An Education volunteer in the Dominican Republic – Madalyn

In this interview, we hear from Madalyn Heinle. Madalyn is working as a Peace Corps Education volunteer in the Dominican Republic. What Madalyn shares gives us a better understanding of the work volunteers do. We learn about the challenges, rewards, and personal growth that happens from volunteering in a new place. Madalyn talks about living in a different country, working with local people, and dealing with surprise situations. Join us as we learn about Madalyn’s journey and see how volunteering with Peace Corps can change lives.

Table of Contents

• Volunteer Experience and Motivation
• Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration
• Surprises and Challenges
• Advice and Support
• Practical Tips and Language Learning
• Impact of Media and Final Thoughts

Volunteer Experience and Motivation

1. Tell us more about serving as an Education volunteer in Dominican Republic.

Serving as an education volunteer in the Dominican Republic, most of my days start at my small 65-student school where I teach literacy skills. I have one-on-one tutoring sessions with about 15 students. These tutoring sessions consist of literacy skills like phonetics, reading comprehension, the names and sounds of the letters, etc.

At lunchtime, I walk home to eat with my host family. We usually have the Dominican staple “la bandera” which consists of rice, beans, meat, and salad. After lunch I go back to school and continue with tutoring sessions until school gets out at 3:30.

Outside of school I like to play soccer and baseball with the kids, hang out with community members, host family or other volunteers, read, journal, work on my secondary projects, and call my family back home in the US. 

2. What motivated you to join the Peace Corps and choose Dominican Republic?

When I was in high school, my Spanish teacher would often tell my class about her time as a Peace Corps volunteer in Ecuador. It sounded like such a cool experience and I knew then that it was something I wanted to do.

In college, I studied Political Science, International Relations, Global Studies, and Spanish, all with the Peace Corps in the back of my mind. I really enjoyed learning about other cultures and was passionate about service. When my senior year rolled around, I worked on the application and applied a few weeks before I graduated.

I got an invitation to serve only 10 days later (I would love to know if this is a record haha). I didn’t apply directly to the Dominican Republic but rather “where needed most”. I specified I had preferences to work with children and also somewhere Spanish speaking. Both of those preferences were met and I was ecstatic when I got my invitation to serve as a Primary School Literacy Promoter in the Dominican Republic.

Living Arrangements and Cultural Integration

3. Tell us more about your home situation

I am the only person in my cohort who still lives with a host family, and I wear that badge proudly. I live with a grandmother and her granddaughter, Morena and Cami. They are truly like my family. Down the street is the rest of my host family. On a big plot of land that used to be a farm, there are three houses where my 3 aunts, an uncle, and cousins live. We often spend most of our time there all together. I like that I have the option to go over there and hang out with all the family and be social, or if I want some time to myself I can just stay at my house and chill in my own space.

4. Any memorable experiences or interactions you’ve had?

My most memorable experience would probably be when my family came to my site to visit. My dad came down in March 2024 and then again along with my mom and sister this past Christmas. My sister and I are identical twins so it was very entertaining seeing everyone’s reaction to us together. I knew it was going to be hilarious, and it was. Everyone would scream or stop in their tracks or do a double take and had to ask which person standing in front of them was the one they had known for a year and which was a stranger.

When they visited, I loved how well they got along with everyone they interacted with, despite the language barrier. My family members don’t know any Spanish at all, and my host family also doesn’t know any English, but that didn’t stop them from interacting with each other. I had my work cut out for me translating between so many people, but even when I was not around or busy doing something else, I would find them finding their own ways to communicate. It’s beautiful how relationships can transcend language and culture, and watching that happen with different groups of people I love was an incredible experience that I will remember forever. 

Surprises and Challenges

5. What has surprised you most about challenges in Dominican Republic?

One of the challenges I wasn’t expecting was boredom. During training, the Peace Corps tells you that you may feel “LIMB”, which stands for “lonely, isolated, miserable, bored” and they were not kidding. It does feel lonely and isolating sometimes, even though I have a very loving host family and community, there aren’t many people I can relate to here and it’s hard to fit in.

When it comes to the second part of “LIMB”, I do feel pretty bored most of the time. I don’t have access to many things in my community, there really isn’t anything to do most days, so I try to fill my time with secondary projects and hobbies. For me, these feelings are the hardest part of service. I am able to overcome these feelings knowing that it’s only temporary.

