My Peace Corps Assignment!

After many months of hard work, waiting, frustration, and jumping through hoops, I have finally received my invitation to serve in the Peace Corps! As of September 5, 2006, I will leave to begin my orientation to serve as a Youth Development Promoter in the Dominican Republic! I am very excited about my placement. It encompasses the work and personal experiences I hope to gain while learning Spanish in a beautiful Caribbean country.

Dominican Republic shares the island of Hispaniola with Haiti, occupying the eastern 2/3 of the island. DR lies southeast of Florida, west of Puerto Rico, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and is only a 4 hour flight from Boston! Dominican Republic is also known for such Red Sox greats as David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Pedro Martinez. Maybe one of them will be my host family! ; ) My training will begin on Sept. 7th of this year and will continue for 11 weeks. I will then begin my two years of service on Nov. 22, 2006 continuing through Nov. 21, 2008.

Here are some facts about the country:

Capital and Largest City - Santo Domingo

Official Language - Spanish

Government - Republic

President - Leonel Fernandez

Independence - February 27, 1844 (from Haiti)

Area - 18,810 sq mi (48,730 sq km)

Population - 8,895,000 (July 2005)

Currency - Peso