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Good Bye Dominican Republic....I landed today in Brussel. Almost one year away from Europe. Spent in just one country - Dominican Republic.
I walk on the streets in Brussels and I feel like Buddha, seeing the same misery everywhere in the world, regardless of the country. The people and their daily issues, from which they cant escape. And me. Traveller with backpack - I was free and away from all of it. Almost.
I go to some shop in Brussel and buy some BIG, delicious bread for 1,5 euro. The price is almost the same like in Dominican Republic...And the salaries ? 10 times higher...But its cold here. The sun hides behind the cold and grey clouds.
The same day, 10 hours later (after waiting for the flight) I land in my country. Everything looks so quiet and sad here. There is no music (like in DR) playing from every street corner. The people are quiet and generally speaking - they mind their own business, and nothing more.
There is no wild, burning sun here. It's actually raining here now. No people sitting in front of their houses on the plastic chairs. No chit chats of the neighbours on the streets. Almost.
I see hundreds and 1000's of individualists on the street - the people live here individually, not in community like in DR. 1000's of separate human beings and each one of them walk in his own direction.
And finally I'm in my house today. I see here wealth. 100's of things that nobody use. Books, old casettes, CDs, computers, cars. Things, 100's of things in my room have accumulated since years - and now they just lay like that. Nobody needs them and nobody uses them. Accumulated "wealth" of material things. I go to the kitchen. What do we have here ? 6 frying pans..no, wait , 8 ! All made from teflon. 20 pots..what the hell...Who will need it ? What is it for ? And in DR ? Usually they dont have ONE decent frying pan...
So... Are all these things make us happier ? Do we need them ? Can we play, dance and have fun like the people who have 10 times less than us ? Can we have no plans and be so unconcerned in every given moment ?
I am not trying to say here that Dominicans are actually some kind of "noble savages", like the Russeau would say. That they are so innocent and they have no need for money. They also have the BIG need to poses. To have. To buy, and only new things. new smartphones, new cars, while at the same moment they dont have the money for the good food or gasoline for their new car
The life though looks completely different here, in Europe (well - most of it) - people hide in their houses, while the life in Dominican Republic - is always outside , on the streets.
Here we have fotoradars and the cops with alcotesters- in DR there are crazy drivers..And you can drink & drive without problems (unless you will have accident)
Here we have families that are combinations of individualists - over there people live in community.
Here, when you live in the big and cold city, you feel happy when you buy some "ecologic" food - in Dominican Republic you just buy fresh fish every day and drink juice, from delicious, fresh fruits...(well, it doesnt mean that Dominicans DONT LOVE plastic and artificial food products - because they do...)
etc. etc...