Gratis · Certificado incluido

Preparing for a Mission Trip to the Dominican Republic

Arrive as a guest who did the homework — the Spanish, the island’s hardest question, and the harm to avoid.

Reviewed monthly · last reviewed October 2026

50 min Principiante 7 módulos Aprobar con 80%

EnglishPara: Short-term mission team members, youth group leaders, trip coordinators and first-time travelers

Este curso se tradujo al español con asistencia automática. La versión en inglés es la original.

Lo que aprenderá

Explain who you are visiting — the Dominican Republic’s regions, its place on Hispaniola, and the history that still shapes the present
Greet, thank and apologize in Spanish, and survive Dominican Spanish spoken at full speed
Follow Dominican norms for greeting, closeness, dress, food and time without being told
Describe the batey communities and the nationality question facing Dominicans of Haitian descent, factually and carefully
Recognize the short-term practices that do harm — orphanage visits, photography, direct giving, displaced labour — and choose the ones that help
Prepare for water, mosquitoes, heat, hurricane season and road travel before you go

Verifique a sus voluntarios por $5

VolunteerBadge realiza verificaciones de antecedentes conformes con la FCRA por solo $5, con verificación de identidad incluida. Sin cuotas mensuales ni contratos.

Cree una cuenta gratis →

Contenido del curso

1
Arriving as a guest
What goes wrong when teams arrive unprepared, and the posture that prevents it.
6 min Cuestionario
2
Who you are visiting
One island, two countries, and the history that is still in the room.
7 min Cuestionario
3
Dominican Spanish: fast, warm and missing its consonants
Why textbook Spanish fails here, the phrases that matter, and how to ask for help.
8 min Cuestionario Escrito + interactivo
4
Warmth, closeness and respect
Greetings, personal space, dress, food, music and the photography rules that protect everyone.
7 min Cuestionario Interactivo
5
The batey, the border and the nationality question
The most important justice issue your team will encounter — handled factually, not as a cause to adjudicate.
9 min Cuestionario Escrito + interactivo
6
Help that helps
The resort corridor, the harm short-term teams do without noticing, and the better version of each.
8 min Cuestionario Interactivo
7
Staying well, getting around and before you fly
Water, mosquitoes, heat, hurricanes, moto-conchos — and the checklist most teams forget one line of.
5 min Cuestionario Escrito + interactivo

Fuentes y lecturas adicionales

VolunteerBadge Academy courses are provided free for general educational and informational purposes only. Every course is researched from reputable, authoritative sources (cited on the course), but VolunteerBadge and ScreenForge Labs, LLC make no representations or warranties of any kind — express or implied — as to the accuracy, completeness, currentness, reliability, or suitability of the content for any purpose. Content may contain errors or omissions and may become outdated, and laws, regulations, standards, and best practices vary by jurisdiction and change over time. This material is not legal, medical, mental-health, clinical, financial, safety-certification, or other professional advice, and completing a course or earning a certificate creates no professional relationship, license, accreditation, or endorsement and is not a substitute for training, certification, supervision, or policies required by law, your organization, your insurer, or a licensing body. Always follow your organization's own policies and applicable law, use your own judgment, and consult a qualified professional (such as an attorney, licensed clinician, or medical provider) about your specific situation. In an emergency, call 911 (or, for a mental-health crisis, 988). To the fullest extent permitted by law, VolunteerBadge and ScreenForge Labs, LLC disclaim all liability for any loss or harm arising from reliance on this content or participation in any course.