Where are you going?
December 3, 2018
Written By: Luis Rodriguez
Next week I will be finally heading home for Christmas to the Dominican Republic. My country is a small island in the Caribbean with a tropical climate characterized by an everlasting warm weather that makes our “winter” be just like our summer. For many others students just like me, winter break means much more than just a few weeks of rest. To me, it means going to the place where I left my heart before going to college and finally seeing my favorite people again. First, I want to discuss how I dealt with change in my move from country to country, and then I’ll talk about why I love my country so much.
I came to Liberty in Fall 2017 from the Dominican Republic. I love my country and I couldn’t see myself not living there anymore. It was hard at first; I missed my Dominican coffee, my Nana’s food and our year-long summer. But shortly after being at Liberty I realized something very important: great things happen outside my bubble. Coming to Liberty was a big change for me. Leaving my country and being part of a new culture wasn’t easy. But now I see clearly how God has used this to shape my vision.
Whether it is remodeling a room, starting a new project or moving to another city, change affects everyone. Some people, however, are more open to big changes and can even find them exciting. In the beginning, this was my case. I felt very excited to start this journey to college by myself and I didn’t consider that the change would affect me much.
I quickly realized that I wasn’t in my comfort zone anymore. Instead of waking up to see my mom and sister, I was now waking up to my roommate and his several alarms. Instead of having lunch every day at 2PM with my family, now I had to eat quickly by myself in between classes. Soon it all started to feel overwhelming and I began to doubt my purpose for being here. Doubt is something we usually don’t pay much attention to. Being undecided about some things is normal. But constant doubt, in my opinion, can reflect what’s going on in your heart.
For most of my life I had been very confident about every decision that I made. But now I was scared to go outside my bubble and try new things. This situation reminded me of Joshua when he was commanded to lead God’s people and conquer the promised land. When I read the first chapter of Joshua, I was reminded that God is with us everywhere we go. Knowing that God is with me in every moment was crucial to face my fear and doubt.
Even though I missed my culture, my family and my incredible friends, I knew that God had sent me here for a reason. I didn’t want my fears to keep me away from the great things God had planned for me, so I started being intentional with my choices. Instead of complaining about the things I didn’t have anymore, I started being grateful for the new blessings I had. Sure, I still felt nostalgic at times, but with this new mindset, I was appreciating everything God had given to me much more.
Every day of this semester I’ve dreamed about the day I finally return to my beautiful island. Christmas has a different meaning to me after having left my country and being away from it for so long. When I was younger, the holidays were just the time when I could ask for an obnoxious number of things and not be judged because of it. I never really paid much attention to the meaning behind it. The whole story of Christmas is based on the greatest event in human history – the birth of Jesus Christ. But for most of my life I made this season all about me. Now that I see Christmas in a different way, I am able to enjoy it to the fullest.
One of the few things that most people know about the Dominican Republic is that it is a top vacation destination and I don’t blame them for it. Our beaches, mountains and ancient colonial cities make my country a great place to relax and enjoy the incredible view that the island offers. Even though these are all amazing features about my country, the things that make me love the Dominican Republic are not usually known to our visitors.
The first thing I do after landing in my city, Santo Domingo, is eat some empanadas with my mom and my sister at the airport. Then I will go to Los Jefes Street Food and eat my favorite burger: The Classic Elly. I could talk about what I will eat for the rest of this blog, but I’m sure you would enjoy more knowing other things about home. Something that is important to every Dominican is baseball. Dominicans run on baseball and during the game season, the country is divided into our six local teams and the spirit is on. When we won the World Baseball Classic on 2013 we couldn’t believe ourselves and we all came together in a country-wide celebration like no other. Going to a baseball game with my friend is always a priority on my to-do list during winter break.
Nightlife is an important part of our culture. Whether it is going out for dinner or visiting the colonial zone, my city is the most beautiful at night. Our colonial zone, founded in 1502 by the Spanish colonizers, makes the best hangout spot for people that enjoy good food accompanied by fine Spanish architecture. I often go there with my friends and family to tour the city on a bike or a Vespa.
The last and main reason why I love my country so much is the people. I have never seen another culture like the Dominican. It’s great to see how people that don’t know each other can call themselves brothers and always be willing to offer a helping hand. Even far from home, bonding with other Dominicans always fills my heart because of the warm welcome they always give. I think is beautiful to see how despite many issues there might be, the Dominican people will always greet you with their best smile.
You don’t have to leave your country for God to start working on you. You just have to be mindful of the opportunities that are out there waiting for you. Living outside your comfort zone is not something that happens instantly. It requires effort and persistence. In many occasions, I feel tempted to do whatever seems easier or more comfortable. But I know that I might be missing out on something much better.
If you can relate to this but you would like to change, try starting with small steps. Serving your community, helping out a classmate on a project, trying a new milkshake flavor at Cook Out and even stopping by the Student Activities coffee table and chatting for a while are examples of things you could find very uncomfortable to do. But you will see how continuously putting yourself out there will eventually make it easier for you to step out of your comfort zone and let God use you the way He wants to.
I can’t contain my happiness knowing that I am days away from being home again. Nos vemos pronto Quisqueya!