6. What challenges did you face while working on Education projects?

One of the challenges I faced while working on an Education project was a lack of space in the school. When I arrived at the school, there was no space for me. My school was under construction and a space was being built for me, and I was told it would be done in the next couple of months. This was not true, and the construction is still, to this day, 15 months later, not complete. I have had to make my own spaces, usually out of half-constructed classrooms, or even just outside. Sometimes these are not feasible because of the construction or weather. Currently, I am in a half-built classroom, and am awaiting to move once again. I am hoping that all of the construction will be done in the next month, but I have had hopes like that before…

7. Could you share some of the secondary projects you have been involved?

I have been involved in a couple of after-school English classes, one on Mondays for a group of young girls in my community, and another individual class for an adult community member. I have also been a part of a PCDR publication called “Your Daily Vivire”, where we write about all things PCDR. I also am a volunteer traveler for Reach the World. Reach the World helps travelers and classrooms connect in an effort to promote a better global understanding. I am connected with the very teacher who inspired me to join the Peace Corps. I write weekly articles about different aspects of my life here in the DR and her classroom is able to read and discuss them. Every month we are able to connect via Zoom to discuss further. You can check out my Reach the World blog here.

Advice and Support

8. What advice would you give to someone considering serving as an Education volunteer in Dominican Republic?

My advice would be to get in contact with someone who was in PCDR. I advise anyone interested in the Peace Corps to reach out to a PVC or RPCV. I luckily knew some RPCVs who had great insight and gave me amazing advice that has aided my service. Don’t be afraid to reach out, most PCVs/RPCVs are enthusiastic to answer questions and provide advice/support. I would also suggest practicing Spanish with a native speaker, preferably Dominican. Classroom Spanish doesn’t even come close to the Spanish that I speak here haha. There is so much slang and regional accents, only studying Dominican Spanish could have prepared me for what I would experience here. 

9. How has the Peace Corps training helped you during your service?

The Peace Corps training helped me immensely. I came into the Peace Corps like a sponge, ready to soak up everything I was taught. This was my first time in another country and my first time working in education, so I knew I had a lot to learn, and I learned A LOT during PST. I learned about the Dominican language and culture, how to teach kids how to read, how to move through the DR safely and respectively, how to integrate, etc.

I would not have been successful in my service if it were not for PST. In-service training (IST) and MST (mid-service training) were also valuable to me. It allotted time for me to reconnect with other volunteers and get inspired by their work. PST is a great time to connect with your host country and service, while IST is a great time for reconnecting with your fellow volunteers to help each other improve and grow. 

Practical Tips and Language Learning

10. Anything that you packed or didn’t pack that you’d like to tell future Dominican Republic volunteers?

Funny you should ask, I have actually written a packing guide of my own that was published in our PCDR Volunteer publication “Your Daily Vivire”. Here is the link to it where you will find the things I wish I had packed and wish I didn’t pack. 

11. How has learning the language been?

The language learning has been tough. I often find myself very frustrated with myself if I can’t understand what someone is saying or if I can’t communicate properly. It makes me feel unprofessional and almost childlike. However, the language barrier has not hindered my ability to make relationships here. Showing that you care about someone transcends language. I would advise not to get discouraged. Learning another language is tough, give yourself some grace.

Impact of Media and Final Thoughts

12. How do you think your blog contributes to your overall mission as a Peace Corps volunteer?

My Reach the World blog is a great way to fulfill the 3rd goal of the Peace Corps. (Goal 3: To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans). This blog helps promote a better understanding of the Dominican Republic and my life here to everyone who reads it. I hope to promote the beauty and diverse culture of this country and share the positive experiences that it has given me.

13. Any last comments you’d like to pass on to future Dominican Republic volunteers?

To any future volunteers, my advice is to trust the process, and trust yourself. You are here for a reason, and you will inevitably make an impact in some way. Also, don’t take yourself too seriously, the Peace Corps is also supposed to be fun! Have fun! Use your R&R days! Do things, meet people, travel around the country, eat all the food, see all the things. Enjoy yourself!

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What are you waiting for? Opportunities like this don’t come often. If you have a passion for service and an adventurous spirit like Madalyn’s, apply to the Peace Corps today. Expand your horizons, push your limits, and create positive impact as a volunteer. You never know how serving as a Peace Corps volunteer could change your life.

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The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or the Dominican Republic Government.