Save the Children: Life in the Bateyes

Day 1 (Tuesday)
Depart the United States for Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Upon arrival at the Santo Domingo airport you will be greeted by your Rustic Pathways Staff. From here you will head over to the hotel rented out by Rustic Pathways where you will meet the other students on your trip and spend your first night.

Day 2 (Wednesday): Colonial Zone
Begin your first day with a tour of the Colonial Zone of Santo Domingo. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is home to the first university, cathedral and hospital in the Americas. Take a guided tour of the walled city and learn about the deep history of the first European settlement in the Americas. After lunch head to the Tres Ojos caverns &emdash; an underground network of caves and pools that were once used by the Taino Indigenous group as a safe haven from hurricanes.

Day 3 (Thursday): Welcome to the Bateyes
After breakfast pack your bags, and head over to your new home just north of San Pedro de Macoris. This is an area surrounded my sugar cane fields, and home to the batey communities we will be working with. After a delicious Dominican lunch head over to commence your service projects in one of the batey communities.

Days 4 - 5 (Friday & Saturday): Service in the Bateyes
The next two days we will begin our service projects in the bateyes. The day will consist of breakfast with the group at the base house, followed by a morning of service projects that could involve construction, English classes, agricultural work, educational workshops, and facilitation of activities for the local children. The group will then head back to the base house for lunch and siesta before returning to the bateyes for an afternoon of service. After service enjoy a game of pick-up baseball with the local kids and head back to the base house for dinner. The evenings will be spent with visiting speakers from Save the Children that will discuss the issues affecting this area and the different projects they are embarking on.

Day 6 (Sunday): Beach day in Juan Dolio
After breakfast, head over to Juan Dolio for a full of relaxing and touring on the different beaches. Visit a collection of caves with paintings that date back to the days of the Tainos, swim in the turquoise water of the Caribbean, and enjoy a lunch of fresh fish. Then head back to the base house for dinner with the group.

Day 7 (Monday): Service in the Bateyes
Breakfast with the group at the base house, followed by a morning of service on projects that could involve construction, English classes, agricultural work, educational workshops, or facilitation of activities for the local children. The group will then head back to the base house for lunch and siesta before returning to the bateyes for an afternoon of service. After service enjoy a game of pick-up baseball with the local kids and head back to the base house for dinner. The evening will consist of discussions with visiting speakers from Save the Children that will explain the issues affecting the area and work being done by Save the Children in the bateyes.

Day 8 (Tuesday): Service in the Bateyes and Visit to Sugar Cane Plant
Breakfast with the group at the base house, followed by a morning of service on projects that could involve construction, English classes, agricultural work, educational workshops, or facilitation of activities for the local children. The group will then head back to the base house for lunch and siesta. After lunch head over to one of the local ingenios, sugar cane production plants and learn about the sugar making process. Return to the base house for dinner and spend the evening in discussions with visiting speakers from Save the Children that will explain the issues affecting the area and work being done by Save the Children in the bateyes.

Day 9 (Wednesday): Last day in the Bateyes
After morning service, return to the base house for lunch, and start stuffing the Piñata. The afternoon will be spent playing games with local children, and we will then have a Piñata for the kids. Return to the base house for dinner and start packing your bags...we are headed to the beach.

Day 10 (Thursday): On the Road to Punta Cana
After breakfast at the base house, say good bye to all your new friends and hop on the bus for the 3hr drive to Punta Cana. Stop on the way for lunch at a typical Dominican restaurant, and arrive in Punta Cana in the early afternoon. Get settled into your new accommodations and then head over to start service in the communities surrounding Punta Cana and Veron. Service here will consist of construction projects at local schools, projects at the local clinic, beach clean-up, and educational workshops with local children.

Day 11 (Friday): Service
Spend a full day working on service projects in the communities surrounding Punta Cana and Veron. Service here will consist of construction projects at local schools, projects at the local clinic, beach clean-up, and educational workshops with local children. Spend the evening checking out local sights and try your hand at some merengue dancing.

