Youth Volunteering in Dominican Republic

I enjoyed some of the activites , but not others. The rivre walk and the walk to the koppies was 10/10. No intrenet was challenging , so 7/10. Jane , Precious , Patrick and Lucas were 10/10. I woul recommend this project to anyone who needs a detox from Social media.

New culture, new people, New Life. When we exchange our perspectives, ideas and plans to make a world better place for everyone. It's good to go different places it helps me view life in many directions

Hice 5 años en haiti, me se su idioma, se toda su cultura, me gustaría volver y apoyarlos en todas las dificultades que tienen, ya que ameritan mucha ayuda de todos nosotros, para ellos poder sobrevivir

I would really like to volunteer. I am passionate about charity and showing kindness to the world. Please, give me a chance. Kindly provide Certificate of sponsorship too since I'm not able to provide for myself at the moment. Kindly put my request into consideration.

This an increasingly popular way for individuals to make a meaningful impact in communities around the world. With numerous organizations offering volunteer programs, it's essential to review and research these opportunities to ensure a safe and rewarding experience. *Pros:* 1. *Cultural Immersion*: Living and working with local communities provides an immersive cultural experience. 2. *Skill Development*: Volunteers can develop new skills and gain experience in areas such as teaching, conservation, and community development. 3. *Networking Opportunities*: Volunteers can connect with like-minded individuals from around the world. 4. *Personal Growth*: Volunteering abroad can be a transformative experience, fostering personal growth and self-awareness. *Cons:* 1. *Cost*: Many volunteer programs come with a hefty price tag, which can be a barrier for some. 2. *Safety Concerns*: Volunteers may face safety risks, such as health concerns or political instability, depending on the destination. 3. *Cultural Differences*: Adapting to local customs and way of life can be challenging for some volunteers. 4. *Quality of Programs*: Some volunteer programs may lack structure, support, or meaningful work, leading to a disappointing experience. *Recommendations:* 1. *Research Thoroughly*: Investigate the organization, program, and destination to ensure a safe and rewarding experience. 2. *Read Reviews*: Look for reviews from past volunteers to gain insight into the program's quality and challenges. 3. *Choose a Reputable Organization*: Select an organization with a proven track record, transparent policies, and adequate support for volunteers. 4. *Prepare Yourself*: Culturally, emotionally, and physically prepare yourself for the experience to ensure a smooth transition. By being aware of the pros and cons, doing thorough research, and choosing a reputable organization, volunteers can have a safe, rewarding, and life-changing experience abroad.

As a Social worker i often meet with clients to assess their needs, provide counseling, and develop individualized plans to address their challenges. This could involve sessions with individuals, families, or groups.

Esta semana fue mi primer semana aquí. Me quedé en a la vida y la rutina rápidamente, aunque esta mucho diferente a Inglaterra. El personal del Fundación fue fantástico al contarme sobre la cultura y la forma de vida aquí. Durante la semana, trabajé a la escuela y quise trabajando y jugando con los niños, y los conocí a medida que avanzaba la semana. ¡En general, fue en entretenido y apasionante semana!

I am Lisa and I spent two weeks volunteering for and with Aldeas de Paz in Samanà. I was part at the youth care project. Although I was only two weeks there it was an experience I will definitely never forget. My reason to go to the Dominican Republic was because I wanted to get to know a new culture, country and lifestyle. I have choose this project because I love children and want to have kids in the future but I wanted to expierence how kids’ lifes are in an other parts of the world and what it is about to work with kids with disabilities. What I take with me is for sure is that kids in Europe/Austria who have disabilities nearly have all chances which are possible. Before I went to Dominican Republic this was nothing special for me, now I am thinking different about that and wish that this could also be in the Dominican Republic because in my opinion every child should have the same opportunities for his/her future. Besides I take with me that people in my home country are much more stressed, take things very serious and in general many of them aren’t very happy about their lifes. In my opinion there should be a mix between both lifestyles and maybe people around the world would be happier. I really liked the services provided from Aldeas de Paz! Before I arrived I was in contact with the volunteer coordinator what gave me a good feeling. I also appreciated it too that the coordinators provide a tours through Samanà to get to know the city.

