Giving Back: Operation Welcome Home MD Experience

So tonight I participated in an awesome volunteer event that I am really pumped up about so I wanted to blog about the experience. Operation Welcome Home Maryland is a volunteer program that organizes well-deserved homecoming celebration events for our troops returning from deployments. There are sometimes several events a day at BWI airport, which is actually a main hub for military deployment flights. A large group will gather with signs and warmly welcome each service member home. This includes family members and fellow service members welcoming home their loved ones too. They also provide goody bags for the troops after their long flights. Overall, it’s just a phenomenal event. I was honored to be apart of it.

When I arrived tonight with my coworkers, we were put to work in an assembly line putting together the goody bags with water, snacks and a thank you card for each troop. Then we waited for their flight to land. My boss, coworker and I were given the job of awaiting the troops with hugs and goody bags when they walk out of customs and walk the “parade route” of high fives, handshakes and cheers. I am all for hugging hot men in uniform, so it's a win-win. We were warned ahead of time though that some of them don’t want to be hugged or even talk to you, and some will even refuse the goody bags. It makes you realize you can only imagine what some of them have just been through or how they must feel. Talk about perspective.

Overall, almost all of the troops were so grateful and gracious. Despite being tired, homesick, dehydrated, traumatized, or whatever the case may be. They almost seem surprised at how we were so happy to see them and that we were even there. Some of the guys quickly walked away with their heads down. But even an Army General will usually give in when you insist on welcoming him with a hug and a genuine thank you. It was beautiful to see the reunions of families, with little girls jumping into their father’s arms with joy and not wanting to let go. The men and women in uniform just kept pouring out, one after another, all 300 of them from the same flight. Some were smiling, some were crying, some simply looked exhausted. But all of them were clearly so happy to be home.

Three people in particular made me emotional. The first was an airman who was returning home with an injury. But yet he seemed so happy just to safely arrive back in the states. We don't even knowledge how many of our heroes come home with injuries but believe me I see it every day. Yet so many will never even get to come home or be welcomed like this because they lost their lives serving this country. It’s so much more real when you see it firsthand. Another lady’s eyes were so red from crying. I reached out to hug her and I said “welcome home, THANK YOU for your service” and she cried in my arms, “It’s been seven years! Seven years!” WOW. I can’t even imagine how it would feel to come home after sacrificing seven whole years of my life in service. And finally, one lady was reunited with her daughter, who couldn’t have been more than four years old. She was crying hysterically. I gave her a huge hug and I just lost it. She had to leave her baby. That has to be one of the most painful things a mother can experience. And one of my best friends is about to deploy and leave her 6 year old son for the second time, so it hits even closer to home right now. I just can’t fathom. It touched me in a very deep way.

Yet they do it selflessly every day. So many men and woman risk their lives and sacrifice living comfortably so that we can live safely. Yet your average American doesn’t think twice about this. I have a biased perspective not only because my mother was the Army brat daughter of a Colonel, but because I work side by side with military members every day. Working for the Department of Defense had always been my dream job so that I could contribute in some way and make a difference. And anyone who knows me know I absolutely love what I do. So I’ve had the pleasure of not only working with military folks, but becoming friends with them, hearing their stories and really getting to understand their perspective. They are some of the coolest people I have ever met and I respect them more than I could ever put into words. But their lifestyle is not easy. Their jobs in the military put incredible strain and hardship on their families. They constantly have to move and detach themselves from loved ones and homes. The danger they are put in during deployments is unimaginable and the ones who survive often face PTSD symptoms for life. And they do it all for very little money. In fact, many of them go through hell just trying to find jobs and transition back to civilian life after their service. It’s truly a roller coaster and yet they choose this in order to serve this country. 

Many people know these things and may even appreciate them. But our heroes rarely ever get the thanks that they truly deserve. I know firsthand what kind of crazy things our military protect and defend us from. Trust me. There’s more evil in this world than your average civilian can even imagine. We often forget how much has to be done to prevent a tragedy such as 9-11 from ever happening again. One of the reasons the United States is such a great country and gets to live so freely is because of how phenomenal our military is. It is known worldwide as a powerful force not to be reckoned with. The things our men and women in uniform do is really incredible and they make me so proud to be an American. Regardless of whether or not you even support the war they're fighting, realize that they're just doing their jobs and they do it for me and you. So spending my evening in an airport welcoming home our brave heroes couldn’t possibly feel better. 

