Bye Bye the Dominican Republic!

End of a story… coming back to the Dominican Republic enabled me to catch up with my mates and the dominican people, after leaving, to tell the truth, a little bit suddendly 3 years ago. This time, I took the time to organize a party at home where all my friends came over. We had a good time, and ate a giant calamar cooked in the BBQ which we really found tasty, to our greatest surprise. In the morning, I had been to the fishermen village to buy a daurado... and unluckilly enough, could not get one as the guys had come back without anything... for once when 15 persons were supposed to eat at home, I was pretty upset not to get anything but finally, what seemed to be a drawback turned out to be a good surprise for most of my friends had never tasted a giant calamar before and loved it... the proof that there is always something good when shit happens!

Coming back to the DR also enabled me to do some volunteering for a dominican association, looking after kids after school, providing them with books, games, and things to write and draw. I could follow the project of Capucine and Martin who must have began their mission, consisting in helping the most needy kids in doing their homework, a project I would have loved to contribute to, but I had also my own plans to keep travelling which made it too complicated…
Anyway, I will never forget the complicity I had with Noelia, when I helped her to sum up her numbers, counting with her on my fingers to find the result. She was sat on the table, waiting for us to open the library to get a chair. I got closer to her to see what she was doing and check if I could be of any help. What a magical moment when she smiled to me, realizing she had made some mistakes and summing up again her numbers with me... then I helped her with her writing, trying to guide her to write on the lines and not in between… and when all other kids began to play together, she made me crack up, speeding up to finish her homework so that she could join them and play... playing, the reason for living of all kids, playing: what most of adults forgot to keep in their life of grown up...!
A beautiful experience for me, which I want to renew as soon as I have another opportunity. Thanks to Dan et Derek, my 2 american mates who got me interested in this humanitarian action thanks to their own help towards a dominican orphanage located near Puerto Plata. I encourage you to visit their web site as it is really interesting and moving: www.theworldbysea.com

Coming back to the DR gave me the opportunity to check that I had taken the right decision 3 years ago, when I decided to live the adventure and discover new horizons. I could not live in Las Terrenas anymore as I need more space, diversity in contacts with people, seasons, food, places to go... …

Bye to this beautiful country which will always stay in my heart, bye to the dominican people who kept their awesome smile, their ‘joie de vivre’, their simplicity and warmth.
Bye to my friends who gave me so much, showing me how much they were happy to see me again, and helping me as much as they could, as I tried to give them a hand when they needed me Wherever I’ll go, you’ll always be with me...

Bye to Taitoon at last, who almost made my heart stop when I saw it, anchored in Las Terrenas. Taitoon, this beautiful sail boat with a yellow hull which changed my life 3 years ago, showing me how good it was to sail and be free…