Last week I traveled to Dominica to get a closer look at Ross University and I was very surprised by what I found. Reading the various forums online as well as looking at both the University's and the Island's websites does not give an accurate description of what life is like down there. I was pleasantly surprised in many of the aspects surrounding the actual school. The classrooms look high-tech and all the lectures are recorded and then put up online. The anatomy lab is huge and state-of-the-art. Also I was able to meet some of the faculty who were very friendly and did not appear to have the "attitudes" that many of the comments on the internet forums implied.
However, nothing prepared me for how rural the island is. The area surrounding the school as some basic things such as a grocery store, taxi service, and some restaurants. The apartment buildings surrounding the school are much more developed than the nearby town of Portsmouth.
The roads are so ridiculous that I am going to write a separate entry about them so everyone can get a clear picture of how TERRIFYING they are! The rest of the island, including the capital of Roseau, is definitely different than what I am used to. People live in buildings that are not completed/ buildings that would not pass fire code. Most people get their food from their little plots of land or from the local markets. In general though, I think it will be eye-opening and I will learn a lot about a friendly new culture.
Alright stay tuned for more fun stories about my trip!
No comments:
Post a Comment