We're Back in the US!! And Boy Do We Know It!

August in the United States!

That was the plan, and that’s where we are.

We arrived through Atlanta late in the evening of July 31 and continued on to Detroit Michigan which is near where our house is in the states.

If you haven’t followed long, I’m a native New Yorker who met my wife in Boston in 2008 (she immigrated there when she was a kid in 1996) when we worked together.

My career took me to Michigan in 2017 and in 2021, after 21 years as an executive with Progressive Insurance…I quit!

In 2022, we moved to DR for one year .. and then stayed.

Our house in Michigan was left furnished and we have rented it to a few different tenants who needed a house for various reasons

• They’re building a home that will be done in a few months

• They had a fire/flood and their home was being repaired

• They were moving out of state and needed a bridge for a few months for their kids to finish the school year

Our last tenant moved out July 15 as planned and we left it vacant so we could come back for August and then we’ll rent it again.

Back to our US return…

In Atlanta, we had a 4 hour layover.

The first couple hours were the whole process of going through customs, retreiving and re-checking our bags and going back through security.

We were REALLY hungry so we took a moment to sit down at a TGIFriday’s in Terminal T in Atlanta.

As SOON as we sat down, we had TWO ‘welcome back to the US’ moments!

#1: It’s Cold Here

I don’t mean the weather.

The trek through the airport was one thing.

There was no acknowledgement of each other, no smiles .. nothing.

We’ve gotten used to warmth in DR.

Not all the time, but most of the time there’s a ‘buen dia’ or ‘buenas tardes’ exchanged in passing.

But the waitress was downright frigid. 🥶

There was a TV on above us that was loud PLUS what was on it was downright depressing (more on that in a second).

We asked ‘is there a way to change the channel or turn it down?’

Her response ‘not unless someone climbs up there and does it for you’.

I asked ‘is it ok if I do it?’

To which she said ‘well I ain’t gonna do it .. you do what you want’

Sheesh!!

Listen, customer service can be lacking in DR, but more ‘indifferent’ than ‘asshole’.

And in restaurants in particular, service in DR is ALWAYS amazing.

So that was a shock to the system.

Later, we were all wanting a cupcake or pastry and found a bakery.

To hear the people behind the counter talking to each other about ‘I only made $8 today … people are cheap’ and ‘we close in 2 minutes thank GOD’ while I was standing there wanting to grab a couple things for my family …

Double SHEESH!! 

As you read this you may say ‘I’ve been in DR and that happens there too’ and you’re right.

Even as I type this I can’t say Santo Domingo cafe gives the greatest service in the world .. but I think the coldness of the people combined with the indifference of the employees makes for a heavier overall feeling.

In other words, when everyone is warm but the service at a store is cold .. it’s noticable but whatever .. you move on.

When it’s cold around you and then downright frigid when being served, it’s like putting a weighted vest on top of another one.

Palpable for both me and my wife for sure.

But not as palpable as …

#2: Political Division

That TV above us sounded like this…

“Donald Trump was on the trail today .. reaction to comments deemed racist is coming in”

“On the other side Kamala Harris campaigned in xyz city and is facing fire about her record on the border”

“Let’s get reaction”

• We need to save the democracy

• He can’t win

• Her record is terrible

• The democrats are this

• The republicans are that

Then the conversations at the tables around us .. just head shaking, fist wringing divisive discussion.

I wouldn’t say ‘sheesh’

I think I speak for Silvia when I say it’s more ‘holy shit!!’

We both literally looked at each other said with shoulders rolled forward and a wrinkled brow ‘welcome to the US!’

My kids were watching and asking questions (they’re 9 and 6)

They’re wondering why someone is ‘evil’ as was said on the TV.

They’re asking about Israel and Iran since that news came up.

They’re hearing people around us talk about this stuff with such emotion .. such one sidedness.

Look .. we went through a political season in Dominican Republic.

The presidential election was in May and other elections took place in February.

Every other billboard was a political campaign and the country had debates and discussions about what’s best.

But the only palpable feeling was this .. and this is no bullshit…

PRIDE!

There was an electricity on election day in May.

People were pumped about free elections, their right to choose, the direction of their country, the oil stamp thingie on their hands 😁.

That was it.

Is there discussion and disagreement? For sure!

But like I remember it in the 1990’s and early 2000’s, it was related to the issue .. not this ‘good vs. evil’ rhetroic there is today in the US.

As I write this I can still feel that moment.

It was ‘what is happening right now’ mixed with ‘why does it feel like there’s impending doom?’

But hey .. it’s only day one right??

Here’s a few more takeaways from our first few hours back in the US:

• We love our home .. it is beautiful and comfortable

• Our kids are enjoying their basement .. the one thing they remember and missed (toys, couches, a kids cave!)

• The blue skies of summer in Michigan aren’t what they were .. they’re blue, but that electric deep blue sky of the Caribbean has ruined blue skies forever lol

• Our Dominican friends are super engaged .. messaging about the trip, telling us they miss us, chat groups we have are full of discussion and back and forth

• Our American friends couldn’t care less haha - a group text saying we had arrived sent by my wife was unanswered for hours and when it was, it was business as usual for them without acknwoledgement of our return ..really interesting!

Right now, there’s a mix of emotion.

If we could take our house in Michigan and plop it in Punta Cana, I think we’d have everything we want!

We have 30 days .. we’ll see how this goes.

One thing I can tell you for sure .. our housekeeper Isabel .. we miss her more than anything lol. 

Once you have that level of assistance in your home, it’s hard to go back .. but i’ll let you know each week how we’re doing, how we evolve, what our mindset is, and so on.

For now, I can honestly say that the connecteness of people and the lack of a divide amongst the population is so refreshing in DR .. truly.  

Hopefully in 30 days we don’t get dragged into the division of politics in the US!

If you want to see a little more on this .. I dropped this video today. Enjoy!