Boca Chica

Yesterday, boyfriend and I made it to Boca Chica beach.  Although we only live 3 miles from the water, Boca Chica is the closest beach at 30 minutes away with a fast driver.  Its quite the change from Juan Dolio, as this one is filled with hotels, restaurants, bars, and thousands of umbrellas.  Here, you always hear music playing and are constantly asked if you want to buy fresh fruit, a massage, or ceviche out of a fisherman's bucket. 

Crystal clear water, c/o A's iPhone

The sand isn't as powder white as it is at the beaches throughout the rest of the country, but the water is perfect for a leisurely dip.  Its one of those beaches that doesn't have waves; one where you can walk a mile out from the shore and still be standing in waste deep water.  

Slurp, slurp

Of course, I gave in and paid a dollar to drink coconut water.  I then attacked the inside of the fleshy coconut to try and dig out its meat, but my plastic straw wasn't the best tool.  I desperately wanted to bring it home and slash it open to eat the rest, but boyfriend is a little overprotective of his new knives. 

Happy 12th Birthday, Mom

{Great Hair..}

I've been feeling uninspired lately and haven't written very often, but that is no excuse for this post being long overdue.  My mom's birthday was last week; I think she turned 12.

{"Take my picture!" at the airport..}

She was always the "cool" mom growing up.  Oftentimes I think I'm older than she is - she's the kid who won't eat breakfast, only to eat 2 Mounds bars at 2 PM, or go to a restaurant and order a plate of plain spaghetti noodles with butter as her sauce. 

{Barefoot on the streets of Miami..}

When I was young, there was lots of eye rolling when my friends said how much they liked my mom.  The older I become, I realize that she isn't so bad after all.  I never thought I'd be saying this, but I'm becoming more like her in more ways than one.  I'll never admit all of them (I still have to roll my eyes if she tells me I'm just like her), but I will admit that I'm starting to dress more like my mother - yes uncle Tommy, I said it, and that I can never wait to get home to ask her which funky, gaudy rings she'll let me borrow until she sees me next.

{Us at South Beach}

So to my sometimes embarrassing, funny, stylish (except for when she doesn't wash her hair for a week), beautiful mother, happy birthday.  You've taught me that you're never too old to laugh at bad, inappropriate jokes, and that life is too short to not eat chocolate, because a diet can always start next Monday.

Happy Birthday, Mom.

Connected

Have you seen this video?  It makes me want an iPhone 4S so terribly bad.  

This afternoon I took my friend Jessica in Spain on a Skype tour of my apartment, and was able to ever-so-proudly recite to her my poem full of rolling R's in Spanish.  I also tweeted at my friend Mia in the Netherlands and I emailed with my godmother in California, all within the same hour.

Today I'm grateful for technology.  I love being able to stay in touch no matter how far away I am in the world, because its the little things - like laughing at my new Dominican words over video chat - that make all the difference on a mundane Wednesday afternoon.

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My Favorite Thing Out of Taiwan

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Last week I interviewed a girl that had worked at a small Taiwanese cafe in Santo Domingo.  When she said that it served bubble tea I almost jumped for joy and immediately began my hunt to find the small, signless, "hole in the wall" eatery, located on a well-known street in the city.  Since then, boyfriend and I have driven up and down this street on 3 separate occasions.  You would think that with an address and clear directions [50 feet past Baskin Robbins] it would be easy to find, but no.  Nothing is that easy here!

On our 2nd attempt to find it, we drove past an Asian supermarket, so I went in and asked the nice old lady if they made bubble tea.  I first tried with "bubble tea" and then "tea" and then "cold" and then "prepared", but our communication failed and I was given green tea in a box and cold Nestea.  

Our 3rd attempt was last night, and by this time I think boyfriend was so tired of driving to the same place that he asked me if I wanted to drive, leading to my first driving experience in the DR.  My first driving experience in a country that does not abide by traffic laws, where there is no proper lane usage, and where Stop signs don't mean squat.  As I am the perfect driver I was confident that there wouldn't be an issue.

Within 5 minutes of driving I sped past a street (I knew that oncoming cars wouldn't be stopping for me) and drove right into the biggest pothole/mini ditch I've ever seen in the middle of a street!  It left a huge scratch on the front bumper of A's car, but I've convinced him that it will go away with a little car wash.  I guess we'll soon find out.

I'm still day dreaming about bubble tea.  There's just something I love about those large tapioca pearls that are so graciously slurped up through the fat straw..  I just can't take my mind off of it.  I may be willing to take extreme measures to find bubble tea, but its just so good - I can't be the only one.

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Late Afternoon Snack

I Don't Know What's Best:

1.  The fact that mangos are one of the cheapest fruits to buy here.

2.  Boyfriend's professional mango cut.

3.  Watching boyfriend eat with a huge chunk of mango hanging off the side of his cheek and him having no idea why I'm staring.

{My fingers don't normally look this wrinkly}

Hope you've had a marvelous Sunday.  Hello, October!