Summer 2017 Travel Kickoff!!

Happy Memorial Day!!

Memorial Day always marks the beginning of a bodacious vacation season for me. Just as so many gave their lives to protect the freedom of this country I exercise my freedom by traveling to places near and far to enjoy friends, food and sometimes complete strangers. This year started similarly as last year's vacation season, with a trip to the Dominican Republic. This year I didn't get to experience the people of Dominican Republic but I did get to experience the natural camaraderie of my brothers and sistas from all over the world who come and celebrate being BLACK and URBAN in the Dominican Republic over Memorial Day Weekend with the promotors WEAREDRLIVE. This year, in particular, I connected with some pretty amazing individuals. From the 11 cousins who traveled to spend time together for what was originally planned to be a bachelorette trip, but turned into a girl cousin trip,  to the resident photographer who's talents both behind and away from the camera left me questioning the book and the cover analogy for days! My travels and experiences with people not only shape my life, but they change my life.

I would be remiss if I left out the most rewarding thing that happened this trip. As fate may have it I took a chance on this trip as I decided to invite a friend from 25 years past. It was a reuniting of a 25 year + friendship. Yes I went on this trip with a girlfriend from elementary school and here's the kicker...we hadn't seen or talked for 25 years. Wouldn't you know that the friendship that we had established in elementary school set a solid enough foundation for us to get along with plenty of laughs and heart building moments for over 6 days? The power of connection continues to leave me in awe!

So as you begin to travel with your friends and family remember to find connections in the most unexpected places, take a chance on someone that you would least expect to WOW you, and a just like the cousins, make a PARTY out of any PITY that comes your way!!

Happy Travels!