Bring comfort stuff from home to make it feel more comfortable. The living conditions are nice but basic. It helps to have a fluffy pillow or snacks or music to help remind you of home life.
Most important is to enter these programs with an open mind. It is a different country with MANY different customs. One thing I learned is to just go with the flow and try to make the best out of every situation. That being said, these are just minor things I learned to make myself as comfortable as could be.
This program's average day is spent waking up at 6 or 7 am (that's when the howler monkeys start and its quite hard to sleep in when they're close). Breakfast is made, usually a simple combination of fruits and cereal with a little yogurt.
After breakfast, I usually would take a morning walk around one of the many trails. If there was work to be done, I would get to the farm and help to plant/tend to the vegetation before it becomes too hot (until noonish).
Around 12, is nearly lunchtime, so we would return to the house and begin preparing lunch. Usually, 2 or 3 people help out to speed up the process. Lunch is typically rice and chicken but, they always have tofu for vegetarians.
After lunch, it is time for a nap and then I have an hour or so to myself to take a walk or just relax. If there is more work to get done before dinner, I'll take care of it. Dinner is quite similar to lunch and then we prepare for either night walks or a potential movie/documentary night.
My biggest fear was being alone in a new country with people who don't speak the same language as me. This wasn't an issue as most people spoke English and even the locals could communicate on a basic level. Everyone was so welcoming and it was easy to make friends. The company provided everything I needed to be happy and comfortable.
At Hoja, they tried to meet everyone's dietary needs. There was plenty of fruit to be bought from the local market and they always made sure to have nuts/beans and rice/pasta in the supply closet.
While it is challenging to maintain a vegan diet in the jungle, it was definitely doable.
Hoja went out of their way to ensure everyone's dietary needs were met.