Very down on the DR lately

We were just there and had a wonderful time. For all its problems it's an amazing country. Go somewhere you haven't been before, if possible. And try to leave any negativity you're feeling, if possible, on the plane. Espero que disfrutes mucho!

not very enlightening

Johne
Is there more to this story....if not too personal can you expand on it.

johne said:

After 8-9 years of the DR I have been very down on the DR lately. Don't know why. Booked a trip for Jan. but my heart is not beating with excitment. For the past 5 years went just about every month and could never get enough.
Now--not too sure any more.
Bloom is off the rose.
That's all--nada mas, only my feelings right now.

JOHN

Click to expand...

John,

Tell us where you usually go and what you've been doing while you are here. Perhaps you need to try a different area to get a different perspective.

johne, come to the DR. Smell the air, walk through the streets, observe, go to a river, go somewhere you've never been before, explore a different 'spark'. Things change buddy - embrace it!

johne said:

After 8-9 years of the DR I have been very down on the DR lately. Don't know why. Booked a trip for Jan. but my heart is not beating with excitment. For the past 5 years went just about every month and could never get enough.
Now--not too sure any more.
Bloom is off the rose.
That's all--nada mas, only my feelings right now.

JOHN

Click to expand...

Funny you should say that. My partner and I travel to DR quite a bit with the exception of the last year. Over a period of time, I began to lose that heart pumping excitement of what it feels like to be there.

We returned from DR a couple of days ago and I'll tell ya, the sounds, smells, people, music, food, air, craziness and everything else that may be slowly fading from memory are still there in abundance!

That is of course, unless there's a more pressing reason to be down on DR.

His friend got attacked recently remember? Not sure if that is a contributory factor or not? But I would think it's perfectly normal to not maintain the same level of excitement year in year out for ever.
http://www.dr1.com/forums/general-stuff/66162-armed-robbery-airport-parking-lot.html

I've been visiting the DR for 7 years now, and usually twice or three times a year. This year I just returned from my third visit and visited places that I had never been. The DR is a wonderful developing country and the Dominican people are warm, loving, and hard working; striving to make ends meet in a place where the haves really have and the have nots really have not. Over the years I have become known to some of the locals, and of course, to some of the local criminal element, too. And so I know that I now must be more careful. They believe that all tourists are rich, and that the streets in the United States are paved with gold. Our television vindicates this notion and it is most unfortunate that we are perceived in this way. Nonetheless, I will continue to visit the DR and enjoy the warmth of the island and its people.

The bloom may be off the rose. But, a rose it still is.

Maybe his mind is normalizing the Dominican experience.

Think of this like buying a new car. For the first few months you are excited and it actually makes you happy and then, time passes and it becomes so normal! Driving the thing no longer excites you as it did in the past. The excitement level can seriously be reduced if you get into a car accident. Nothing ruins the pride in owning a new car than some knucklehead smashing into you or a simple fender bender.

Well, everything in life is like that.

-NALs

Hang in there, Johne

Johne,

I used to have the same sentiment, 6 - 7 yrs. ago. I'd return from the D.R. and say "that's it" -- I'm not going back to the D.R. for several years or maybe never again.

Then a month later, something would start gnawing at me. I'd start to dwell on my idyllic days in the D.R. And each time, I would capitulate, saying -- "I have to go back!"

Now mind you, this was not a one time occurrence. That same mentality repeated itself for the first 10 visits or so. Trust me, when December rolls around, you'll feel that anticipation about your January departure to the D.R.

Head to DR - You will be glad you did!