Marine Conservation & Coral Reef Restoration

On Wednesday evening I landed in Santo Domingo, where I spent a night and then took the bus to Las Terrenas the next morning. The first impression was different than expected at first and my Spanish was initially insufficient and I expected that I would get along better with English. However, Spanish could be quickly refreshed in the Spanish lessons with Bernado. In las terrenas was my first impression: It is very different from Germany and very loud. But the people are very happy and friendly. I also like the marine conservation program very much and diving is a lot of fun. The diving instructor is also very funny. However, you have a lot of free time and only go diving 1-2 times a week and otherwise have time off. I had expected more alternative programs here, especially when it rains and you can't dive for a week.

My name is Franzi and I've now been working for the Marine Conservation Program for 4 months. During that time there were plenty different things I've seen and done and I'll split them up into different sections. Accommodation: The Volunteer House at Casa Regular is nice. The owner and his family take care of the house and also clean (sometimes more often sometimes not) the rooms for us. I've slept in the four bed room during my stay and despite from some personal matters it was always a nice time and I enjoyed it a lot. The kitchen could be a little bit bigger as it's sometime crowdy when there are 10 or more volunteers. The location of the house is perfect for the medical volunteers as the hospitals are really close. For us Marine Volunteers it's a little bit of a walk to the beach but I liked it as you can see more of the city. Program: The Marine Conservation Program is, in my opinion, the best program Aldeas de Paz is hosting. You can have a real impact on the environment and take care of the corals and the sea. Even though the diving center burnt down shortly after the moving to another place, we could manage it to still go diving and continue with the program. Also we were planning and doing a lot of trips where also the medical volunteers could join us as well. It would just be nice if the foundation could manage it to make more dives a week possible as it would increase the purpose we're all here for. Coordinators: As I was staying in Las Terrenas the coordinators who were in charge of me were Nacho and Noel. When we have problems or something is wrong we can always call them and when they're not picking up the phone, they'll try to get to you as soon as they can. I would say during my stay in Las Terrenas I gained two new friends in them. Recap: My stay with Aldeas de Paz in Las Terrenas was amazing and as usual not everything was perfect but I still enjoyed it a lot. I'm glad about the experience I made and the memories I'll take with me for the rest of my life.

I worked in the Marine conversation program. I had no diving experience and that was no problem at all. With Daria the diving instructor, I finished my open water PADI license in 1 week. During our work, we explore many diving spots where we monitor the corals. We clean coral fragments in the nursery and learn about the eco system sea You will stay in an Appartement with rooms for 2-4 people, each room has bathroom and fridge. There is 1 washing machine and 1 kitchen for all volunteers. Las Terrenas is a small town with cute stores, sea view restaurants and beach bars. It is a very vibrant city, there is always music. Overall it is very fun. You learn a lot and meet new people. It is a great opportunity.