We are up at 4 am for the bus ride back to Santo Domingo. There are minimal groans as people are excited to be headed home.  We bid fare well to Monsenor Pittini as the bus leaves at 4:45. Breakfast and lunch to go arrive just in time from Rosaura’s to head out with us. The soundtrack for the bus ride is totally student generated with much discussion about which songs to play next. During the trip, Kayla Marie remarks that it is pretty cool that the previously unfamiliar landscape now looks much more “normal”. We are treated to a breakfast of hot chocolate and bread which reminds many students of the Living Like a Local breakfast. At the airport we say goodbye to Joche who has been with us for the entire trip as bus driver. We have a final lunch of Dominica’s famous 3-layer sandwich with Melina and say goodbye to her. She has a 4 hour bus ride back to San Juan to prepare with Jelly for the next group that is arriving this Friday. At the gate in Santo Domingo the students get their cell phones back and it is interesting to see how the group dynamic shifts as students catch up with life back in Chapel Hill. Although the flight is delayed, we make our connection in Newark and we land in RDU to share stories and continue the work started in the DR.