ISV - Volunteer Projects in the Dominican Republic

There are no words for the experience I had in the Dominican Republic at El Castillo. It is without a question the most incredible experience I have ever had in my life. I will never forget my first day there. I had a 4 hr plane ride from NYC then after waiting at the airport for an hour, my group leaders picked us up and then it was a 3 hr bus ride through the mountains and then we had to get on a safari truck to drive another hour up into the mountains on this dirt path that was too bumpy for regular cars. The entire way I was terrified of what I had signed up for. There was no cell service. When we got to the cabins where we were staying, there was limited hot water and electricity only for a few hours each day. The water from the faucets was not drinkable. There were no screens in the windows. This was the most remote place I had ever been in my life. But I had promised myself to be open to the experience before I left. The next 2 weeks were a challenge to make friends, to use my high school Spanish to communicate, to try new foods, to deal with a different climate and another culture, but after my initial feelings of being overwhelmed faded, I began to love it.

My group had about 20 kids in it. We all go super close within just a few days. The way it worked was that we split up into 2 groups of 10. Everyday one group would go to work on construction in the village and the other group would go to the school with lesson plans we prepared as a group and run a sort of summer camp/ school program with the kids. We had 2 group leaders who would take turns being with the different groups. Both group leaders were fluent in English and Spanish. On the weekends we did excursions. One was to Constanza (the town at the bottom of the hill where we had gotten into the Safari trucks) and the other was a trip to Aguas Blancas, the tallest waterfall in the Caribbean.

I highly recommend this experience to anyone/everyone. It was so eye opening to see a culture so different from my own. I am a very well traveled person. I used to live in Germany, have been to Italy, Spain, Canada, France, Austria and Denmark, but this trip was different. I felt like I was making a difference in the world. After seeing people live such simple lifestyles, it struck me (especially upon returning home) how much material stuff we have and how unnecessary it is to be happy. The village in which we worked had no running water, no plumbing, no electricity, and most families lived in a 1 room house often with a dirt floor (sometimes cement). Yet, these people living in El Castillo were some of the most welcoming and happiest I've ever met. It really gives you something to think about.

In the community of El Castillo, there was this little boy named Leo no older than 4. Everyday we were out working to reinforce Luce's home he would be running around wrecking havoc with the other children in the community. My goal by the end of or volunteer project was to get him to smile for more than a minute! He was so stubborn. On the last day i decided to run with him through the community (his preferred way to get around). The joy on his face when we began to play was infectious and unforgettable. Just by being carefree and childish I was able to make memories with a kid who didn't necessarily warm up to everyone. These are the kinds of memories you will make going on this trip. You won't just have fun traveling and trying new things, but you will interact with the most loving, happy and selfless kids there are. We can only hope to impact their lives as much as they have and will continue to impacted ours. I will never be able to look at my life and not be happy. Leo taught me that happiness comes from running around and exploring, not having the latest material items. I am so grateful to have met the wonderful kids and community members of El Castillo.

The children there impacted me the most. They don't have much, but yet they have more energy and positivity than I have ever seen. It is always so hot in Dominican Republic and while we were sweating our butts off and would complain that we were tired, the kids were having the time of our lives with us. It showed us to take a second and think about the things we have to be thankful for and not take the things that we are fortunate for for granted. The kids were just thankful to be there and to have us there to play with them and teach them. Throughout the days, we stopped complaining and just enjoyed our time there with them and forever have those memories.

ISV is absolutely incredible. The expensive price throws a lot of people off, but you get so much out of it. I formed incredible friendships with people whom I still speak with on a daily basis today. I was assigned to the El Castillo project. The ISV project leaders were amazing. They were friendly and genuinely cared about us. I was never nervous about safety issues. ISV allowed us a few free days which was nice to see Constanza, a nearby city, and hang out with our friends. My project was in the mountains so I had zero signal; which ended up being a blessing. The food on the trip was delicious. We rebuilt the community and taught children. My group alternated days, so MWF we taught children, and T TH, we did construction work. It was the most rewarding experience of my life.

