Many of us have felt it: being trapped, stuck, uninterested, desolate, anxious, unloved, useless, weak, idle, panicky, scared, doubtful, pathetic, directionless…

Despite her successful career in global communications and tech PR, her thriving literary Salons in NYC, her two great kids and a supportive husband, Vica Miller the writer and the mother has slipped on most of the Sad Slopes of Self-Doubt at some point. However, she was a New Yorker from St. Petersburg, Russia, and she was determined to climb out of the Self-Doubt Swamp. By herself.

Surfing at Encuentro Beach (Cabarete, Dominican Republic) - thanks to the COVID pandemic - while pursuing her second graduate degree in Social Psychology at Harvard University ES, she met Jerry. Jerry’s joyful spirit gave her an idea, and she offered him a partnership in the new business of making people happy. He delightfully accepted.

Jerry Song never slipped on any of the Sad Slopes of Self-Doubt: perhaps because of his Abuela, the medicine-woman, who helped many local women to get pregnant, and men to get healthy, or maybe because he had the charisma of his Abuelo, the strong man who wasn’t sad a day in his life, had fathered four kids – Jerry the jolliest of them all – and kept his wife happy until his last breath, despite his chronic illness.

• Vica developed the vision, created the structure, found partners and advisors;

• Jerry sourced service providers and arranged local logistics.

• Together, they became the initial Una Vida team.

After three productive years, and helping dozens of clients, Jerry and Vica parted ways: Jerry left to pursue his songwriting and performing career. Vica expanded UNA VIDA. NO PLAN. to include charitable work for local kids and dogs of Cabarete. She’s closely affiliated with all the dog rescues and sanctuaries on the North Coast, including Puppy Palace DR, and has three rescues of her own. You might meet them running on the beach.

Vica is also actively involved in land preservation initiatives and leads the fight against illegal practices among local property management firms and fraudulent law firms that take advantage of expat property owners in Cabarete and Sosua.