Day 12 (Saturday)
Spend the morning working on service projects, and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch take a tour of an Ecological Foundation dedicated to sustainable development. Learn about water treatment facilities, water heating management, coral reef restoration, animal rehabilitation, and have a taste of local honey made right on the property. Spend the evening checking out local sights or merengue dancing.

Day 13 (Sunday): Beach Day
Enjoy a day of beach and adventure. Visit several beaches in the Punta Cana and Bavaro areas, and take part in some snorkeling in the turquoise waters. Eat fresh fish, and enjoy this Caribbean paradise. Spend the day taking part in different touring activities in the areas of Punta Cana and Bavaro.

Day 14 (Monday)
After a relaxing Sunday return to the communities for your last day of service. Continue on the projects started and work with the local community. In the evening have a special dinner, and look back at all we have accomplished in the past week.

Day 15 (Tuesday): Beach in the Morning and then off to Santo Domingo
Enjoy the morning on Macao beach, and take advantage of surfing lessons. After a full morning of relaxing on the white sand, have lunch at a local restaurant and then head back to Santo Domingo for our final night in the Dominican Republic. Enjoy a special dinner and dance show, at a typical Dominican restaurant and take part in a night tour of the city.

Day 16 (Wednesday): Homeward bound or Off to New Adventures
If you are heading home, you must say your last goodbyes to your new friends and head off to the airport bright and early in the morning. If you are heading off to another Rustic Pathways program in Latin America, get ready for more adventure!

Please Note
The itinerary described above is typical but not set in stone as work and optional activities vary depending upon the needs of the various communities, as well as the weather. This itinerary is designed to give you a good, general idea of the day to day schedule and activities on this program but may be changed during the summer as staff see fit. Students will work hard on this program, and will probably get wet, muddy, and bug-bitten in the process. This is all part of the rural service experience in the Dominican Republic and is a small sacrifice when compared with the positive impact this program has on local communities and on RP participants.

Please Do Not Overpack!

Carry-On Luggage
- Passport and wallet *travel wallet that can be hidden under clothing is a good idea.
- Photo copy of your passport (2 additional photocopies should be carried in checked luggage
- Sunglasses
- Journal and pens
- Good book (trade with buddies)
- Water bottle (Nalgene)
- Medications (must alert staff)
- 35mm camera, digital camera, and/or disposable camera – the Dominican Republic is a wet environment so please have a good case that keeps your camera safe from elements like rain and dirt. Be aware that cameras can easily get broken, lost, or stolen in the Dominican Republic so only bring a camera which you are prepared to part with.
- Make sure everything you pack in your carry-on complies with the new carry-on regulations of the TSA.

Checked Luggage
A medium sized duffel bag or large backpack work best. Wheeled bags are OK as long as they are medium sized and can easily be carried like a duffle over rough terrain.

Clothing Items
Please bring at least a few outfits that can get dirty or destroyed for service work or adventure activities.

- 3 long pants (1 pair of lightweight pants, 1 pair of jeans, 1 pair old jeans for service)
- Underwear (10 to 12)
- Socks (8 to 10) - lightweight quick dry athletic socks like Smartwool are the best.
- T-shirts and tank tops and sports shirts (4-6 cotton t-shirts and 4-6 quick dry shirts like capilene or polypropylene) approximately 12 t-shirts total
- 1 light sweater/sweatshirt
- Rainproof Jacket (1)
- Shorts (3-5 pairs of shorts) - please be conservative regarding length
- Swim Suit (1 or 2)
- Athletic shoes - shoes that dry quickly, you can hike short distances in and protect your feet are best. Shoes will get muddy and dirty so don't get too attached to your footwear.
- Sandals and/or flip-flops – a pair of strap on sandals that will not fall off in water like Tevas or Chaco brand sandals work great. Flip-flops are also very useful.
- Hat for sun
- 2 towels (not white) - large travel towels are great!
- One nice casual outfit for final dinner (not too fancy or bulky)
- 1 pair of pajamas

Toiletries
Please pack all items that could leak in a plastic or Ziploc bag!

