Dominican Republic: Global Health Initiative Program for Teens

Going to the Dominican Republic for three weeks was completely life changing. Not only were were the experiences I had so memorable, but I was able to create great friendships to last much longer than the program. We were exposed to things completely different from everything at home, and had to adapt to an entirely new way of life for 3 weeks. Getting used to not having wifi and taking cold showers was much easier than I imagined, and easily the least of what I was thinking about. I was more preoccupied with listening to the lectures and thinking about the work we had done during the day. It made me more myself than ever and allowed me to take a break from the superficiality that is easy to get caught up in at home. Overall, going on this trip was refreshing and allowed me to come back with new perspectives and knowledge of the world.

Over the summer, I went on the 21-day GLA Dominican Republic: Building a Sustainable World trip. It was a great experience and I had an amazing time. From meeting the locals to talking about how we impact our environment, I was able to learn a lot of new things while getting to know some pretty exceptional people. I thought that 7elements and GLA did a great job integrating an educational factor to the trip and that it was a perfect mix of service and fun.

The lodging was beautiful and it was really close to the beach, so we were able to go to go the beach after long days of building basketball courts or constructing green houses. The work hours were really fun and interesting because of all the exposure to the Dominican culture and lifestyle.

My favorite experiences were the service hours we completed because I really felt like we made a difference. Turning cement for hours can be vigorous, however, the outcome was more than worth it. We were able to help establish a water filter/tank for a local batey. A batey is a community made of both Dominicans and Haitians and they are usually very segregated because of all the political issues the countries have had with one another. It was great seeing our progress, especially after witnessing the quality of the water the community uses on a daily basis.

Other than the service, I loved all of the excursions that were offered. We were able to go cliff jumping into lagoons, hike mountains, snorkel, sightsee in Santo Domingo, go to waterfalls and beaches, tour a water filter factory, go to a Haitian market, and go on a cable car. There was always something to do or see, so you could never be bored. Every excursion helped get you out of your comfort zone and brought you closer to the people around you. Whether it was jumping from the 30 ft. cliff or struggling through the Haitian market, you knew you had people behind you.

This program made me reflect on my life, figure out what I am passionate about and discover what I want to accomplish in the future. It’s one thing to see the conditions that these people live in and it’s another thing to witness them. There are no words to describe the feeling of entering the Haitian side of the batey, where barely any of the kids were clothed and families of 5+ lived in windowless, 1-room houses, and have all of the kids run to play with you.

Overall, I had an amazing time on my trip and I think that it helped me grow as a person. It’s revitalizing to experience these moments and to learn about how we can help one another on a local and global level. I hope that I can use what the program taught me and help make our world a better place. For all of these things that I was able to learn and experience, I would absolutely recommend this trip to other kids who want to broaden their horizons and who genuinely love to help others.

I took this trip after my Freshman year in college. Now I am a graduating senior and I look back to think about how much this trip has truly changed my life. You learn so much from the families you come in contact with and it has shaped where I see my career going in the future. I would go back in a heart beat!

When I embarked on my trip to the Dominican Republic through GLA, I had no idea what was in store for me. I thought it’d open my eyes to the world and the different conditions people live in, but I didn’t realize how incredibly my entire perspective on life would be affected.
Between the community members I interacted with, the mentors helping us process it all, and the other kids on the trip, I was inspired. I realized I have so much compared to some people, and that I have the ability to make an impact in the world. I realized there are other people like me, who need to make a difference to feel satisfied with their lives. I learned life lessons from people who have experienced life much differently than me. The mentors were truly some of the most inspiring people I have ever met, and in my other peers I could see the potential to do so much good in the world.
The trip was a good mix of service work and adventures through the beautiful island. We took a weekend trip to Santo Domingo, went in the mountains, hiked to a waterfall, and went to a Haitian market. Throughout all of the adventures, I was grateful to be surrounded by supportive people, who didn’t pressure me into anything, but encouraged me to do what they knew I was capable of. I was grateful to be able to appreciate the peacefulness of nature, the loud market, the bustling city, and the beautiful mountains. Being able to immerse in a culture so unlike my own in such a safe way is something I’m forever grateful of.
On this trip, I met little kids who live in the worst conditions imaginable, and yet have the most beautiful laughs that they show off often. I jumped off a cliff and I hiked my first mountain, and was overwhelmed by the support and encouragement I got when I didn’t think I’d be able to do it. I helped to create cement floors and build community centers. I felt humble, excited, inspired... and now I feel changed. After returning home, I realize this trip changed the way I look at others, the world, and most importantly, myself. I am stronger than I think I am, and this trip helped me to realize that. I have learned that we all have the ability to change the world...we all can "be the change." I am so grateful to have had the chance to do this, and I would do it all over again if I could.

