I just returned from an amazing week-long trip to the Dominican Republic with a group of students. It was a life-changing experience that I’ll never forget. We did community service, visited orphanages, and trekked through the land of 27 waterfalls. Prior to this trip, I had only read about this beautiful country. Not until I arrived and was exposed firsthand to the people, culture, and breathtaking nature of the country was I able to truly understand the richness of this place. I learned things while there that I simply could not have learned reading or watching videos about it, such as the smell of the rain each mid-afternoon or the wonderment in a child's face when meeting a visitor from far away for the first time. I realized through this trip that the best way for me to learn is through experience and my trip to the Domincan Republic will stay with me forever.