Pre-Departure Overview

So I'm keeping this blog to chronicle my summer of studying abroad in the Dominican Republic.  I will be departing from Milwaukee on the 14th of June and returning to Milwaukee on the 4th of August. I will be spending the interim first in Santo Domingo, then in Jarabacoa for 3 weeks, then 3 more weeks in a rural community near the coast, then finally in Santo Domingo again.  During my time in the DR I will be studying Spanish in an intensive practice based setting and will be attending a seminar on Health, Nutrition, and Environmental Issues in Latin America.  Part of this seminar entails me doing a 10 page research paper on a subject that pertains in some way to the theme of the seminar.  I will be researching the prevalence of diabetes in the DR and try to relate that in some way to the recent ratification of CAFTA-DR which facilitates the influx of highly processed foods and meat products from the USA which may increase the prevalence of obesity, which is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes.  During my stay I will be living with a host family, which I am very excited about.  I can't wait to be on my way!