You only get one life, so make it count. We’ve all been told this and we want to do as the sentiment says, but figuring out how to “make it count,” while still adhering to responsibilities and obligations of daily life is the hard part. Emily Ryan and husband Jason figured it out. Making it count took the Ryans and their children on a journey from Anderson to Myrtle Beach, to the Bahamas, to the Dominican Republic, where they discovered a purpose, they weren’t even looking for. It was all a dream they didn’t know they had until they decided to pivot, simplify, and realign with what truly matters in life.
The story of the Ryan family starts in Anderson, where Emily worked at Tri-County Technical College and Jason worked in Real Estate. Upon receiving an offer he couldn’t refuse in Myrtle Beach’s robust real estate industry, Emily and Jason moved his family to the Grand Strand where his career took off. While the family worked hard and led a life of great comfort filled with Rolex watches and a beautiful home, they felt a relentless lack of fulfillment. They both worked around the clock and quickly grew tired of the rat race and lack of quality time with their children, ages four and seven at the time. They began to wonder if there wasn’t a different, more fulfilling way to live life.
Jason’s cousin and his family had recently bought a boat and sailed to the Bahamas where they stayed for an extended period. After looking at pictures and noting the fun, smiles, and sincere happiness bursting off the images, the Ryan’s decided that a boat and a trip to the Bahamas was what their own family needed. In 2019, with minimal sailing experience, the Ryans bought a catamaran and set sail.
The family spent their first sailing season in the Bahamas, where they made priceless memories and experienced a renewal of a beautiful bond in their family unit. During COVID, the family retreated to the US with ideas of staying. But life in post-pandemic America proved to be darker and even more stressful than before, and the Ryans decided once again, that the peace they desired could only be found in the sea. This time, they sailed to the Dominican Republic. Says Emily,
“We weren’t sure what to expect because we’d heard some bad things about the Dominican Republic, but the people were immediately warm and kind to us and the environment was picturesque with fruits and vegetables spilling off the trees.”
After three months, in November 2022, the Ryans went back to the US, sold their house and material belongings, and moved back to the Dominican Republic full-time.
They landed in the agriculture-based community of Samana, where many residents have deep family ties to SC and NC. In the 1800s, freed slaves came to Samana to make a life for themselves. Twenty-nine families fled SC and NC to Samana and future generations of the families remained in the area. Today, there are many families in Samana that have the same surnames as those of us in our own communities and they still feel an affinity for SC and NC.
“When most people think of visiting the Dominican Republic, their minds go straight to all-inclusive resorts in Punta Cana, but Samaná is an entirely different experience. This place is raw, untouched, and full of adventure. You can watch humpback whales breach right off the coast, ride horseback on trails through the jungle to El Limón waterfall, spend the day on Playa Rincón, one of the most beautiful and peaceful beaches in the Caribbean, or visit the island of Cayo Levantado, the island from the Bacardi Rum commercials. You can hike and explore numerous caves or take a boat to Los Haitises National Park, where you will find limestone formations and ancient Taíno petroglyphs,” says Emily.
Experiencing the beauty and adventure of Samana, along with their new neighbors, created an immediate sense of community for the Ryans. Everyone in the area knows everyone and they place high value on spending quality time together with family and friends, having real experiences, deep connections with nature, and discovering the Dominican Republic in its purest form. Dominicans are considered some of the happiest people in the world and the Ryans quickly included themselves in that description. Says Emily, “The people of Samaná are what make this place truly special. Life here moves at a different pace—slower, more intentional, and deeply connected to family, nature, and tradition. Locals greet each other with warmth, whether they’ve known you forever or just met you that morning. There’s a strong sense of community; neighbors look out for one another, and kids grow up surrounded by extended family, always with a family member nearby to share wisdom. Many families still live off the land and sea, fishing at sunrise or farming in the mountains, and everything grows here, from coconuts to cacao. Hard work is valued, but so is enjoying life—music, dancing, and gathering with loved ones are at the heart of it all. Music and dancing are a big deal here. You’ll hear bachata and merengue playing from every corner store, see friends chatting and laughing on their streetside front porches, and watch entire families head to the beach on Sundays because here, the ocean isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a way of life.”
The Ryans observed how people in the Dominican Republic were living and they wanted to join them by taking the community to the next level. Samana was paradise but it was missing something important. Finding what was missing would bring a brand-new purpose to the Ryan family.
Check out the May issue for Part 2 of the Ryan’s story.