It has finally arrived!

By: Lindsay Tatum

Lindsay has completed her first year of study at the University of Georgia School of Law and is one of three students participating in the 2012 pilot of the InteRDom Correspondent Program. She is participating in the 2012 10-week Graduate and Gap Year Program.

The moment I have been waiting for! This most wonderful opportunity! And I am soooo EXCITED! My trip to the Dominican Republic is so close I can taste the mangu and smell the platanos cooking! As many of you may know, this summer I will be in the Dominican Republic completing my first legal internship.

I will be interning in the legal department of a leading insurance company, which is part of a large economic conglomerate that comprises banks, insurance and other companies. The insurance company prides itself in being able to provide its clients with the best and most innovative insurance coverage. It does this by means of a talented and highly-committed personnel.

Anywho, while working for the insurance company, myself, J, and A (yes, that's right.... a new character to the story.... the plot thickens!) will be working with the legal department. A few of our responsibilities will include compiling the main Dominican laws associated with the insurance industry and assisting with preparing a dictionary of legal terms that are frequently utilized in the insurance sector.

But, do not fear.... while I will be working very hard this summer, I DO NOT intend to forget that I am in the Dominican Republic! In my free time I plan on travelling, tasting all of the amazing and fresh foods the island has to offer, taking a few cooking classes, and dance classes as well. All of this I plan on doing while taking as many pictures as possible and posting them to my personal blog!!!

I think I've bombarded you all with enough for now... but, I will leave you with something rather exciting! My new life-size suitcase! Not just any regular suitcase, this one expands up to three sizes of a regular suitcase. I fully plan on packing my ENTIRE life in for the summer.... hey... maybe I'll have enough space to fit one of you!

Well..... here's to hoping anyways!

Until later......

¿Que lo que?

(Dominican slang for “what’s up?”)

By: Justine Burke

Justine has completed her first year of study at the University of Georgia School of Law and is one of three students participating in the 2012 pilot of the InteRDom Correspondent Program. She is participating in the 2012 10-week Graduate and Gap Year Program.

So, the time is finally here and I couldn’t be any more excited—my journey to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic begins tomorrow! It seems completely unreal as I've been dreaming about visiting the DR ever since I can remember, and tomorrow, thanks to InteRDom, my dream becomes reality. Through InteRDom, I will be able to combine my interests in both the legal profession and the Spanish language through an internship in the legal department at a large, private Dominican insurance company. Although I've been studying Spanish for the last eight years, I have yet to travel to a Spanish-speaking country so this is a huge milestone for me!

Once in the Dominican Republic—in addition to interning of course—I plan on taking in as much of the culture as possible (which, for me, largely means food!). I cannot wait to try authentic mofongo, a fried plantain dish stuffed with various meats, and mangú, a boiled plantain dish, usually served for breakfast. The program recommends that we don't eat street food for health purposes, so I’ll be sticking to the cuisines of established restaurants to fulfill this desire. Besides eating, I plan on travelling throughout the entire island. (After all, when again will I be able to do such extensive travelling?). The first place that I want to visit is pretty touristy—Boca Chica, the beach nearest Santo Domingo. I’ve done some research on Boca Chica and found that in addition to the immaculate white sands, the depth of the crystal clear water rarely changes and there are no waves. Sounds like paradise to me!

Lastly, in addition to interning, eating, and travelling (by now, you’re probably thinking, “what else will you have time for?!”), I am really hoping to enroll in bachata and merengue lessons so that I can develop a new talent to show off once back in the States.

While I could go on forever, my flight leaves bright and early at 7 AM, so that’s it for now. Once I am settled into my Dominican apartment, I will update you all on my travels. Stay tuned because I will be blogging about every bit of this once-in-a-lifetime experience! Ciao!

Supporting the Community

By: Anna Groesser
Graduate and Gap Year 32-week Program, 2012
You can read about Anna's internship with Grupo PUNTACANA on the InteRDom website here.

Well, here I am writing another blog for InteRDom! First off, the basics about my employer: I am here as an InteRDom intern within the Social Community Projects department of Grupo PUNTACANA, a huge resort corporation (which includes two hotels, golf courses, water/power/security infrastructure, lots of restaurants, an ecological preserve, an outdoor shopping area and more). While being the very first resort in Punta Cana and spearheading the whole tourist industry in this region, Grupo PUNTACANA has taken it upon itself to contribute and improve the local communities through development projects in health, education, culture, sports and environmental protection.

