What inspired you to go abroad?
I love to travel in general, to get to know new cultures, new landscapes, and new people with different backgrounds. I like to exchange different points of views and to see different perspectives.
Why did you choose Aldeas de Paz?
There are plenty of interesting programs, but I decided to go with Aldeas de Paz in Samaná because it is a smaller village at the sea. Furthermore, the description and the purpose of the school convinced me to come here.
What was your favorite part about Samaná?
That everything is more relaxed and open. It has a beautiful landscape and things are seen not as stressful, like in my home country. I prefer this point of view because for me it makes no sense to worry about problems that are not here yet.
Turks and Caicos Islands
What made your experience abroad unique?
The people I spent time with made it a unique experience. The excursions we did were great and brought us to see beautiful parts of the country.
How did local staff support you throughout your program?
They were always there when I had questions and we had weekly meetings to talk about the experience.
Describe a typical day in the life of your program.
At 6:00 a.m. I went to the gym with a local friend. After that I showered, had breakfast, and did something at home like washing or working on my laptop. At 12:00 p.m. I start cooking and at 1:30 p.m. I went to school. When the school ended at 6:00 p.m. I gave German class, went home and relaxed, or meet with friends.
What did you enjoy doing in your free time?
I went to the beach and the gym, ate nice food, saw nearby cities on the weekends.
What was your accommodation like? What did you like best about it?
I lived in a shared apartment with a terrace and a backyard. I shared my room with another volunteer. We had a lot of fun together and are like a small family.
What is one thing every participant should know before participating in your program?
If you want to give a lot, you receive a lot.
Now that you're home, how has your program abroad impacted your life?
I can value my life in Germany much more. Good education and plenty of opportunities are not normal everywhere in the world. I think I will relax much more in the future and won´t worry that much about a lot of things, because I know there is always a way.
Would you recommend Aldeas de Paz to others? Why?
Donkey!
Of course! I had a great time here and I would definitely recommend to stay longer than two to three months to leave a better impact on the country.
What was the hardest part about volunteering in the Dominican Republic?
The hardest part for me was sometimes not feeling fully respected because I am a woman and I am white. There are a lot of prejudices against white people (all rich, all Americans, all can't speak Spanish..). Also, the Machismo is very well-spread and I faced catcalling every day on the street.
Despite those challenges, what surprised you about volunteering in Samaná?
That the people are so interested in you and that it is a lovely community. I really didn't want to go back home because I fell in love with this city.
How difficult was it to communicate with locals?
It's difficult to find real friends, because of the prejudices and the machismo. Many say to that they want to marry you or that they love you.
But once you know truly nice people you can do so many things and you get a real insight of the country. The organization helps you a lot because of the experiences of other volunteers or coordinators.
If you could volunteer abroad again, where would you go?
Maybe I would just stay longer or come back to Samaná. But I am also interested in other countries like Brazil and Cambodia, or Southeast Asia as a whole.
What do you feel the biggest benefit of volunteering abroad is?
The communication between cultures. To break down prejudices and to get a real impact on the country. You can also help the community depending on your project, but the most important part is the communication and the deeper understanding that you, but also the people around you, gain.
