Around 1 month ago, on the 28th July, I boarded a plane that would take me away from my family and friends in England and to the Dominican Republic for 10 months, throughout which time I would be living with a host family and going to school here, all to improve my Spanish, gain a new experience and understanding of a different culture and widen my world view in general!

Just for some background information, the organization I came here with is called AFS, and they have been around since the Second World War to try and improve understanding of different cultures, and stop things like world wars happening again. I got involved because of my grandparents, who have acted as a host family for longer than I can remember; taking in a few students every year from different countries and making them part of the family, showing them what British culture is all about.

Unfortunately, AFS in England shut down a few years ago due to lack of money, but luckily for me the director of AFS in the Dominican Republic was a student in England, with my grandparents, so an arrangement was made for me to come here. I have to say, when I first was introduced to the idea I was extremely reluctant, knowing that when I return I would be a year behind my friends in school, I would miss certain things and certain people and being in a country literally full of strangers was absolutely terrifying!! What brought me round to the idea was knowing that though everyone over might be strangers at first, many of them will someday become my friends, and some of them I will consider my family, and I know this because I consider the students who stayed in England my family, from the bottom of my heart I do.

So the adventure began, as I said, with my boarding a plane on the 28th July which was amazingly intimidating; Not only was it the first time I'd travel outside of Europe, it was the first time I had got a plane alone, and I had to get two of them. I had a bit of a freak-out-panicy-oh-my-god-I'm-gonna-miss-the-plane-or-lose-my-luggage-or-die-or-something fit, which I like to think was understandable considering the given situation? But, I made the flight and survived and didn't lose my luggage, so all-in-all it could be considered a success? There was an hour layover in Charles De Gaulles, Paris, and I have to say it was probably the most beautiful airport I have ever seen! It really is an amazing structure, an awesome sight to see.

During the hour layover, I met a large group of Thai students who were going to the Dominican Republic with AFS as well, and they had to be the most excited, happy, friendly and inclusive bunch of people I have ever met!! Meeting them really calmed my nerves, because for the first time on this trip I didn't feel so alone (The curse of being the only one from your country). It was an amazaballs long fligfht, I think I was flying for 11 hours in total that day, and I arrived in the evening, about 6pm Dominican time. For the first time in my life, I stepped off a plane that had taken me to the other side of the world….

To be continued - Jazzy x