I have really enjoyed my stay here so far. Working with the kids has been really nice. I enjoy practising my Spanish with them as it’s much easier than with everyone else. All the staff have been super helpful with making me feel settled in and comfortable. I also really love Samana, it’s a beautiful place full of very nice people, I just wish the electricity and water wouldn’t turn off! I am looking forward to the next few weeks to get to know all the staff and children better, and hopefully keep improving my Spanish.

During my first 2 weeks in samana I had the opportunity to see lots of things. The apartment is perfect with a beautiful view from the balcony and it is also where I spend most of my time ! I love the foundation, the atmosphere and the people there. The children are awesome and I loved to work with them ! Plus I can improve my Spanish skills thanks to the Spanish classes and the staff. The city is beautiful with awesome landscapes and beaches. We also have enough time to visit the city and discover new things. People in the city are lovely and helpful and it will be a pleasure to learn more about this place !

We visited families with handicapped children or adults. Everyone is treated with a great deal of love and a lot of respect. These visits are so important, I am really impressed. Thank you so much for letting me join you!

I’m glad I had the opportunity to do my internship in Aldeas de Paz. I have learned a lot, especially from visits to poor families and I will always carry this experience in my heart. It was enriching to know another reality and to meet many people of different nationalities and cultures. It has also been rewarding to contribute to the improvement of the environment and the education of children in the problem of plastic pollution. ""Muchas gracias a toda la team por darme la oportunidad de tener esta hermosa experiencia, gente muy amable y abierta!""

I probably had one of the best experiences of my life in Natuwa for a month, feeding the many animals that live there, taking care of them, discovering a different way of life than mine, more minimalist and peaceful. Rodolfo is an extremely understanding man who cares about the well-being of his voluntarios. We had the chance to do several extra activities outside the centre, such as snorkeling near to Isla Tortuga, or swimming at night with bioluminescent planktons, which were dazzling. The workteam is really friendly and allows you to feel integrated quickly and easily. However, you have to expect to work hard sometimes, for example planting trees, doing work to maintain the infrastructure, but this is only a part of the day. outside the centre

The time I spent in Dubai, Oman and Abdul Dhabi, I have a wonderful and experiential Joy with the people and I was able to showcased my skills and the people explore my knowledge to their satisfaction Little details of my experience Dubai Falcon Ballroom Hotel which was so great. Even more perfect was the fact that they had thought of everything in advance, I didn’t need to remind them I needed a fresh bed shread in the room (which I did have to do twice at the local hotel I stayed in my country, more on this later) as they had already taken care of that prior to our arrival. The bed, oh the bed! It was dreamy in every way, the most comfortable place I’ve ever laid in, and the most restful sleep I had had in years, and sometimes teary nighttime awakenings. some things can’t be helped…oh, the joys of travelling with flight Emirate is spectacular. A night between those bed-sheets really restores and rebalances you. I had excellent views directly facing the Mall of the Emirate and part of the pool below (if you stretched your neck). Everything in the room was spotlessly clean and looked brand new. The desk was comfortable for planning my daily routes on our my map.

An unforgettable stay I joined the school project of Aldeas de Paz and worked as an English teacher at the Casa de los Niños in Las Terrenas for one month. Even if I didnt get much information before I departed, everything went quite smooth. ADP helped us to find a good public transport option to get to our accomodation which was rather spacious and of good quality compared to the Domenican standard. Our apartment had a kitchen, a bathroom and a bedroom. The welcome was very friendly and well organised. Working at the school was harder than expected. On three days we worked from 8am till 1pm and on two days from 8am till 3pm. The school is rather unorganised and chaotic. From day 1 we got a lot of responsibility as the volunteers are in charge for all the English activities without any support from a proper teacher. I made some really good memories at school: even if the days were hard and hectic, I could improve my Spanish skills and got connected with local children. Unfortunately, the motivation of the kids to learn English was very limited and I also had to learn that the kids here are very loud, temperamentful and hard to handle. Still, I learnt a great deal and loved to accept this challenge. The Domenican Republic is a beautiful country and I fell in love with the stunning beaches of Las Terrenas. On the weekends I loved chilling at the beach and relaxing after the exhausting week. Twice a week we had a 2 hours of Spanish class which was quite helpful. All in all, it was an unforgettable stay and i learnt a great deal about another culture and way of life.

