After studying abroad in Ecuador, I have become even more fascinated with Latin America. As an Ethnic Studies major, it is especially interesting for me to go to the Dominican Republic Immersion. The country has undergone several periods of ethnic, social, economic, and political tensions. The Dominican Republic is of special interest to me because of the complex relations it has with Haiti. For example, the Dominican Republic’s long history with anti-Haitian politics continues today with the big influx of Haitians into the Dominican Republic for employment. This has brought up many legal and social questions as Haitians and people of Haitian descent who continue to face a lot of discrimination in the country and who have even been legally prevented from exercising their civil and political rights. The massive deportations of Haitians from the D.R. beginning in 2013 are also of special interest to me in studying migration. I would like to continue researching and learning about how the environmental issues of water supply, deforestation, and erosion, and economic issues of high unemployment, and sugar exports. I would also like to learn how and if the country’s history, starting with colonization played a role in these modern issues. I hope that I can one day lead an immersion and I strongly believe that this immersion trip to the Dominican Republic will prepare me for not only this, but also for my future work in Latin America.