So, why am I going to the DOMINICAN REPUBLIC??

I'm excited to be off on another Latin American adventure. This will be my second time ever leaving the United States. (The first time was 8 months ago when I visited Mexico!)

From Jan. to Apr, 2016, I will be participating in a program made possible through the Kennedy Center for International Studies at BYU to volunteer as an intern with LDS Self-Reliance Services. I have been assigned with a companion to the area of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic!

The Dominican Republic (DR) is located in the Caribbean! The national language is Spanish. (Yay!)

The Dominican Republic borders Haiti on the island of Hispaniola. These are 2 very distinct countries, although they share a tight geographical region. 

I will be working only in the Dominican Republic, primarily in the capital city, Santo Domingo.

The DR's beautiful beaches make it a hot spot for tourism.
It also has a rich history because it was one of the first areas colonized in the New World in Columbus' time.

So what is the purpose of my internship here?!

https://www.lds.org/topics/pef-self-reliance?lang=eng

In response to a serious lack of ability among members to provide the necessities of life for self and family, General Authorities of the Church started the new worldwide Self-Reliance Initiative a little over two years ago. It combines aspects of the LDS Perpetual Education Fund and Employment Services to enable people to take necessary steps toward temporal and spiritual self-reliance. As an intern, I will support priesthood leaders in their responsibilities, develop resources, and administer Perpetual Education Fund loans in order to aid people in finding employment, creating and maintaining a small business, and/or seeking education to qualify them for better job opportunities, as well as progressing spiritually. This program has helped people increase their income, budget, and commit more to living according to gospel principles, though it is a challenge to establish the responsibilities of Priesthood leaders of the Church at various levels as well as to retain participants through the process. 

Right now, it’s important to get involved in struggling areas around the world in helping people to understand the importance of this initiative and its function, so that it can be maintained and strengthened for years to come. My companion and I will be working under a Self-Reliance Manager, an employee of the Church who lives in the area and trains local leaders. He/she will direct us in how to best move the work along in Santo Domingo, including assistance in training and resourcing for the program.

The resources on the LDS Church site have gotten me so excited to be involved in such a meaningful program! (Check it out! https://www.lds.org/topics/pef-self-reliance?lang=eng )

Carolina and I feeling giddy about booking our flights together!

9 BYU students who applied for the Self-Reliance Services internship have been assigned to work in different countries around the world! We attended a brief international internship prep course together for the second block of fall semester and met just once a week to get basic information on the program, BYU expectations, and security information. 
Carolina and I were assigned to be companions to work in Santo Domingo together! (It's like a mini mission all over again!) We have gotten to know each other a little bit just from our prep course and arranging things to go! I can already tell that she is kind and smart, and I am excited to get to know her more as we set out on this adventure!