So I say all this to say that this cause is very near and dear to my heart and this program is something I plan to partake in regularly. I have always loved volunteering. There is no greater feeling than giving back. As my friend described, “it just fills a hole inside you”. It makes you realize that no matter how much you go through, it doesn’t compare to what others in this world endure. And helping others is what truly makes it all worth it. In the past I have volunteered at an animal shelter, food bank and others, which were awesome. But nothing compared to being apart of Operation Welcome Home. It was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.

I understand that not everyone can make it to these types of events or may not even have anything like this in their area. However there are still plenty of ways to give back and I encourage each and every one of you to do so in some way. Donating even just a couple dollars helps. I personally donate a small amount of each paycheck to causes I support, two of which are military charities (Wounded Warrior Project and Operation Homefront). Another wonderful one that I endorse is Operations Ward 57. These organizations work diligently to provide assistance for active-duty members, veterans, wounded warriors, and military families who definitely deserve to have our support. There are so many ways to donate time and money to whatever you feel passionate about. I just  hope that more of my generation will feel more passionate about supporting our troops and veterans as I do!

In addition, something as small as mailing a greeting card is a very easy, inexpensive and simple way to express your appreciation, yet goes a long way. Walter Reed military hospital in Bethesda, MD has many great programs to visit, feed and comfort wounded warriors. But they also encourage anyone to send in a holiday card for “veterans, military families and active-duty service members at hospitals and installations around the world”. As we embark on this year’s holiday season, I challenge every person reading this to send at least one card. This gesture truly means a lot to people on the receiving end believe me. The address is:

Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

And even if you can’t or won’t contribute to any of the ideas I just listed, perhaps you can even just say a prayer for our heroes and thank God for the service that they provide to each and every one of us. Because you would not be here reading this blog right now without our military. Don’t ever forget that. :)

“We sleep safely at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence on those who would harm us.” - Winston Churchill

Life without liberty is like a body without spirit. - Kahlil Gibran

My Dallas Experience

I have been a huge Dallas Cowboys fan my entire life. My father has been one since the 60’s and since we didn’t have the best relationship my whole life, this was how we bonded when I was a kid. So this team means more to me than it may to many other fans. Growing up in enemy territory (the DC area) I have always been amazed at how many Cowboys fans there are here and in every other city. Either way, journeying to Dallas has been a lifelong dream and goal of mine. A pilgrimage of some sort. This year I finally got to make it come true. And it was the most epic 4 days of my life. 

Initially I was wondering how this trip would go as I boarded a plane full of Redskins fans headed to Dallas with me. I wondered if I would even make it to the game before getting arrested for fighting. However I wouldn’t let anything stop me from getting to the Holy Land or ruin the amazing trip I had been waiting for my entire life. Not even some sucker ass Redskin fans.

Upon arriving  in Dallas, I picked up my rental car and then met up with my friend Autumn, who was meeting me there from Miami. She a lifelong and extremely loyal Cowboys fan originally from the DC area because of her father, exactly like me. It was perfect to experience this with someone who shares my same extreme love for this team. Our first stop was the famous Whataburger fast food joint. I have heard about this place and always wanted to try it. And man it was everything they said it was! Just delicious. I only wish we had these in DC.

Our next stop was the Walmart across from the Cowboys stadium in Arlington since everyone had told us they have tons of Cowboys stuff for cheap. First of all, I almost crashed the car when I saw the stadium on the way there. I literally hopped a curb. I was in awe at how huge it was and how futuristic it looked. It was amazing because the first time I laid eyes on the stadium, it was cloudy and raining but the sun came out and shined down on it, a magical moment I will never forget. Anyway the Walmart was crazy packed. They had an overwhelming section of Cowboys merchandise where I picked up some things for my folks back home and for myself. I wanted to go here first to see what I could get for cheap before even venturing to the Cowboys Pro shops. 

After this we checked into our hotel, which lucky for us, had been freshly painted that day so we were inadvertently getting high off of the fumes the entire time. Hey, our room was 10 minutes from the stadium, so whatever. We changed and got ready and went out to meet our #CowboysNation fam also in town for the game at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was awesome to meet them and we had some good laughs. We headed to a local club and had a great night.

