Meet Dhara K., Fundraising participant getting ready to study SALUD Medical Spanish in Santo Domingo

What is your background?
I am 20 years old, a senior undergraduate student,  dual majoring in International Studies and Biology, pre-med at Virginia Commonwealth University.  I currently live in Virginia Beach.

Do you travel abroad often? 
I was born in India and came to America at the age of 7 months.  I’ve been back almost every summer during grade school to visit family, and I developed an interest in international healthcare since shadowing a pediatrician in Surat, a major industrial city in India.  After two service trips to El Progreso, Honduras last year, I caught the travel bug—and it just won’t let me go!  I’m looking forward to serving our Spanish-speaking Central and South American neighbors as a physician one day.

Have you studied abroad? 
On Semester at Sea in Fall 2010, I completed coursework on a ship, the MV Explorer, with fellow American and international students, while traveling through Spain, Morocco, Ghana, South Africa, Mauritius, India, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong

Which languages do you speak or have studied? 
I speak Gujarati, my native language of India, and have studied Spanish for nine years.

Tell us about one of your biggest challenges you’ve encountered abroad.
Reverse culture shock—coming back to the United States and perceiving your society, peers, and family differently from the way you viewed them before—is really difficult to face.  They may not understand where you’ve been, the experiences you’ve had, the people who have touched your life so profoundly.  But have faith that there are people who will understand, who will help you make a difference in the world.  It’s really hard to realize that I am only one person and I can’t help everyone or fix all of the inequalities of the world.  Some say that my efforts are just a “drop in the bucket,” but I believe that as a future physician and educator of fellow healthcare providers and students, I hope that I can make a broader impact on my fellow Americans by sharing my traveling stories, and bringing others on my journeys abroad.

Why did you choose an AmeriSpan program?
I found the SALUD medical Spanish programs online and they struck my interest as an opportunity that would fit with my interests, so I decided to apply.

How are you fundraising? 
I am getting my previous high school, my current university, and my Virginia Beach community involved in my fundraising campaign.  I am setting up presentations and writing letters to local businesses and professional organizations to request donations. 

Do you have any tips for other fundraisers? 
The sky’s the limit!! Just get creative and don’t let anyone tell you that your dreams are not possible!  Believe in yourself!

Do you have any tips or advice for others planning to studying abroad? 
No matter how much planning you do, you’re simply going to have to dive in, head first, and take the experience as it comes.  Remember to bring pictures of your friends and family, of important events—graduation, parties, etc.—from home so that the people you meet and the friends you make abroad can know your story as well.  Realize that you make just as big of an impact on them as they do on you.

Are there any fundraising activities that you want us to help promote? 
Not yet, but I will let you know!

See Dhara's Fundraising Story

Learn more about AmeriSpan's Fundraising Program or make a donation

By Candice S., guest blogger studying Spanish and Latin Dance in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

So yesterday Chris and Gabriel, guys from school, showed us how to use the carro public to get to school (Gabriel is in the middle and Chris is on the right by the window). Basically, the cars run the same route all day long, you just have to know which car to get into. So we walked to the area where the cars are that go to Zona Universidad and got in.. little did we know that the 4 of us would be sitting in the back together while Bob sat in front…. And this is normal.

Actually, there are usually 4 passengers in the back and 2 passengers in the front.. not including the driver! Did I mention that the majority of the cars are 90’s model Camry and Accord looking vehicles, and most are standard! Then on top of that the drivers drive wherever they deem worthy.. which usually means the middle of the road. Most of the roads and side streets are one-way, so its just a huge mesh of cars weaving in and out. It's crazy! However, it is much more time and cost efficient. My first day of class on Monday, I took a taxi. He didn’t even know how to get to the school so it took about 30 minutes because he had to keep stopping and asking people on the street for directions, and on top of that it cost me 150 pesos! Which, really isn’t bad to get across town unless you compare it to the total discomfort of the carro publico, which is only 20 pesos, and it only takes 15 mins. You tell me what you would choose.. 

My host mother (mi madre postiza) is a fantastic cook! Dominican food is so flavorful! I try to remember  to take a picture of my dinners but I always get greedy and forget! She has made me some variation of potatoes and chicken, or chicken, rice and beans. She always makes me homemade juices sometimes papaya, or mango. The lemonade was the best I have ever tasted my life!! I know what you’re thinking, it’s just lemonade but, no, it was so much more! The fruit is amazing, too. So sweet! DR is a sugar producer and so even the sugar tastes better.

