeing up close local life. Of course it wasn't all pretty, in fact some of what we saw was just plain sad.
So there in my mind lies the paradox, enjoying the beauty of a place yet not knowing how to respond to the despair. I don't want to fall into the trap of being the stereotypical tourist. I want open eyes, and with this comes the responsibility to respect the people and the culture of a different country. Therefore, I am transformed from merely a tourist into a student.
I hope to travel always with open eyes.
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