Race to the finish
This week’s newspaper is the last regular Beacon edition covering the 2023 elections before the special pre-election issue next week, and sending it to print is a bittersweet moment for one Beaconite. Keeping up with the bevy of rallies and announcements from candidates has been a big task, but she’s found much of the discourse to be passionate and enlightening. She hopes those who are elected carry that energy into office. Their campaign promises have been well documented, and the reporter is sure the community will be closely monitoring what gets done. She offers a quick thank you to the candidates who have provided information for the Beacon’s coverage over the past few months and to the interviewees who have been generous with their time. April 24 is sure to be a historic day, and she is eager to see how it unfolds.
Enjoying Easter
Beaconites hopes the Easter holiday break was restful and enjoyable for everyone. Besides getting a few interviews done and briefly soaking up a bit of sun, a reporter also got to enjoy the Road Town Methodist Church’s Good Friday choir concert. It’s always a treat experiencing live singing and dancing by talented artists. During the holiday, she also had the delight of trying habichuelas con dulce made by good friends. It was absolutely delicious and fantastically comforting with its warm spices and creaminess from the blended beans, and she can see why it is so beloved in the Dominican Republic.
Visit to Virgin Gorda
A Beaconite took his first trip to Virgin Gorda on Easter Monday. On arrival at the ferry dock on the sister island, he checked around for a taxi, but none was available at the time. Then a quick scan of the Google Maps app on his phone provided an indication of where he should be headed. So he decided to walk to his destination. Since the Beaconite loves to visit new places, he took photos along the way of places he read about and even writes about in his stories. He then found his way to where a few people were milling around and waiting for the afternoon’s proceedings to begin. But it was still early in the day. Later, he met an elderly woman whose main concern was getting back to the ferry dock in time for the 5 p.m. ferry. But he was so excited to visit the sister island that he kept telling the senior that the ferry was scheduled to leave at 6 p.m. He then glanced at the flyer on his phone and quickly corrected the mistake. That was when he realised he had to plan the remaining three hours of his trip to the island. As such, he walked around as much as the hot sun permitted. The Beaconite saw a few popular restaurants which he plans to visit when returns to the island in the future. He also witnessed many tourist vans headed to The Baths, which is also on his destination wish list.
Spreading the word
A Beaconite has long enjoyed telling people about the Virgin Islands when people ask her about her story. She feels proud to share that she has lived in the Caribbean for a few years after taking the chance and leaving the United States mainland. In her travels and adventures, she finds that like-minded individuals who enjoy the beauty of the world are also those who aren’t afraid to immerse themselves into other cultures and places for long periods of time. When people ask her more questions about the territory, she always feels excited to share her knowledge about the islands. She has encouraged many people to visit so they could also experience the Caribbean in the same ways that she has.