Semester in Santo Domingo

The DR is one of the chillest, most relaxing places in the world, and Santo Domingo is no exception. My four months there were the best of my life. I loved my homestay situation! My host mom was great. She was a great cook, and a majority of the other students in my group were either in the same apartment complex as me, or within a block of me. We were also very close to the colonial city, which is the place in Santo Domingo to go for entertainment. The university was good. Classes were pretty easy, and there are a lot of students who speak English, so if your Spanish isn't great, don't be turned away! There were a few students in my group who knew no Spanish going in, and by the end they could understand conversations just about as well as me, and I completed my minor in Spanish while I was there. I'm just gonna let you know about a few of the things that surprised me or that I didn't see coming. One is that Santo Domingo is a really populous city, but it's not a big city. Like, there aren't big buildings with bright lights and all that jazz, but it's still a great place with a ton to do. Also, even though SD is right on the coast, the nearest swimable beach is still about an hr guagua ride away, which is only like 2 bucks. My group and I ended up going every other weekend. The beaches are beautiful. My walk to campus was about 20-25 minutes, but keep in mind the temps will be around 90 and the humidity is always high. Also, be prepared for street harassment if you're a woman. Catcalling, whistling, and staring at women is all very normal in the DR, especially if you're alone or with other girls. You'll get used to it though. It's only dangerous if you're alone at night. How are you with mosquitoes? All the girls in my group were constantly being eaten alive. I don't think I was bit the whole time I was there, though. I hope this helps! Let me know about any questions that maybe I didn't answer for you!