Most amazing experience of my life!

I've travelled a lot in my life but I've never travelled for the sole purpose of helping others, which I found to be extremely enriching in all aspects. What I loved about VIDA is that there were clinic days mixed in with down days so it wasn't all just hard work because to be honest, the clinic days wear you out and you need the break of recreational days. We began the trip in Costa Rica in San Jose for orientation and then travelled via bus to Liberia, Costa Rica for our first 2 clinic days. During clinics you have time to play with the local children, which was a lot of fun even though I did not know a word of spanish. On each of the first two clinic days the dental team, which I was a part of, saw 56 patients; so in total for Costa Rica we helped 132 people. Since the dental, vet, and medical teams all volunteered in the same building we were able to observe how the other teams worked. I personally really enjoyed watching the vet team work because it was hands-on just like the dental team. During clinics my eyes were opened to how serious the people needed our help. The first clinic day was a day to get adjusted to how things will work for the rest of the trip and to practice using the tools in doing cleanings as well as aiding in extractions. After the first two clinic days, we headed to La Cruz, Costa Rica to relax and enjoy the sun. And trust me, use sunscreen! I'm still peeling! At La Cruz we stayed at a resort where we were able to take a short boat ride to a near by island for a hike and snorkeling (although it was too rough for us to snorkel). Although the hike was pretty tough, it was very rewarding when you got the top to see a 360 view of the bay. After La Cruz we headed to Nicaragua for our 2nd two clinic days in Masaya where we stayed with a local family. To be honest, at first I was terrified of the homestays because I didn't know what to expect nor did I know any spanish, but VIDA did an excellent job with pairing volunteers with the families and I'd have to say it was one of my favorite parts of the trip. After the last clinic day we headed to Managua, Nicaragua to zip line, which was a blast! Before I knew it I was on my home and upset that the trip had ended so fast.

Even though the trip was semi-pricey, it was worth every cent and I'd do it again in a heart beat! It was very rewarding knowing you made a difference in so many peoples lives. I could literally go on and on for days about this experience but I'll keep it kind of short. At the end of the day, I would 100% do this again and I would recommend it to anyone and everyone!!!!!