- Shampoo and Soap (preferably with little or no fragrance because of bugs) *you can find non-fragrance and biodegradable soap at natural food stores and outdoor adventure stores. Dr. Brauner's and Mountain Suds soaps are both good.
- Non-fragrant deodorant
- Toothpaste and toothbrush
- Sunscreen (2 bottles of strong sunscreen)
- Insect repellant (1-2 bottles 35% DEET)
- Anti-itch cream (1 Benedryl anti-itch gel works great)
- Hand sanitizer (1 or 2 small bottles per week)
- Contact lenses and accompanying paraphernalia

Additional Items
- Flashlight or headlamp w/ extra batteries (to read at night or in the case of power outages)
- Watch or Clock with an Alarm
- Heavy Duty Garbage Bags (2) *for packing wet and dirty clothes/shoes
- Large (one gallon) Ziploc bags (4)
- Small personal first aid kit (our guides will have comprehensive first aid kits on hand, but having a small personal kit is always helpful)
- Band aids
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Medical tape
- Moleskin or preferred blister care
- Preferred mild pain reliever
- Antihistamine (Benedryl or preferred type)
- 2 Non-adherent, sterile dressing
- 2 Gauze dressing
- 5-8 After Cuts and Scrapes Wipes

- Note: See this link for ideas on small, personal first aid kits.

Optional Items
- Spanish/English dictionary
- Deck of cards
- Picture of mom, dad, boyfriend/girlfriend, dog, pet fish, etc.
- Frisbee, baseball, football, soccer ball or volleyball

Please Note
Rustic Pathways will not be responsible for any lost or stolen items. During travel it is common for items to be lost or stolen so please bring only items you are prepared to part with.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Save the Children Dominican Republic – Life in the Bateyes

1 - How long is the flight to this country?
1A – Direct flight from New York to Santo Domingo takes approximately 3-4 hours.

2 - Will there be a flight leader to this country?
2A – Yes. All flights between the Dominican Republic and the USA will have a flight leader starting in New York. Return flights to the USA will also have a flight leader as far as New York.  Flights from the Dominican Republic to Costa Rica, Panama, and Peru will not be escorted.

3 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
3A – Students from the United States and Canada will be automatically issued a 30 day tourist visa upon entry into the Dominican Republic, for the cost of $10. STUDENTS MUST HAVE $10 UPON ENTRY TO PAY FOR THE TOURIST CARD.

4 – What province(s) of the Dominican Republic does this program pass through?
4A- During this trip, students will visit the provinces of Santo Domingo, San Pedro de Macoris La Romana, and La Altagracia.

5 - What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
5A – Rustic Pathways does not make recommendations regarding immunizations.  We strongly suggest that you consult with a travel doctor or your family physician for medical recommendations based on the area where the student will be traveling (as listed above).  You can also check the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov for more information. 

6 - How does this program connect to other programs?
6A – On Monday afternoon students will depart from Punta Cana for Santo Domingo. They will spend that night in Santo Domingo at a hotel near the airport. On Tuesday evening students transferring to other program in Latin America can catch a flight to Costa Rica, Panama, or Peru.  Students connecting to other programs in the Dominican Republic will join their new trip on Wednesday morning. 

7 – How long is the drive from Santo Domingo to this program?
7A—The drive from Santo Domingo to San Pedro de Macoris is approximately 1.5 hours depending on weather and other driving conditions.  The drive from San Pedro de Macoris to Punta Cana is 2.5 hrs.  The return drive from Punta Cana to Santo Domingo is 3-4 hrs depending on traffic and weather.

8 – What is the climate in the region where this program takes place?
8A—This program takes place in a few locations in Santo Domingo and eastern parts of the Dominican Republic.  Students should be prepared for hot, humid weather in the 80s and 90s during the day with occasional rain showers.

9 - Is this a good program for students interested in practicing their Spanish?
9A—This program does not include formal Spanish language instruction; however students will have multiple opportunities to practice Spanish with people from the communities as well as the Save the Children workers.  Local children in the Bateyes are especially eager to help Rustic Pathways students with their conversational Spanish.

