we are collapsed in the act of just being here.

i stepped out onto the tarmac and thrill overwhelmed my body. the hot tropical air greeted my lungs and i could no longer contain myself. despite a boring flight with umpteen irritations (crying babies, terrible food, people milling back and forth to and from the bathroom, hitting my chair everytime they passed…), i was happy and excited to begin my week. we walked along the side of the landing strip, i had never debarked from an airplane straight outdoors, and seeing the airplane from our viewpoint was intimidating. to think such a huge machine can glide smoothly through the sky at thousands of miles an hour is fascinating, but i wasn’t looking forward to being on one again in a week knowing i would be being transported back to my arctic city.

it all seemed to be a blur- customs, baggage claim, etc… i couldnt stop thinking about how badly i needed a cigarette. you can basically smoke anywhere in the dominican republic, so all the french canadians who had jumped off our flight gratefully lit up their cigarettes, almost in unison. i shook my head in disbelief, and focused my mind on getting to the resort. outside the airport, a sea of bus-taxis and drivers hollering with signs awaited. it took no time at all to find our bus, and fortunately we had due time for a cigarette before leaving.