After four weeks immersed in the local culture, the Session B volunteers’ adventure-filled experience came to an end with a heartfelt candle lighting ceremony where volunteers and project staff reflected on their AMIGOS journey and gave thanks for their new home here in the Dominican Republic. The volunteers also had the opportunity to purchase gifts … Read More
Field Note Category: San Juan, Dominican Republic
Getting to Know Barahona
Our staff team is very excited to see how our volunteers’ leadership skills and Spanish are playing out in their communities! Volunteers are in their communities, enjoying the beautiful region of Barahona, playing sports since day one, dancing bachata with their newly acquired dance skills, discovering the delicious local cuisine, and above all, having a … Read More
Call Home Dates: Dominican Republic Session B
Volunteers on Session B of the San Juan Project will be calling home July 22–25 as their supervisors visit them in community. Some of you may have already heard from your volunteer! The final opportunity for your student to call home will be on the 25th in the afternoon. If you do not hear from … Read More
Session A: Debriefing and Goodbyes
On Sunday night, Block A debriefing concluded with an emotional candle lighting ceremony where the AMIGOS volunteers, staff, and partner agency representatives reflected on their AMIGOS journey and gave thanks for their new home here in the Dominican Republic. As their adventure-filled experience came to a close, the participants finished their last day in San … Read More
Volleyball Tournament and Route Update
This week our volunteers spent the most time sharpening their teamwork skills and taking their volleyball team to the next level. Surely they enjoyed their practices and got closer to their communities and local youth. All teams participated with one goal in mind: playing in the Amigos de las Americas Volleyball Tournament. The towns of … Read More
Calling Home: Dominican Republic Project
We wanted to let you all know that volunteers on Session A of the Barahona Project will be calling home this week on a rolling basis as their supervisors visit them in community. Some of you may have already heard from your volunteer! The final opportunity for your student to call home will be on … Read More
Route Update from the Dominican Republic
For this week’s blog we want to feature each of our Project Supervisors’ routes so that you get a glimpse of how the volunteers have been doing on their very first week in community. Gabriel’s Route / La Ruta de Gabriel Both Tres Charcos and Cachón’s volunteers are doing an amazing job with their local … Read More
Host Family, Local Youth, National Volunteer Training, and Briefing
Wow! This past week was jam packed with excitement and hard work. The Project Staff Team was busy with trainings for national volunteers, host families, local youth, and U.S. volunteers. The National Volunteers—Dominican youth from other communities where Plan International works—are extremely excited to start their summer of intercultural exchange and service with AMIGOS. These … Read More
Survey in the Dominican Republic
For the last two weeks AMIGOS Directors and partner agency Plan International (PLAN) have been working hard to set up this year’s program in Barahona: a beautiful seaside city in the southwest of the Dominican Republic. In preparation, we met with youth groups, visited some of the communities, went to a folklore dance performance, and … Read More
Introducing Your 2019 Project Director: Sasha Baumann
¡Hola a todos! My name is Sasha Baumann and I will be your Project Director this summer in San Juan, Dominican Republic. With a background in global public health and sport for development in Central America and sub-Saharan Africa, I am overjoyed to be returning to work with AMIGOS: the place where it all started … Read More