PUBLICATIONS, NEWSLETTER AND REVIEWS

My name is Kevin Murton and I have just finished my 7 weeks in Samaná, Dominican Republic, volunteering for Aldeas de Paz helping with the Multi Media output. As anyone 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 byand 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 Londonand 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 positivelyand 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 colmados 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 Samaná 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.

The other side of paradise. If you think of the Dominican Republic you will think of sun, hot weather, the Caribbean and clear blue water. But this island has more to offer than you see as a regular tourist. To get to know the life in the Dominican Republic (DR) and fulfill a clerkship for my university I decided to live and work on the island for roughly a month. In the following I want to describe the experiences I gained. My journey started with the simple idea of going abroad to get to know the daily life in a country very different to my home, Germany. Moreover I wanted to gain experience in my future carrier as a doctor. Therefore I searched the internet and found through studentsgoabroad.com the Aldeas de Paz foundation in Samana, DR. They offered exactly what I was looking for, a voluntary placement in a hospital in Samana with an accommodation among other volunteers in town. Finding the organisation was the hardest part, after that everything went smoothly; filling in applications, booking the flight and packing the suitcases. The Aldeas de Paz foundation gave very detailed information what to bring, especially as a volunteer in a hospital, such as uniform, gloves, etc. and always answered all questions I had concerning my journey. After getting all the necessary vaccinations, I started to freshen up my Spanish skills again, which are very helpful for communicating with the patients. The day of departure came faster than expected and I flew to the Dominican Republic. After a short stay at the capital I was already in Samana, got picked up by Manfred, the head coordinator of the foundation and introduced to the other volunteers I would be living with. Just two days later, after I settled in and bought all necessities, I was already introduced to Dr. Flor, who is the head doctor of the hospital. She gave me a tour of the hospital and showed me where I will work in the next weeks. All in all a very smooth and fast start in my new volunteer work. Working in the DR was a great experience. After getting used to different customs, for example that everybody talks at the same time in a very loud voice, I was able to get to know the doctors very well and became friends with them. The illnesses you see in the DR are different and in most cases more severe than in our Western countries, such as infectious diseases. Overall, working in the DR is very different than working in any Western hospital. Even though technology is very advanced in the hospital, doctors rely more on basic observation and palpation skills, which teaches you all the basics doctors in Western civilization may have forgotten. If you want to take the most out of the hospital experience, it helps if you know some Spanish, but moreover you should speak up and say what you want. If you have any concerns, ask Dr. Flor or Manfred, both of them are very eager to help you and make the most out of your stay. All in all, working in such a hospital is a great experience that broadens your personal as well as medical perspectives on medicine and illnesses enormously. But the life in the DR is not just work. Weekends are always free to explore the huge variety the island has to offer. Just to mention some peaks: beaches even more picturesque than any textbook can show, mountains with gorgeous, breathtaking viewpoints and stunning hikes. As well as great waterfalls and canyons which are hike-able, or other adventurous exercises such as scuba diving, paragliding, etc. Everything is possible in the DR and just a couple hours away from where we lived. To make it even better I was able to explore all of that with the other volunteers, new friends I got to know, who make those places even more remarkable than they are. The huge blend of cultures within the volunteering group, as well as the culture of the inhabitants of the DR, makes you broaden your view extremely. I was able to get to know the locals well enough, thus advancing in Spanishand become friends with them as well as having friends now all over the world, through our volunteering group. In summary I want to thank the Aldeas de Paz foundation with all the volunteers and especially Manfred and Dr. Flor, without whom this project would not be possible. For me it was not just a great experience but I also left parts of me there which makes me sure to say that I will come back again to visit. Thanks Dominican Republic! Patrick Richter / Germany

I joined Aldeas de Paz for 6 weeks and have had the most exciting, enjoyable and rewarding experience. I came to volunteer but also to add my own ideas and experience to the organisation and Aldeas de Paz allowed me to do that. The organisation accepts open minds and allows everybody to contribute to improve the charity. I was able to use my guitar in the school and we planned our own English classes to teach at the local hospital. I found this environment to be very relaxing and free of stress. It allowed me to be more creative. The area where we volunteered also had a very ‘tranquilo’ (chill) vibe and we all organised regular weekend trips to explore beaches, waterfalls and snorkeling. I made amazing experiences. Aldeas de Paz offers so many programs but I spent most of my time at the school which was such a wonderful experience. A lot of the children have special educational needs and at first I thought it would be hard to develop their skills in the 6 weeks I was here. But the differences in the children and the changes in their confidence were amazing. I felt so rewarded with these changes and it just shows that any amount of time you can spend here is valuable for them. Scott Brownle / UK

