Social Multimedia Journalism Internship

ALdeaz de Paz es una organización muy solidaria. Llevo 2 semanas en la fundación y desde el primer día me sentí muy cómoda. Llegué aquí sin hablar ni una palabra de español, pero dos semanas después, gracias al curso de Antonio y a fuerza de practicar, empiezo a entender y a relacionarme con los dominicanos. Aún así, me resulta más fácil hacerme entender en inglés. Es una gran ayuda que nuestros coordinadores hablen este idioma. En cuanto a mi trabajo aquí, el programa de periodismo multimedia es realmente interesante. Hay mucho que hacer y mucha libertad para proponer contenidos. El programa se centra sobre todo en la comunicación. Como estudiante de periodismo, me gustaría poder hacer más contenidos periodísticos que de comunicación. En general, Samaná es una ciudad muy agradable y nuestro alojamiento es muy bueno. Estoy más que contenta de pasar 2 meses con la asociación Aldeas de Paz y de contribuir a algo bueno en la República Dominicana.

I’ve enjoyed every day here in Las Terrenas. Thanks to the Foundation I had my „apartment“ in the middle of the city and after a few weeks I felt like I built a new home. With the other volunteers living beside me, we’ve built some great friendships. Casa Regular is (with the new kitchen equipement) a cool place to live. The owners are always happy, here to help and great people. My coordinator Nacho and the marine conservation project manager Noel both have a big heart and brought a lot of energy into my time here. They’re here for the volunteers 24/7 and are always happy to help. So a big thank you! Because I was the first volunteer in the program „Multimedia & Journalism“ in Las Terrenas I didn’t get here with a lot of work, I was happy to also join the marine conservation program because without that I would’ve had a lot of free time. However, my stay wasn't any worse because of this, it just surprised me a bit at the beginning. Obviously it’s also my fault because I didn’t come up with new Ideas or work.

My name is Emma. I was a volunteer with the youthcare and community development program in the fall of 2021. I would definitely recommend this program to someone who is interested in volunteer work. The foundation is working hand in hand with the community to advocate for the rights of people living with disabilities as well as other disadvantaged community members. I like what the program stands for and hope that it can continue long into the future. It is good work with good people. Thank you Aldeas de Paz!

For the past year, I worked in the multimedia team for Aldeas de Paz in Samaná. I had such a great time living and working with the ADP family! During this year, we had the chance to participate in different projects, cooperate with other NGOs and supported the community in Samaná. My highlight during the time here was interviewing the locals. For example, we collaborated with the organization ISER Caribe. Our goal was to use interviews to promote awareness, understanding and sensitivity with regards to the endangered fish: The Parrot Fish. It was an amazing way to connect with the local community and work together for a greater cause. Additionally, it was very interesting to see and be a part of Aldeas de Paz’s transformation throughout the year. Particularly, the way the organisation has flourished, the development of new projects we initiated and developed and how we as volunteers became more involved and in touch with the locals. I also appreciated meeting the international volunteers that joined Aldeas de Paz throughout the year. Everyone brought their own unique ideas, perspectives and culture to work here which helped to enrich the group dynamics and togetherness. Sometimes the communication between the branch office in Samaná and Las Terrenas didn’t work very well making it challenging to distribute tasks. But I think it's normal for a growing organization to have difficulties as well. With that said, outside of working hours, we were able to enjoy our free time here in the Caribbean! During the weekends we visited some of the most beautiful beaches, mountains and we visited different cities. We were therefore able to see and embrace most of the country throughout our year here! I am very grateful for the experience that I have gathered here and I can recommend this a volunteering experience to everyone!

