EVOLC
Programs and Reviews
EVOLC is an English teaching initiative sponsored by Aliarse, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the academic competitiveness of Costa Rica by increasing the number of English speakers. Our objective is to act as a catalyst in the development of a national culture of social responsibility and equitable development in Costa Rica.
Programs Abroad
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Reviews
100%Overall
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90%Overall
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If you desire to live abroad-as opposed to merely travel-and want to do so in Central America, I would highly recommend this program as a way to do so.
I was introduced to EVOLC by a friend already living in Costa Rica. Thus, I had a bit of an "in" in the application process and found it very easy and convenient to be accepted. But in general the application process and placement will be very comfortable and accommodating for anyone. If you want to be in a city, let them know, if you want to be on a beach, let them know.
I was placed in San Jose which is not a tourist destination in and of itself, but is the central hub for all travel in Costa Rica and has a lot of offer. I was fortunate enough to be placed in two great, and extremely different, programs: a NGO in the morning that allowed me to work with adults and a high school in the afternoons where I worked with, well, high school kids. This allowed me to get multiple perspectives on Costa Rican life. Therefore, my experience was more rewarding. As a plus, you work Monday through Thursday so you have a three-day weekend to travel around Costa Rica.
I was placed into a wonderful host family which treated me just fantastically. It was in a nice community part way between my two programs and near UCR which means there is a lot of student infrastructure: better for those of you in your 20s, or those of you looking to formally study Spanish.
Overall, I think my experience in Costa Rica was great. I would recommend EVOLC to anyone who wishes to have a secure placement in Central America and wishes to actually experience the culture and people of Costa Rica rather than just spend a week traveling though the country. Moreover, you can stay there anywhere from four weeks to much longer so you can adjust the program to fit you.
90%Overall
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EVOLC has diverse partners all over Costa Rica so you are guaranteed to find the program and place for you. Also, they have programs with different levels of responsibility from assisting other teachers to running the English program very independently.
Your stay in Costa Rica will depend on the local community and the local partner, because they are very different. EVOLC is based in San Jose and will provide support via phone and email. No matter the challenges or issues, EVOLC is there for you literally 24/7 and ready to help you with any professional or personal issues. They are a small organization and able to focus on the individual volunteer.
My only criticism would be that there isn't always fluent communication between the organization and the local partners and some things do not get done and it may be frustrating for the volunteer. For me it was the case of not having Internet access at home, which I had different information about from EVOLC, my host family and my local partner. Also, we were told that there were many activities and trips during our stay in Costa Rica which never happened. ALso, there was a big typo in our contracts about program fee and deposit.
Examples of how EVOLC did help: My housing situation was not satisfying in the first weeks, and EVOLC took it very seriously and found new housing for me almost immediately. Also, they followed up to make sure I was comfortable in the new housing. They also relocated another volunteer when it was too hot for her in the city she was living in.
All in all it's a good organization that really wants to make a difference in the works. I can recommend it.
90%Overall
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First of all, I should say that I volunteered with EVOLC Costa Rica in the Administrative aspects of the organization. When I first arrived at EVOLC, I had no clue what to expect and had even less of an idea how to approach the fact i knew nothing about running an NGO. But working with EVOLC has been without a doubt the best experience i have ever made. I went there to volunteer a few days a week and I found myself devoting 5 days and my free time to the EVOLC cause. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing the progress you have made as working for EVOLC has shown me. Moreover, EVOLC and its wonderful team of employee's has given me the idea to start my own NGO with their organization as my first client. If you really want to make a change in the life of others, or even your own life, this non-profit is definitely the one to volunteer with!
100%Overall
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Deciding to volunteer for six months in Costa Rica through the EVOLC program was the best decision I've ever made.
Teaching: Although I had my TEFOL certificate, I didn't have any formal teaching experience when I arrived in Liberia, Costa Rica. However, with some very helpful training and tips from my EVOLC coordinator and "learning by doing" I quickly learned how to be a teacher. My students made it easy to learn: they were excited, engaged and motivated. Ticos in general have wonderful/friendly/funny personalities and all of my students also became my friends. I also felt like I was providing a needed service. For better or worse, many jobs require applicants to speak from 50-80% English so there is definitely pressure for locals to perfect their English skills.
Housing/Living: I LOVED my host family. They were warm and welcoming and wanted me to feel like a member of the family, which I did. When we'd go somewhere, my host mom would actually introduce me to people as her daughter :) The house was clean and cute, and the food was AMAZING! All of my meals were prepared at home, and it was all so good that I usually didn't want to eat out. Again, because Ticos are so friendly, it didn't take long for me to feel like a local.
EVOLC: From reading the other reviews on here, it sounds like EVOLC has come a long way since it's inception. While it's still a relatively "young" program, I didn't have any problems with the program and got more support than I even expected. (In other words, all my expectations were met or exceeded). The current program coordinator is amazing and she's doing a lot to perfect and grow the program. That being said, I think anyone interested in teaching/living abroad should come with a sense of adventure and a "go with the flow" attitude. After all, you're working with efforts between EVOLC, a local partner and the Tico culture, which doesn't tend to run as quickly or efficiently as things in the States!
Again, I had a wonderful experience teaching in Costa Rica. I was an English teacher during the week and a tourist on the weekends. It was the best six months ever!
I taught English at INA for 3 months through EVOLC and had only great experiences there. The school was very good, the Costa Rican teachers were very competent and fluent in English and they were extremely helpful to me. The students were eager to learn and very hospitable as well. The host family was the best that I could have asked for anywhere. The family the teachers and the students invited me to weekend retreats, restaurants, cafes, parties and their homes. I even went to a wedding and a funeral! I was welcomed everywhere. The classes were beginner to intermediate and very enjoyable. We had alot of fun playing music, movies, videos and games. Of course, I had to teach them grammar and vocabulary too and they grouped up in pairs or more making different presentations in the classroom with power point or just conversations as well as written tests and homework assignments. I saw their progression and felt that I had helped them alot learn English fluency.