ISV - Volunteer Projects in Costa Rica

This experience had so many great memories. With Isv there are two parts volunteer and adventure pack. They are offered as two separate packages or you can do both. I highly recommend doing both. I would say the best memories from the volunteer part was while patrolling the beach when we did see leatherback sea turtles. I was lucky enough to catch eggs from a mother, as well as log information on her. Altogether I saw about fourteen turtles. My group was also lucky enough to see a whole bunch of babies hatching and making their way into the shore line. Another great memory was the stars while on the beach at night. That is something I will never forget. The adventure pack had so much fun stuff that was bundled together. From that portion you get to really go around the country and see the different areas. My favorite part was definitely the zip lining/waterfall repel. Another great one was all the natural hot springs that we walked too. Costa Rica has so many beautiful spots

The program has changed myself and my life in more ways than one. I spent a total of five weeks in Costa Rica learning, volunteering, and travelling. Every single minute I have spent there has been the best of my life. I have seen so much in such a short time in the beautiful country of Costa Rica! ISV's program was there for me every step of the way.

I loved the culture (music, language, etc) and all the different wildlife in the nature I cannot see in Wisconsin! During the volunteer portion, I stayed with a host family in a rain forest under a tree of toucans! With the optional two week adventure tour after the volunteer portion, I got to do so much and see a lot such as go surfing, ziplining, white-water rafting, and so much more!

All the different places I saw and people I have met have impacted my life in more ways than one whether it made me be more globally-minded, finding love, and more!

This was the first time I have travelled out of the country and ISV made me feel safe and secure every step of the way! ISV is an amazing program that will be with you every step of the way. It was absolutely life-changing!!!!

I absolutely cannot wait to go abroad again this summer when I study abroad in England!

I traveled with ISV to a project they no longer have in Ecuador. I'm not sure why it's no longer available because it was absolutely fantastic! Six weeks of living with locals (including an Amazonian tribe), hiking volcanoes and white water rafting. I've never lived in such difficult circumstances or felt more rewarded for the work I do. We met up with members of the Costa Rica team for our last week in the Galapagos and just like our experience, they enjoyed a great time with fun, outgoing people. The main difference between our experiences was that Ecuador had only two teams and we all knew each other whereas Costa Rica had 14 so some only met each other for the first time in the Galapagos. ISV does a great job of connecting with a local organization to make sure your volunteer work is on a project that is actually needed rather than something that will be abandoned the instant you leave.

I was giving the opportunity to work with sea turtles through ISV. 7yrs later I am still in contact with several members of my volunteer team and went back to school to get my Master's Degree working with sea turtle in Costa Rica. Best experience ever!

The most eye opening trip of a lifetime. I was on the turtle conservation trip, patrolling the dark lively beaches at night. During the day we would clean the beaches of plastic andgarbage, clean the hiking trails, carry the trash out and new food in. But of course there was also plenty of time for cooling of in the beautiful ocean and just lounging around being a beach bum! The biologists, our chef and 'mom', and the isv workers were some of the most amazing people i have ever met. So high on life and extremely intellegent, informative. All around they had a way of opening your mind and heart and always putting a smile on everyones face! Anyone who loves nature this would be the best trip for you because you cant escape it. From bioluminescent plankton to sea turtles to howler monkeys having conversations with the dudes in our group! this is one trip that is the biggest eye opener into real environmental stuggles and how humans have caused such destruction but we can easily fix the mess. Every lecture my mind expanded as everyone in the group had ideas and perspectives of our environmental imact and the steps it takes to lessen our footprint. We talked lots about plastic, poaching, co2 emmissions amongst many other topics of course. We learned so much about sea turtles of all sorts. Some people think of volunteering as work but this volunteer trip was a tropical paradise. We never worked a single day.

Meeting people of your little home town in the same country at the other end of the continent is a feeling you cant explain. Almost like it was meant to be, that two people are there at the same time, just by councidence!? I dont think so.

A famous Chinese Philosopher once said "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step." This is the quote I chose to perfectly reflect my experience with ISV. What was it that made ISV my first single step on my journey of life? Was it the dancing and cooking lessons I took while being immersed in the culture of Heredia? No. Was it the people that helped me climb over the mountains to our cabin in the middle of the most beautiful national park? No. Was it the scenery that was so indescribable that halfway through the trip I stopped taking pictures because they just weren't doing the place justice? No. Or was it the knowledge I gain from our project leaders and the hands on experience with my favorite animal, Sea Turtles? Again, no. This trip was my single step on my journey of life because it inspired me to keep doing good. For the rest of the summer I continued my hard work and dedication in my own local community and volunteered with a non-profit organization. I am proud to be one of the thousands of "active and global citizens" that ISV is inspiring every year.

My goal was to strip away my sense of comfortability and immerse into a new culture/language and meet new people in an exciting place. This all happened and more. Not only did I get embraced wholeheartedly by an entire village, I got to leave behind helpful structures for the community and take with me experiences that put faith back into humanity in my mind. On top of all the immersion and wonderful aspects of being fully accepted into a host family and community, being able to explore practically all of Costa Rica's wonderful destinations was a gigantic bonus.

If you want something new and exciting to spark your life, this trip will put you around good, like-minded people and might even guide your next step on your journey like mine. Hands down, experience of a life time.