Internship Abroad in the Dominican Republic: The FAQs

The best time to visit the Dominican Republic is from December to April/May, outside the rainy season. You can expect a white sandy beach, turquoise sea, and pure lifestyle! The climate is tropical, the average temperature is 25°C, during the rainy season it is much warmer.

Usually our partner will organize a suitable sleeping place for you! You have 3 options:

Living in a shared apartment with other volunteers & interns

Living with a host family (for an extra fee)

Personal accommodation search according to your wishes

We will be happy to inform you about the advantages and disadvantages before you register and discuss the details of your stay.

If you live in a volunteer house or are individually looking for accommodation, you will provide for yourself during your time in the Dominican Republic. If you decide to stay with a host family, you can expect three meals a day.

How you work depends on your personal project choice. From Monday to Friday, you will work on average 4-8 hours a day. The weekends are yours. Benefit from valuable insider tips and ask your local contact person for events, sightseeing or other must see!

Usually, you are not alone - often there are other volunteers and interns on-site. Nevertheless, we do not give a 100% guarantee. Depending on the travel time and the project, the number of participants can vary, so your commitment to you should come first!

The two project locations Samaná and Las Terrenas are generally considered to be safe, peaceful, and xenophile. Nevertheless, you should keep an eye on your valuables and do not stay alone in big cities or off in the woods after dark.

During the whole project, you can reach your personal contact person on site. Already at the airport, you will be picked up by our partner and taken directly to the bus, which will take you to your future home by the sea. He will also give you valuable tips on safety.

Volunteer work in the community project in Samaná

Voluntary work in the field of dentistry in Samaná

Protection of endangered marine animals and coral reefs in Las Terrenas

Nature and environmental protection in Las Terrenas

You do not have to be a student to participate in the programs! Once you are 18 years old, we can plan your trip together. If you need further qualifications, you can find them in the program description of your desired project.

The projects are available all year round. Simply discuss your individual travel period with our team. They will give you information about holidays and public holiday periods.

All projects require a certain minimum duration. This depends on the project. For some of them, you can already participate in 2 weeks. You decide how long you want to be involved in a project afterward. The longer you stay, the more varied your tasks will be.

It is best to register 2 months before the start of your trip so that your participation in the programme can be organised - so that you can prepare yourself in peace. But the Dominican Republic is also an ideal destination for those who want to travel at short notice! The project placement is fast and you will easily get your visa at the airport when you arrive!

The program participation is not remunerated, but with your participation, you make a valuable contribution to the community in the Dominican Republic. You are welcome to collect donations and start fundraising activities on your own initiative.

Participation in the programs can be recognized as a compulsory internship in agreement with your university. We will discuss whether the requirements of your university can be met before you register. Upon request, we will issue you with a project certificate at the end of your stay.

It is best to arrive a few days before the start of the project - this is usually a Thursday or Friday. That way you avoid stress and the work with jet lag. Our partner will book your accommodation according to your flight details. You can also move in with a host family three days before the project starts.

There are many different online portals where you can compare flights. We will gladly recommend our favorites after you have registered. When booking flights, pay attention to which airport you are flying to. For the projects in Samaná and Las Terrenas, this is the International Airport Las Américas in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

Possible airlines may be:

Air France

KLM

British Airways

We recommend that you arrive at Las America's airport during the morning. From there, our partner will organize your pick-up, which will take you to the nearby bus station in Santo Domingo and buy your ticket for the bus to Samaná or Las Terrenas. Once you get on the bus, you only have to drive through to the final stop at the bus terminal. The journey takes about 2 hours. Once there, our partner will pick you up and take you to your accommodation.

If you arrive in the Dominican Republic in the afternoon, at other airports, or on any other way, you should look for accommodation in Santo Domingo for one night and continue your journey the next day to Samaná or Las Terrenas. This can be arranged in advance with our partner.

You do not need a special visa to participate in the projects, a tourist card is sufficient. This is valid for 30 days and can be extended on-site. Each extra month costs about 10 USD. If you want to order the Tourist Card in advance, just contact the Embassy of the Dominican Republic in Hamburg. This saves you the waiting time at the entry desk of the destination airport.

