Who would have thought that the shy, soft spoken daughter of a hard working shoe maker would one day jump into the life of uncertainty that comes along with being a writer and hunting for a career in film or \"throwing her life away\" as some so nicely put it. But believe it or not, she was one of the lucky ones.
In my country, most girls grow up to be somebody\'s wife. They are swept away by the highest bidder and promises of a better life before they even begin developing dreams, goals and aspirations. They are then dropped by the men who promised them the world and do nothing but use their bodies. Most are born into a poverty stricken society and never see the light. Young, innocent, beautiful and with skin kissed by the hot Dominican sun. The world is quite different there. Depending on where you stand is either one big party after another or a mistreated paradise where everyone is struggling to survive.
I get the feeling that time almost stands still when I look up at the tall coconut trees who dance with the warm summer breeze. When it rains, the mud puddles claim backyards and streets as theirs and you can actually stick your feet in them and have a pretty good time if you aren\'t too posh. There\'s no hot water in our bathrooms but the weather is so hot that you actually enjoy the tingling sensation that the cold water sends up your spine, waking up your every sense. At night, bright stars shower the sky and though the moon shoots stripes of light in every direction, the secrets behind nature\'s beauty are never revealed.
I dare ask, underrated paradise where girls should be allowed to dream big or a small country where some people are stuck in the past? On my last visit to my country, I was shocked at how many of my cousins who are around my age(and younger) are already married. Most of my friends are pregnant, divorced or already have children. The worst part was that everyone kept asking when was it going to be my turn, even the adults.
The questions and comments made me almost embarrassed to admit that at 17, while they were all busy getting married and having kids I had been busy playing with dolls, playing my violin and writing about unknown worlds that end up stuck inside my head. One of the comments I got was this one \"You\'re about to be 19. If you reach 20 and you\'re still a virgin no one is going to want to marry or touch you\" and this was coming from an aunt. I was not aware that I had to give up my best years and dreams to find a husband, maybe that would explain why I\'m still single? At least in my aunt\'s terms.
I turn 20 in May of this year and I\'m still a virgin. Maybe I\'ll be able to put that whole \"no one will touch you!\" theory to the test? So, lost paradise or a place where many people are stuck in the past? I vote lost paradise where girls should be allowed to grow and prosper. Where their dreams shouldn\'t be washed away on the dreamy warm waters of Dominican beaches and where their hearts shouldn\'t belong to the highest bidder. On my journey as a writer I plan on giving those girls a voice and letting them know that innocence and hope are the last thing they should lose and that you don\'t have to give up your dreams to find love.
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