Early Exit EXPLORER

When you live away from home and travel the world, you start to forget things that you normally wouldn’t—especially holidays. That’s exactly what happened to me this past Friday.

After finishing my workout at the gym in the morning, I headed to my usual spot for breakfast, expecting everything to be business as usual. But when I got there, it was closed. I was a little confused, but I didn’t think much of it at first. I figured maybe they were opening late or something unusual was going on. So I decided to head to another restaurant nearby. When I got there… closed again.

At that point, I was really confused—and honestly, pretty hungry too. Two places closed back-to-back wasn’t normal, especially for spots that are usually open every day. So I reached out to a friend and asked, “Why is everything closed? I’m starving.” After laughing for a bit, he explained to me that it was Holy Week.

I had heard the term before, but I didn’t fully understand what it meant or how serious it was in places like Santo Domingo. So I decided to do some research, and what I found honestly surprised me. With Easter approaching, Santo Domingo—and many other places—observe Holy Week in a much deeper and more traditional way than what I’m used to. It’s not just a holiday here; it’s a time of reflection, religion, and spending time with family. Because of that, a lot of businesses shut down completely, including many restaurants.

Coming from the United States, this was a big adjustment for me. Back home, even during major holidays, things don’t fully stop. Restaurants stay open, stores run sales, and there’s always somewhere you can go or something you can get. Convenience is almost always there. But here, it’s completely different. During Holy Week, it feels like the entire city presses pause. Everything slows down, and many places simply close their doors out of respect for the tradition.

At first, I won’t lie—it caught me off guard and was a little frustrating, especially when all I wanted was breakfast. But at the same time, it gave me a new perspective. It made me realize just how fast-paced and convenience-driven life in the States really is. Here, there’s a stronger focus on taking time to reflect, be with family, and step away from the constant movement of everyday life.

It’s definitely something you have to prepare for if you’re living or traveling abroad, especially in a place like Santo Domingo. You can’t always rely on things being open, and you have to plan ahead more than you might be used to. But once you understand the reason behind it, it becomes easier to appreciate.

Experiences like this remind me that traveling isn’t just about seeing new places—it’s about learning how different cultures live, what they value, and how they approach life. And sometimes, that means showing up hungry to a closed restaurant and learning a lesson you didn’t expect.