ISV - Volunteer Projects in Costa Rica
International Student Volunteers (ISV) works with grassroots initiatives to offer volunteer projects in Costa Rica. These volunteer programs directly benefit the local communities of Costa Rica. For volunteers in Costa Rica, ISV offers projects in wildlife conservation, community development, children's programs, and environmental management. However you wish to make an impact, there is a volunteer project for you with ISV in Costa Rica.
If you choose wildlife conservation, you could be observing the feeding behavior of variousm species, mapping habitats, monitoring dolphin populations, or taking beach patrols to protect turtle nest's. In Costa Rica's communities, you could be involved in recycling, reforestation, trail building, organic farming or habitat restoration. For more details about ISV's volunteer projects in Costa Rica, visit there website and sign up today for the experience of a lifetime!
Reviews
100%Overall
Rating
90%Overall
Rating
Last Wednesday I got back from my trip to Costa Rica and it wasn't until my last Saturday there, when I was in Samara, that I actually felt like coming home. Up until then I wanted to stay because I absolutely loved it there and didn't want to leave. Particularly the people and the town I did my project in, San Pedro.
It was through ISV that I had the opportunity to go, have the time of my life and meet some amazing people. During my project, my group and I were in San Pedro working to help the community by building an eco house for their coffee season so that they could store their materials and tools for when they were planting coffee plants and we were also making eco bricks to make a small bridge for the community to use.
During the two weeks we were there, not only did we become close as a group and become friends but we also became quite close with our host families and really come to feel at home there and like we were part of the community. And it is just an amazing feeling knowing that my group and I helped build something that the community needed and will be there for a while.
The town and the people who live there were so wonderful in welcoming us and making us feel at home that towards the end of our project, when we were driving back into town the day after our second day off it felt like we were coming back home from a camping trip or something--we really felt like we were at home there.
After the project, we rejoined a lot of the people who also went to Costa Rica and went on a two week adventure tour around Costa Rica and again had an amazing time. I met new people and formed new/more friendships with them and had a great time travelling around visiting new towns, staying in beautiful hotels- some of which were surrounded by equally beautiful scenery and natural surroundings- and the activities were so much fun- I honestly don't know if I would have considered zip lining if I hadn't gone to Costa Rica but it was honestly my favourite thing that we did there.
Being able to have this experience was amazing! I had the best time and it was honestly the best experience I have ever had. I learned a lot- not only about the environment and being more conscious of how I use things back home- but also about myself and different living is over there and how easy it is over here.
Coming home to Australia and not waking up in Costa Rica and seeing all the friends that I made there everyday seemed like a strange idea at first and unreal the night before we flew out of Costa Rica and it slowly got more real as we all started going our separate ways- whether we were going back to Australia or New Zealand or whether we were going travelling somewhere else- the things we did and saw and the friends we made, made that more special because no one else will know what it was like for us or know how much fun we had.
I am honestly looking forward to going back one day.
90%Overall
Rating
ISV knows what they are doing. They gave me 4 weeks of complete cultural immersion, adventure, and education. I learned so much about the locals and native species! Especially sea turtles. We did beach patrols at night, looking for nesting mothers. We would measure them and collect their eggs as they were laid, so we could move them to a safer spot in the hatchery. We monitored the hatchery 24/7, and once the babies emerged, we recorded data and released them to the sea. In the second two weeks, we went on an adventure tour. This was a very organized vacation, packed with activities that most people may not have the chance to experience. For example, we went on a nature hike, horse-back riding, river rafting and visited a mud spa, just in one day! I made so many friends from around the world and countless memories that will last. Volunteering in Costa Rica helped me decide to pursue a career in marine conservation. My life has changed since this trip, and I am so happy I had this opportunity.
Critical Feedback:
It is a little more expensive than similar programs, and I wish they offered better fundraising advice. But you get a lot for your money!
100%Overall
Rating
In June 2012 I went to Costa Rica for 5 weeks with International Student Volunteers. I decided to travel with ISV because I didn't want to just see the sights, I didn't want to just be a tourist. I wanted to live there, volunteer in the community, learn and speak the language, all while doing more than a tourist does, not just seeing the sights but skydiving off them, walking through the waterfalls, kayaking to a private island, and much more. My 5 weeks started in a town called Heredia, I took classes at the local english to spanish university for a week. With 30 other ISV students we were broken up into classes with 5 students and 1 teacher based on the spanish we know. I lived in the town there with a host family closely living to the other students walking everywhere. My second and third weeks were spent with my group of 12 people up in the highest altitude in Costa Rica living in the cloud forrest atop the mountains. The first of my two weeks there were spent making an environmentally friendly manure for the farmers there who grow coffee plants. This was a very small community with less than 100 people and almost everyone was a cousin of someone else. One rural dirt road ran through several mountains and connected the town, the school, and all of the houses spread out through miles. Also during the first week we worked on five different farms throughout their small community. The second week was spent working on the dirt road pouring concreate from where the previous groups have ended and we continued. All of this was done while each of us lived in different homes, all virtually neighbors. I lived with the nicest old couple in a nice home on a farm with hens, horses, dogs, cows, etc. He was also known for being the oldest, nicest, man in the town and during the time I spent their I threw a surprise party for my couple when I found out about their 30th wedding anniversary. They told me thank you, but in their culture 30 isn't big and I needed to come back in 10 years for the 40th when the entire town will be partying. Sadly I had to leave my little home in Costa Rica, as the 12 of us headed back crying on the bus. When we got back to Heredia we met up with the other 5 volunteer projects and all 60 of us were divided in half for our adventure tour. After all going out for a fun night together we left the next morning headed out on reverse trips one started at the end and one at the beginning, sadly not meeting half way. The adventure tour was an amazing time filled with some of the best things I have ever done. Surf lessons, kayaking, massage on the beach, horseback ridding, climbing waterfalls, sea tubing, white water rafting, mud spas, and much more. It was the best 5 weeks of my life and this summer, I am going to Australia. I would recommend ISV to anyone who wants to go to Australia, South Africa, Thailand, New Zealand, Dominican Republic or of course, my Costa Rica.
Critical Feedback:
The people that work in the office aren't very helpful when dealing with things
90%Overall
Rating
I volunteered with the WIDECAST initiative on the OSA Peninsula working with sea turtles. It changed my life! Honestly, one of the best experiences ever! I still start many of my sentences "In Costa Rica...." The country is beautiful and the host family we stayed with was wonderful. I learned so much during my time there! I now know so much more about sea turtles and even learned a little Spanish even though I didn't take the Spanish week. PURA VIDA EVERYONE!
Critical Feedback:
At times things were a little uncoordinated but that comes with the fact that this is a very new initiative. Patience is required but just being able to live in a place that is so pure is worth every idle minute :)
100%Overall
Rating
It was a truly memorable experience and I will never forget it!
I enjoyed meeting all the people involved in the project and adventure weeks and I overcame fears and I encounted difficulties which I also overcame, and I feel proud to have acomplished this.
Everyone was so helpful and I felt safe and looked after for the whole duration.
I would recommend this trip to everyone!
Critical Feedback:
I would like there to be more detail on packing lists for the trip , as I found I bought things for the trip that were requested and I did not need them, so I think a more detailed list would be useful so I know exactly what I need for my particular project/trip.
100%Overall
Rating
It was an absolutely life changing experience. It was my first chance to put what I had been learning in the classroom to use in the field. I learned so much about conservation, the country and myself during my month in Costa Rica. I loved every minute of it and we we did valuable work on the wildlife reserve. It has inspired me to work in several different countries throughout my career. I owe a lot to my experience with ISV and I wish that every student could have the same opportunity. Costa Rica is such a beautiful country with an incredible culture.
