¡Hola!

Thank you taking the time to read this blog. My name is Kyle Gerardi and I will be studying in the Dominican Republic for the next few months. I am a junior business major with a possible Spanish minor. If you are reading because you are interested in studying abroad, I hope to give you good insight and an honest viewpoint about my experiences. If you are a friend or family member, I hope you will enjoy the ride as much as I will. If I do not explain something well, please do not hesitate to comment below, and I will try my best to get back to you.

I have been out of the country many times before, including a four­­ month trip to Switzerland a few years ago and a seven week trip to Scandinavia last summer.  I have kept a journal on each of my trips, and will do the same for this one. I always write an entry before I arrive, as well as an entry on my flight back home. My first post usually contains what I am feeling, or what I am nervous about. I also include expectations about where I am going and what I will experience. It sounds a bit corny, but the best part about the writing that I do is looking back on it months or years later. It is quite literally a window to your own past and you can see exactly how you used to think. Writing is just as good if not better for documenting the specific details of a trip as photos. However, looking at pictures can ignite memories that may have been forgotten.

One would think that pre-departure nerves decrease with each trip, but the exact opposite seemed to happen this time. This is my first trip where I am expected to use Spanish on a daily basis. Spanish is my second language, and I have only studied it for two years. I am very excited about this opportunity because I have many friends at Penn State who can speak more than one language. I always thought it was fascinating, and am finally able to try it out for myself.

Thanks again for taking the time to read this! See you soon!

Location: Santiago, Dominican Republic