My time at Aldeas De Paz has been amazing. I have spent 6 weeks here and got to experience a range of projects. I worked in the youthcare and community project and being able to see the change in the children in such a short space of time was really rewarding. Also seeing how much they enjoy school and really want to learn puts a lot of things into perspective. They all arrive everyday with smiles on their faces, sometimes mischievous, but they will always make you laugh. I also helped out teaching English at the hospital which is something I didn’t expect to be doing but really enjoyed. It challenged me to do something different and be creative planning different classes each week. The doctors all really appreciated this, especially when it involves games and competitions. On top of this I volunteered in the NGO management program which was really insightful in seeing how a grass roots organisation is run. I was able to shadow Julia in her daily tasks and it showed me that every day is different and unexpected. To make the most of your time here you have to be open minded and absorb and live in the Dominican culture which is a very relaxed and slow paced way of life, perfect for me. If I could change anything about my experience here I would have wanted to know more Spanish before I arrived so I had more of a base to build on and was able to connect more with the locals. However it has not hindered my time here, it has made me want to work harder to learn Spanish and continue learning when I get home. Outside of volunteering I met a lot of amazing people from all over the world that I will never forget and hopefully will stay in contact with. We had some incredible weekend trips to see more of the Dominican Republic, one of the highlights was swimming with turtles in Sosua. So thank you to everyone and to Manfred, Julia and Junior for making the time here so special. Aldeas de Paz is doing amazing work in Samana and I believe it is only the beginning. Olivia Organ / UK

I don’t know how to start my experience report in Samana, because there is a lot to tell. I may start with my arrival seven weeks ago. It was my first journey alone for such a long time, far away from family, friends and my home. On the way to Samana, I had some worries about the time here, but they flew away when my likable mom came to fetch me at the bus station. We went home and they all welcomed me with balloons and flowers. Then I met the other volunteers and we made friends immediately. After my first week I was beat-up, because of the heat and the work. My task at work was to teach the children in a special school. The most of them have difficulties concentrating or are disabled in a mentally or physically way. The kids demanded so much from you during the class, but after seven weeks I assert that some of the kids made an effort. This is so lovely that you can see that you reached somethig, that you were able to change something during the short time. And not only that kids were grateful to attend the class but also their parents, we especially the volunteers got a good feedback, which also made me proud. My second workplace was in the hospital, where I teach the doctors English. Sometimes it was hard, because they were not on the same level, but anyway it worked! All of the doctors are strained to learn something and I noticed an effort, too! On the weekend was time to relax and to travel, which was maybe the best part here. My highlight here was Jarabacoa – it’s a town in the mountain at the height of 2,000 ft. We stayed in such a beautiful hostel, went paragliding and horse riding. Aurelia Altherr / Germany

Volunteering for Aldeas de Paz was a life-changing experience that has impacted me in ways beyond what I expected. Originally, I had signed up for the Teaching & Tutoring Activities program. I expected to be teaching only one class, but after arriving at Aldeas de Paz, there were numerous opportunities to make a difference in addition to this program. Three days after arriving in Samaná, I found myself teaching English to doctors, computer classes to adults from the areaand basic classes to children at the local school. Aldeas de Paz provided me with each of these incredible opportunities. Through teaching these classes, I formed close bonds with the students while making a difference in their lives through the power of education. Samaná is undoubtedly an impoverished community. But make no mistake, the people there want to learn. If you involve yourself in a different program of the plethora offered by Aldeas de Paz, the same applies. Samaná is a community in need but a community that longs to improve. Whether you help in tourism, NGO management, teaching, or medical work, your efforts will go a long way in bettering the lives of Samaná and its citizens. In addition to the tremendous philanthropic benefits of volunteering, my review would be incomplete without highlighting some amazing personal aspects of my stay. First of all, Manfred, Juliaand Yunior, the three administrators, are some of the most passionate human beings I have ever met. They do everything in their power to welcome you, make sure that you are enjoying your stayand help you with any projects you aim to pursue. Second, the other volunteers with Aldeas de Paz are wonderful people. We regularly ate dinner, traveled to pristine beachesand walked around the town together. I am currently 17 years oldand although I was a bit nervous at first to be staying alone in Samaná, these volunteers helped me adjust to living alone. For other prospective high school volunteers, there is no age barrier to volunteering with Aldeas de Paz at a young age. Other volunteers as well as locals from the community will make you feel at home from the first day. Another great benefit of Aldeas de Paz is that the volunteers hail from other countries. This means that not only are you interacting with the entirely new, fascinating culture of the unique Dominican people, but you are also living with and learning from people representing a multitude of other cultures. I met people from all corners of the earth, including Martinique, Aruba, Germany, Spain, Canadaand more. You form a community with the other volunteers that is like no other – it makes you feel at home despite being thousands of miles from your home. Finally, volunteering with Aldeas de Paz is personally rewarding because working in a town like Samaná truly gives you more perspective about happiness. Seeing the smiling faces of the citizens of Samaná and the gratitude they express for your help despite the poverty that engulfs them infects you with a happiness that you will carry with you forever. If you enjoy helping those in need, Aldeas de Paz is for you. Given the potential you have to make a change, the amazing community of Samanáand the immense personal benefits of volunteering for this organization, signing up to work for Aldeas de Paz will be one of the most rewarding decisions of your life. Matthew Miller / Canada

