My Happy Place: My Trip To Jamaica

I close my eyes and go to my happy place. I see a smooth white sand beach, the warm sun glistening over the crystal clear blue water, palm trees swaying in the wind. Most people would say this is any beach, however this isn’t any beach to me. The place I’m talking about is home to me, it brings me happiness, relaxation, good times, and great memories. The place I like to call home is Jamaica. My first visit to Jamaica was when I was just three years old, the last time I was there I was seventeen. Over the span of 14 years I’ve been to Jamaica seven times, and six of those times have been to the same quaint little resort in Runaway Bay. Over the years as I have grown and changed the resort has continuously stayed the same.

To get to the resort

The people that live in Jamaica are so lively and friendly. Jamaicans are some of the friendliest people I have ever met. They may not even know you at all, but they will make you feel like you have known them for years. They make a point to make sure you are enjoying yourself, have everything you need, and ask how you are doing overall. My family and I feel so welcomed and loved by everyone at the resort, that we just love returning each year. It’s not just the people of Jamaica that have impacted me but also the people I have met each year while down there. I have met many new people from all over the world and created lifelong friendships. While at the resort I have made friends with Canadians, British families, and people even close to home. I met people from Pennsylvania, and Indiana neighbors to Ohio. All of these people that I have met over the years from all over still keep in touch with me. We follow each other on social media and occasionally reach out and talk. It’s a pretty cool feeling to think that you have friends all over the U.S. and the

When my family went down to Jamaica it was my family, my cousins, my aunt, uncle, grandma, and about 5 families that we are close with also made the trip. It’s always fun to go on a vacation, but it’s even better when you can go with friends and family. One of the most memorable experiences in Jamaica was the Dunns River Falls waterfall climb. The waterfall is 180 feet high and 600 feet long. It increases in height like steps, so you are able to walk up it. Once at the location of the waterfall my family, and all of our friends had to hold hands, and form a giant chain. One by one we stepped into the water, which at first gave me goosebumps because it was a little cold but eventually I got used to it. We all climbed up the waterfall together, holding hands. At some points we would stop and slide down natural slides, or stop for photo ops. It was so fun to be surrounded by all my friends and family there with me; even my 77 year old grandma, who also climbed the falls. Finally we reached the top, and it was such an accomplishment that we all completed