The Veron Polytechnic School, created by Grupo PUNTACANA, is an example of a successful educational project. Within this tidy and well-run school, along with basic education classes for the youth of Veron, adult classes are also offered which give training in a variety of resort jobs. In other words, while Grupo PUNTACANA is contributing to the overall education of the local community, they are also contributing to their own workforce of resort employees. This is a melding of social corporate responsibility to the community and a responsibility for the fiscal growth of the company..

Taking a quick look at some other areas of community development/protection within Grupo PUNTACANA, we have the Ecological Foundation. This is extensively focused on and devoted to protecting the natural beauty of the environment. Their efforts toward protection of the flora and fauna and the marine and animal life is astounding, as is the vast amount of talented scientists and students who come here to study and contribute. Another aspect of Grupo PUNTACANA’s contributions is the local free health care clinic in Veron, which was completely renovated from a decrepit building to a clean and working clinic by Grupo PUNTACANA and now run in cooperation with the Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VITCOM). VITCOM organizes “medical missions” in the community and supplies the medical staff within the clinic- again we see a huge amount of educated and valuable professionals coming to this region through the efforts of Grupo PUNTACANA. Everyone benefits: the local community gets better health care access, the VITCOM medical students gain experience and Grupo PUNTACANA receives a relatively healthier region for its tourists, as well as a stronger and healthier workforce.

As for my specific role within Grupo PUNTACANA as an intern, I deal with supporting the educational projects. Right now, we are building a new primary school and then improving the computer lab in an existing school. Because I am basically here as educated brainpower, I have a lot of freedom in my position to brainstorm ideas, suggestions and activities to supplement our projects. Besides the contributions I come up with as the days go by, my set responsibilities include creating a formal paper on the state of public education in this region through an extensive interview series (with local stakeholders) to understand the impact the new school will have on the community. Secondly, I am responsible for sitting in on the computer classes in the lab we will improve, and observe the teaching methods, computer programs used, and interviewing the teacher and students to find things we can make more efficient. I will also be collaborating with the local Peace Corps members here on an educational project, I will be giving a presentation to a local school on the importance of community development, and then contributing to a new statistical analysis of graduated students from a public school. I could go on and on describing the small tasks and activities I have, but there’s limited space here, so let me just say: my plate is quite full with a variety of engaging and fulfilling things!

My living situation here is quite nice. I live within the hotel grounds, in a clean and well-maintained little guest house about 3 minutes’ walk from the beach. It is breathtakingly beautiful in the “white sand beaches/turquoise sea/and warm, humid breezes” way that tourists all over the world seek. It really is paradise. Since I have arrived, my Spanish has improved a lot, but it is still difficult. One of my main preoccupations is figuring out how to still be a valuable intern without being perfectly fluent in Spanish, while energetically studying the language in my free time. So far, I have found many ways to contribute adequately, even without perfect Spanish, and it will only get easier as my Spanish improves.

Culture Shock

By: Ludonis Maule
Ludonis Maule is a senior at Baruch College majoring in Entrepreneurship Management with a minor in Spanish. She has worked at Baruch College’s Study Abroad Office for the past three years where she advises students on their study abroad options and procedures, she has also coordinated several of the office's Study Abroad Fairs. This spring 2012 semester she is interning at InteRDom in the Marketing department.

Culture shock is a common occurrence affecting individuals studying abroad. It is important to prepare before you leave so that you are not caught off guard. Included below are suggestions for dealing with culture shock after you have arrived in the host country.

Pre-departure

• Read books, magazines, newspapers and watch television shows to begin to familiarize yourself with the country and its culture


• Speak to students who have gone to this country, as well as natives


• Attend study abroad information sessions and pre-departure orientations if available

Arrival

• Observe your surroundings, explore your immediate environment, try new foods


• Try to not only observe cultural differences, but ask questions to try to understand WHY those things are different


• Keep a journal


• Contact your family and friends. Usually some knowledge of what’s taking place back home doesn’t make you feel as if you are left out.

Adjusting

• After the arrival and observation process you should have settled in fairly well


• Try making friends with natives in your class or other students on the same program as you


• Explore more of the country with friends or on excursions available through the program


• Try more foods and attend cultural activities.


