Delicate women among palm trees.

Overt locking eyes in Susho.

Movin’ motorbikes to get across town.

Irregular prices for tourists

Nuisances selling anything palmed in hands.

Instant gratification from a blazing sun.

Corrupt government. Is this America too?

Ain’t nobody focused on a brown foreigner.

Never get used to cold showers.

Radiant pride; flags waves like beating hearts.

Exquisite food, Italian, American, and Russian. But hardly any Dominican food serving restaurants.

People chatting in Spanish, my ears wish they understood.

Urgency of work is forgotten inside a pool bar. Another round. Another round. Another

Bachelors at the festival woo white women.

Lovely looking ladies everywhere.

Ice cream and a beach. What more can you ask for?

Clamoring to memories now that time here is spent.

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Rashaun J. Allen (@rashaunjallen) received his MFA in Creative Writing and Literature from SUNY Stony Brook. He’s eyeing agents to help publish his coming of age story, Christine’s Dream – A Memoir of Love, Loss & Life. He is the author of A Walk Through Brooklyn & In The Moment and has been published in TSR: The South Hampton Review, Rigorous, Tishman Review and is forthcoming in Fourth GenreT. When not writing he runs for the thrill of crossing the finish line. Find more of his work at www.rashaunjallen.com.

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“Rashaunjallen.com is not an official Fulbright Program site. The views expressed on this site are entirely those of its author and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State or any of its partner organizations.”