100%Overall
Rating
Traveling with ISV was the best decision I've made in my 23 years of life. I have done study abroad and backpacked through Europe but nothing has impacted my life quite like the ISV experience. The staff is there for you 24/7 and they are super friendly. I worked in an incredible community building a road for coffee farms out of sustainable materials and eco-bricks, learned about eco-tourism, and played with the local children. It was a very humbling experience to say the least but after your volunteer work is over the next 2 weeks is an AWESOME adventure tour that practices sustainable tourism initiatives! We did everything in those 2 weeks; horseback riding, cliff jumping, whitewater rafting, kayaking, surfing, zip lining, free-hand rappelling, and the list goes on. ISV enhanced my love for adventure, travel and culture.
100%Overall
Rating
I travelled to Costa Rica in 2011 to do a project in Golfo Dulce. Our project was all about researching dolphin and poison dart frog populations in the area so as to determine their critical areas and protect their habitats. So we spent half our days out on a boat recording the behaviour of dolphins which was absolutely unreal. The other half was spent trekking through these stunning rainforests, looking for poison dart frog- a ridiculously cool experience.
We were completely immersed in the culture, staying with a host family and working alongside the locals. It was great because we saw Costa Rica from an angle that tourists don't get to see.
I learnt so much while I was there about sustainability and responsible tourism, and I took that back home with my when I left. It was absolutely the most fun and the most rewarding 5 weeks of my life, from the Spanish lessons to the project to the adventure tour! This program was the best experience of my life, and it will change yours! I recommend ISV's programs to anyone who wants to travel and to make a difference in our world!
Critical Feedback:
I seriously don't know. This program is great, the staff are really on to it, so you just get to sit back, relax and have a great time!
100%Overall
Rating
I traveled to Costa Rica in 2008 with ISV and worked with a sea turtle research organization. We would do nightly patrols of the beach with WIDECAST researchers looking for turtles and nests so that we could collect important data in regards to their nesting habits. We also worked during the day cleaning the beach and helped rebuild an old school house into a dormitory for the researchers. The amount I learned in regards to conservation, sustainability and responsible tourism was amazing. They did such a great job and turning hard work into an incredibly rewarding experience. The 2nd two weeks on the adventure tour was just unreal. We went rafting to a lodge in the middle of the rainforest, ziplining, rapelling down waterfalls and snorkeling just to name a few activities. I came home so stoked on this program that 4 of my closest friends have traveled with ISV now as well. I highly recommend any of their projects!!
Critical Feedback:
I honestly can't think of anything I would change. They did such a great job and making sure everyone felt comfortable, even when many students had never traveled outside of the states before!
100%Overall
Rating
While I was in Costa Rica I volunteered for Proyecto Carey, located in the Osa Peninsula. It was a breathtakingly beautiful area surrounded by picturesque beaches and the locals were gracious and kind. During our two weeks we hiked through the rain forest and documented frugivores' interactions with nutmeg trees, all in the hopes of creating legislation to protect nutmeg trees for future generations. My roommate was amazing, as were the rest of the volunteers on our project and our host families. We truly became a little family during our time at Proyecto Carey.
The second two weeks were a wonderful finish to a meaningful trip! The activities were terrifying, crazy, and wonderful. We all had the time of our lives! I made great friends and enjoyed so many new experiences. Sometimes I look back at the pictures from my trip because it's the only real proof that something this wonderful actually happened, and it wasn't all a figment of my imagination!
If you're considering going on this trip- DO IT! There is no possibly way you will regret it!!
Critical Feedback:
I honestly can't think of a single thing I would change.
100%Overall
Rating
This was the best opportunity that I ever could have taken in my entire life. The first two weeks being able to help out a local community in another country while spending some serious bonding time with people from all over the world was an amazing experience. I felt like the work that I was apart of really helped out the community. I had so much fun and made friends that I never would have known without this trip, that I will have for the rest of my life. After the volunteer experience being able to travel around the country and participate in activities that I am unable to do in my home state gave me the most amazing stories, pictures, and memories. The trip really taught me how to be responsible on a global level, not just in regards to my carbon footprint, but also how to be a responsible tourist. Adding on the extra week and pushing myself to a higher physical level really made some of my wildest dreams come true.
100%Overall
Rating
I have always wanted to volunteer abroad and when I heard about International Student Volunteers I signed up to volunteer in Costa Rica straight away. I have always been fortunate enough to live a very comfortable lifestyle and this seemed the perfect opportunity to give back. However, I could never have predicted how incredible Costa Rica and ISV would be!
A group of 9 volunteers arrived in a small fishing village called San Juanillo and it was our job to build a deck and bathrooms as well as paint the walls and prepare all the finishing touches such as roof boards and doors for the new building where the local fishermen would soon be preparing and selling their fish. The old building where they prepared the fish was on the beach and was severely damaged from waves and weather and was being robbed as no one lives on the beach to supervise. Past ISV volunteers had left their impact on this beautiful town such as implementing a recycling system and starting the building that we were to finish. Work was hot and we had never sweated so much in our lives! We started at 7am and completed tasks such as digging eight 1x1m deep holes, mixing cement manually, painting, sanding, digging through concrete to level the driveway and all the odd jobs typical of any building site. By 3pm we were tired and dirty and ready for bed. Instead we spent our afternoons playing with the local kids doing activities such as soccer, traditional games and taking them to the beach with us.
We stayed with the most generous host families. Whilst these people didn't have much, they welcomed us into their homes and their families and the generosity and care that they showed us is something that I will never forget!
The group of volunteers came from three different countries (Australia, New Zealand and the USA) but we came together for a common cause: wanting to impact our world. Not only did we work together and support each other to achieve more than we could have ever expected but the friendships that have been created will be lifelong. Together we shared laughs, tears and an experience that could never be forgotten.
Of course there were times that were hard. The language barrier was at times stressful and the different lifestyle, food and culture pushed our comfort zones. But the support we received from our ISV leader made all these times that much more manageable. Our project leader changed the way we saw the world as well as our attitudes and beliefs about living in a sustainable manner, but most of all he was a friend and support to everyone and the changed the experience in such a positive way for everyone involved.
When the village chief thanked us on the last night for our efforts, he told us that due to the money we had into the project and our labour we achieve more in two weeks than they could have in 20 years. I think this highlighted how much we contributed and how appreciative the small fishing village was.
I knew that Costa Rica was going to be an amazing experience, but I could never have predicted that it was going to change my life the way it did. I am now going to South Africa with ISV at the end of 2012 because I cannot imagine a better way to spend the summer holidays than by giving back and having the time of my life! PURA VIDA!
90%Overall
Rating
ISV offers you the chance to volunteer on a range of different community and conservation projects. I volunteered for seaturtle research which took me to the amazing town of Ostional. Staying with a home stay family was difficult as my Mamma Tica spoke no English, but she tried very hard as did I to speak Spanish! The work was was at night so sleep was often deprived but man was it worth it! You got to see 3 different species of seaturtles with the leaders making sure everyone saw them as well as the baby turtles we released.This is what made you feel like you were making a difference. After the volunteer work ISV allows you to travel around Costa Rica with a wonderful guide. You get out of your comfit zone and get to experience things you wouldn't usually be able to. Its diffidently worth going!