• This is your time to speak more of the language of the country, even if you are feeling insecure

Pre-Departure/Re-entry

• Visit your favorite restaurants and attractions before you leave


• Update your journal


• Attend Fairs and Information sessions to assist prospective students


• Keep in contact with the friends you made while abroad

The Caribbean should be one of your top study abroad choices; there is no doubt that you would have a life changing experience. Keep in mind that other persons are always eager to hear about your study abroad experiences, so don’t be afraid to get involved with organizations or activities on campus after you return home to share them.

Why the Caribbean?

By: Ludonis Maule
Ludonis Maule is a senior at Baruch College majoring in Entrepreneurship Management with a minor in Spanish. She has worked at Baruch College’s Study Abroad Office for the past three years where she advises students on their study abroad options and procedures, she has also coordinated several of the office's Study Abroad Fairs. This spring 2012 semester she is interning at InteRDom in the Marketing department.

Choosing a study abroad destination can be a challenge; and you may ask yourself, "why the Caribbean?"

The Caribbean is commonly known for its impeccable scenery and beaches, however it is important to note that there is more to offer. The Caribbean has a culturally rich history to be enjoyed; the variation in languages and accents are also interesting to observe.



The first colony of the Americas, Christopher Columbus touched down in the Dominican Republic before any other shore, and established the first city and the first university—among other things—in the “New World.” The historical heritage and colonial history are still obvious in the country today—from architecture to cultural identities to race relations. A country rich in culture, the DR occupys two thirds of the island Hispaniola, which it shares with Haiti. Its booming tourism industry has made it a popular tourist attraction, but few people are aware of the accelerated economic development that the nation has experienced over the last 10-15 years. Its metropolitan areas are expanding and opportunities abound for students to make a contribution to the growing businesses looking to branch out into new areas and industries.

According to Dominicana Online, the country welcomes over three million visitors per year to its shores and it is known as the leading tourist destination in both the Central American and Caribbean region. With a variety of tourism models—from all-inclusive hotels to small boutiques to more sustainable eco-tourism initiatives—it is the perfect place for a student of tourism to study an industry leader. In addition to tourism, there are other sectors of the Dominican society which are appealing for students, including but not limited to: ecology and the environment, public health, urban planning, international relations, business and insurance.

Sports fanatics are not excluded. The Dominican Republic has also made a name for itself in the Baseball arena, with more Dominicans in Major League Baseball than any other nation outside of the United States. The Dominican Republic hosts baseball academies for dozens of teams and represents the Latin American recruitment hub for teams and the MLB headquarters alike.

The Dominican Republic offers an array of study and professional opportunities to students of virtually any area, so you should have no trouble finding an internship in your area of interest while immersing yourself in its unique culture.

The Punta Cana Community

By: Anna Groesser
Graduate and Gap Year 32-week Program, 2012
You can read about Anna's internship with Grupo PUNTACANA on the InteRDom website here.

I’m now at the halfway point of my eight-month internship here in Punta Cana and there’s so much to talk about! For starters, I’d like to remark on the friendliness of most every employee I come in contact with on the hotel property. When I leave my casita in the morning and walk to the employee cafeteria, I probably pass on average about ten different employees, and it is extremely odd if even one does not look me in the eye and say hello or good morning. I am wearing my employee badge, so they know I am not a guest, and there is no need to try and impress me, yet they still give a hearty greeting. I am struck by this, even after living here for four months.



Right now, there’s a tranquil, humid rain coming down outside and as I listen to the sound, it reminds me of the current changing seasons. When I arrived, I felt it was quite warm and humid, but it has actually gotten more humid as the months have moved past the winter season. Being from Northern Michigan, I am dreading the hottest months of the year- July and August- but luckily I have AC in my casita as well as the office, so I know it could definitely be worse!