I really liked my stay in Las Terrenas at ADP. During my time I made so many experiences, which mostly were really interesting and good. I met a lot of nice people, got in touch with new customs and culture, enjoyed the beautiful landscape and learned a lot. I enjoyed working at Casa de los Niños for one month. The school is so different to the ones we know from Europe, which made my experience even more interesting. The classrooms are mostly outside, the do not have a proper curriculum for English and books/exercise sheets are only limited available. From day one on we had a lot of responsibility because we had a lot of different clases and the job to teach English. Sometimes it was hard, because we had to prepare the clases and organise everything on our own, but I learned a lot. I developed many new skills and improved my spanish. The downside of the school was, that many children were really loud and unorganised, so it was hard to teach them sometimes. But in the end everyone tried to improve their english, which made us happy. Beside from school I got in touch with many other volunteers and enjoyed my time in Las Terrenas. We went to many nice beaches, ate the tipical food, listen to dominican music and studied Spanish! All in all I really enjoyed my stay at ADP and I would recommend it to other people. Thank you for your help! I wish the fundation and all the volunteers only the best for their future!

August 8th, 2018, I went to Thailand for the highest skydiving constitution in Asian. At the time, when I put on heavy equipment, I was super nervous, so I paid hundreds percent concentration on training. All set down, I followed the coach to get on the helicopter and had a big swallow before taking off. On the way to five thousand inches high, my hand still stuck the edge of seat tightly. It's the real time when I hardly moved right to the open door, my foot suspended in the midair and smash wind make me hard to breathe. Without struggle, I was pushed to jump with closing eyes and opening mouth. Actually, I screamed loudly but heard nothing. The parachute opened in seconds successfully and everything went as well as training. When I stood steadily on the cloud, I touched the soft clouds, astonished by the beautiful view of Phuket Island---golden-green fields are surrounded by the sea blue, trail of the train intersect through the landscape, cars running on the roads are as tiny as ants moving foods. Swinging back to the ground, I was so proud of myself and at the same time, I was so excited about the astonishing views in the sky.

During my placement in Samana, I took part in two different projects; NGO Management and Mama Elba. I really enjoyed working in both of them, and I think these two projects combined together are the best way to understand and experience the core of the Foundation. The NGO Management project gave me a better idea about how an NGO works, what the main challenges of this kind of environment are and how to deal with daily issues regarding not only the Founding itself, but the local community as well. The other project I was working at, Mama Elba, was definitely enriching from both a personal and professional point of view. The children and young adults attending Mama Elba are absolutely lovely, and, while my hope was to help them somehow, what I received from them was way more. I also had the chance to learn different approaches to education, special educational programs and tools, and the interaction with the students and their families allowed me to learn a lot about the Dominican society and culture. I really enjoyed living in Samana and I would definitely recommend it. I loved the relaxed and friendly vibe, the kindness of local people and of course the stunning nature. I would recommend this placement to whoever wants to learn more and get engaged in the local community, it is a great way to acquire new knowledge about another culture, different teaching techniques and the basics on how an NGO works.

In my 30 years of experience as a professional nurse I have worked in comprehensive patient care and I know everything related to the area of ​​health. Now I am retired and my great desire is to help people in need.

I joined “Aldeas De Paz” for two weeks and it was a great experience! I wish I could have stayed longer because two weeks was barely enough to get a deep insight in the work of the foundation. On the other hand, I felt welcomed from the first day on. I made friends with the other volunteers immediately and we always planned free time activities together so it never got boring. In the Mama Elba I felt beloved by the students there from the start on and the work with them was a pleasure for me. They were all so open minded and we had such a good connection that it was so much fun to work or play with them. In the evenings I sometimes helped other volunteers with their English and German courses, which was a great experience as well, because the courses were full of ambitious people who made determined efforts to learn the language, so that it was really fun to teach them. The two weeks work with “Aldeas De Paz” helped me with my insecurities about what to study, so it wasn’t just fun but useful for my further life as well. Just like I said before, I wish I could have stayed longer so that I maybe could have started my own courses or work in other projects as well, because the opportunities are definitely given and you’re absolutely free to bring your own ideas. I can totally recommend the organisation and I am very thankful for the time I had there.