In summer, the song sings itself. ~William Carlos Williams

There’s something magical about summer. The season lost some of its appeal once I was working and could no longer look forward to an expected 2 1/2 months vacation, but the unspoken special characteristics always kept it close to my heart. There are two things that I can always count on with summer: the wonderful weather will make me take pause and I will become one year older.

I think in the years before the kids were school-age, summer unfortunately came and went without much tribute. It just felt like there were a few months when it was especially warm and nothing else changed. I didn’t enjoy the hot nights when the stars shined especially bright or the days when the only thing to do was lie around and be. This is one of the few things that I find universal amongst cultures. I knew that whether I was in the States or in Haiti, summer was when things happened.

Thankfully with the kids, I can’t help but notice summer. It’s when school is out along with schedules and homework. It’s when we get up whenever we feel like it, eat breakfast without a stopwatch and decide on whim what we’ll do for the day. Going away to discover somewhere new isn’t an if but a must. Whatever it is you’re doing, you know it feels different because it’s summer.

As with every year, the season feels too short and it is already drawing to a close. Here, I noticed that the daily rhythms changed and every day you could see more people taking advantage of recreation and fewer on the daily grind. We planned our getaway closer to the end this time around and leaving the beautiful beaches only reminded me of why summer is and will always be my favorite season of the year.

How do you feel about the summer?

N.B. Can anyone guess from which song the title of this post is?

For me, it stands out here mostly when I decide to venture out by myself. If I choose to stop at a cafe and have a cup of tea, within minutes I can see that I am the only person sitting alone. Maybe it’s the combination of being in a foreign culture and not speaking the language, but it does get to me. I watch the other people engaged in what looks like very interesting conversations. Most of all, they look happy.

When I think about why it bothers me here more so than the States, it’s because I would not be the only one eating alone there. Of course there are always people eating lunch together, but it’s also common for people to eat alone.

So, the question is – am I lonelier there or do I prefer the solitude. I think because it’s the way of life, I am fine with being alone. In the States, I go the movies alone, go shopping alone and eat out alone. And not because I don’t have a choice, I actually prefer it.

For those of you abroad, do you notice this difference, too? If you live in the States, do you ever feel like the culture forces solitude?

Q. Is this a good thing?

A. Yes, it’s a very good thing. My husband has received a great promotion – one for which he has worked hard.

Q. Do you speak Spanish?

A. No, but my husband does and he makes a great tour guide .

Q. Why Venezuela?

A. That’s where hubby wanted to go and it’s not so far fetched - there are strong historical ties with Haiti.

Q. What are you going to do there?

A. Learn Spanish, help the kids get adapted, learn the culture, eventually find a position with an NGO, and of course – write on this blog .

Q. For how long will you be there?

A. Not sure. We are planning on five years, but I have learned to be flexible with our plans because ya never know.

Q. Are the kids excited?

A. Well, my two year-old has no clue. But my daughter (7 years-old) is very happy about the opportunity to learn Spanish.

That’s all I got for now. Let me know if you have one that’s not listed and I will gladly answer.

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I know that spending the summers in Haiti growing up helped keep my connection to a place that I could have easily forgotten. If not for those summers, I would have missed out on time spent with my family members; some of whom are no longer with us. Those summers also taught me a great deal about the culture and social norms.

So, of course, I began thinking that a summer there would provide the same benefits to my daughter. Then it hit me – things are not like they were when I was a child (this is a phrase I told my mother I would never say because it always sounded close-minded coming from her ).

For instance, children no longer play the skillful games of osle or marbles. They no longer get dressed up on Sunday afternoons – just because. They also don’t jump rope at night when it was just the right temperature. Instead, afternoon games have been replaced with telenovelas and music videos. And Sundays, well they’re just Sundays.

So, indeed, times they are a changin! Can you relate to this, or am I getting old ? Am I wrong to lack enthusiasm over exposing my daughter to the evolved culture just because it’s different from my experience?

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All jokes aside, I think that many immigrants today have the same aspirations of those depicted in the skit. I think that for some Americans, it has been so long since their family immigrated that they don’t think about how different their lives would be if their ancestors had not been afforded the same opportunity.

Also, I thought that the blogger’s point of view tied in to my post on expectations a few weeks ago.

What do you think?

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