I was thinking I’d mention some things I do for fun, since I haven’t really talked about that. I’ve been here for a few months already and have made a small group of friends who are scattered throughout the Punta Cana region. I have a Dominican friend who works the reservation phone for Tortuga Bay (the luxury boutique hotel here) who I met on the bus going to Santo Domingo one weekend. I also am friends with the two local Peace Corps members who live right in the heart of the nearby Verón community. I’ve got random friends I see at the office during the day, and ones I eat lunch with Monday through Friday, plus the front desk hotel staff who I talk to quite often (as I spend a lot of free time in the lobby, using the wireless Internet). Anyway, for fun, I find myself visiting a nearby theater to catch a recent flick, or spending a weekend afternoon on the beach with a Peace Corps member or two, or organizing a group dinner at a friend’s casita or simply spending time alone, studying Spanish and watching movies on my computer. Sometimes I visit one of the jungle lagoons here for a quick swim, or I meet up with one of the Peace Corps volunteers in Verón (and I can really see how good I have it living at the hotel, since Peace Corps members live at the same income and lifestyle quality level as the locals!) There are a variety of hobbies I can take up here too- I can learn to dive at the dive shop and help them hunt the invasive species Lionfish in the coastal area, I can help at the PUNTACANA Ecology in one of their sustainable resources projects or I can spend a day volunteering at a local orphanage.

As for my work activities, these are just as varied as my free time activities. Specifically, one recent activity was extremely fulfilling- I spent a week with a large group of doctors and medical students and we set up makeshift clinics in the local community, and simply treated people as they came. I did a lot of patient flow management because we had to keep the huge crowd (plus the numerous kids underfoot) from milling about too much, wandering into different sectioned-off areas to curiously watching the examinations! I’ve also been working on the creation of a few different webpages for the PUNTACANA Foundation, and I am learning the public relations-related steps we need to take before these websites can be made official, since it represents the hotel corporation’s image. And just recently, I co-managed a group of VIP tourists from the U.S. for a couple hours. They were interested in seeing the free local clinic and one of the local schools that the PUNTACANA Group created. This was a lot of fun, since it involved my direct supervisor Margarita and I acting as a close-working team during the tour, and we both received a hearty applause at the end as the group thanked us for our leadership that day!

Employability

By: Ludonis Maule
Ludonis Maule is a senior at Baruch College majoring in Entrepreneurship Management with a minor in Spanish. She has worked at Baruch College’s Study Abroad Office for the past three years where she advises students on their study abroad options and procedures, she has also coordinated several of the office's Study Abroad Fairs. This spring 2012 semester she is interning at InteRDom in the Marketing department.

Most employers appreciate students who are engaged in other positive activities outside of academics. International academics or work experience is also very appealing to employers. This international experience will be more valuable to a firm which operates worldwide. More than likely, you will have some knowledge about another country’s culture which may be useful for business. This increases your marketability as an employee.

A Global HR News study revealed that nearly three in four (73%) HR executives cited study abroad as an essential element when evaluating the resume of a potential job candidate for a junior-level position. According to Experience Inc., studying abroad is valued by employers because the individual is viewed as being:

• Culturally aware


• Flexible and tolerant


• Sensitive to and accommodating of other cultures


• Independent and Mature
  
  

Based on this information, an individual who studied abroad is already attributed qualities from the international experience listed on his/her resume even before they sell themselves verbally in the interview. This study abroad experience can be listed several places on your resume. It can be placed under educational experience including the school you attended, its location along with any course work completed. If the program has an internship component it can be listed under work experience.

Once your study abroad experience has been placed on your resume, you should be prepared to speak about it in an interview. Some interviewers will ask about it directly but others may not. However, you should try to incorporate your time abroad, the skills you acquired, the lessons you learned and the cultural sensitivity you developed into the interview in some way. It is important to emphasize that you did not just go overseas to have a good time, but you learned important things that are applicable to your professional life. For example, learning to think outside of the box, consider new and different viewpoints and be more independent and/or work in a team are all important skills you may have developed while abroad which should be emphasized.

As we all know, a great command of a second language is becoming even more vital to the globalized business world. Hence, the opportunity to study and speak the native language of another country should be seized in order to increase your professional marketability. While learning and practicing the language, you are inherently immersing yourself in a country’s culture. This is another reason why studying abroad is important; one has a better chance of experiencing and understanding a culture at its fullest when they are entirely immersed. We tend to be more appreciative and more open minded when we experience other cultures first-hand.

Studying abroad is not only a cultural experience, but it provides you with qualities which, if marketed properly, can be a major attraction for future employers.

From a Dream to a Reality

by: Amber Brookmire
Amber Brookmire studies Anthropology at The City College of New York. She hopes to participate in InterDom’s service-learning program this June to further develop her cross-cultural studies and improve Spanish language proficiency.

