Dominican Republic: Pre-Departure

Home for the next 3 months. So funky fresh.

I am getting ready to leave for a semester in the Dominican Republic. I feel like when I tell people I am studying in the Dominican, they say “Oh, that’s nice, I’ve been on vacation there, you’ll enjoy it.” It seems a little unexciting because it’s just another beach in the Caribbean. People forget it’s a third world country. Yes, the Dominican is a vacation destination full of five-star resorts, but if you leave those gates and walk down the street you’ll find that more than a third of the country’s population lives in poverty, and 20% lives in extreme poverty. The disparity between rich and poor is unreal. I've learned that the most valuable lessons come from service. I wanted to go some place I could take advantage of that along with my education. And get as far away from winter in Blacksburg as possible. Hello, 80 degree weather! I will be traveling with nine other Tech students and living at the extremely colorful Biodiversity Center of the Punta Cana Ecological Foundation. The top floor of the research building is dorm style, so I will share a room and bathroom with a roommate.  It is just down the road from the beach. The research center is on the grounds of the Punta Cana Hotel and Resort, so we have our meals there and get free access to their beach. We will be studying Sustainability, Culture, and Environmental Science in the Caribbean. I will complete 18 credits over the course of 13 weeks- taking one class for two weeks straight. Virginia Tech faculty leads the entire program and one professor will fly in at a time, teach their class, and leave before the next one begins. I am looking forward to leaving my phone at home, checking out, and fully being there. My friend who is studying abroad elsewhere found out that the average American student studying abroad spends about 4.5 hours a day communicating with family and friends back home. What a waste! To me, the point of this trip is to explore and serve the community, talk with the locals, and embrace the culture, not to sit on facebook or skype for hours. No thank you. I am so antsy I packed up today- I think the simple life of Sierra Leone rubbed off on me because I only have one suitcase and a little carry on for the whole time I’m there. I like it. I’m off to Tech on Thursday morning to take a Spanish placement test, have orientation, say some goodbyes, and peace out bright and early from Roanoke Saturday morning!