100%Overall
Rating
Hannah Richardson- Smith and I were selected to participate in a unique five-week volunteer program in Costa Rica, working alongside 50 other like-minded individuals from around the world. Together we worked under the direction of an organisation called International Student Volunteers (ISV) and this was made possible by local support, especially that of the Lorne Lion's Club.
During our first week in Costa Rica, we were housed within local host families where we attended school- learned Spanish, and were immersed within a new culture. We then began our volunteer project, which ran in conjunction with local community leaders and educated us of conservation issues. A key tool in the project's sustainability was protecting endangered turtle species.
Costa Rica is considered one of the most important nesting grounds for sea turtles in the world. More than fifty different nesting beaches can be found along the Carribean and Pacific coasts, where five out of the world's seven sea turtle species come ashore to lay their eggs. One of these beaches is Ostional- where we were based for volunteering. The community of Ostional has been active in sea turtle conservation for the past forty years and is one of very few nesting beaches where turtles nest year round. Three species which travel to use this important nesting site include the Olive Ridley Sea Turtle, Pacific Green Sea Turtle and the Leatherback Sea Turtle (which were what we worked with).
The importance of our volunteer work was due to the arribada phenomenon (which occurs once per month, where thousands of Olive Ridley turtles come ashore to nest) and has lead to Leatherback turtles becoming critically endangered due to their nests being destroyed by the Olive Ridley turtles. Until 2004, no comprehensive research on the Leatherback turtle nesting activity had been carried out. Similarly, despite the high rates of poaching reported, no specific measures were implemented to protect this species.
Hannah and I participated in nightly patrols led by experienced biologists and local conservationists. These consisted of walking roughly 22kms a night, alongside hatchery shifts- where we monitored and then released baby Leatherback turtles. During a nocturnal beach patrol we measured the carapace (shell) length of nesting adult turtles, helped with data collection for future research (record time, zone, activity etc. of the turtles), tagged turtle flippers, relocated nests into the hatchery, excavated and examined nests which had been disrupted by local dogs, poachers and external unnatural causes, measured and weighed recently-born hatchlings, released and monitored the hatchlings on their journey to the ocean and built new nests to transplant eggs in attempt to receive higher rates of Leatherback success.
Moreover, during our time in Ostional, Hannah and I alongside other volunteers achieved to tag 18 Olive Ridley turtles, counted a total of 1332 turtle eggs- laid by 16 Olive Ridley turtles, measured 2 Leatherback turtles and counted their 57 eggs, witnessed a 70% Green Sea Turtle nest excavation success, witnessed 25% Leatherback hatchling success, released 13 hatchlings, witnessed 3 Green Sea turtles hatch from natural nests, participated in 40 hours of patrol per week each, participated in collecting 202 kgs of plastic from the beach and also 36 hours of log clean up.
Ostional is located seven hours from the capital city of San Jose', where Hannah and I were collected and transported via truck out to the beach in what was almost forty degree weather. We stayed with separate host families and were forced to communicate with them only through Spanish. The typical community homes were small and basic, but comfortable, consisting of two or three bedrooms, a kitchen, living room and bathroom, where we experienced no running hot water for the duration of our project. Through staying with these families we were generating local income, which represented an important alternative activity to the extractive use of sea turtles and our enthusiasm and motivation encouraged the protection of these essential and overlooked creatures within the local community. Our diet consisted of the traditional gallo pinto for breakfast, lunch and dinner (rice and black beans), which we happily demolished at the time, however are thoroughly enjoying the variation of foods back in Lorne.
We were both proud representatives of Lorne within our project, and are extremely thankful and grateful to the Lorne Lion's club for their support in helping us on this venture. Hannah and I feel we have learnt a lot from this experience and appreciate the support we received from everyone in Lorne who allowed us experienced this opportunity.
Although at points in this trip we experienced corruption within the local community we were living in, Hannah and I used these opportunities to learn, and allowed us to appreciate our community back home. It was inspiring.
100%Overall
Rating
The volunteering was absolutely amazing. I developed friendships I still have and loved every minute of it. The traveling/vacation part was awesome as well. The planned activities were exciting and eclectic. Overall the trip was one I will never forget
90%Overall
Rating
This was an amazing experience that I will never forget! I think there are many volunteer opportunities for sea turtle conservation, but I think this one would top it off as being the best one. At Ostional, by day we would relax, enjoy the beach (and because the beach was large and there aren't many people living in the village, it was almost as if we had it all to ourselves), participate in activities with the local community, and occasionally clean up the beach. Just be prepared for the heat and mosquito bites. By night we would spend glorious walks along the beach in search for sea turtles.
The scene at night was absolutely beautiful. Imagine, walking with a small group of friends on a dark beach, only lit under the starry sky, including the Milky Way, and occasionally by the silent flashes of heat lightning. You feel the gentle breeze coming from the ocean and only hear the sounds of the gentle waves. After walking for a certain time, you rest on the dry, soft sandy beach before turning back. Most of my night experiences were like this.
My favourite one includes the night when we suddenly spotted thousands of sea turtles coming onto shore during "la arribada" to nest their eggs. It was sudden because I thought the beach was mostly empty until a heat lightning flashed and thousands of large turtles were seen surrounding us. The next night, the moonlight kept the beach lit enough for us to just watch all the turtles do their things. These nights were unforgettable sights!
100%Overall
Rating
I went to Costa Rica with ISV for 5 weeks over Jan-Feb. WE spent 1 week learning Spanish, this was a good chance to meet everyone on the tour (64 People). We split into groups of 12-13 people to volunteer for 2 weeks, I worked with dolphins and frog to make the area a national park. We spent the last 2 weeks in a group of 30 people (half the group) doing an adventure program. ISV ran this section really well making sure you never repeated any activities.
I met some great friends on this trip and enjoyed all 5 weeks. I can't wait to do it again. Thanks ISV.
100%Overall
Rating
Volunteering in Costa Rica through ISV has been the most rewarding and amazing experience of my life so far. In 5 weeks I was able to participate in a range of activities across the country. The first week involved a homestay and language program in Heredia, where I was able to practice my Spanish with my mama tica, learn more about the country and culture (including the national phrase Pura Vida! or, Pure Life) and explore the city - including one day where we went in search of a panaderia (bakery), got a little lost and had fun walking through markets and shops making our way back. I then spent 2 weeks living in a very remote area of the rainforest in the Osa Peninsula where I assisted in collecting data about tree reproduction and how animals and birds are important - also living with a family during this time and learning the different customs and ways of life. During this two weeks I had the opportunity to see a number of Scarlett Macaws and Toucans every day! In the final two weeks of the program we travelled to a different 'tourist' location every 2 days- visiting volcanos, going to mud spas and hot springs, doing nature walks to search for animals/birds, and participating in fun adventure activities like zip-lining, white-water rafting, horse riding, and jumping off many many rocks into different rivers!
It was the best 5 weeks of my life!
100%Overall
Rating
Visiting Costa Rica with ISV is the best idea I've ever had. The first week was an optional addition - Spanish language lessons. We were at school for four hours a day, and we had the afternoons to explore. Everyone stayed with another student from ISV with a host family to practice all the Spanish we were learning, and it was a lot. There were also excursions - we went to Volcan Poas and Tortuga.
The two weeks after this are your volunteer project - and you have a choice of community or conservation. I was on a conservation project in the Rainforest down in Peninsula de la Osa, collecting data from nutmeg trees as part of the research into a biodiversity study looking at the effects of selective logging. We were hiking through the jungle for four hours a day, and we had discussion sessions in the afternoons. The rest of the time was our own, and we spent it either practising our Spanish with our 9 year old host sister, at the beach (there's only so much laughing ridicule you can take) or lying in hammocks eating frozen banana helados. The project was tons of fun, and the work we were doing is something that hasn't been studied before, and it will inform environmental policy, likely around the world, in the future.
