Years ago I adventured on a family trip to the Bahamas. During the time, my sister and I were twelve and eleven, respectively. Due to the fact that it was our first trip outside of the United States, it was imperative that we obtained passports. Because we never journeyed outside the country’s expansive borders, we were negligent to other ways of life. In the Bahamas, my family became exposed to a culture we never acknowledged.
Although I nearly died, I carry an enduring memory from the trip: the Leap of Faith water slide. At the time, silky-white slides that towered at such angles appalled me. When my turn to ride the harrowing slide arrived, I completely ignored the frivolous rules by sitting straight up on the way down. As I exited the bottom of the slide, my mother and sister sprinted towards me, expressions of fear across their bleached faces. Never did it cross my mind that I put my life in jeopardy, until they reprimanded me for not reading the safety guidelines. “I could have lost you,” my mother exclaimed despite the tears welling up in her…
Although it currently stands as a restaurant, it was once a site for famous movies, such as Casino Royale. While admiring the panoramic view of the extensive ocean, several aromas drifted into perceptiveness, such as salt water and the honey of croissants. When we sat down to eat, the waiters would pull out our straw-woven chairs for us and place fancifully folded napkins on our laps. In addition, they addressed me in a formal manner, asking, “What will you have to drink, governor,” or “Your choice of entree, sir?” Never have I experienced such politeness from a waiter. Compared to Omaha, the waiters were genteel and considered us to be royalty. A break from the American way of life where we converse and behave informally, this eye-opening experience allowed me to appreciate the cordiality and politeness that Bahamians…
