A Day to Reflect
I'm back on my balcony, enjoying nature's air conditioning. Things are quieting down as everyone heads inside for the nightly quarantine.
I posted some new footage from the first couple of days in DR (https://youtu.be/3_slxPvHkHo). I may just do some more uploads and video editing tonight. The wifi is going to need to cooperate though!
I've finally started applying for jobs in the US again. Just the thought of working for some privileged asshole bothers me. It sucks because I'm not at the point where I can actually break free of the matrix. But things are in motion and moving in that direction. I'm getting there, and being here is a taste of what that's going to feel like when I leave permanently and never look back.
Today really was a day for reflection. I saw a woman at Casa Mia's restaurant that reminded me of Arlynes (her real name). When I first visited Santo Domingo last year, I went out on a date with her. Actually Arlynes and I went on several dates. She was good to me and I got to know her sister and her baby. I ultimately stopped talking to her and erased her number because she wanted financial support and in my mind I couldn't reconcile sending money. It just seemed like a scam to me. In hindsight, I just didn't understand how things work down here. I don't think she was trying to scam me at all. She really wanted to build something. And I regret losing contact with her. She didn't deserve to be cut off like that. I still have egg on my face to this day over how we ended our relationship.
Since that experience, I've come away with a couple of things. One is to be consciously better at building bridges and maintaining good relationships with locals, even if I don't agree with them on certain things. Secondly, I've become much more generous with the Dominicans I've befriended. I recently helped one of my friends down here to open a small clothing store, and it really didn't cost me much, but it meant the world to her.
So thanks, Arlynes. You taught me something.
Last August I actually wrote a short piece about my last moments with her in Santo Domingo, right before I got on the bus to Puerto Plata. I'll have to post it on here someday soon.
I also saw Nayeli (real name) today. Our interpersonal relationship is kind of complicated and very much still under in the drafting stage; covering the topic of how I feel about this particular person is WAY too much for a travel blog. But anyway, it was nice seeing her. We made some tentative plans to see each other again later this weekend. I don't know if those plans will hold up because things change from day to day around here, but I hope they do.
You know, I've been itching to play some golf. I don't think I have anything on the docket tomorrow so maybe I'll get a game in down at the course in Costumbar. Depends on the weather. That would be awesome though!
I posted some new footage from the first couple of days in DR (https://youtu.be/3_slxPvHkHo). I may just do some more uploads and video editing tonight. The wifi is going to need to cooperate though!
I've finally started applying for jobs in the US again. Just the thought of working for some privileged asshole bothers me. It sucks because I'm not at the point where I can actually break free of the matrix. But things are in motion and moving in that direction. I'm getting there, and being here is a taste of what that's going to feel like when I leave permanently and never look back.
Today really was a day for reflection. I saw a woman at Casa Mia's restaurant that reminded me of Arlynes (her real name). When I first visited Santo Domingo last year, I went out on a date with her. Actually Arlynes and I went on several dates. She was good to me and I got to know her sister and her baby. I ultimately stopped talking to her and erased her number because she wanted financial support and in my mind I couldn't reconcile sending money. It just seemed like a scam to me. In hindsight, I just didn't understand how things work down here. I don't think she was trying to scam me at all. She really wanted to build something. And I regret losing contact with her. She didn't deserve to be cut off like that. I still have egg on my face to this day over how we ended our relationship.
Since that experience, I've come away with a couple of things. One is to be consciously better at building bridges and maintaining good relationships with locals, even if I don't agree with them on certain things. Secondly, I've become much more generous with the Dominicans I've befriended. I recently helped one of my friends down here to open a small clothing store, and it really didn't cost me much, but it meant the world to her.
So thanks, Arlynes. You taught me something.
Last August I actually wrote a short piece about my last moments with her in Santo Domingo, right before I got on the bus to Puerto Plata. I'll have to post it on here someday soon.
I also saw Nayeli (real name) today. Our interpersonal relationship is kind of complicated and very much still under in the drafting stage; covering the topic of how I feel about this particular person is WAY too much for a travel blog. But anyway, it was nice seeing her. We made some tentative plans to see each other again later this weekend. I don't know if those plans will hold up because things change from day to day around here, but I hope they do.
You know, I've been itching to play some golf. I don't think I have anything on the docket tomorrow so maybe I'll get a game in down at the course in Costumbar. Depends on the weather. That would be awesome though!
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