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CIEE support
The CIEE Office in Santiago is responsible for the supervision and support of CIEE participants throughout the duration of their stay. A local coordinator is assigned to each student and will remain in regular contact throughout the semester/year in order to check in on the student's language progress and to make sure that home life and the volunteer placements continues to go well. The CIEE office selects, screens, and interviews all host families and will place students in a school and family that best matches the student profile.
CIEE orientation
Orientation will take place upon your arrival in Santiago. The orientation program consists of information on important topics such as an introduction to your host city and country, getting to know your host family, volunteer opportunities, health and safety, tips on how to adjust to a new culture and language, the academic program, and getting to know other students going to the same country. Students will be met at the airport upon their arrival by CIEE Office staff, who will also assist in the final transfer to their host family.
CIEE excursions
Host families provide the student with a variety of cultural excursions and activities, visiting museums and art galleries, attending theater performances or participating in a carnival activity (February only). Other outings may include going to a beach, visiting relatives in el campo (the countryside), exploring nearby towns, going to see the waterfalls in Jarabacoa, and the humpback whales in Samana.
Some excursions are planned to enhance the Dominican history taught. Students travel to explore the ruins and museum of La Isabela on the north coast and also to the original site of the city of Santiago. A threeday trip to Santo Domingo, touring historic and tourist sites is a highlight.