The last two weeks were the adventure tour. In two weeks, we went kayaking, surfing, hiking, horse riding, cliff jumping, tubing, relaxed in hot springs, chilled out at a mud spa, went zip-lining across the rainforest canopy, rappelled down next to a waterfall, and climbed back up the cliff face on a cable ladder, got to meet some people from a native Costa Rican Tribe, we saw some rastafarian culture on the Caribbean coast, went for a bike ride, saw howler monkeys, spider monkeys, capuchin monkeys, and sloths, we went through level three and four white water rapids, and when we weren't going through the rapids, we were pirate boarding each others boats, throwing each other in the water, or jumping off cliffs into the river. On the day we spent at the eco lodge (only accessible by raft) we went bouldering up a creek where we got to slide down a natural rock waterslide.
And, amazing as all that was, the best part about the trip was the fantastic new friends I've made - all the volunteer students, and some amazing people from Costa Rica too.
Travelling with ISV gives you the opportunity to do some good and make a difference, to experience the culture and have a ton of fun - they organise everything for you, check the safety, make sure it's through reputable local companies to give a kick to the local economy. And they are there to look after things if anything goes wrong. Like if a monkey steals your prescription sunglasses.
100%Overall
Rating
Hello,
Seriously, it would take me 2 days to write all the emotions and experiences i had on this trip. So i am just gonna say in simple words.
Take the trip! I went there for a month (including the adventure tour) and believe me i had a post isv depression when i arrived back to Greece. Nothing would excite me as much as the trip itself in Costa Rica. I loved it man. Believe me i have stories to tell... ts. ts.. Its for everyone out there, for every type of person. I myself i am a bit of an adrenaline junkie, but the programme suits everyone. Do it and you wont regret, you ll have a lot of summer vacations where you live.
Be different and make the difference. I guarantee you, you will not regret it and I am talking about everything right here. The whole group was about 90 people with 65 females and 25 males more or less. I ll say no more. Take the trip and dnt be weak. True Story bro
100%Overall
Rating
This program was amazing. I'm not even exaggerating. You might think I am, but I'm not. I'll start at the beginning.
ISV Reps came to my university (University of Prince Edward Island), and I made my decision right then and there, I was going to Costa Rica. I signed up in like October, and was only leaving in July... So I had to be patient. But, time flew by, and before I knew it, we were on our way to la Pura Vida! As soon as we landed I felt safe, and welcomed. There were lots of other ISV participants landing at the same time, and ISV staff in the airport just waiting to meet you. We got on the bus, and heading to our hostel (which wasn't really a hostel at all, more like an awesome ISV B&B). We had orientation, met all of our group, and were off to our volunteer destination the next day. Those 2 weeks were some of the best weeks of my life.
I never expected to get so close with my volunteer group. There were 12-14 of us, no electricity, no TV, no internet. So when we weren't working we had nothing else to do but to talk to each other. It felt so good to do that again. Our group was placed in San San Pond Sak in Panama, on a Sea Turtle Conservation project. I felt completely safe during our entire stay. The staff & project coordinators were amazing, so welcoming. They showed us their culture, and we helped with whatever they wanted us to help with.
Our volunteer tasks ranged from helping them build a dock, to doing work with the sea turtles (my favorite part). We help with night patrols: patrolling the beach at night, hoping to find a turtle laying her eggs on the beach. If we did find one, we'd collect her eggs and bring them to the hatchery to protect them from poachers & wildlife.
Food. The food was different, but in a good way. Although I'd be lying if I said my first piece of pizza afterwards wasn't heaven.. And I'll never eat plantains again, ever. But overall, it was good.
We got to go into town during our volunteer weeks too, which was great. Got to call our parents, use the internet, etc.
Now, for the adventure tour. It was AMAZING. Once you're done your 2 weeks of volunteer, you go on a cross-country tour of 2 weeks doing AMAZING things. We went white-water rafting for 3 days, we went zip-lining, saw SO many things - stayed in these swank eco-friendly hotels. I can't even explain it. You just gotta do it.
Bottom line - if you want to travel, and experience a country for what it REALLY is, not just its tourist locations, do an ISV program. You won't regret it.
100%Overall
Rating
Costa Rica is truly a beautiful and happy place. I loved every moment of my ISV trip. I don't know of any other program that so perfectly combines volunteer opportunities and adventure.
I participated in Sea Turtle conservation in Ostional. The place was small, but wonderful. The thing you learn quickly in Costa Rica is that things are wet. And waterproof things in America might well be waterproof in America, but NOT in Costa Rica. The only issue I had was discovering my foulie wasn't entirely water resistant, but then again, is anything when introduced to Costa Rica rain?
Also, it's important to like rice and beans, and maybe tortilla! With a delicious fruit drink.
Honestly, I loved the food, I loved being outside, even the rain. The ISV staff were very knowledgable of all things Costa Rica and always there to help. If you are looking to Volunteer abroad, do it with ISV and seriously consider Costa Rica. Pura Vida!
100%Overall
Rating
Absolutely worth every penny. If you have a chance to go with ISV take it! I made life long friends, while doing my part in helping the world. I did sea turtle conservation in San San Pond Sak. The staff there was awesome including our project leader. We released over 400 hundred baby turtles and collected lots of eggs! Wonderful if you love working with animals.
Seriously worth any amount of time and money it took to get there. Best experience of my life!
100%Overall
Rating
The things I experienced on this trip were once in a lifetime. I would not change any part of it and I highly, highly recommend it. I spent a total of five weeks in Costa Rica. The first week I spent in Heredia for a Spanish Immersion week. The next two weeks I spent volunteering and impacting a small town called Altamira. The last two weeks, we traveled the country doing extreme activities, such as ziplining, cliff rappelling, horseback riding, white water rafting, etc. My favorite part of this experience was interacting with a different type of people and a different culture. The people in Costa Rica, the ones I lived with and the ones I met, were some of the nicest, most caring people I have ever known. The two families that I stayed with will be my family for life. I still talk to them today via Facebook and I hope to be able to visit them again in the future. I went into this trip questioning my major and my life path and it changed me completely. I went into this trip as a Criminal Forensics major. I came out as a Criminal Forensics major. The change is in how I live my life. I realized that I just want to be happy and be surrounded by the people that I love. People in Costa Rica value family more than they value social status and money. They don't work overtime and they eat dinner together every night. They're happy with what they have and now I am happy with what I have. ISV made this experience even better. It really is an all-inclusive trip. It included volunteering and helping people, having fun and meeting people, learning a new culture, and doing some extreme activities that would not have been possible otherwise. The other people who went on this trip with ISV and the things I learned during my time in Costa Rica will be with me for the rest of my life.
PURA VIDA!
100%Overall
Rating
Could you ever imagine packing up a luggage, boarding a plane, and heading off on an adventure to a completely new country?! And on your own?! It took be by surprise, but signing up with ISV gave me the experience of a lifetime that I could have never forseen coming in my future back when I just started college! I traveled to Costa Rica and lived in a small beautiful community in the mountains. I stayed with a host family for two weeks. I can still smell the morning coffee and taste the fresh mango and the beans! Oh how I loved those beans! It was so hard leaving them, my host mom and I cried the day I boarded that bus to be on my way to the adventure tour. The adventure tour! Surfing the crystal blue waves, zip lining through the forest. The most exilerating experience of my life! The people I met on this trip have affected me in a way my parents can not even imagine! I have best friends in Scotland, Ireland, and England now! As well as the U.S. ofcoarse! This trip made me grow as a person and has given me confidence. I know that I am going places in my life and I can change the world. I recommend this trip to any and all! Through donations I payed for half of this trip, and almost all the donations were given to me from people who I would never have expected to donate! Give it a try, and take a chance. You will not regret it!
