ASVO Volunteers

An amazing experience looking after and releasing baby turtles into the Pacific Ocean. Montezuma is a beautiful remote location on the coast of Costa Rica where we were able to make a difference to endangered turtle species whilst enjoying the jungle style natural habitat. The living conditions were basic but not impossible, plenty of free time to explore the area as shifts were generally between 4 and 6 hours per day. Also a great chance to meet like minded people from all over the world and share in this extraordinary experience. Highly recommended!

Just like most sea turtle conservation projects, this project asks for interns and volunteers to do their share of work on night patrols and hatchery shifts. None of the work was too exhausting or extensive, however you do need to get used to a weird sleeping schedule. The beaches were pretty and being a part of conservation work was incredibly rewarding. The turtles are so majestic. This is a great way to experience a new culture and country while doing good for the world!

Your schedule was new every week and posted on a big whiteboard in the dining area.
You switched between day- and night watches at the hatchery, general maintenance work or night patrols, where you walk along the beach for 2-3h to spot turtle tracks.
If you encounter a turtle it is measured and marked and the eggs are then brought back to the hatchery.

The general attitude was nice and relax and at the same time, people were instructed to be on time for tasks, so you could rely on the schedule.

On our off-time we would go to the beach, some took surfing lessons, ride in the mangrove or take a bus out of time to some of the nearby beaches or parks.

Always remember to bring good walking shoes, that dry quick for night patrols. Also long pant and a long sleeved jacket, as it can get chilly, especially when you're doing night watch at the hatchery and sitting still.

Mosquito repellent is not allowed near the turtles as it ruins their sense of direction.

Many people come and go from all over the world - witch was both good and bad as there would always be new people.

The living arrangements are pretty small and filled with people, so definitely remember to bring earplugs (essential!)

All in all it was a lovely stay and I would recommend it :)

Let me start by saying I have worked with many non-profits in the states. That being said this was the worst organized non-profit I have ever encountered. The tipoff should have been the heavy emphasis on paying the fee, the secondary emphasis on description of the actual work being done. When we arrived in San Jose we were informed we had to pay in cash for our volunteer service, then we were given little to no information on what we would actually be doing. The facility in Montezuma was dirty and quite run down, the staff tried to bring some structure where there seemed to be little but it was evident this was not well thought out. We encountered maggots in the kitchen facilities upon waking one morning and rotten food was also found in the refrigerator.
The hired cook cared little about food safety and preparation. Even after we discussed this with the staff after several of the volunteers became sick.

ASVO is a great volunteer program for those who'd like to get down and dirty and really just *work*. On my group's first day on the project, we spent hours learning about sea turtle nesting habits, why the work is important to the community, how to work with the turtles themselves, and more. Each day, we helped with beach cleanup (like removing fallen trees or palm fronds left after a storm) and camp chores, and at night we traded three-hour shifts monitoring the beach. This consisted of walking miles along the sand, watching for any nesting turtles, while other groups stayed at the hatcheries at different points along the beach to protect eggs from poachers. Short-term and long-term volunteers were put to work immediately, with a "three strikes" system, meaning if you were late to/didn't show up for your patrol three times, you were out of the project.

So basically, if you're looking for a program with guided excursions or lots of opportunities for daily outings on the town, you might want to work with another program--Gandoca is close to the Panama border (which had the closest town, I think), but honestly, you probably won't find time to go over the border if you're on the project for, say, a week or two. Volunteers with ASVO work with the community (really! the whole small town we stayed in was involved on the project!) as an extra hand where it's really needed, because there just aren't enough locals in the area to take on the whole project themselves. The staff all were extremely helpful and friendly, the volunteers were a very cool, international group, and we all had a great time. It's a fantastic program if you'd like to work your tail off and REALLY look forward to every meal!