My study abroad program in the Dominican Republic was such an eye-opening and humbling, yet incredible experience. Witnessing firsthand how poverty affects individuals, families, and communities has motivated me to help vulnerable populations in my own community. As a Detroit native, I was able to easily relate to the communities we worked in. However, the lack of access to basic necessities, such as clean water and health care, is what really shocked me. This caused me to spend a great deal of time reflecting on my own privilege and what I tend to take for granted here in the U.S.

Although I am not quite fluent in Spanish, having basic knowledge is what went a long way while abroad. I found that DR natives respected your effort to speak Spanish although you may not be great at it. I was able to connect with many of the people I interacted with using my basic knowledge of Spanish. The most important thing I learned from the culture is to enjoy life no matter what obstacles were present. I was surprised to see how happy and full of life DR natives were even while under undesirable conditions. Dominicans tend to be super friendly and easygoing people. There were so many unexpected bumps during the program and I loved seeing how they reacted in such a calm way. This made me laugh at the little things Americans stress themselves over, which should not even be worth stressing about. 

One big “myth” I had prior to the Dominican Republic was being treated differently as a Black American. I was nervous and prepared to deal with this, but boy was I wrong! Literally during my first step in the DR, I was amazed at how friendly and down-to-earth Dominican citizens were. I was welcomed and had extremely positive interactions throughout the entire trip, making me feel right at home. To make the experience even better, I was surrounded by an amazing group of students whom I now call my friends. We did everything together and got to see each other grow during the short amount of time we were abroad.

As a first-time generation student, I am incredibly thankful for this experience. I had never traveled out of the country before and I am proud of myself for making a difference in a community different from my own.  I am now able to take my experience and memories abroad back to my own community in hopes of creating change and making our world a better place. 

I am truly thankful for the Education Abroad Scholarship, it has played a part in allowing me to pursue my personal and professional goals.