100%Overall
Rating
Traveling to Costa Rica with ISV was one of the most influential experiences in my life. Working hands-on with sea turtles for two weeks was a once in a life-time adventure, and living in a remote station in Nancite was incredible. Waking up to howler monkeys, trekking through a forest of crabs on the way to the ocean, and sharing my lunch with an iguana were just a few of my daily living occurrences. The staff, biologist, and ISV project leader were fantastic, giving us 9 student volunteers an amazing experience. By making friends, learning bad Spanish, and spending our days playing beach volleyball, swimming in near-10foot waves, and scouting for crocodiles, this trip would be nothing without the knowledge and experience of the local staff. I would recommend this adventure of a life time to anyone!! I LOVE ISV!!!!
90%Overall
Rating
Traveling with ISV is truly an experience. From the time I submitted my application I was SO EXCITED! You can go more places besides Costa Rica and do conservation (working with the wildlife) or community (working with the people) projects. I chose conservation and did spotted dolphin/poison dart frog research. My project group was lucky to have been in a place with the rainforest on one side and the ocean on the other (so beautiful!). A week before my project I participated in the Spanish Lessons and stayed with a host family. They were so amazing--they made me feel like a part of the family and were friendly and welcoming--and I plan to go back in the future to visit them. On our adventure tour we had native Costa Rican guides to take us around and do the different activities with. They were some of the most amazing people I'd ever met and made you feel completely safe. We went white water rafting, zip lining in the canopies of trees, and much more! The accommodations from the Spanish Lessons and my project were amazing but on the adventure tour you feel like a queen/king--everything is decked out. We had a hot tub in our floor in the one place! Everything was also extremely safe. There was always someone checking in on us whether it was our Host Mom, our project leader, or our tour guide. I ended up getting two ear infections while I was there (one in each ear--I get them often) and there were people in the California office checking on me (in a different country!) and my project leader took me to a hospital to get medicine (it was truly a Costa Rican experience, by the way, because I got to see how actual Costa Ricans live). Overall, it was a great experience. It's not a vacation program because you're there to volunteer but you do have a lot of fun--even if there are conflicts with other volunteers or whatever (sometimes the ones who do think it's a vacation cause problems). Aside from the conflicts, you will make a bunch of friends and keep in contact with them--it's hard not to, you meet a lot of great people from all over the world and can even use them as a resource in future travels! ISV looks out for the volunteers, offers many resources to help, and has offices in each country they have programs in so it's really great. I loved the experience so much that I became a Student Rep, referred a bunch of friends (to do it!), and am planning to travel again ASAP! :)
90%Overall
Rating
My ISV experience included 2 weeks of volunteer work and 2 weeks of activities. I did 80+ hours of volunteer work with endangered species, such as dolphins and poison dart frogs! Seeing those dolphins in their natural habitat was exhilarating and I know that my volunteer work would help keep them safe. The activities were out of this world! I did so many things in one month that I don't think I could have dreamed of doing if I hadn't gone. I zip-lined, white water rafted, rappelled 290 feet down a waterfall, and so many other things. Besides the volunteering and the adventure, I learned something much bigger... I learned to be confident and to explore the world. There are so many different cultures and ways of life. I found a meaning within myself while I was in Costa Rica that I would have never found on my own. ISV helped change my perspective on life and the things around me. If I had the chance, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!
100%Overall
Rating
Traveling through ISV to Costa Rica was the most life changing experience ever!
I stayed for 5 weeks and through that duration I never wanted to go home, I never felt let down, I never felt unsafe, and I never once wanted to be doing something different.
ISV gives you so many options to have the most amazing experience. I got to take part in both a Spanish immersion week and an Adventure tour of activities across the country along with my 2 week volunteer project. Each time I was accompanied by unbelievable leaders whose organization was impeccable, and people from around the world who I couldn't have been closer with.
I stayed with host families and found out that life is not always about material things, but rather community. I learned so much about myself and I felt like I was a daughter in another family.
We ate like gods, I had alot of rice and beans, but the americanized food was also abundant.
Living out of a back pack for 5 weeks was amazing, you realize how much you don't need at home.
I knew no one when I left and it was very scary, but I would do it again in a second, and I would have payed double the price for the accommodations and the unforgettable experience I had.
It was the type of trip for everyone, if you like to site see, if you like culture,if you like to party, if you like adventure, I got all of that and sooooo much more in a matter of 5 weeks.
I am so much more of an outgoing and happy person. I think more of others now, and all I want to do is travel, it doesn't get any better than this.
100%Overall
Rating
I loved going to Costa Rica! Our host families were so friendly and hospitable. We stayed in a very remote part of the jungle so we got to see a whole different kind of setting that what we were used to. I will definitely be returning!
90%Overall
Rating
This was the experience of a life time. I was in San Cristobal Norte and constructed a road. I learned to speak Spanish I did not know any when I got there. This program gave me a new look on life and the world. I learned to live without technology without the internet I for the first time really saw the world. And it was beautiful now I try a little time everyday just viewing the world around me and enjoying life, Pura Vida pure life a Costa Rican saying that means many things but mostly in Costa Rica the most important thing is family and spending time with them. This is something I will never forget. Even though the work was hard and exhausting and HOT it was also enjoyable the look on the town folks when the road was finished. But after the work was done we got some time for fun. I zip lined down a volcano. Rafted on a river for 2 days baths in natural hot springs and swam in the ocean for the first time. I did things that I never dreamt of doing. I faced my fears knowing that it was completely safe and even conquered some of them like my fear of heights. The friends I made the people I met I will never forget. I still keep in touch with my host families there. They mean so much to me I lived with them for over 3 weeks and I lived as they do ate local foods some was good some not so much, though I never got use to how much they ate after my first meal I was not worried about being hungry. In addition I did the extra excursion to Peru. It was a 4 day hike to Machu Pichu camping under the stars climbing a mountain standing a glacier. But nothing beats the sight of the ruins there what a manifest city. This was an experience that if I ever had the chance I would do it again and recommend anyone to do it as well and for what you pay to be part of this program is so much less than what you get out of it. I can say that I miss everything and everyone in Costa Rica and I made a promise to my host families that one day I will return a promise I intend to keep because of my experiences in this program I plan to continue volunteering in my local town and perhaps around the world as well. I guess the only thing I can say to wrap this up is PURA VIDA!!
100%Overall
Rating
Costa Rica is an absolutely beautiful country. I feel privileged to have experienced it with ISV. Not only did I feel like I made a difference, but I also got to see and do things that I could not have managed on my own without the help of the organization.
There were several different volunteer projects, I was assigned to the Sea Turtle conservation project which was actually located in Panama (only a few kilometres south-east from the Costa Rican border). Our project which consisted of about 14 volunteers and a project leader was stationed in the San San Pond Sack wetlands on the Caribbean Coast. Our project had us participating in various activities throughout the day (we also had free time as well). Then at nighttime we would begin our beach patrols searching for nesting Leatherback sea turtles. The patrol groups consisted of about 3-4 volunteers and a patrol leader who would direct us. We would take data and measurements of the turtles, then collect the eggs and relocate them safely to our hatchery.
