Dominican Republic: Island Living

I was hesitant to sign up for my first Rustic trip, I had travelled alone before, gone somewhere where I didn't know anyone else, but this was different. I didn't know what to expect from a trip, even though they provided an itinerary, I was still in doubt. After thinking about what kind of service I wanted to provide, and where I wanted to go, how long I wanted to stay, I had finally decided to choose Island Living. This trip was only 9 days and left me wanting more. This was 12 hours of service with plenty of beach days, so you can soak up the tropical sun on your off days. You will learn a lot about the island as well as providing eco-service, you'll probably end up leaving the Dominican Republic in hopes that you actually start your sustainable garden in your backyard just like my whole group did. You may be hesitant at first, especially if you go alone (without a friend), but it just makes your group that much more special. You aren't exposed to any other support system other than the people around you, and they become your family in such a short amount of time. I still talk to most of my group, about 16 people were on my trip and thats the maximum. It may seem small, but in reality, it just makes getting to know each other easier. We all worked really well together and our group leaders were fantastic. They all have stories of their own, and my group leaders were some of the most outgoing and adventurous people I've met, definitely take the time to get to know them too, they'll teach you a lot.

Island Living was such an amazing experience and even if you don't choose to go to the Dominican Republic, I would highly recommend you choose a Rustic trip of some sort because the experiences are life-changing.