More Info

We've had one weekend at the CSA complex now. Its been not that bad. The place is a bit of a hole, but we are volunteering so its not worse than can be expected. Lots of bugs hanging around, there was a cockroach on the wall in my room the other day but it cvanished before bed time.

Ben got his luggage back. Traveller's tip: Dont fly with American Airlines, they seem to have a reputation for losing baggage all over the show for domestic and international flights. Everyone i spoke to got their bags back eventually but its still a bit of hassle that can be avoided.

For our project we are going to be demolishing an old school and building a new one. Well we're not expected to finish the whole thing other groups will come in after us and finish off the job but we're the first there. Hopefully we'll get to the bit of laying the foundations.

We went to the beach for the day today. The place was humming. Isla and I waklked up and down the parade looking for shorts for her to work in. Bartering and Dealing with the locals is a pain in the ass. We were exhausted by the end so settled on some shorts she didnt really like. Lunch was nice though and we got to try some more of the local rum and a pinocolada served in a whole pineapple. Pretty good stuff.

gotta dash

Joel

Safe Arrival

After several hours of flying, sleeping on the cold, hard floor at JFK international and a ride in a planbe barely bigger than the average bus we have arrive safely in the dominican republic! Its very hot and quite humid but its not too unbearable.
It's not all great, however. For a start Bens luggage got lost and when we got out the airport we didnt know where to go cause an e-mail ISV supposedly sent us never arrived. After some long distance calls to the ISV US office, however, All was saved and we got a taxi to a Hotel where ISV put us up for the night. Hopefully ben will get his bags back when we go to the airport again later today.

Later today we are going to get shipped off to our volunteer project. This is where the 2 weeks of hard work begins. :)

Later

Joel

P.S. Took my underwater camera in the sea yesterday and got some piuctures of us. It still works so I guess thats decent.

Heathrow express

Goose and i on the heathrow express. In 15 minutes we'll be at terminal 3. So far everything is going as planned. Whether adam turns up is a matter of debate. Im sure he will but its funny to imagine he forgot the time. 10 pounds for the heathrow express with a young persons rail card. Good value.

Project Overview

We have finally received our project overviews from ISV. All the mystic details of what we were doing in the DR have finally been revealed.

The volunteering organisation we'll be hooking up with in the DR is called the community Service Alliance (CSA). They have a complex overlooking the mountains in the Puerto Plata region which supposedly overlooks the hills. They have a waterfall and the guy who runs the place is called Father Pepe.

The group of us going with CSA gets split into 2. In the morning one group builds houses and things for the nearby villiages and the other interacts with the local community. After lunch the groups swap round.

The nearest town is a while away so in the first 2 weeks I may only be able to post when we get outings to the local town on Saturday afternoon or Sunday. Hopefully I can then post the best of the pictures I take then.

So with barely over 6 Days until we depart we know what volunteering will be like. Its going to be good fun although I won't be able to drink on my birthday as CSA seems to have a no drinking policy. I'll have to find a way to get around that I think.

9 Days

Its just over 9 days 5 Hours and 41 Minutes to go now until we depart on our ISV adventure and we still don't know what we're doing when we get there. I guess it doesn't mater too much but I imagine it will be a lot like one of these videos that have started appearing on youtube:



They use the same volunteering agency and are tagged with international student volunteers and are for this year. This is the first glimpse of what we could be doing very very soon now. I'm sure theres going to be more hard work and less playing with Dominican children than in the video. The weather looks good though, doesn't it.

The Americans Fscked up...

Dear All,

We have been receiving some emails inquiring about the project overviews, that you should have received 30 days before your departure.

The project allocations are been carried out by ISV staff at our headquarters in USA. Due to a system breakdown which has affected the computers and servers at our office in the last week, some of you may have not received your project overview yet.

[...] The project overview contains detailed information about the project you have been allocated to, but none of the information in this document is essential.

Our technical problems are in the process of being fixed, and these overviews will be sent to all students in the next week.

Kind regards,

ISV UK

Still don't know what's happening when I get out there. But things are always more exciting when you don't know what you're doing so I don't really mind.

Only 17 days to go now before getting on a plane. Checked the hand luggage policy the other day and the airline still have restrictions in place. Only one small, clear bag is allowed with 1 personal item like a book, gameboy, etc. Will have to pack wisely.

Adventure!

Everyone apart from me has their ISV manual delivered through the post now. I'm starting to wonder where mine is although I'm thinking only the postal service is to blame. Either way it means we know, to a certain extent, what we're doing in the DR.
The colourful manual was written in America and some of the bits have been "translated" into British or re-written to be from this side of the pond's perspective. Some bits have slipped through but that only makes it funny. The manual says that on the volunteering people will be sharing 4 to bed. We thought maybe that's what they do out there but apparently its a typo and 4 people share a room.
Anyway on to the meaty bit. What activities have I bought for my hard earned pennies?

1. Waterfall Rappelling
   
2. Surfing Lessons
3. Snorkelling
   
4. Horseback riding to a secluded waterfall
5. Caving in the "Fun-Fun" caves
6. Guided Tour of Santo Domingo
7. Larimar Workshop (basically its jewelry making)

Sounds a bit wet at first. But we all got the optional activity package too for an extra £100. Apparently 95% of participants take the optional activity package. That means 5% are left at the hotel to entertain themselves.
The optional activities are:

1. White water rafting
2. Canyoning, rappelling, cliff jumping
   
3. Boat excursion to Cayo Levantado
4. Mountain Biking
5. Windsurfing

Thats a bit better 12 activity packed days in 2 weeks. Thats a real adventure tour. 29 Days, 9 Hours, 15 Minutes, 41 Seconds to go.