Pre-departure: FAQs

I can't believe I'm leaving for the Dominican Republic in a week. My vacation has gone by too fast, my Spanish is too bad, and my bags are too unpacked. Before leaving, I thought I'd just post some quick FAQs about my trip:

Where'd you get the name for your blog?
'Mi Swing Es Tropical' is a song by Nickodemus. It was used it an iPod commercial a few years ago and I love the song. Here's the video:


Where are you going?
Santo Domingo.

Why the Dominican Republic?
I went to Spain with my parents and loved it, but everyone goes there for study abroad. I wanted to try something different. The fact that it's a Caribbean island doesn't hurt , either...


Where you will be staying?
I'll be assigned a host family that lives in the area. The program doesn't tell me who my host is until I get there.

Is this a program through your school?
No, my school doesn't have a program in Santo Domingo but the program is approved through my school, which pays for my tuition.

What kind of program is it?
It's a direct enrollment program. I'm just enrolling in the local university and taking classes.

So, are all your classes in Spanish?
See above.

What are you going to be doing?
I'll be taking classes in literature, history, and Caribbean studies. I'll probably do some public health volunteer work as well.

Are you and your boyfriend going to stay together while you're abroad?
I get this question a lot, though most of the people who ask don't have any business bringing that up. Yes, we're going to stay together. Thanks.


More coming soon.