The next day was game day. The excitement we felt was indescribable. We were so pumped up to see our team play our biggest rival in our beautiful stadium for the first time. We actually went to the mall for a few hours to buy more Cowboys stuff and have lunch with a #CowboysNation friend. Then we picked up some drinks and headed to the stadium to tailgate with more #CowboysNation fam to tailgate. Good times. Except for all the burgundy of gold. Skins fans are like roaches. They travel in hoards, are dirty and impossible to get rid of. They just disrespect the hell out of your home. Ugh. The funniest part to me was how they toured our stadium and even purchased our merchandise in our shops. They never cease to amaze me. Anyway.

When we finally entered AT&T stadium, it was just glorious. The magnitude and splendor of this place is unimaginable until you’re actually there. Felt so good to be home. We got some Cowboyritas ($16 but very strong) and some tacos and hung out until the game started. We actually got to see a picture of us up on the big screen, which was unreal. Then my friend got a hookup from one of our #CowboysNation friends to get us “Landry Room” passes. This is a private room where the family members and guests of players wait for them after games with food and all. I was literally in tears of excitement.

The game itself was a fantastic experience and lots of fun. I damn near lost my voice from screaming. Our boys never once lost the lead to the bum ass Redskins. I couldn’t be happier at how they played. Beating your biggest rival is always a great feeling, especially when you know you can go back to work and talk a bunch of crap to everyone who said you’d lose. We ended up getting to sit pretty close and even got about 15 feet away from the players when they were coming off the field so we could take pics and scream our heads off some more.

Then we got to the Landry room and we saw most of our boys, which was surreal. Getting to meet head coach Jason Garrett exceeded my wildest expectation. I told him I came all the way from DC to watch him beat the Skins. He smiled, thanked me and shook my hand. I died. He was super nice and I was surprised that he was happy to take a pic with me. I also got to take a pic with Dwayne Harris, who had a phenomenal game with a major punt return touchdown. We saw countless other players and even saw Draya waiting for her boo Orlando Scandrick with his twin daughters and her son. It was overwhelming honestly. But extremely exciting. An incredible way to end the most perfect day ever. I am still kind of in shock days later. We were supposed to go out to a club that night but after the amazingness that took place in the Landry Room, it was too late. So we chilled at the hotel room for the night, still high off that big W.

The next day we got to tour the stadium, another unreal experience. That place is truly a world wonder. The cleanliness, luxury and attention to detail (even the drains in the floor had stars on them) is what really impressed me. Jerry Jones really outdid himself. I was tickled to learn that they hosted all kinds of events at the stadium, including weddings (light bulb!), to pay off the $1.2 billion price tag. Our tour guide, Mike, was great. The history of our team just amazes me. Going into the locker rooms and onto the very nice field were highlights for me. I still couldn’t get over that screen (the largest TV screen in the entire world). We had a blast. 

After a final trip to the stadium Pro Shop, my friend and I had a delicious lunch at Papadeaux and took a nap before heading up to Plano, TX to see the Drew Pearson show. For those who don’t know, this man is known as one of the greatest wide receivers and football players of all time. He played in the good old days with other legends Roger Staubach, Randy White and Tony Dorsett. Drew was known as Mr. Clutch for one of the most famous “Hail Mary” plays in all football history. Two other receivers went on to wear his number (88) in honor of his legacy on the team. We were beyond excited to watch his show and actually meet him. He was super nice and down to earth. We got to shoot the breeze with him for quite a while, talking about everything from his remarkable career, the long-term effects of brain injuries for NFL players, our stadium, breast cancer and the great city of Dallas. He even put his Super Bowl ring on our fingers to our amazement. There are no words to describe how I felt. NONE.

The next day we couldn't depart Dallas without getting some famous Rudy’s  fried chicken so we rushed over to get some before our flights. It was hood as hell, served with sliced bread and all. My friend wasn’t impressed but I actually thought it was delicious and I liked their hot sauce. It was hard to fit all my new cowboys stuff in my luggage to get home because I sure did load up. But I made it home Tuesday night just fine. 

