Dominican Republic

Volunteer in the Dominican Republic and experience amazing food and beautiful landscapes

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The country of merengue, bachata and a unique mix of European, African and indigenous populations, Dominicans are proud of their diverse heritage. Known for their great sense of humor, Dominicans will be happy to share with you all the things they consider to be muy dominicano. You’ll feel very welcomed in this island country with the highest mountain in the Caribbean, the deepest valley, rainforests, deserts, swamps and white sand beaches.

Teenagers in the Dominican Republic love to spend time together, and you will be invited to join many activities to make friends. Sports (mainly baseball and basketball) are very popular, as well as taking guitar, dance or art classes. In the evenings, young people enjoy the movies or organize dance parties in their homes.

Accommodation

The stay in some of the projects in the Dominican Republic are with a volunteer loving family, we will make sure that the commuting is not more than one-hour distance. 30% of the projects are in the Capital city Santo Domingo, the other 70% are in suburban and rural areas.
The projects where volunteers work and stay will likely to have a room for themselves and facilities as kitchen and cleaning supplies, please read carefully the specifications of the projects.

The Projects

“Two times a week my volunteer partner and I try to share our knowledge of the English language to a total number of 200 girls between 11 and 15 years old. Being on the other side of the classroom after annoying my own teachers for 13 years is definitely challenging. However, this change of perspectives has given me an invaluable insight on the methods and mechanics of education and I am learning and growing as a person as I defy the daily obstacles of being a real-life teacher.

With the new year approaching there will be some changes in our work schedule and I am curious to see what 2019 holds for me not only in terms of my voluntary service.”

Vamos a la playa 🎶 #afsdom #afsvlaanderen

A photo posted by 🌴 R O X A N N E 🌴 (@roxannekloeck) on

Language

The main language spoken in the Dominican Republic is Spanish. Having a basic knowledge of English or Spanish will be an asset, and you can take language lessons if needed.

Food

You should taste the traditional Dominican breakfast or dinner dish called Mangú, a savory puree made of mashed plantains, yucca or auyama, and traditionally served with fried red onions, fried white cheese, eggs or salami. For lunch, the Dominicans often eatla Bandera Dominicana (the Dominican Flag) which consists of white rice, bean stew (black, red or white) and meat.

A photo posted by Tuur knevels (@tuurknevels) on

Let AFS guide your intercultural adventure

Go abroad with AFS to discover who you really are, make new lifetime friendships and immerse yourself in a fascinating intercultural experience.
The Global Competence Certificate

The Global Competence Certificate (GCC) program will support your intercultural learning experience. This state-of-the-art program prepares you to successfully navigate new cultural environments—during your experience and long after you finish the program. Online intercultural learning modules combined with in-person sessions help you develop practical and global skills, knowledge and attitudes that employers need and mission-driven organizations believe will help achieve their social impact goals. You will receive your certification upon completion of the training program.

Explore the Programs Available in Dominican Republic