Dominican Passion

My service trip to the Dominican Republic, the island of arroz con pollo, fresh-squeezed chinola juice, smiling citizens, and aqua-tinted ocean, comprised of countless new experiences for me. I flew on an airplane independently to a different country, met locals and new friends, and I spent my July days in the lush mountains and salty ocean that the island had to offer.
As I look back, one of my first experiences foreshadowed my entire trip. When I sat down for my first meal there was an assortment of fresh tropical fruits including a chinola, which is the Dominican Spanish term for a passion fruit. My first impression of the round, exotic fruit that I had never tried before with waxy, yellow skin and bright yellow, gelatinous pulp with flecks of black seeds was skepticism. My natural instinct was to assess the flavor before I even tried the fruit. Instead of simply not trying the unique looking fruit based on the unappetizing appearance, I decided that I would try eating it. The chinola ended up being tangy and delicious, therefore becoming my absolute favorite fruit. Whenever I had an opportunity to sip chinola juice or eat an icy chinola popsicle while on the trip, I would eagerly take it.
The process that it took for me to try my new favorite fruit, chinola, proved to directly relate to and symbolize my Dominican Republic trip. Before I boarded the plane to the Santo Domingo airport, I was apprehensive and skeptical about stepping out of my comfort zone and attending a trip to a foreign country. Although, the result of my decision to participate in the service program ended up being beneficial since the Dominican Republic ended up becoming one of my favorite places. The moral of my trip and story is to step out of your comfort zone, and you will discover your favorite things in the entire world.