Welcome to Samana International School’s Website.

We are excited to tell you a little bit about our story! Our family lived a high-stress life with the social pressures of the United States. My husband, Jason, and I worked long hours, leaving little quality time with our children. Our hearts never quite seemed to be fulfilled. God was calling us to make a change. We purchased a boat and sailed away, leaving worries and stress behind and creating beautiful relationships with our children. After sailing for several years, we found ourselves in Samana, Dominican Republic, where we intended to stay for one week. God had different plans for us; obviously, he wanted us to slow down even more. The 2nd wave of covid hit, forcing us to stay because travel restrictions were in place once again. Little did we know that we would fall in love with the incredible people, children, and culture of Samana.

Upon one's first perception, Samana is an impoverished place to live, but the people are very happy and proud. Their simple lives lack only one key component; a quality education. As we settled in and spent more time here, it was noticeable that many in the community could not read or write. After doing some due diligence, we were shocked to find that a majority of Samanans are not educated beyond primary school. The people here have taught us so much. We have felt a strong call to give back. We decided the most valuable gift we could provide like-minded families and local children is the power of knowledge through education. That's why we opened the Samana International School. Our family purchased a large piece of land with a building on it that we have renovated into the new school. We are passionate about hiring good teachers who are dedicated to making a difference. We have solely funded this entire endeavor so that children from all over the world can learn from the values of the local Samanans, and the local children can receive a quality education, and cultivate friendships with their international peers. We've come to realize that our decision to move to Samana was for the greater good. We hope to make a lasting impact on the lives of others, educating them so they can flourish. We invite you to be a part of our journey!

Emily Ryan - Director & Founder Samana International School