If you're looking for a way to volunteer while having a great time and making new friends, Global Leadership Adventures is the way to go! I had the best experience with them and learned a lot while having fun. I went to the Dominican Republic (Beach Adventure) for 10 days. I made a lot of wonderful new friends there, some of whom I'm still in touch with 7 months later. During the trip, we built bottle schools and played with the children there. That was exhausting... however, we were not even 2 minutes walking distance from the beach and could relax there on any given night. I had an amazing, eye-opening experience there and I would 100% recommend this trip!

My parents were so skeptical when I first told them about this trip. My dad had this horrible imagine in his head of his daughter being sent off to a dangerous, far away country. We even wondered if the trip was a scam. Now, I can't help but laugh at all of this, 6 months after my trip.

I went on the 21 day trip and I honestly believe it's the only and best way to do this program. It will be worth every penny. If I had gone for one of the shorter trips it would have been the worst decision ever because after 21 days, leaving was still the hardest thing I've done in my life. It felt like there was still so much to learn and do.

It feels so weird writing this review. I remember reading a bunch of these when I was researching the program and thinking they must be exaggerating when they said "it was the best experience of my life". But now I find myself thinking about the Dominican every single day, and working on a project to go back this 2015 summer because it honestly changed my life. The program goes WAY beyond just teaching you about sustainability. They teach you about defining your own success, they teach you about doing what makes you happy and doing whats right. You learn how to stick up for those that were born into less privileged situations than you were. You learn how to be happy and for the first time in your life you care about the true simple things in life. When I arrived in California after my trip I found that my house seemed 20 times bigger and filled with luxury. I was grateful for having clean water to drink, I was grateful for eating 3 times a day, I was grateful for my beautiful room that was so well built and warm, I was grateful for having shoes to wear and a warm shower and a free education.

When I got back I promised myself that I would write a review on the program and make myself available to anyone who has questions because I know that the people that I was able to get in contact with were the best help I got. Theres just something reassuring about talking to a real person who's been through the program so I'm here for any of you, please contact my facebook and message me.

Sincerely
Melanie

I did a 10 day trip this summer and it was definitely one of, if not the, best experiences of my life. From the unbelievably important work we were doing to the crazy adventurous things we did, I had a great time. We helped build the biggest bottle school in the world, planted hundreds of trees, interacted with the local communities, went zip-lining and cliff jumping into gorgeous waters and so much more. I wouldn't change anything about my time down there except for making it longer. I think it's an essential experience for us young people to go out and experience other, less privileged lifestyles and get a real sense of what's going on in the world first-hand and I don't think there's a better way to do that than with Global Leadership Adventures. I'm attaching a picture of me on my trip when we went to an extremely poor village to establish relationships with the people there in order for future GLA groups to help them effectively.

I had so much fun on this program it was very enlightening and inspiring. I never once felt unsafe during this program. I would honestly recommend it to anyone. I felt independent doing this program. I felt like I really made a difference in the communities that we helped by building the bottle schools and picking up the trash at La Grua. It was an adventure packed trip that was still able to teach me a lot of lessons.