I first heard about the InteRDom service-learning program through The City College Study Abroad Office. I had always wanted to study abroad during college, but I didn’t think it was a financial possibility for me. I began to research more information and was amazed by all that I could gain, personally and academically, from the Dominican Republic service-learning program. As a senior, I realized this could be my last chance to have this experience. So, I sat down with the advisers in the Study Abroad Office to discuss financial aid and scholarship opportunities. I left their office with various scholarship applications and lots of encouragement, confident that my dream could become a reality.

 

The combination of homework, applications and work was difficult to manage at first, but I made a clear checklist of what needed to be done and prioritized by deadlines. I also made sure to attend one of InteRDom’s information sessions in the Study Abroad Office on campus, which was very helpful for completing my application. Mandy, a representative of InteRDom, gave a presentation that highlighted the different aspects of the program. I gained a better understanding of the application process and what to expect from my experience abroad. I also learned more about the classes I would be taking and the specific internship project I would be a part of – sustainable urban agriculture! I was very excited to find out that the internship is tailored to each student’s skills and interests.

Ana and Jenny, two students who participated in the program last summer, were also at the meeting to share their experiences and answer questions. It was nice to hear about the experience from a peer’s perspective because it gave me a sense of what the program will be like as a student. I had a chance to chat with them after the presentation and their enthusiasm was truly inspiring. I was glad to have attended the info session because it was very informative and gave me an opportunity to ask questions and discuss my concerns.

I anticipate that the program will be an exciting opportunity to develop useful skills and learn in a unique way. I believe that cross-cultural immersion is an important part of shaping character. If I am able to participate in the program, I am confident that it will be both personally and academically beneficial.

Preparations

By: Ludonis Maule
Ludonis Maule is a senior at Baruch College majoring in Entrepreneurship Management with a minor in Spanish. She has worked at Baruch College’s Study Abroad Office for the past three years where she advises students on their study abroad options and procedures, she has also coordinated several of the office's Study Abroad Fairs. This spring 2012 semester she is interning at InteRDom in the Marketing department.

Imagine waking up to warm, beaming sunshine rays, fresh morning breeze and the sound of the waves beating against the shore. You hurry out of bed, get dressed and head to school. This is the first day of classes and your internship. You met some of your classmates at the program's orientation a few days ago, the excitement you feel reminds you of your first day of college all over again.

On your way through the school’s gates you are greeted by your new friend who offers you breakfast prepared by her mother. You both hurry to class to begin your first day at school; this should be a great. This could be the beginning of the paper you write recounting your perfect study abroad experience.

Studying abroad is a valuable and fulfilling part of college life. It is not only a great asset to your marketability as an employee, but it also gives you the opportunity to experience academic life in another environment while immersing yourself in a foreign culture.

In order to make this experience a success, planning is vital. This process can take up to a year depending on the length of your study abroad program. One of the first and perhaps the most critical step in the planning process is deciding what are your main reasons for wanting to study abroad. These are a few things which can be taken into consideration when determining your reasons for studying abroad.
• Major or field of concentration
• Career goals
• Language ability
• Cultural/Heritage connection

You can begin your search for the ideal program on your school's website or office, most schools have study abroad or International Education offices which you should visit to get more information about the procedures and policies at your school.The Study Abroad/ International Office should also be able to provide you with information about scholarships offered through your school. National scholarships are available for study abroad purposes; with a little research, you should find scholarship information which will be helpful. Another way to obtain information about studying abroad is to visit academic campus fairs. Many schools have going/study abroad fairs or International Education weeks where you can obtain information about opportunities readily available to you. In many cases, they may even have individuals who went on various programs at the fair. This is a great opportunity for you to get first hand information from an actual recipient.

Obtaining college credits may be just as important for some as is financing. It is of utmost importance that you find out from the respective office at your school, the procedure of obtaining credit for your study abroad. You want to ensure that the credits or grades you receive will be included on your transcript when you have completed the program.

Deciding your reasons for going abroad, visiting the respective offices at your school and doing some online research provides the surety that you are well on your way to planning a life changing study abroad experience.

Service Learning Opportunities Grow

Once again this summer students from the City College of New York, as well as students in the whole CUNY system, will have the opportunity to participate in a service learning academic program in the Dominican Republic. Check out the beautiful artwork on the poster announcing the program! For more information, including a downloadable application, copy and paste this link into your web browser: http://www.interdominternships.org/summerprogram/summer01.asp