After spending a week in the ocean I have found some clarity in a couple of things.
One: I never liked going on super touristy vacations. I always felt like I was doing the country an injustice by only staying at the hotels and doing the day tours through a company. But in a country like Aruba where 80 percent of the economy is tourism, I realized that you can find the honesty of the locals easier than you think (or I thought.) There are ways to make your trips more authentic. For example: stay in a condo instead of a hotel. It can be the same type of deal where the “cleaning people” come in and tidy up yourspace, and you STILL have a view of the ocean and there are lots of pools. This option helps because it forces you to go to the local grocery stores and gives you the freedom to explore tons of restaurants. Also, rent a car for the day or for the full trip. When you have that freedom to go wherever you want, most of the time you will find special little treasures. You will be thrown into the culture of DRIVING in a different country, and navigating your way through it. Don't be afraid of getting “lost” because that can create some pretty cool memories and stories after. Although here in Aruba, they say there is no such thing as getting lost, because there are certain trees that will point you to the side of the island where the resorts are. If you chose to do the day tours or boat tours, there are ways you can make those educational. On this trip I have gone out of my way to talk to the tour guides and ask them questions about their country. Something I learned is that you have to be born and raised in Aruba to be a taxi driver and to work in tourism. There are about 450 Taxi drivers on the island, and let me tell you, there are A LOT of cars. One thing I noticed is that on such a small island, traffic can develop easily. Talking to these guides and taxi drivers I can see the passion they have about their country. They carry such pride in being a tourist hub and they sincerely want us to come back. So, TALK to the locals that are helping and serving you. Learn about them as humans and the true lifestyle of the country.
Two: I did a lot of snorkeling and swimming on this trip and I can't help but be in love with the ocean. The first time I did it on this trip I jumped off of a boat into the choppy waters with a group of people. My anxiety went up as the wind grew more intense (Aruba is such a WINDYY island.) The minute I stuck my head into the water there was such calmness that took over me. Swimming around and seeing all the beautiful, and colorful fish was so inspiring. I just realized how much more there is to the ocean that we have never seen or learned about. The second time I went snorkeling I was pretty close to shore on this beautiful hidden beach. I went with my own gear this time and swimming along side my friends in their neon swimsuits was one of my favorite parts. I saw all these little rainbow fish in these huge corals. There was just so much life in the water. I understood the beauty in mother nature and how truly blessed I am to have gotten to see these pretty little secret fish.
As I finish up writing this I am outside staring at the ocean. I’m breathing in the heat and the air of Aruba. What an iconic way to spend my Spring Break. With my two dearest friends from 5th grade right beside me. Heading on a flight back to the states later this afternoon. I’m ready to jump back into reality with some new clarity. I’m excited to finish out my Senior year of highschool and enter this next chapter of my life,,,,,which is college (even though my next year “plans” are a little all over the place, so don't ask me about it or I’ll cry.) If you’ve made it this far, thank you. I encourage you to travel, whatever that word means for you. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, this world is so much bigger than our lives in the United States.
Chao,
Ananda