Santo Domingo, Here I Come!

By: Amber Brookmire

Amber is a graduating senior at the City College of New York, majoring in Anthropology and Jewish Studies. She is participating in the 2012 CCNY-InteRDom Service Learning Program, and will serve as the InteRDom Correspondent in the CUNY system.

As I prepare for my month-long adventure to Santo Domingo, I look forward to the people I will meet, the knowledge I will gain and the projects that I will be a part of. The materials and information provided at the orientation session have been a valuable reference in forming my idea of what to expect and how to best prepare. With the patience of my study abroad advisers and the InteRDom team, my countless emails filled with questions were always answered with clarity and kindness.

Traveling abroad brings about feelings of excitement, though I also become more aware of the important things I must do to keep myself healthy and safe. So as not to become overwhelmed in preparation, I created to-do lists to keep me organized. For the months leading up to my departure date, I checked with my doctor about necessary prescriptions, immunizations and other health-related advice he could offer. I looked into travel insurance for my valuables, made a packing list to ensure I wasn’t leaving anything behind and kept open communication with my advisers and the InteRDom team. To say the least, I was so glad to see my to-do lists dwindle away as the days passed.

Now with only 2 days until departure, I can thank my advisers, InteRDom and my to-do lists for helping me prepare for this exciting adventure. I can’t wait to look out the plane window as I arrive to my new home for the next four weeks. Santo Domingo, here I come!