The locals living on the island were very friendly and always willing to teach us new things. The beach was gorgeous during the daytime (much of our free time was spent enjoying it). The food was also very good, I found myself looking forward to every meal I enjoyed it that much! The only challenges our group encountered was of course getting used to the high temperature and humidity and the bugs.
Due to the nature of the Sea Turtle project, we were not allowed to wear bug spray during our night patrols. Wearing long sleeves and protective clothing during night patrols is a MUST. Sand flies and mosquitoes were probably the two biggest annoyances about the project. Everything else just simply took some getting used to, but it never hurts to come prepared! When our departure came at the end of the first 2 weeks, everyone was very sad to leave the island. Even to this day I find myself missing it quite a bit!
The first 2 weeks are spent on the volunteer project, then if you opted for the 4-week package the real fun comes with the Costa Rica adventure tour! All of the different volunteer groups meet up at a central location in Costa Rica and spend the next 2 weeks touring around the country doing some really exciting stuff.
Our first activity was white water rafting on the Paracuare river, to a secluded jungle lodge owned by the organization. We then made a giant loop around the country, stopping at different locations for different activities. We also stayed in some very nice hotels and accommodations that were very comfortable and relaxing! The adventure tour as a whole was simply amazing and the first 2 weeks of volunteer work make you really feel like you earned it!
Everyone, from the project leaders to my fellow volunteers were all amazing. I made a lot of friends and we all simply had the time of our lives that we won't soon forget. We almost felt like a big family by the end of the trip, the goodbyes were very sad.
I simply can't suggest enough for everyone to go on a 1-month ISV volunteer trip. It will change your life and make you appreciate the world and each other so much more!
Users who viewed this program also viewed...
Alumni Interviews
Tiffany Westrom - Costa Rica
Tiffany Westrom is from Cedar Rapids, Iowa and is currently studying journalism and event management at Iowa State University. She is a storyteller who always has ice cream and warm weather on her brain.
Where: Costa Rica
When: June 10-July 10, 2012
Highlights: The best part of the volunteer experience was the relationships that I formed. Our host family took us in like we were their own children. They were so genuine and hardworking, I found myself amazed by them every day. And it wasn't just our family who was like that; it was every person in the village. And don't even get me started on my fellow volunteers. The three people that I lived with during the volunteer experience were so great and I really enjoyed how close we got over such a short period of time. The rest of the group was awesome as well and I got to know many more of them during the adventure tour. My highlight of the whole trip was the adventure tour. To be able to rappel a waterfall, raft three and four class rapids, float down a river, zip line through the rainforest, enjoy hot springs and swim in two oceans and three rivers in one trip is just life changing. I've never experienced anything like it, and it was wonderful.
Morning: In the mornings we would wake up early to begin our hike. Our gracious mama tica (host mom) would have breakfast ready for us. Breakfast ranged from pancakes and eggs to cereal and coffee. And every morning we would have a different fresh fruit. With good food to fuel us, we would meet our guide for the day and start out on the hike. The hiking was sometimes a bit difficult, but the sunrise, the rainforest, and the monkeys made it worth it every time. My team was helping collect data about the nutmeg trees in the area, so we would hike anywhere from two to five miles to the trees or traps that we needed to collect data from. Some mornings, we would observe what animals interacted with the trees and other days we would count the seeds that were caught in traps. Our guides taught us so much about the land and the culture during those walks, it was hard to walk away thinking that they were anything but fountains of knowledge.
Afternoon: We would often get back from our hike before it was time for lunch at noon, so we would cool off in the ocean. You usually went on the hikes in teams of 3-4 with a guide. So, when each team came back we would meet up at the beach. After some good ocean time, we would have lunch with our families. Lunch was made up of rice and beans plus fresh vegetables and meat. After some free time to journal, nap, or kick the soccer ball around, we would meet up as a group again. In the afternoons we would work on a project for the village that we were staying with. In my case, we made eco-bricks out of their trash that could be used as building materials and we helped with a tree nursery.
Evening: Dinner was always fun. Every meal that we ate, we ate as a household. So, I would eat with three other people from the group for three square meals a day. At dinner, we would talk about the day's events. There was a lot of laughter and with each meal, I felt more like an actual family with these people who I had only met a few days prior. Dinner would consist of rice, beans, meat, and some Costa Rican cookies and sometimes Oreos or ice cream! We would play card games, hang out with our host parents and their little baby boy, watch Will Smith movies on their tv, and enjoy a shower. Our host dad was a prankster, so he would always be pulling pranks that would entertain us and make us laugh. Most nights we would be in bed by eight in order to be rested for the early start the next morning. I would journal for a half hour every night to make sure that I didn't forget any part of the trip!
Day in the Life of Rowena Nagy - Costa Rica
Rowena Nagy is from Tasmania, Australia and studies Journalism at the University of Tasmania. She enjoys reading, listening to music, spending time with friends and one day hopes to travel some more around the world, particularly around the UK and Europe.
Where: Costa Rica
What: Environmental Management with ISV
When: January 8th, 2013 - February 11th, 2013
Highlights: The highlight of my entire trip was the entire thing. I made heaps of new friends, saw so many beautiful sights and had the best time of my life. Being able to travel around a new country which has so much to offer with so many wonderful people is honestly one of the best ways to do it and far better experience than travelling there alone. I really enjoyed my entire time there and I really cannot wait to go back one day.
Morning: My typical morning in Costa Rica began pretty early - I would get up around 6 or 6:30am and have breakfast which was usually around 7am and with my host sister and my host mother would also be up doing something around the house. Then I would get ready to go to work, which in the morning was building an eco house for coffee farmers in the town that we stayed in.
But first my group, project leader and I would meet at the Salon (community centre) at 7:30 and then we would all go up together and then begin working on whatever we were doing that day for the eco house. Work in the morning was pretty easy because nothing was ever beyond what we could do either individually or as a group and our morning was broken up by a break around 9:45 and then by lunch we would be done with the eco house for the day.
Afternoon: My Typical afternoon would start at noon with lunch with my group, project leader and one or two members of each of our host families who would make and bring us our lunch everyday. That would be from 12 to 1pm and then from 1 to 3pm we would make eco bricks for a small bridge we made on our last official day of work for the town. Then at 3pm we would finish work for the day and have a free afternoon where we could either go home, play soccer with each other and some local kids or go to the small shop near the salon and hang out there for a few hours. Then from around 5 or 6pm we would all start going home and spend time with our host families.
Evening: Evenings were pretty relaxing because I would usually shower, have dinner and then do something with my host family (usually just watch TV or talk with my host sister). Then most nights around 8/8:30 I would go to bed. But the first Monday and Tuesday there was church event that my host family and I went to in a town close by and the second weekend that I was there San Pedro (my host town) had a town festival which ran for the entire weekend in the evenings and my group and I went to that while it was on.
Meet Lisanne Gallant, another ISV Costa Rica alum
GO: Why did you decide to volunteer with ISV in Costa Rica?
Lisanne: It was simple enough - I was bored. I'm from a small place, for those of you who don't know where Prince Edward Island is, it's a tiny island in Canada (yes, Canada has islands), with a population of about 150,000 (and that's being generous). I love it here, but I had just started university, and wanted to go somewhere while doing something worthwhile. ISV was perfect.
