Mammothness

Everything's big these days: the heat, the sweat, the ideas, the walks, the hills, the plans, the tired.

I've been in Dominica for 5 days now. Part of it was a blur - a rush to beat a real and invisible deadline to be prepared. And it's only in the last 36 hours that I've actually had time to reflect on any of it.

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...there's so much riding on all of this. At least for me. I know I've been thinking about, planning for, reading about, and looking into this move for the last eight weeks, or however long its been since I found out I got in. And it's so easy to get so caught up in it all. It's so easy to get frustrated when something we hold so dear doesn't go our way. And lord knows there's plenty of complaining, ranting, and "suggestions" floating around Ross.

But the tremendous positivity that exists around this school and campus is amazing. Between my neighbors, the people who greeted me when I arrived, taxi and transport drivers, and just random people on the street, I don't think I've ever met so many people who have been so eager to just give up information and help random strangers. Back home in Miami, I think I would've been ignored by at least half of them, and probably been intentionally misinformed by at least one. Here, several times, someone has smiled, and wholeheartedly said, "Welcome to Dominica." And whether it's a student helping me out on campus, or with information about school, or a local showing me the way to the church, I've never felt unsafe, or unsure about what I was here to do. And all that has given me the ability to take a few minutes to enjoy the finer points of my time here so far: from sharing a good beer with my father, a walk on the beach with Kelly, or just looking up at the mountains as I walk home.

The journey is just begininng, and there's much more here to speak of. Much, much more. And I'll get to it. Right now, though, I just want to revel in the positive, and enjoy our time here together.