Experiencing the culture and lifestyle of the Dominican Republic through ISV has singularly been the most incredible and life changing adventure I ever thought I would anticipate. Travelling internationally and alone for the first time seemed insignificant given the amazing people you meet and create memories with!
I participated in all aspects of programme and I wouldn't change it for the world. The Spanish cultural week was highly beneficial and allowed me to be immersed into the culture through developing my language skills to then implement in communicating with my fantastic host family and the locals I encountered. This was invaluable in concreting relationships and building confidence for the rest trip, not least conversing with the children on the Volunteer Project.
This was undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable and rewarding experiences to teach and support the children at El Limon in San Cristobal. I've never been so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with such enthusiastic and charismatic children! Their energy and laughter resonates with you throughout the entire trip, so much so that you become emotionally attached to them. Similarly, it was incredibly gratifying working with such admirable and hardworking individuals whilst on construction site that inspire and motivate you on an unparalleled scale.
Even then, the highlight of my trip has to be the Adventure Tour. Days after returning home I'm still reeling from the myriad of activities I was able to participate in! I can't get over how diverse and dynamic the tour was in making every second exhilarating and memorable. The instructors you work with are amazing and incredibly friendly, always ensuring that your safety is a priority. The best memories are created whilst experiencing every aspect of what the island has to offer and it encourages you to conquer fears and engage in activities that not many get to experience in a lifetime.

Overall, I'm so pleased with what I have achieved in the space of 5 weeks both on a personal and interpersonal level. ISV's programme has allowed volunteers to impact the communities we help, but also gain a wealth of positives from the impact the community has in return. I've grown in confidence immensely, much to the credit of the awesome friendships you build and the unwavering support they give you. Not least, your whole perspective changes and I've left the Dominican with a much greater appreciation for what I had there and what I have at home.

If you are having doubts - STOP.
ISV is the best thing that will happen to you. It is safe, fun and completely worth every penny you save. Yes its pricy but for what you get, its worth it. I would do it again in a heartbeat! I did the Spanish Week and 2 weeks of volunteer. If you don't plan on doing the adventure, definitely do the Spanish week! Leaders are amazing. ISV is smart and makes sure you help the community but also makes it fun and safe. DO IT. 2-5 weeks isnt a long time, take a leap of faith and do this for yourself and the people of the DR :)

This was my first big trip out of the US and also where I officially caught the travel bug. There's something almost magical about seeing a new country and a new culture, and it's even more amazing when you get to fully immerse yourself in it for longer than a week. This volunteer program was incredible. We spent a week in Santiago, living with host families and taking Spanish classes while easing into the Dominican lifestyle, then for the next two weeks we worked on volunteer projects in a little rural village, bonding with the kids and the people around us. Overall a life-changing experience which led to close friendships and lasting memories.

When I arrived at the Dominican, I thought I had got myself into trouble. Our group leader was no where to be found and the terminal starting clearing out from people. I luckily found a woman who spoke English and I was able to call the leader. He was held up in some traffic. He rolled up in flip flops and a moped. After slight panic I couldn't help but laugh. The rest of my experience was remarkable. I expected to be very tense and scared working in a local village that seemed third world, but the locals proved me very wrong. The most beautiful night in La Mina was when we had gotten to know some of the local families from repairing the school and side walks, and one of the fathers invited us all to his home for dinner. We showed up and they were all playing hand made instruments, playing dominos under tiny strung lights across the patio. The father brought out platers of spaghetti, bread, and squash and juices for us to feast on. He was so greatful to have us in his home. The locals became like family. The worked with us, ate with us, and showed us all around their land. If it weren't for the locals the trip would have been pointless. I loved that we as volunteers got to come up with the projects plans all on our own. I was a little surprised there wasn't any specific project laid out for us to follow, so that did leave some frustration for us volunteers to have to really brainstorm, which lead to conflicting ideas, but over all it was good for us to have a raw experience and I ended up liking that the work and plans was all up to us. It was much more rewarding. If I could just travel and volunteer the rest of my life I would. The challenges and the love shared between the volunteers and new cultures is untouchable to anything I have experienced in life.