Dominican Republic Summer High School Programs with Rustic Pathways

I loved this experience it was amazing and bombousling because I really indulged in the impressive , amazing and outstanding culture . It was very interesting as I lees we many new things about the oceans and the texts of the climate change . It was also very interesting because the culture was different from Europe and I got to try new foods and different weather and interact with the Dominican people . I loved this trip but I wish i could have spent more time in the water , however even with four piro le in out group I had lots of funnn .

i really enjoyed everything i did, the experiences were amazing and i learned a lot from them. it was really outstanding the effort the people put into giving us the best trip and making us feel safe and comfortable. the guides were really enticing and fun to be around. the sights were absolutely amazing and beautiful. the kids camp was so fun and it was amazing bonding with the kids and making new friends and memories. the instructors of Fundmar were amazing and they helped us learn everything about the world.

I have learnt a lot in this experience, I have learnt that we have to save this planet. We have to help the fish and save their habitat. They have organized really well the program, we have got to see many different things. And I have learnt a lot about this country. It is really fun doing things with your group, and it is really fun because you get to know new people from different places. Overall it is a really fun experience which I really recommend to everyone. You will learn a lot and gain a lot of experience.

I had an awesome time on my trip to the Dominican Republic. It was one of the most fun weeks of my life. Rustic certainly helped to make that experience complete. We had awesome group leaders who showed us all the coolest places. There isn’t really much I would change about the trip. It was well put together and it was certainly a profound experience for my life. I was able to grow as a person and create new memories with my friends. I got to learn a new culture and improve my Spanish as well. Overall it was a great trip.

This summer, I traveled to the Dominican Republic to work in a summer camp for thirty local children ages 9-13. The Summer Camp Leadership program was one of the most memorable experiences I have ever had. I went on this trip alone and I was very scared to meet new people. I was nervous that no one would like me or that I would get homesick. It is nerve-racking to go to a completely new country, not knowing the language, people, or culture. Straight off the bat, I felt welcomed by the amazing program leaders and the other caring students. We all really connected by doing ice-breaker games and bonding over our many similar interests. Aside from the six-day summer camp that we ran and the consistent volunteering opportunities we had, this trip consisted of camping in the beautiful mountains, swimming in the crystal clear water, and exploring the cities of Jarabacoa and Santo Domingo. When I signed up for this program, I did not know what to expect. I knew that I wanted to work with children but did not fully understand how I would approach this foreign community. Throughout these 16 days, I learned how to communicate with people from different backgrounds and, most importantly, I learned what it means to be a leader. I realized that communication is the utmost important part of being a good leader. As I learned from the first couple of days of running the summer camp, communication is the key to creating a successful and inclusive environment. Although this program was challenging, mentally and physically, I am extremely thankful that I had the opportunity to experience a completely new culture with a new group of friends. I knew that I could always count on the program leaders and my new friends to be by my side throughout the two weeks. Thanks to this trip, I felt a true connection to the people around me and to the work I was doing. I really recommend this trip to anyone who is passionate about being a part of a new community and enjoying every aspect of it.

This summer, I went on my first service trip. I went to the airport, terrified. I was scared of meeting people, scared of leaving the country, and not knowing the language. I came back from my trip, excited, passionate, and ready to continue exploring. Throughout my trip I learned so many things that have improved my outlook on the world. From the first day, I started to fall in love with the country, the culture, and the people I was meeting. I quickly became close with everyone in my program through team bonding and leadership games, making all the rest of my fears a lot easier to handle. The amount of service was well balanced with exciting adventures. One of the most memorable nights was camping in the mountain town of Jarabacoa. We took a four-hour ride on a safari truck to get there and then spent the afternoon hiking to a swimming hole. When we got back, we played with the local children while their family cooked us a traditional domination dinner. Before spending a night in tents, we made a fire and sat with the family while they told us ghost stories. This experience was one of many that made me so thankful for this adventure.

When I first signed up for the trip to the Dominican Republic I did not know what to expect, since I didn't have any prior knowledge about the country. This trip with Rustic Pathways was my first time visiting the Dominican Republic, and I have to say it was a very interesting experience. I am from Mexico, and I decided to embark on this Rustic trip with a couple of my friends. It was a lot of fun to go on a trip like this with my friends from home, but another part of a trip like this that is a highlight is getting to know other people, which for me are from a different culture. It was a really fun and enriching experience to get to know a group of new people so well and work alongside them on service. That was another highlight of my trip, the service. As a group, we got to work on tons of different service projects in the country. We did beach cleanups and coral reef observations with an organization called FUNDEMAR. Here we got to see the beauty of the ocean that surrounds the Dominican Republic, and the environment we were trying to help protect. Another part of the service was planning and executing a day camp for some kids at a local school. I am lucky enough to be bilingual and being able to understand the kids was interesting for me because I got to get a better understanding of their lives, and the similarities between the Caribbean and Latin American countries. Although, this doesn't mean that you have to speak Spanish. Quite the contrary actually, the English speaking members of my had an even more interesting time laughing while they tried to understand the kids and have the kids understand them. Overall, this program was a lot of fun, and it allowed me to experience the culture and the environment of a new country.

My Rustic Pathways experience was incredible. From the moment I met my fellow travelers in the airport, I was overwhelmed with a sense of community and excitement. Throughout the trip, it was completely life changing to see the different ways of life in these developing communities and it gave me perspective. Not only did my Rustic experience change the lives of the communities we partnered with, it changed my own life significantly. While I was living in this new country for two weeks, learning Spanish from community members, and developing teamwork, I found confidence and fueled my curiosity. I would highly recommend this program to any traveler looking to broaden their understanding and perception of the world, complete deeply meaningful community work alongside new friends, and indulge themselves in a unique culture.