Different because only spent 10 days in one of the places that I love in this world the most. I only spent 10 days with the people I love the most, breathing the air that I love the most. Cuba is one of things that I love the most in my life. It’s my get away area. It’s everything. This summer was different though. I arrived, and man was it great to see everyone, to see the familiar faces that I hadn’t seen in so long. Unfortunately, there’s something really ironic about arriving at Cuba and that is that you just really can’t wait until you get to the airport and for the plane to land but once you enter inside the airport you can’t wait to leave. If you’ve ever been to Cuba you know that the system at the airport is only disorganized and that anything you do like looking for your luggage and changing the currency can get lengthy, lengthy as in hours. My little cousin and I spent 10 hours in the airport last year and didn’t leave until midnight, thankfully this year was different. This year when we finally walked out the doors, the white electronic sliding doors, it was a relief. Outside those doors is a little area with a tall metal fence that closes up the exit and outside the fenced area you can see plenty of Cuban people waiting for their long seen family members. As you can imagine, outside of course I had my own waiting for me. My cousin and parents and I had finally stepped out with our huge cart piled with luggage on top. I heard voices coming from all directions. To my left side was my aunt from my mom’s side accompanied with her daughter also known as my cousin yelling my name and waving at me. My heart was filled with joy. It was a surreal moment. A moment I had been waiting for all summer. This is joy to me. Joy is when I see my family. Joy is when I see the people I love the most. My voice cracked and I started weeping, weeping tears of happiness. Across from me just a little to the right was my almost entire family coming from my dad’s side. It was so nice to see the familiar faces smiling at me with joy! Waving and calling at me. The airport attendant was patiently checking the luggage for tickets and here I was struggling to find the extra in my bag, I was frantic and impatient. Finally he said, “You can go.” I rushed to where my family was waiting, but to my surprise they weren’t there, they were already waiting for me at the exit, this little opening in the fenced up area, and there I saw my uncle, and I gave him one of the biggest hugs ever, one that I haven’t given him in a long time, 13 months exactly. Then I saw his wife, who I look up to as an aunt as well, my little cousin’s grandma and grandpa were there too. The entire gang was there, the crazy gang that I call my family. The 10 days went by quicker than I had ever imagined and at times the days went by slow. We went to the pool, played dominoes, ate pizza sandwiches, we went to the carnivals, to the beach, played cards, ate beans and avocados, had diarrhea, played tennis, made lemonade, dressed up, scared people, danced, read The Book of Mormon, gave my family gifts, paid some people visits, and finally loved. During those days I loved because I felt the warmth of my family which throughout my daily life is practically inexistent, practically never there. I can’t wait till next year, to feel that irresistible warmth all over again.
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