After the first few nights in the Dominican Republic I am already so incredibly glad that I was accepted to participate in this experience. We have toured the school we will be teaching in and the village we will be eating lunch in. The teachers and volunteers at the school were very welcoming and gave us a lot of information about the culture of the people here and tips for staying in the area. When visiting the village, we met a lot of locals whom were extremely welcoming and excited to have us. The poverty level is high but does not seem to effect the spirits of the locals. We could take a few lessons from the people in Cabarete and surrounding areas the next time we complain about shoveling our driveway or lack of air conditioning! We shared a wonderful dinner together and a lot of laughs. I am really loving getting to know the ladies in the group and making memories that will last a lifetime. Also, did I forget to mention that I walked on the beach for the first time in my life? Life is good!