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Lisanne: Our days were awesome. We woke up in the morning to breakfast. We'd make our way to the kitchen area where the lovely ladies of the place had breakfast cooked up and ready to eat. A typical breakfast was beans & rice, warm milk + cinnamon (which was delicious), some bread-type things, and peanut butter. Oh, and plantains. Lunches & suppers were sort of the same - beans & rice, meat, some bread. And more plantains. Although on a few special occasions we got special Costa Rican dishes - those were amazing. And sometimes on hot days we got ICE COLD pop, those were good days. The people over there are truly amazing, so nice, so humble.
Our mornings usually consisted of helping out around the place, either cleaning up the property, painting, etc. Or sometimes we had ISV meetings, where our leader, along with the project coordinator, would teach us more about what we were actually doing out there - sea turtle conservation.
Afternoons was kind of the same deal - either helping around the place, or ISV stuff. When it rained though, well, we sort of got the morning/afternoon off... Those are the days you REALLY get to know your fellow ISV'ers (no electricity, no TV, no internet). It's strange, they become your little family. I got to know those people better in 4 weeks than some people that I've known for years.
Then there were the night shifts. These shifts would typically last 4 hours each, and go from dusk till dawn. There was about 8 km of beach to be patrolled, watching out for momma sea turtles coming to shore to lay their eggs. If you were lucky enough to spot one, you got to watch her amazing ritual. She goes into a type of trance when she lays her eggs - your responsibility is to catch the eggs and bring them back to the conservation where they'll be protected from poachers and other wildlife egg-snatchers.
So there's a pretty typical day. There was so much variation though, sometimes we'd go to the manatee observation deck (so cool), sometimes we'd take the boat into town (that's right, *boat*), or to another ISV site to help with whatever they needed over there. It was truly an amazing experience, and I'd do it all over again if I could.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Lisanne: I did ISV Costa Rica about 3 years ago, and I still ramble on about it. So, obviously it had a HUGE impact on my life. It allowed me to grow as an individual (corny I know, but true). It also implanted the traveler's bug in my system. I don't know if you know about this little guy - he tends to surface around spring time every year, making you unable to think or concentrate on anything but traveling. Ecuador, Brazil, France, Germany, Wales, Ireland, Italy, Mali.. The world is a big place, a very big place.
On the professional side, I strongly recommend doing something like ISV if you're interested in any kind of professional school. I'm a vet student (I did ISV during my pre-vet program), and this will set you apart from the others. This experience helped me so much during my interview, it allowed me to give a different spin on answers to typical questions, making myself memorable to my interviewers. And I got in.
Besides, who wants to be like everyone else? Boring.
Lisanne Gallant is a 22-year-old vet student at the Atlantic Veterinary College from Prince Edward Island, Canada. She volunteered with ISV in Costa Rica in July 2009.
Meet Katherine Sullivan, ISV Costa Rica alum
GO: Why did you decide to volunteer with ISV in Costa Rica?
Katherine: I decided to volunteer with ISV because I loved the idea that not only would I be able to volunteer, I would be able to enjoy awesome activities that the country had to offer! I chose Costa Rica as my first choice with ISV because they offered a amazing volunteer project, a rich culture to learn from, and beautiful scenery.
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Katherine: As a volunteer, I woke up usually around 6am for breakfast served by my lovely host family, Dona Suzy, Don Jorge, and Magalee. I would pack my lunch during this time as well. Depending on the assigned day, I would either venture into the rain forest to find poison dart frogs or I would head out into Gulfo Dulce to research dolphins. When going into the rain forest we would look for as many poison dart frogs as possible while recording their location, environment, and species. This work usually lasted a majority of the morning and afternoon. While on the boat we would record the behavior and locations of any dolphins spotted. Usually I would be out an entire day on the boat. When everyone arrived back from their assigned work, we would all enjoy dinner at the house around 6 or 7pm.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Katherine: This experience has impacted me in such a huge way! Personally, I learned that there is more to the world than just the United States and that not everyone is the same. I got to see first hand what it's like to live off the land and not material things. The culture taught me to let go, live free, and to not worry as much. With my volunteer work, I learned that sustainability and hard work are needed to keep the environment rich and alive. Professionally, this experience taught me to be more confident. When I arrived home from my trip, I was a newly energized, better individual!
Meet Rebekah Apelt, ISV Costa Rica alum
GO: First tell us a little about yourself and your trip.
Rebekah: My Name is Rebekah Apelt and I travelled to Costa Rica with ISV on January 16th, 2012. I come from Brisbane Australia and am a 21 year old university student. What made ISV great for me and what will convince me to go with ISV again was not the amazing trip they sent me on but how well they looked after all the students especially those with prior injuries and problems. They made they experience so easy by organising everything for you and for first time travellers you can feel very safe knowing there're always people to help you.
GO: Why did you decide to volunteer with ISV in Costa Rica?
Rebekah: I was at university one day and needed a place to eat lunch so I went into a room that was normally un-occupied. when I walked in ISV representatives were talking about their programs so I stayed to listen and submitted my no commitment forms just in case, It did sound like a good idea at the time. I discussed it with my parents who looked at the 4 places I could choose from and said no to all but Costa Rica.
I did a bit of research later to see if there was a cheaper option or a better option then going to Costa Rica with ISV but found nothing to match the ISV program. So I paid my deposit and that was that.
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Rebekah: ISV has a 3 stage trip, Spanish lessons for 1 week, 2 weeks of volunteering and 2 weeks of adventure tour.
Spanish Lessons were a great way to learn the language quickly. Amy (Another volunteer I met on the trip) and I stayed with host families who spoke a little English and defiantly challenged us to to learn Spanish faster. Classes ran for 4 days and we had 3 field trips.
Every morning for the week we woke up at 8 ish and walked the 7 blocks to the school, I was in a class of 6 people. Classes went for 4 hours and finished at one. The afternoon we used for Costa Rican dance lessons, cooking lessons and posting letters home. We had plenty of internet access so I was able to post photos online for this week.
On Saturday the school took the 60 volunteers to visit a volcano and eat some fresh strawberries. On Sunday they took us to an Island on high speed boats and let us do a bit of snorkelling. We also went out on a Wednesday Night to a festival called Ram Luna. These were all lot of fun and gave us some great cultural experiences.
My volunteer project was made up of 13 people. Our aim was to get research to make the forest and the golf a national park. We spent the first 2 days adapting the extremely muggy and hot climate that is not so different from North Australia. the rest of the 2 week experience involve us dividing to to groups of 3, 3 people would fix, or build the forest track, 3 people would walk the track in search of 3 types of poison dart frogs and the last 6 people would get in a taxi to the jetty and spend the day on a boat find and monitoring dolphins activities.
During the volunteer project the group stayed in eco friendly cabins, we were taken care of by a lovely host family who could not speak English, we were lucky to have 2 translators/project leaders with us. On 3 afternoons we did cultural activities, cooking, agriculture and fishing. They were a great experience to help the host family out for a bit.
After the last 2 weeks it was hard to imagine anything that could be better but the Adventure tour defiantly blew my mind. 32 of the volunteers got on to a private bus which was ours for the next 2 weeks. We moved from place to place every 2-3 days managing to make our way around most of northern Costa Rica. We started with white water rafting and water sliding, then came hiking and shopping, zip lining and waterfall repelling, a swim in hot springs and another hike to boiling mud, some more hot springs, horse back riding, canoeing, surfing lessons and last but not least massages on the beach. This was an intense but amazing 2 weeks of adventure and was defiantly worth every cent.
It was nice to have a 16 hour plane trip back home to sleep of the 5 intense weeks.
GO: What advice do you have for future volunteers?