Our guide, Vlad, took us to this disco/restaurante called Olympico across town on Tuesday night and we had so much fun! Just sitting around talking and dancing! Yovani, one of the teachers at the school came. He sings and dances everywhere he goes, so I knew he was the best person to teach me the Bachata! We had a great time. There is a small grocery store on the corner down the street from my house that always has music coming from inside! There are like 5 entrances to this small corner store so the music comes from everywhere, and it's loud! But it's beautiful! It's like a party there every second of the day. I love passing by there on my way to school or on my way home. It just makes me happy. It seems that life here is in the music and dancing. It makes people come alive.

We made it to dance class and I love it! Apparently I’m a natural! The instructors don’t speak any English and I speak VERY little Spanish as of now so its been difficult but its still fun. The instructor put me right onto the floor to start dancing right away as soon as he could see that I was getting it. Poor Heidi had to stay and learn the steps a little longer, but now shes a dancing queen too! 

You know, I think Im gonna like it here!

Find out more about AmeriSpan's Spanish schools in the Dominican Republic

See all of AmeriSpan's Language and Fun programs

Read all of Candice's blogs from Santo Domingo

By Candice S., guest blogger studying Spanish and Latin Dance in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

So yesterday went rather smoothly.. I caught my flights on time, and there were no delays or problemas. I tried to follow the Amerispan packing rules and only take a carry on suitcase… haha! Unfortunately, the only part of the rules I followed was the “carry-on suitcase”.  I didn’t really follow the packing guide, so my suitcase was bulging at capacity and the lady was like, “I’m sorry ma’am, but you’re going to have to check that bag. It has to fit in this,”..then she pointed at that little rectangular stand about half the size of my suitcase!! Haha! What’s funny is that I was really stressing at home thinking I was going to take that 40lb bag on the plane with me and trying to make sure I could lift it over my head to put it in the overhead compartament! I literally laughed out loud at myself.

When I got here, I exchanged my dinero and went through customs, which is always fun (..thats sarcasm). Then, I went to the salida to look for my airport pickup and there he was, holding my name, and looking like, “Really, chica. The last one out huh?" (Side note: Gracias Jesus for taking me to my host family’s house, it would have really sucked to have taken a taxi!) We had to wait a while because there was another girl who he was taking to her host family’s house, but she was having trouble in the baggage area.. Heidi es su llama, and she is my new best friend. She is from the Farro Islands.. near Iceland??  …and she still doesn’t have her luggage! Anywho, Jesus dropped us off at our houses, which are down the street from each other. What a blessing, she's super sweet and I don’t really know what I would be doing without her!

My host “mother” es muy simpatico! She sat and tried to talk to me even though it was like 1am when I arrived at her house! I say tried because I speak little espanol and she doesn’t speak a lick of English! But she is patient and kind. Its very interesting the way the homes here are set up. There is very little house indoors. When you first come in there is a living room and you keep walking and there is a dining room or something but then you come into an open courtyard and the rest of the house is off the courtyard. I mean its open air. The door to my room goes into the courtyard as does Dona Angela’s, the bathroom, and kitchen. Es muy interestante!

Today was our first day of class. Heidi and I are in the same class along with two otra personas, Denis from Switzerland and Fabiana from Belgium. Our maestra is Victoria. She is very patient and explains things really well. After school, many of us, including a few from the more advanced class, took a tour of Zona Colonial led by Vladamir, who is an amazing guide!  We stopped and got lunch, rode a guagua, which is the main form of transportation here, where this large van with an open door comes speeding up and you hop on and tell the driver when you want to get off. It cost 20 DR Pesos. Just for some perspective its 32 DP to $1 US. So basically if you’re feeling adventurous it will cost you about  $0.75 US to get across town. Ours wasn’t packed too tight but I have seen some pass where it looked like there was at least 15 people inside! 

We walked all around Zona Colonial, which is the historic district. It had to have been at least 5 miles total (..maybe exaggerating). But we were walking for hours! Heidi is house mates with Bob, from North Carolina. I don’t know why that makes me laugh. He’s quite the gentleman. He helped me when I was struggling to get my backpack on, looking like a dork, and anytime a lady in the group stopped to take a picture or do anything he always waited so that we weren’t left behind or in the back of the group. He's super sweet . After the tour, I was exhausted and came home and slept for a long time! I missed my first dance class, but Ill definitely be there tomorrow! It rained this evening so Dona Angela put up a mosquitario for me so I don’t get eaten up by mosquitos whilst I dream. And now I feel like a pretty princess with a canopy! Haha!

Well, I guess es todo for my first entre. Wow! This is really long! Lo siento! Don’t worry, I'm sure once I get used to everything, these will be much shorter and much sweeter.

Find out more about AmeriSpan's Spanish schools in the Dominican Republic

See all of AmeriSpan's Language and Fun programs

Read all of Candice's blogs from Santo Domingo