I’m Medana, I am from Germany. I worked in Samaná one month as a volunteer in the hospital. It was a very interesting experience. I was working with doctors and nurses at the Pediatric, Emergency, Maternity, Diabetics and Surgery. I was observing them how they work. At the same time, I was helping them. I liked to work in a hospital in the Dominican Republic. It is different than in Germany. It was an experience that will help me for the future. I see a lot of things different now. The people here are very nice and friendly. I’ve lived with the host family. They are amazing people, very big and great family. We spend a lot of time together and we did trips together. They helped me at any time. With them I start to know a lot about the country, culture and the town and I can speak better Spanish now. I hope I can see them soon again. I also spent time with the other volunteers. We worked together, we did excursions, we spend a lot of time together, we had very much fun. It was really nice here. The beaches are so beautiful. It is like paradise. My favorite was Playa Las Terrenas. There are more beaches to visit: Playa Rincon, Playa Las Galeras, Playa Cayo Levantado, Playa Escondida. These are amazing beaches to see. I had an amazing time here and I want to thank everyone who was in this project. I hope I can come back one day. Medana Bondor / Bulgaria

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 to 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, Elsonand 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! Sephora Valberg / Martinique Island

Being in Las terrenas with aldeas de paz was a great experience for me. I was able to be
immersed in a totally new culture and was able to work with some very hard working nice people in
the marine conservation program. It’s an experience that has made me more excited to go out into
the world and explore more and try more volunteer programs. Anna Billings / USA

Hi, my name is Xavier and I just completed my 3 week volunteering placement in Saman√°. My placement, although short, was filled with many experiences; working in various programmes, spending time with other volunteers and exploring the town of Saman√° and the various attractions around. As part of my placement I assisted a local computation class, helped out at the Mama Elba school and taught English to medical staff of the local hospital. These programmes although all aimed at a different audience allowed me to interact with(teach and learn from) all these members of the Saman√° society. Next to these programmes I used my free time to explore the town and the peninsula. It amazed me to see how much there was to do in and around Saman√°. I had the most interesting conversation with locals, played dominoes with them, spent hours just taking in the views and went on various adventures with other volunteers on the weekends. Saman√° is a beautiful province, the people are friendly and helpful, all it really takes to have an awesome experience is to embrace the culture and little things with open arms. I must thank Aldeas de Paz for giving me the opportunity to be part of what they are doing there in Saman√° and creating a very positive and open environment. Xavier Boukhoudt / The Netherlands

A few weeks from when I wrote this, I stepped on to a small budget airliner and made my way across the Caribbean to the Dominican Republic. Before this experience I had never left the United Statesand I was unsure what my time in Samana would be like. Needless to say, it was an absolute blast. I volunteered in a small dental clinic in Las Pascualas, a small, sleepy city on the outskirts of Samana. Volunteering in the clinic opened my eyes to some of the difficulties associated with public health care in a developing countryand it allowed me to look at public service through a different perspective. The dentist I was under was very niceand incredibly accomidating; an absolute joy to volunteer under. This trip also allowed me to meet people from around the globeand develop friendships with people who I would have never come across in daily life. The other volunteers really helped make this trip worthwhileand I thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent with each one of them. Overall, Aldeas de Paz is a great organization to be apart of. The volunteers work hard to help the people of Samanaand the program director, Manfred, is very enabling. He will go out of his way to make sure you are getting the most out of your experience. I stayed in Samana for 28 daysand the time has honestly gone by very quickly. I have learned more than I had hoped to on this adventureand I definitely recommend it to others. Thomas Phelps / USA

My experience in Samana with Aldeas de Paz has definitely exceeded my expectation in a couple of different aspects. First, by working as a dental assistant through the dental care program, I was able to work with a dentist side by side, directly interact with patientsand closely observe the reality of dental care in a developing country. Staffs at the hospital including my dentist were very nice to me which made it easy to adapt and become part of the team. It had been a valuable experience that I wouldn’t be able to experience elsewhere. Next, I got to meet amazing people here – other volunteers. Open-minded people with great hearts come here to volunteer and it was great to spend time with them by working and traveling together, sharing stories and lives. I am blessed to have these friendships. Overall, it was a tremendously enriching experience! Sun Lee / South Korea