My dad said he was jealous of what an epic trip I had. It was cool to be able to send him all the pics of the stadium, the game and even me with our coach. He was in awe, but no way nearly as much as me. It was definitely one of the greatest experiences of my life. Keep in mind I had to leave out the juiciest parts though LOL. I am hoping to be able to make it out to Dallas once a year for a game. It was an awesome city that I totally fell in love with, even aside to being home to the greatest sports franchise in history. One of the things that impressed me the most is how nice people are down there. Guess it's true that everything is better in Texas. To be honest, I miss it already!

My Punta Cana Experience

After returning from an amazing trip to the Dominican Republic today, I wanted to blog about my experience while it’s all still fresh in my memory and before I go back to work and school and get swamped yet again. I also want to do a few blogs on packing for traveling since I now consider myself to be a pro… so look out for that shortly.

First off, let me start by filling you in on what my perspective was BEFORE this trip. I have been to the Dominican Republic before and I have a strong appreciation for the people and culture after growing up around Dominicans all my life. However I am a critic of the “all inclusive resort” as I have never been a fan or had a spectacular experience. I would much rather rent something in a real neighborhood and get the “real” feel of the country or city I’m in than to stay in some Americanized hotel or resort where I am just another tourist. So this is what I usually do. Last time I was in DR in 2010, I stayed in a beach town in the popular city of Puerto Plata on the north coast and also visited a nearby town called Sosua during my stay there. It was amazing. Since then, I’ve been dying to visit Santiago and the capital Santo Domingo to experience more Dominican culture. After all, they know how to party more than anyone else on earth and this is an undebated fact. I never really had the urge to visit Punta Cana since it is only a tourist area, although it is known for having some of the best beaches in the Caribbean. Usually I would much rather go somewhere with both good beaches and real culture.

But when a best friend of mine is being sent to Punta Cana for a work conference and invites me on an all-expenses paid vacation, who am I to be picky? I immediately did a little research on the “Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Punta Cana” where we’d be staying and also asked a friend who’s been. It sounded amazing, but I was still a bit skeptical. Either way I would enjoy it of course.

When we arrived, I was just in awe of the grandeur that is this hotel. It is simply stunning in every way. The aesthetics and atmosphere of the lobby, rooms, restaurants, grounds, pools, beach plus everything in between are nothing less than total luxury and sophistication. Our room especially was wonderful, especially the most comfortable hotel beds I have ever experienced in my life. The food was mostly good but nothing that wowed me, which is what I have come to expect from all-inclusive resorts so no surprise there. Luckily when I would ask the waiters in Spanish about REAL Dominican food, they would usually bring me something not on the menus from the kitchen and totally made my day. I was also pleased with the generosity of the bartenders because unlike other all-inclusive places, the drinks are far from watered down or weak here. The mamajuana (an infamous Dominican cocktail of very strong rum and wine poured into a bottle of wooden barks and herbs that were supposedly used by the ancient Taino tribes that occupied the northern Caribbean islands… this also used as an aphrodisiac BTW) is poured freely at every bar and restaurant, much to my enjoyment. Every Dominican will make you stand up and chant this drinking salute before you take the shot though, which absolutely tickled me each time. I couldn’t get enough.

Now the best part of the hotel by far was the beach and the countless pools. I mean I honestly couldn’t tell you how many pools there were. I would have needed weeks to try them all. The resort was so huge that you had to catch a ride on the shuttle to get around. There were pools with swim-up bars, a lazy river, a kids pool, an adults only pool, a pool with live entertainment and DJ, pools with jets and seats, some pools only for show, and then most of them had pool chairs IN the pool. The water in the pools was so clean too. Plus they bring you drinks and food, all for free. I mean…. Does it get any better than this? Actually, dumb question. Yes. It did get better. The beach. I am a sucker for a good beach. It is the one thing in life that brings me the most joy. And Punta Cana definitely lives up to its reputation when it comes to beaches. The powder-like sand was so soft, fine and clean. The water was so crystal clear and refreshing. The only other beach I have been to so far that can compare was Flamenco Beach in Culebra, Puerto Rico. From what I have heard, HRH’s beach may be one of the best in Punta Cana and it definitely makes my top 2 list. And that says a lot!

