I served at the Boy Scouts of America as part of AmeriCorps KEYS (Knowledge to Empower Youth for Success) for 10 weeks while completing my medical and legal clearances for the Peace Corps.
August 21st came in the blink of an eye, and before I knew it, I was saying goodbye to my friends and family and was on a plane to Miami to complete onboarding training with the rest of my cohort. A few days later, the 30 of us boarded a plane set for Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, and we soon arrived. This was my first time outside of the United States. I felt every emotion possible! I felt excited, terrified, anxious, unqualified, homesick and happy to actually be doing what I had set out to do for so long. My first week was so difficult that I thought I wouldn’t be able to do it. I kept telling myself it was okay to quit and go home. Now that I am 15 months in, I am so happy I stayed. I have a wonderful host family and a great school with students and staff I love, and I have fallen in love with how beautiful the Dominican Republic is. I can’t wait to share what I’ve learned with you all and answer any and all questions you have! Dale!