An der Busstation in Samaná angekommen, wurde ich herzlich empfangen und mir wurde gleich die Stadt gezeigt. Diese ist sehr belebt, hat viel Verkehr und die meisten Menschen fahren mit Mopeds umher. Aus allen Ecken ist dominikanische Musik zu hören und überall gibt es etwas zu essen zu kaufen. Samaná ist eine sehr schöne Stadt mit äußerst netten und friedlichen Bewohnern, in der ich mich sehr sicher fühle. Ich bin für den Bereich Multimedia zuständig. Die anderen Freiwilligen arbeiten im Krankenhaus, im NGO Management, im Bereich Youthcare. Da wir alle in so unterschiedlichen Bereichen tätig sind, ist es sehr interessant, sich mit den anderen auszutauschen. Noch dazu kommt jeder Freiwiliige aus einem anderen Land, wodurch uns auch ein kultureller Austausch untereinander ermöglicht wird. Die Arbeitszeit wird hier sehr flexibel gehandhabt, ich habe mich hier aber dem Zeitplan der anderen Freiwilligen angepasst, die von 9 Uhr bis 12 Uhr und nach der Mittagspause nochmals von 14 Uhr bis 17:30 Uhrarbeiten. Meine Arbeit hier ist sehr vielfältig und ich habe die Möglichkeit, mich individuell auf die Dinge zu konzentrieren, die mich interessieren. Ich muss aber auf jeden Fall sehr viel Eigeninitiative mitbringen, denn es wird mir kein Plan vorgegeben, was ich zu tun habe. Zusätzlich zu meinem eigentlichen Projekt arbeite ich zwei Tage pro Woche in der Sonderschule von Aldeas de Paz, dem Herzstück der Organisation. Die Schule ist dienstags, mittwochs und donnerstags jeweils von 14 Uhr bis 17 Uhr geöffnet. Hier werden etwa 12 Kinder unterschiedlichen Alters mit Behinderungen, die nicht einmal diagnostiziert wurden, von zwei Lehrerinnen unterrichtet. Schon während meines ersten Besuch dort, fiel mir auf, wie viel hier verbessert werden kann. Wir bekommen sechs Stunden pro Woche kostenlosen Spanisch Unterricht. Da ich keine Vorkenntnisse hatte, war es für mich zu Beginn sehr schwer, mit anderen zu kommunizieren. Der Spanisch Unterricht hat mir dabei sehr geholfen, sodass ich mittlerweile einiges auf Spanisch verstehe und auch besser mit den Kindern arbeiten kann. Von der Organisation vor Ort wurde ich sehr gut betreut. Es war rund um die Uhr jemand erreichbar und egal welches Problem auftrat, ich wurde stets unterstützt. Ingesamt kann ich sagen, dass ich durch dieses Projekt viele neue Eindrücke gewonnen habe, viel erlebt habe und eine wundervolle Zeit in Santa Bárbara de Samaná hatte!

My general experience I have been working at Aldeas de Paz for 2 months from June to July 2016. There are many opportunities of careers with the diversity of programs and many possibilities to share and develop new skills even if you are not qualified for a specific field. Great chances to learn professionally and on many aspects of a stay in a foreign country. Hours are flexible. Aldeas de Paz is a small organization with very good contact with volunteers, local partners and host families. Manfred and Julia are like a "bridge" between the locals and the volunteers. They are flexible and very helpful. The organization has an excellent Spanish teacher, Elson and a very good learning program for kids with special needs, especially thanks to the Program Manager Yunior. Thank you very much for allowing me to experience this amazing adventure !!!! Things to improve Give much more information before the arrival. It would be great to give more details about the weekly schedule or a typical week at ADP (no work on Friday, compulsory meeting on Friday...) for example. A Skype interview would be great in order to reply to all the questions possible. This is also a very way to test the Spanish level of the volunteers. It would be nice to put a section on the website where we get to know Manfred, Julia, Yunior, Elson... "