Now with all this in mind, the biggest highlight of this getaway for me was still nothing I listed above. A usual, for me, the biggest delight was from the people I encountered. Being able to communicate in Spanish with the locals pleased them very much and they usually opened up to me real quick. Telling me about their lives, their perspectives. I learned that having a job in tourism in DR is like “making it big time” because this is by far its largest industry. The 10 million people in this country depend on tourism to support their economic growth, which has made it the most visited country in the entire Caribbean. So many people from all over the country move to the local town of Higuey to maintain their hospitality jobs in Punta Cana. But some staff members at HRH told me they lived far away in Santo Domingo or even 8 hours away in Puerto Plata and still traveled to Punta Cana for the majority of the week to work. But they were happy to do so…. Because they were just grateful to work.

Wow talk about perspective. It hit me like a ton of bricks. In America, we are picky about jobs and even when we do have good jobs, we still sit there and complain about them. Our benefits suck, or we want more paid time off, or our pay isn’t high enough, and our bosses and coworkers get on our nerves, etc. In other countries so many are just so happy to work. Hell even in our country many immigrants share that attitude. We parade around while on vacation, while these people will never take a vacation in their lives yet serve with a smile on their faces. It really just blows me away. I felt guilty in a way and I tried to tip everyone I could as much as I could. Maybe I was a little too generous in most cases but I still never felt it was enough compared to how hard they worked and how much joy they brought me. They were sweet and kind, which goes a long way for me. And to think these people have hardly anything. They live so much more humble than us tourists can imagine while we live lavishly on vacation. Because believe me the real DR outside of Punta Cana is NOTHING like HRH. UGH. So it means everything to me to support and give back to people like that who genuinely need and deserve it. I only wish I could do more.

And despite how obnoxious, arrogant and ethnocentric Americans are in our travels abroad, somehow Dominicans don’t hate us like other countries do, amazingly enough. They are the most warm and hospitable people I have encountered so far. They are fiercely passionate about their beautiful culture, and rightfully so. Because as everyone knows, there is NO party like a Dominican party. Hearing all the merengue and bachata was another huge highlight for me, and even getting to dance to it several times. I love me a man who can dance, and I honestly do not believe a single Dominican has ever lived that cannot dance. Those men are not only the most gorgeous and flirtatious on the planet, they are the best freaking dancers. Ever. I just can’t stress how much fun this was and how much I enjoyed my time with the people. I mean… Most of them. Some of the men were a little overbearing. But my friend and I definitely got some good laughs out of that and have stories to tell for years to come.

Overall I was pleasantly surprised by the Hard Rock Hotel. It wasn’t as disgustingly Americanized and touristy as I expected. I mean, in general the “rock star” theme did hold true. It was kind of cool having all the memorabilia and relics from famous rock stars everywhere. And I love rock music so I was enjoying some of the rock music played (although I think it was overkill most of the time). But you definitely did get some Dominican flavor in there. Maybe more so for me since I was specifically seeking it and aggressively asking the locals where to find it LOL.I mean I knew it would be different than Puerto Plata but I was determined to still salvage the real DR even in Punta Cana and I think I did pretty darn good. In fact, I feel that I made so many new friends that I am already slightly depressed in how much I miss it.

One of the only down sides to traveling a lot is you end up encountering so many places you love that you vow to return to and then you feel overwhelmed in picking a favorite or in frequenting one place too much (as I have with Puerto Rico). Well I now feel that way about DR. I always loved it from the first time I visited Puerto Plata but something about this trip really made me fall in love with Dominican culture all over again. 

So I expected to return annoyed by a lack of habichuelas and perico ripiao, but rather I am quite content. I can make the most out of anywhere I go and DR is one place that is pretty much impossible not to enjoy. I have changed my mind about dreading resorts and tourist traps. These people depend on our tourism dollars and they bust their butts to make us happy so we will return. Most are PROUD to work there in fact. Every person I talked to was so truly honored by how much an American like me could appreciate their culture. So that goes to show that even a place that is shunned for “not being the real DR” has plenty of the real DR after all. If it didn’t, I doubt so many Dominicans themselves, as well as other Hispanics, would frequent this town as one of the top destinations one earth.

Overall, I had the time of my life. The weather was perfect, my tan is pretty damn good for only a few days, I have some of the most beautiful pictures I have ever taken that look like freaking Hallmark post cards, and I got my dose of cultura Dominicana that already leaves me fiending for my next visit to the beautiful Quisqueya… Or at least up to Washington Heights in NYC until I can make it back down to the Motherland itself.