Past Review

By (Nursing., SUNY - Binghamton) for

SUNY Binghamton: Juan Dolio - Community Health in Dominican Republic

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I was born in the Dominican Republic and lived there for part of my life, and many of the issues that I learn in this trip made me realized that I did not know my country very much. The experience that one gets from being there and seen everything happening cannot be replace by a TV news, newspaper, book, or a radio show. Learning and working with nurses at the clinic and hospital provided me with an insight view of how the nursing profession works in the Dominican Republic. During the seventeen-days, we were at the Esperanza clinic, Buen Pastor clinic, MUSA hospital, and did community visit in Santa Fe a poor community in San Pedro.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 2 weeks - 1 month

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I am very happy that I had the opportunity to be on this mission team. Many of the lessons I learn will stay with me for the rest of my life. It was truly an amazing experience. I would like to continue doing work like this because I feel that I can learn much more from others while I can give back to other less fortune than me. I was able see how truly blessed we are in the United States and how much we can learn from other that might have a different approach to nursing. I will never for get this trip because it put everything that I have learned in college from nursing and sociology into work. Thank you Laura for having this truly life changing program.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The medical facilities we worked in were very happy to have us. They made our understanding of their medical system and were very happy to have us working with them.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

We lodged at the Barcelo Capella resort that is located in Juan Dolio, twenty-five minutes from San Pedro de Macoris, which was were we work during the day. <br /><br /> The hotel was very safe and pleasant to be in.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? less than $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I think that less than $500USD is more than enough for this trip

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
Language acquisition improvement?

If applicable, to what degree did your living situation aid your language acquisition?

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Other
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? This is a life changing program. You will love it