Genuine Happiness

So tonight I was at the ultimate Dominican baby shower. It reminded of the one thing I truly love about D.R….the happiness/carelessness that seems to embody everyone despite their age. Women who were over 45 were dancing with so much energy and style. And although you knew that’s not how you dance salsa, you couldn’t help but smile because they were having such a good time just moving and laughing and singing along.

There were tons of kids running around like crazy. I saw the cutest 3 year old dancing Merengue with some serious swag…a 1 year old caught his eye and he was trying to woo her. All the men were wearing the fruitiest colors! Just think of all the pastel colors you see in your hometown in DR…that’s what the men had on.

I saw one man giving his 4 year old some Corona to taste. I remember my dad doing that to me. Women were encouraging their kids to dance, because you have to teach them young. The food was ON POINT! Moro de guandule, pollo, pernil, arroz amarillo, even the 3 liter C & C sodas. The platano maduros were the only thing missing. Then to top it off they had the craziest DJ playing the classics with Kinito Mendez and Antony Santos but also adding some Prince Royce and modern songs to the mix. Had some crazy commentary throughout the entire night too.

It was definitely a good party, and even though I didn’t dance (darn brother didn’t want to get up) it was such a cozy environment that I felt relaxed and proud of my culture. Even a little nostalgic…