At 15 years old Dunia was sent to Los Angeles, California to live with her maternal grandmother. She went to Jordan High School in Los Angeles and earned her high school diploma as an ESL (English as a Second Language) student. Later on she earned her broadcast degree in American Communication Institute in Hollywood in 1991. Like many other immigrants, Dunia faced many challenges while trying to excel in her career. Dunia graduated with a limited knowledge of English. This and the lack of immigration documents prevented her from continuing with her higher education.