Before your trip, first, check the validity of your passport. It must be valid for at least another 6 months when you enter the country. You should also take out private health insurance. When you enter the Dominican Republic, you will be asked for proof of this.

You should take out a private international health insurance. When you enter the Dominican Republic you will be asked for a proof of insurance. Inform yourself in advance about the insurance benefits abroad, in particular which travel duration is covered by the insurance and whether a return transport to Germany is guaranteed.

Before your stay, make an appointment with your family doctor for a consultation regarding necessary vaccinations. You can discuss with him how best to prepare for your trip and whether special vaccinations are necessary. The German Foreign Office recommends protection against tetanus, measles, polio, hepatitis A & B. Vaccinations against typhoid, rabies, and cholera are also often given.

In recent years, the risk of dengue fever has increased in the Dominican Republic. You should therefore definitely look out for mosquito protection!

Here are some tips for your first-aid kit:

First Aid Kit

Antihistamines against itching caused by Mosquito bites

Anti-Mosquito Spray

Diarrhea medicine

Antacid (for Stomach problem)

Painkillers

Prescription Personal Medicines

Sunscreen and Care for Sunburn

The currency of the Dominican Republic is the Dominican Peso (RD $). One option is to change Euro or Dollar at the airport. In Samaná we can recommend withdrawing money at the Scotiabank, but there are many other banks where this is possible. You will need a credit or debit card and of course the PIN. Usually, there is a fee of about 4 € / US $ for using the cash machine.

Your contact person in the Dominican Republic is Manfred. Because of his passion for traveling, experiencing other cultures and social work, Manfred has chosen development work as his vocation. He will help you with the planning of your stay already during your placement and will also be available for your questions in the Dominican Republic. With Manfred, you have a very committed contact person with many years of experience. His team has already successfully supported many volunteers.

WIFI is available around the clock at our partner's facility. So you can always contact your family and friends via WhatsApp or Skype. We also recommend that you bring a second mobile phone. With a local SIM card, you can make cheap calls. You will get it at the airport immediately after your arrival.

The time in the Dominican Republic (summer time) is usually 4 hours behind the time in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. It is located in the time zone UTC-4.

Although the Dominican Republic is a very popular destination for tourists, the majority of the population suffers from poverty. Although there have been various educational initiatives in recent years, a good general education is not accessible to all inhabitants of the island and the number of people who cannot read and write is alarmingly high. Among other things, the various aid projects create communities that make education easily accessible to the local population free of charge.

The transport is relatively easy in the Dominican Republic. Most city trips can be made by bus, although carros públicos (a kind of shared taxi) are also available. In the city you will probably use the bus, while rural trips can be done in air-conditioned minibusses, crowded Carros Públicos, Motoconchos (moto-taxis), or on foot. For example, most volunteers use guaguas (local bus), motoconchos, carretas/rikshas, or the Caribe Tours bus to travel around the island.

Our partner recommends:

Casual during the day at work: T-shirt, jeans, knee-length shorts

Long trousers and long sleeve shirts protect you from mosquito bites

sturdy shoes and rainproof clothing for trips into nature

thin scarf

Swimming trunks, swimsuit or bikini

To enter the Dominican Republic you need proof of your travel health insurance abroad. This will help you here! If you need medical assistance during your stay, you will receive free medical treatment in the Dominican public hospitals. There are also plenty of private doctors and dentists on the island. The costs vary depending on the number of examinations. Usually, you pay about 15 USD. For acute emergencies, our local partner will help you in any case.

Germans, Swiss, and Austrians usually need a travel adapter to be able to use the electricity on-site. Sockets type A and B are used in the Dominican Republic. The appropriate adapters are available in specialist and online shops even for a small budget. Also, pay attention to the mains voltage. This is 110 V at a frequency of 60 Hz. Pay attention to the voltage when using electronic devices - may have a difference in frequency.