My name is Kevin Murton and I have just finished my 7 weeks in Samana, Dominican Republic, volunteering for Aldeas de Paz helping with the Multi Media output. As everyone would be, I was a little nervous about how the experience would turn out for various reasons, particularly in relation to my age and lack of intermediate Spanish ability. I quickly realised I didn't have to worry on either account. Although I was encouraged to speak Spanish whenever I could, particularly in the Spanish lessons, I felt comfortable at all times that my English would get me by, and that was the common language we generally used in any meetings I was involved in. In relation to my age, genuinely I felt no difference in my relationships with the volunteers as the younger ones did with each other. Having a young open mind and respect for each other was plenty for everyone to generally get along. I offered my unique set of skills, capabilities and energies and others did the same. I suppose you kind of adopt a role within a temporary family setting, which obviously changes as people come and go. So when I initially arrived, I had an amazing welcome from Manfred and the rest of the volunteers. I made sure I had no expectations as to the place I was coming to and made myself aware of the fact that cultural differences would be inevitable. A mindful, moment-to-moment approach, without too much judgement, helped me through those initial few days. Bit-by-bit I felt more and more comfortable with any security concerns I may have had. A healthy awareness of what was going on around me, like I do in London, and common sense decisions became part of my everyday living. It feels very safe here. Getting used to the heat, changes in diet and the variety of nature that you see (from experience a clean room and a spray every month of insect repellant deters anything that may want to come inside), can all be viewed positively, and some may not be concerned with these changes at all, but if you are, taking the initiative to find the best way you want to deal with these issues quickly is a good idea. Eating the Plata del Dia or buying vegetables at the local market or the colmardos near to the apartments can make food here quite cheap, but be aware of buying too much at the 'gringo' supermecado. Food can be very expensive here and a lot of it doesn't have the price on it. It may take a while for the local gift shops to realise that you aren't a tourist, so you will be an amigo/a to all of them. It's a good way to practice your Spanish if nothing else. The Multi Media work I did here was very enjoyable and working at the school, the hospital, at the Ayuntamiento, interviewing the Mayor. It feels very rewarding having produced film that can only show Aldeas de Paz in a positive light and perhaps create opportunities for future grants. There is some amazingly beautiful scenery here on the Samana peninsula to explore. Whale watching during February and March, El Salto de Limon (waterfall), the amazingly beautiful Playa de Cayo Levantado and Los Haitises are some, but every so often you catch the beauty shown by the people; typically on the beach, with Bachata music playing as couples dance, as others play table games and still others lay back in the sun with a Carribbean kissed cocktail ready to sip, wrapped in not much more than the hot breeze drifting off the gentility of the ocean. I have experienced a few of these kinds of cultural immersion trips now and felt genuinely emotional about leaving a group of people, whose heart tells them they want help a society, which at the moment is not able to give the same chances as most of us have back in our own countries. Manfred is a great man and I have a lot of respect for him. He makes a lot of effort to help make your experience a useful and happy one. I came here to have an adventure, learn more Spanish and help a very worthwhile charity. I leave feeling like a better person, with what I have accomplished. Thanks Manfred, I have had an amazing experience, which will stay in my memories for a very long time to come. I hope our paths meet again in the not too distant future! Bye I'm off to Costa Rica.

Finding out my weaknesses, strengths, and goals for my future life was the main ambition for my Latin American trip. After high school I wanted to get out and discover both myself and the world. I wanted to expand my horizons, to escape from societal structures, and, as the saying goes, to “think outside the box”. I experienced all of these things in Samana in the Dominican Republic in my five weeks as a volunteer in the fundacion Aldeas de Paz. Samana is a great place to get closer to the Dominican culture and in my opinion also a suitable place to start a foundation. I say this as it is a fantastic location, where the special feeling of Caribbean life with endless white beaches on the peninsula of Samana cannot be missed. Samana has approximately 40 000 inhabitants, where the roaring, energetic life takes you over. I had to get used to it in the first week, but I learned quickly to deal with the new circumstances and to become more open-minded. My boss and my fellow volunteers helped me a great deal with this first step. The feeling of isolation never came to me because someone was always close at hand whenever problems arose. The security in Samana and the friendliness towards tourists was especially noticeable and it has to be emphasized, because this is not the case in Latin America as a whole. The foundation Aldeas de Paz is currently under construction in the Dominican Republic, because it has had to move from the political situation of Venezuela. This played straight into my hands, because therefore I had more freedom in my volunteer program and job scope, and nobody could put me in pre-defined structures (as I had hoped). The freedom of the working situation was increased by the horizontal management consciously exercised by my boss, so that each and every volunteer could participate as they wanted and were able to. This gave me the satisfaction of learning more about myself, making a difference, taking part in a development, and growing with progressively difficult tasks. I could not expect to make a big impact with some of my work, because volunteer work is often associated with a long development process. This was something I had to learn in the beginning. Because of the short duration of my volunteering, I operated in many different sectors, e.g. working with children with learning difficulties, or social media marketing. Through it I found some new interests and I was able to make sense of my future plans, which brought me a little bit closer to my goals. Overall those five weeks in Aldeas de Paz were a ground-breaking, exciting, and wonderful experience, which I would have no hesitation in recommending to any high school graduate who wishes to expand his or her horizons and is exuberant.