My experience during the Dominican Republic Service Learning program

I am currently living the study abroad experience at SPC as an international student coming from a rich culture in Asia, studying abroad here in America. I have been study abroad in the U.S for more than five years. It’s not too long, but not too short for me to adapt the culture and lifestyle of American. What’s interesting is that the long term study abroad experience I’ve been living in America has been a total different experience than what I’m about to share with you regarding my one week study abroad experience in the Dominican Republic.

I wasn’t prepared for this overwhelming experience and the fun that we had in Dominican Republic in just one week. This program has given me the opportunity to give back to the community, learn a different culture and make new friends. We were lucky that our group was a diversified one. Each of us had a different background, yet we all bloomed together through the program. We became friends, brothers, sisters, and together, we made a difference in the world. There were so many things that were out of my expectation about what we were going to see and what we were going to experience. We got to work with children in Monte Cristi, who live in poverty and underdevelopment. Seeing these children living happily and positively made me appreciate what I have and what I am able to do to help others around me. Within five days, we were all bonding with these little kids at Bay Visa Elementary School in Monte Cristi, where we taught them English. These kids reminded  me of the little girl I was, and I was so aspired to inspire them to chase their dreams and become a good person.

The Dominican Republic Service Learning program experience has changed my perception about my surroundings and taught me to think outside the box. I became a global citizen and I’m proud of it. We set goals for our purposes of studying abroad in the Dominican Republic , and I had only one goal which was to make an impact on at least one student and let them know that they are cared, they are more than what they think. I believe that I did not change the world, but I might have changed someone’s world in the Dominican Republic. Together, we released the hero within.