Program Reviews

When I signed up for this trip, I was not exactly sure what to expect. Traveling so far away from home with a group of strangers seemed exciting yet a bit scary. As it turned out, signing up for this trip was, in my opinion, the best decision I have ever made. Even during the first hour of our trip, our group was already having a great time getting to know each other while playing card games in the airport. When we arrived in Costa Rica, we immediately established group and personal goals for the trip, focusing on developing our language skills and dedicating a lot of time and effort to community projects in Santa Cruz. During these days of orientation, our three group leaders were very instrumental in helping us all bond as a group. Right after we arrived, we started eating the typical Costa Rican cuisine of rice and beans, which took a few days to get used to, but was a very important part of being immersed into the culture (and it is delicious too!). Rafting was quite an adventure and helped develop our friendships with each other and instill a sense of appreciation for nature in us. When we arrived at the home stay, we were all very anxious, some of more scared or excited than others. Being able to communicate only in Spanish wasn't very easy the first day, but by the end of the week, I would sometimes be speaking in Spanish without realizing it! The home stay in Santa Cruz was truly amazing because I felt like part of another family for a week. My home stay mother did everything she could to make sure we were enjoying our stay, and she did a wonderful job. The service project building the sidewalk during the day was so meaningful because we knew that it would benefit our wonderful Costa Rican families and it also provided some hilarious times for our group (my personal favorite being our singing and dancing while working!). Overall, I had an incredible experience. Our guides were responsible and also fun so we could relate to them but also rely on them for help if needed. The main lesson I learned would be that developing personal relationships by talking to people rather than relying on technology all the time is very important and it is the mindset I have taken coming back to the U.S. I LOVED this trip and I still talk to my friends that went with me every single day. I consider them a second family to me, and I have formed friendships that will last for years to come. I would do anything in my power to go on this trip again, it is well worth it!!

Getting to go to a foreign country alone is always fun. I loved how the group was really small (5 boys 5 girls), so we really got to bond with the other members and the staff. The best part was definitely the homestay and getting to ski. Over the summer my spanish improved, but I did lose most of it once I got back to school. Overall though, it was extremely fun.

I have traveled with multiple companies and no program has been as good as Global Works. The leaders were kind, supportive, and excellent mentors, the experiences offered were profound and the service actually made a difference. The confidence and perspective that I gained are still a huge part of my life today. On a trip so well structured and beautifully crafted, you can't help learning something about yourself and the world. I would recommend this trip to anyone and everyone, because they really do travel, safety, learning, and adventure incredibly well. I hold Global Works in the highest regard.

This trip was one of the best experiences of my life and I wish I could relive it. I made life long friends and had unforgettable experiences that I wouldn't give up for anything. I improved my surfing tremendously and had so much fun doing it with great people. The trip is designed to be such a wonderful experience; unique and priceless.

My stay in Nicaragua was my first experience away from home alone, and it was definitely an experience of a lifetime. The Global Works leaders were accommodating and approachable, and I was ecstatic to discover the similarities I shared with many of the other people on the trip. To this day, I am still in touch with the wonderful people in my group; we still share memories from this life-changing trip that brought us together. It was a thrill to be immersed in the rich, colorful Nicaraguan culture filled with amiable, welcoming Nicaraguans. Although there was often a language barrier, we had laughs about the misconceptions that resulted, and our leaders were helpful in clearing the misunderstandings.
During the clinical rotations, I found myself comparing the Nicaraguan practices with the procedures in the U.S., and I was amazed by the marginal differences. For example, while gauze is manually folded and sterilized in Nicaragua, it is crafted by machines in the U.S. Furthermore, before this trip, I had only heard about the poverty and resource shortages in developing countries--living in these conditions made them a reality. I truly learned to appreciate the luxuries in the U.S. that I had taken for granted my entire life such as hot showers, excellent drainage, clean water, air conditioning, technology, wifi, and our seemingly endless supply of medicine (pharmacies in Nicaragua frequently ran out of medicine, as they often received merely one shipment each month). Moreover, it was rewarding to see the community's appreciation for our service projects. I cannot express how rewarding it felt to see the community's gratitude for our contributions. The mere knowledge that I had made a difference in the community was comforting.
Witnessing these critical conditions firsthand has raised my awareness of developing countries' conditions; overall, this experience has motivated me to take action, because it is truly rewarding to make a difference in peoples' lives.

Costa Rica, its waterfalls, food, coffee, and its people were lovely. Every little thing was lovely. I can say that this was and will stay one of the best experiences in my life. In so little time, we did so much! Adventures were rafting in Rio Pacuare, Ziplining in Rinconcito, and Surfing in Playa Grande. It was my first time to try all of those things and I loved every single one. Aside from the adventures, we were able to serve the community. We helped the locals clean and level trails as well as build a bridge in the Monteverde cloudforest. We also did a lot of digging and mixing cement for the communal kitchen in Pueblo Nuevo during our homestay as part of our service. The homestay was amazing. It enabled us to help the people out as well as learn more about their culture and practice our spanish in a different but wonderful way! Our Costa Rican families were very hospitable and took good care of us. The trip helped me gain new views and aspects of life and struggle; made me understand and appreciate more of life.

I loved the trip I went on. Overall, the group and counselors I went with were awesome. It was a pretty good balance between community service, fun, and surf at the end. The unique homestay opportunity was definitely one of the best parts. It definitely improved my Spanish and I still keep in touch with the wonderful family I stayed with.

We stayed at Nicaragua for two weeks. The first week was devoted to refurbishing a park while the second week was spent building a womens and childrens center on an island. The first week was especially rewarding. We saw children flood the park when it was done, and they often came up to us to help us or play with us.

I really enjoyed myself on this trip. Having been to China the past 3 summers I can happily say that this as my favorite trip. The staff was great and I made friends that will last a lifetime. Everything was a new adventure. I felt as if I was given a new perspective on life. I loved this trip.

My 15 year old daughter had the time of her young life in Nicaragua! She spent 3 weeks getting to know and helping the locals forge a better life for themselves as they built water wells and a school. She met teens who shared her values, passions, and the need to do more in life than self-indulging. Five months later, she has cemented what will likely become a group of life-long friends. Bravo, Global Works!