Part 1.b: My First Time

I like to tell people about the first time I used my passport. Especially people who have expressed envy of my travels and think they couldn't do the same...

Chelsea bought a ticket to Sosua and was planning to stay for a month. I love Islands, the beach and spending time with my daughter so it only made sense that I would join her for a week. On September 7th, 19 days before my 53rd birthday, I boarded the airplane for my first international flight...alone...and I didn't understand or speak Spanish beyond basic greetings, numbers, colors and, "Dónde está el baño?" But Chelsea had been there for a few weeks and was going to meet me at the airport so it was all good. As long as I could make it through passport control!

Well, I made it through, and what an amazing week I had! My birthday was coming up so staying at my first all-inclusive resort, Casa Marina https://www.casamarinabeachhotel.com/index.aspwas was part of the experience. I don't remember the price but I do remember being shocked that I spent less that I had in the past for basic accommodations (not including all of the amazing food) on vacations in the U.S. And we were right on the a beautiful blue Caribbean beach.

I spent as many hours in the water as I could with only a couple of extras that I had decided I wanted to do when I had Googled Sosua!

I needed to see Monkey Jungle https://monkeyjungledr.com/ because they let you feed my favorite animals. It was nice to learn that the monkeys are rescues and the money raised for interactions goes to underserved communities in the area. Let me tell you, the animal experience did not let me down! You are not allowed to touch the monkeys but they are allowed to touch you and you get a plate of food. They take food from your plate and enjoy eating it on the top of the tree (YOU!). This may not be for everyone but I was a happy girl that day!

I'm a bit of an artist so I also wanted to visit Mundo King Art Museum https://www.mundokingartmuseum.com/about, the most bizarre art museum I have seen to date! This is a castle several stories high with no glass in the windows. Paintings and sculptures in every nook and cranny, inside and out. If I could bring you to Sosua I would return just to see the look on your face as you walked through the place. The best I can do to describe the art is Mayan and alien inspired work in a gothic castle.

Though the week went by very quickly, I had been going through a difficult time in my personal life and the hours of soaking in that warm blue water, listening to the crashing waves, laughing with my amazing daughter, petting the friendly street dogs and tasting all the delicious new foods was like a balm to my soul. I boarded the plane back to Pennsylvania full of peace, joy and a renewed sense that everything in my life was going to be alright!