Hi, my name is Malaya Cruz, and I’m a junior at American High School. Although I am not fluent in Spanish, I hope to use the four years I took at school to enhance my skills in the DR :). Travel-wise, I usually visit LA and Vancouver, CA to visit family yearly, and I’ve also had the opportunity to travel domestically and internationally quite a few times; however, this is my first time traveling to a country in Latin America, so I am excited for a new experience. I have a wide range of interests regarding pop culture, but if I were to focus on a few things, I’d say the Netflix series, Beef, and Marvin Gaye’s album, I Want You, have recently intrigued me. In my free time, I love playing volleyball, thrifting, doing musical theatre, and spending time at the beach. If I were to pick one specific aspect of the trip I look forward to, it would probably be the DR’s traditional dance and music scene; I grew up practicing traditional Filipino dance and music, and have found a love for learning about other countries’ musical customs as well.

Overall, I look forward to immersing myself in the Dominican Republic’s culture, and I can’t wait to get to know all of you. :’) 💯