Rebekah:
- No where will it say that you will be going out to nice restaurants and need something more classy to where, but you defiantly do quite a bit of that during the adventure tour.
- If you get travel sick take lots and lots of travel sickness pills because in Costa Rica they don't sell tablets by the packet they sell them individually so you get 2-4 tablets every pharmacy visit.
- Take a back pack and not a bag on wheels, you don't always have the option of an elevator and the ground may not be anything more then mud. Leave plenty of room in you pack because some how you end up with twice as much as when you left, even if you don't buy anything things get harder to pack neatly as time goes on.
- Costa Rica does sell sunscreen, shampoo, conditioner, and lots of other things so don't feel you have to take everything with you from the beginning. you have lots of time to buy the things you need.
- If you love milk chocolate don't be surprised not to find any in the supermarkets.
- If you love sweetened condensed milk then you are in luck because they put it on everything.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Rebekah: This was my first trip overseas and it taught me a lot. This trip has defiantly made me want to see more of the world and meet lots of new and exciting people. It has also shown me other ways of living with out all the technology that we have in Australia and how to live more eco friendly. The Adventure tour pushed me past my comfort zone and showed me were my limits were.
My Future will defiantly be made up of lots of over seas volunteering and traveling.
Meet Rhian Evans, ISV Costa Rica alum
GO: Tell us a little about yourself and your trip.
Rhian: I volunteered in Costa Rica from Jan. 16 - Feb. 22, 2012. I am from Newcastle, Australia, and a student at the University of Newcastle. I'm 21 and currently in my final year of a combined B.Arts/B. Science Degree majoring in Biology, Politics and History.
GO: Why did you decide to volunteer with ISV in Costa Rica?
Rhian: I had wanted to do something more that just go to uni and do the same regular things, and then an ISV rep came into our classroom and talked (yelled!) about the exicitng opportunities possible with ISV, so I checkout out the website and saw that I could do volunteer work in conservation, and Costa Rica seemed like the perfect destination!
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Rhian: I volunteered in a small town an hours hike from Drake Bay in the Osa Peninsula. There we assisted in data collection for the local researcher Pablo Riba, who was collecting information on the reproductive status of certain trees and the influences of frugivores on fruit dispersal.
A typical day in this town involved gettting up at 6:15am for breakfast at 6:30, then making our way to the meeting area to start at 7. There, you were assigned to 1 of 3 activities: hiking with a local to make observations of any animal or bird relevant to the study, hiking to town with the other research assistant Juan - where we checked mesh traps of trees around the town, or hiking with Pablo in the forest immediately surrounding the town. Each of these hikes (fairly strenuous!) left at 7am and usually returned before 11, when we had a chance to clean up and cool down a bit before lunch. Afternoons consisted of free time until 3pm, where the ISV group had a discussion on topics surrounding the research project, or a 'learning opportunity', where we played games, did beach clean ups or made things from recycled materials. It was then free afternoons again until dinner at 6:30 and bed was usually about 8:30! During the free time on my project, we had a beach 5mins walk from town, so spent most of the time there!!! But we also hung out with the family and played with the many many dogs running around.
GO: What made this experience unique and special?
Rhian: For me, this volunteer experience was particularly unique as I was able to live with a family in a very remote area of Costa Rica - an area that most people will never hear of in their lives. I was able to walk through and experience untouched areas of rainforest, see rare and beautiful animals like the Scarlett Macaw, and learn little customs and sayings "Que Paso Mai?!" (What's up dude?) from locals that have never left the area. I also knew that the data we were helping to collect was important - that no other similar studies are currently being conducted in central america - and that one day, that study will assist the government in future conservation efforts.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Rhian: This experience has had a marked impact on all aspects of my life. As my first overseas experience it opened my eyes to entirely new cultures, language and ways of life. I now fully understand how differently people can live in different areas, as well as appreciate all the opportunities I have been given. Volunteering in conservation in this field was very worthwhile for me, and I know that biological conservation is a field I could work in - whether it be here in Australia, or overseas.
Meet Amelia Jones, ISV Costa Rica alum
GO: Why did you decide to volunteer with ISV in Costa Rica?
Amelia: I decided to volunteer in Costa Rica because I had heard about ISV, wanted to do a conservation project, and couldn't make up my mind about which of the amazing places I wanted to go. I ended up going to Costa Rica by random selection (on my part) and am so happy I did. I go to see so many amazing animals and meet many of the natives who were wonderful and extremely helpful--especially since I didn't speak much Spanish.
GO: Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Amelia: On my project, Spotted Dolphin and Poison Dart Frog Research, I would rotate from day to day on the boat and in the rainforest. On rainforest days I would wake up, eat breakfast with our host organization (a Costa Rican family that owned the camp and who's son was a researcher) and other volunteers, and then venture into the forest and collect data with one of the researches. This would include GPS coordinates, time and date, number of frogs, and so forth. When out on the boat we would look for dolphins and collect data about their behavior, where we were, how many of them we saw, and so on.
Each day we would work for about eight hours and then go back to our camp, eat dinner (lunch was provided wherever we were), talk about our learning experiences, and then go to sleep. We got to go to beaches if we finished early on the boats, go into the towns, have internet access, pretty "normal" stuff. The data we collected was to help regulate and zone areas for protection of the wildlife there. For instance, frogs cannot survive without water so they need their rainforest habitat and the dolphins won't eat when being disturbed by tourists and drown when caught in fishing nets.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Amelia: This experience has made me want to volunteer more often. Although I could've done way more than I did there, what I helped with was important. I may not have saved the world but every bit counts in the end. I also got to experience another culture and I feel that will more cultural diversity everyone is a better person, professionally and personally. You have to live like someone else does to know what their life is like and I am fortunate enough to have gotten the opportunity to do so. I am also very thankful for all of the things and affordances that I have had in my life, although not many I am truly blessed.
Further Info
About ISV
Our mission is to create an environment that combines conservation, education, community development and recreation into the ultimate adventure travel program for participants who desire to make a difference by volunteering in communities abroad. ISV offers life-changing volunteer and adventure programs across 6 continents. Over 22,000 participants from around the world have experienced our volunteer, educational, cultural and adventure programs.
Many college and university students who participated in ISV Programs have also earned academic credit for their involvement. ISV is recognized as one of the highest rated volunteer and travel organizations in the world.
ISV is a non-profit organization in the USA, Costa Rica, Thailand and Ecuador. While our sending offices in Australia, New Zealand, UK and Canada serve the same purpose as our USA office (looking after students and sending them abroad), they are not registered as a non-profit.
Begin your adventure with ISV today!
All of Their Programs
Program Information
Related Programs
-
96% Overall Rating - 24 Reviews
-
95% Overall Rating - 13 Reviews
-
91% Overall Rating - 10 Reviews
-
92% Overall Rating - 9 Reviews
-
95% Overall Rating - 8 Reviews
My time volunteering in Costa Rica was incredible! Each morning we would wake up and hike in the rainforest, watch the sunrise, and get to observe all sorts of animals. Our host family was so generous and kind that it was a joy to live with them. The entire community that we worked with welcomed us with open arms.
And don't even get me started about the adventure tour. It was absolutely wonderful and I could not have asked for a better way to travel the country. You get a good mix of the tourist locations and the local secrets. You have a wonderful guide that knows more about the country than you will ever be able to wrap your mind around.
Critical Feedback:
If I had to change one thing it would be that there would be more security. We had several people on the trip who had things stolen from their housing. While this is always a risk when traveling, it might be possible to prevent.