10- What service projects will I work on and how are the projects identified?
10A- Rustic Pathways works Save the Children on their Community Development of Bateyes project to identify and prioritize the needs of each community. In the Bateyes, students will work on small scale construction projects that will help improve community and school infrastructure.  Students will also facilitate educational and cultural projects with local children and youth and be involved in environmental and agricultural projects with the community.

11 – How physically strenuous is this program?
11A- This program is appropriate for most physical activity levels.  Students should be prepared for medium physical activity including short hikes and some manual labor during the service projects.

12- What costs are not included on this trip?
12A—The majority of costs associated with the program are included on this trip.  Students should have extra allowance money if they wish to buy souvenirs. Students should also bring extra money if they wish to purchase additional snacks or soda from the local grocery store.

13 – What are the optional activities available at an additional cost on this program?
13A-All activities are included in the cost of the program. The following activities are INCLUDED in the program cost:

• Tour of Colonial Zone and Tres Ojos.
• Museum entrance fees.
• Visits to local beaches.
• Snorkeling.
• Entrance fee and tour of Ecological Foundation.
• Surfing lessons.

Occasionally Rustic Pathways staff identify new opportunities throughout the summer that we feel will enhance the students overall experience and we will offer students the opportunity to participate at an additional cost.   Optional or included activities may also be canceled at the staff’s discretion. 

14 - What kind of food will we be eating? Where?
14A—Students will be eating traditional Dominican food prepared by local women in San Pedro and Punta Cana.  Breakfast may include plantains or toast with eggs, fruits and cereal. Lunch and dinner will be typical dishes which consists of rice, beans, salad and a meat/seafood dish or veggie dishes.
 
15 - Can we cater to specific diets?
15A-Rustic Pathways can cater to most dietary needs on this program. There will be ample access to fruits, vegetables, rice, beans, and grains for those who are vegetarian.  Vegan diets can be accommodated, but with a little more foresight and planning as this is not a diet commonly encountered in the Dominican Republic.  Please know that while we are happy to accommodate alternative diets, many of the special diets common in the United States are not common in other parts of the world and travelers must be patient and understanding in having these needs be met.  Please contact harry@rusticpathways.com with any questions regarding special diets or allergies.

16 - Will the kids be drinking bottled water?
16A—Tap water in the Dominican Republic is not recommended, we will provide bottled water for our students throughout the course of the program.

17 - What will the accommodations on this trip be like?
17A—During their time in the Dominican Republic students will stay in a few different places.  In Santo Domingo we will stay at a hotel near the airport.  In San Pedro de Macoris we will be using a facility used to house volunteers.  It has dorm style rooms with bunk beds, bathrooms, and a communal kitchen/dining area that we will use for meals.  In Punta Cana students will have similar accommodations, in a dormitory facility at a local school. 

18.  What are the bathroom facilities?
18A- The bathrooms are located at the volunteer facilities and will either be right in the room shared with another student, or be communal bathrooms shared with other Rustic Pathways students of the same gender, they will all have running water and American style toilets. Showers are rustic and hot water is not always available.

19 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
19A – There are typically more girls than boys however the exact numbers vary from week to week.

20- What is the ratio of guides to students?
20A- Rustic Pathways generally strives to maintain a ratio of approximately 1 guide for every 5 students.  On the program, there will be three guides. Our guides go through a rigorous selection process including interviews with our Country Director and a full background check.

21-Is your staff qualified in First Aid?
21A-   Because safety is our number one priority, all of our programs have guides that are certified with First Aid and CPR training. Many of our guides are also qualified Wilderness First Responders, EMTs, Wilderness EMTs, or Life Guards.

22 - How often (if at all) will students be able to do laundry on this program and what will it cost?
22A—Students should pack enough clothes and personal items to last through the program. Laundry may be available at some of the hotels, at an extra cost. 

23 - How often will they have access to phone and internet?
23A-Students will have limited to no access to internet during the program. They will be able to purchase international phone cards in the Dominican Republic, which can be used to call home.  We will facilitate at least one call a week to parents.