Travel Diary: Dominican Republic

Travel as a means of generational healing

📍Parts of this entry were written in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic in 2022 and in my Brooklyn apartment June 2024

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September 22, 2022

Dear Grandma,

It feel so good to write to you

Tears are filling my eyes as I think of you

Grandma, I can’t believe it, I took my mom on her first international trip!

I set the goal earlier this year but I wasn’t sure how or when it would happen

I am so grateful to Susan, my career coach; she helped me gain clarity on how I want to support my parents

My goal was to expose my mom to travel, to help her obtain her passport

Grandma, I hope you were able to watch and experience this trip as it unfolded

My mom experienced so many firsts

It was her first time out of the country

Her first time staying at a resort

Her first time attending a Journey Symposium on the Sea. I really hope we are able to experience another one together

I traveled with The Journey when I went to Australia and New Zealand in 2014

It was her second time experiencing the beach

One of the most memorable firsts was her experience submersing herself in the ocean

My mom has been fearful of being in water her entire life, and so was my maternal grandmother

My grandma was fearful due to the death of family member who drowned. As a result, she cautioned my mom and other family members against it

My mom anxiously stepped off the boat into the water while holding my hand on one side of her and holding Ms. Brenda’s hand on the other side

My mom panicked as she felt the water rising around her but she breathed a deep sigh of relief when she realized that she was safe and protected

My mom was anxious yet brave

This picture captures the moments after stepping off the boat more beautifully than I can describe it

I believe my mom experienced a rebirth…

Grandma, I am overcome with emotion as I think about all of the new experiences my mom had on this trip

She said I pushed her out of the nest, this might be slightly true. I wanted to have some moments to myself, and I also wanted her to explore

As she started to trust the process, she enjoyed herself more and more

I remember coming back from an all day excursion and seeing how happy my mom was. I thought she might be in our room, but I saw her buzzing around the plaza

She seemed lighter and more confident as she told me about her day. She had gone to the steakhouse by herself and had a great time. She also met up with some of the ladies she connected with a few days ago

She did get lost a few times, but that didn’t stop her. 

Grandma, I have an idea…

I can write my mom a letter similar to this one and send it to her. I want to highlight all of her firsts and help her continue to take in and celebrate all of the goodness God allowed us to experience.

I’m also happy she was able to attend the workshop portion of the symposium and take a lot from the experience. She met a therapist she really likes, and she wants to work with her. This is a major win, because I have been advocating for her to go to therapy for two years since she had a stroke.

I remember when you told me you wanted to talk with a therapist about your experiences post stroke, and you did. 

So many people poured into my mom and supported her throughout the trip, which was so beautiful to see.

They often mentioned how much they loved her and how they admired our relationship. 

I could not have chosen a better group to journey with for my mom’s first trip abroad!

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Writer’s Note

“In every letter I mention mi abuela. She is truly my heart’s song, the woman who nurtured and supported my dreams. I’ve come to realize that our relationship knows no bounds.”

This entry is a letter I wrote to my grandma after my mom and I’s first mother daughter trip in 2022. I hope to take my mom on many more adventures. I also hope this inspires you to create memories like these with your loved ones!

As I re-read this letter and added more context, I began to reflect on how the women in my family were shaped by their experiences and those of their family members. I want to explore this more at a later time…

I also uncovered more of El Viaje’s significance

El Viaje is a love letter and an ongoing conversation with my grandma

I’ve been writing to my grandma since 2020, prior to her passing. I can’t wait for these writings to become the book she and I imagined!

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Please share what you came up for you while reading this post. I love hearing what resonates with you!