Luggage
In your luggage make sure you pack practical, comfy clothes – MOST IMPORTANT!
Shorts and cool tops are really easy to work in, but longer trousers are recommended for the vets, the air con is really cold in there.
Definately wear sturdy walking trainers or boots to work with the donkeys, if one of them stands on your foot without those boots on you'll regret it.
Plenty of sun cream is needed, even those who say they don't burn, you will. Let our mistakes be your lesson! A night at the markets calls for dresses and getting dressed up a little bit, we mostly wore trainers and sandals because there was a bit of walking to do. Swimming costumes are a must! You will get lots of opportunities to go in the sea and it’s so nice to swim in. A hat and sunglasses are really good to wear at the sanctuary not only does it protect you from the heat, the glasses keep dust out of your eyes and the hat allows your hair to stay unchewed... There are no promises that the donkeys won't steal the hat though.
A S K HA M B R Y A N C O L L E G E
Free Time Activates The amount of things to do in Aruba is immense; even though all the activities are different you really get a good feel of the island and its culture, everyone’s so happy!
Palm Island Horse Riding (Rancho Loco) Phillips Animals Garden Submarine Beaches Tubing Butterfly Farm Water Sports Night Life
Our Guide To Aruba By: Meg, Becca & Bryony
At the Donkey Sanctuary you can take part in any activities you feel comfortable with from donkey dentals to cleaning the shop, there is an activity for all abilities. The professional and personal skills you need for some of these tasks are people skills, patience, an understanding of the animal anatomy, calmness, determination, hardworking, the desire to impress, to be keen to learn. If you try your hardest you have nothing to lose!
General Maintenance
Scooping Poo Feeding (Pellets & Hay) / Water Health Checks Medication Working in bar Customer Service Cleaning Visitor Centre
The Vets
Health & Safety
At the vets it is amazing how hands on they let you get, from helping with (a lot!) of spays and operations to vaccinations and consultations.
When working around donkeys you must be aware of all of their little quirks...
Vaccinating Cauterising Prep For Operation Intubating Animals Transporting Animals To Kennels Taking Temperatures and Weighing Giving Fluids Draining Wounds
• There is the possibility of getting kicked, to avoid this you just have to keep calm and have patience with them. When walking around them, walk at a normal pace, don't run or do anything to spook them, kicking and bolting is their natural reaction to surprise. • If you have to transport food from the shed to the stable, make sure there is more than one of you, the donkeys will try and have anything in your arms, wheelbarrow is the correct way, but they do like to push it over and stand in front of it while you’re walking. • Do not be scared to explain health and safety to the public, they are supposed to feed the donkeys from behind the barrier. If they do go into the enclosure just warn them they will more than likely be swarmed and donkeys can get quite rough when food is involved. • When trying to handle the donkeys, be firm with them, if they see weakness they will just push through you.
WHAT THEY DON’T TELL YOU
Dunkin Doughnuts don’t just do extremely good doughnuts but when on palm beach and on the market strip they do amazing cold refreshments and for a cheap price. Superfoods is one of the best places to get foods, they have everything that you need but they do also have smaller markets all over the place. However, smaller markets cost a bomb. (TOP TIP: get knock off brands to save money, it tastes just as good… kind of)
Fruit is amazing to get while your’re there. It all tastes amazing and is fairly cheap.
While at the Donkey Sanctuary, there are 4 cats to all tend to. A good thing to do in a morning when your unlocking is re-fill their water bowl and put it in the fridge so then its cold for them. They get hot and dehydrated too! Make sure when filling their food bowls up that you check the tub that you got it from, there might be creepy crawlies that you will need to clean out for them.
Learn how to make coffee before you leave! Desiree LOVES coffee!
There are fizzy drinks in the Donkey Sanctuary. They are normal drinks such as coke but we also enjoyed things such as grape juice and the vitamin water.
When going to the toilet anywhere in Aruba you put your dirty toilet roll in the sanitary bin. Otherwise you WILL block the toilet.
Wear sun cream at all times otherwise you will blister and burn and it hurts to work when you burn badly and/or have blisters.
Driving on the other side was difficult for the first few days. Always remember to remind your driver that they need to do this.
Everyone in Aruba is lovely, however, just like everywhere else you do need to keep safe. Make sure you have everyone's number even the teachers because if in case you split up you need to be able to find each other.
Its good to have a rota around the house to say who is doing what job on the particular day. Plan your meals in advance so then you can do a bulk buy at superfoods.
You will come across some reptiles around the place. Don’t worry, they will run away from you and not come towards you. If you want a photo, approach them slowly so then they don’t get camera shy.
When you’re going to work on the donkey sanctuary take long boot socks that at least come past your ankles. Otherwise your boots will rub and cause more pain on top of everything else.
When taking your own water to the Donkey Sanctuary or anywhere, it is a good idea to fill your drink up 3/4 of the way with water at night and then put it in the freezer/ However, if you have a plastic bottle don’t leave it in there all day and night otherwise it will crack.
BBQ’s are fun to have if you don’t really know anyone who you have gone with and you want to get to know them better. However, REMEMBER, they are a pain to clean.
Turtle watching is fun to do at night when you go in the right season for it. If you don’t you’re basically just going on a group walk on the beach for the night.
WHAT THEY DON’T TELL YOU
If you are lucky enough to get invited to Desiree’s house you will notice that she has MANY animals there. (Her house is also extremely beautiful and artistic) She has 4 donkeys, many cats, a dog and tortoises. When looking after sick donkeys you need to remember they are main priority. There is a donkey in the hospital section who is allergic to flies and many other things. Make sure you spray her where her wounds are and also if there are any new wounds.
When leaving the paddocks, although the donkeys are massive softies, you do need to be firm with them and show them who’s boss. Although sometimes you do have to make a quick swift exit before 5 of them try to come with you.
There was one time that the donkeys got out in to an area they were not supposed to be in but if this happens just stay calm and direct them the right way back where they should be.
Tio is the oldest donkey. He is 47 and has been there ever since the sanctuary opened. He is lovely and extremely beautiful. We promise you will fall in love with him as soon as you meet him. Diva and Queenie are partners in crime. If you get to know them you will also fall in love very quickly just like with all the other donkeys. Also, if you call Divas name and she can hear you she will often come running. DO NOT be scared of the donkeys. They are massive softies, we promise you.
On a morning, there is not just donkeys and cats to feed. There is also a large population of birds. There is bird feed in the container in the corner. One scoop of that in the morning and in the afternoon will do them nicely. Just remember to scatter it around for them. There will be a time where you will have to run from the feed area to the visitors centre or the hospital with a bag of pellets (TOP TIP: work on your running, you will need to be quick before the donkeys notice what you’re carrying or what you have in you wheel barrow!
Bagging pellets into little bags for the visitors to feed the donkeys will also need to be done. There is a special machine to seal the bags shut once your done packing the bags. When your using it, turn the temperature on to full heat and only hold the machine down for a second and it will be done. All will become clear when you are there and you will see what we are talking about.
In Aruba they use USD and Aruban Florins. You will come home with both. However, Aruban Florins is almost impossible to get hold of in the UK, so just take USD.
Sometimes its okay to want to spend some time alone. When your around everyone all the time this will be expected. Its okay to feel like this.
When travelling home, make sure that you have a jumper of some sort in your hand luggage. You'll thank me for it when you get home. It’s freezing in the UK when you get back & even more so when you’ve just came back from Aruba.
GOOD LUCK & HAVE FUN