Program Reviews

I have spent a month in San Ramon, Costa Rica. I enjoyed my time in the programme where i have learn to care of others and be more independent. I was in a kinder garden which helps single mothers and families who have struggles. Also i loved the country and the people, who were so warm and made me feel like home. I would love to return and know more places. I really liked the culture and the joy of the people. I highly recommed doing a job as a volunteer because it helps you to grow as a person.

I just finished a six months internship in Costa Roca, I had so much fun and gained a lot of knowledge in language and in my field. As a Muslim girl I went to Costa Rica with some fear and hesitation because of the very different culture but when I arrived there, the people and staff were very welcoming and understanding for these differences and I felt like home! I would encourage anyone to go for this ! The language was not a barrier because most people there speak and understand English!!!!!!

I had a great experience volunteering in Costa Rica. I have met incredible people and the two coordinators (Tania & David) of the program have been amazing. The host family has been also perfect.

As regards the project I have been working with people with disabilities in the Universidad de San José, helping them to enhance their oral expression skills. Comparing to previous volunteering experiences (and despite this has been the shorter period - just 2 weeks!) this has been the time that I have felt more useful for the people I have worked with. And also the best local NGO/coordinators (Integrated Learning Experiences - Volunteer
Abroad) I have met! Staying with the family facilitates also a more complete experience and sharing the same mother tongue has allowed me to connect more with local people. I had the chance to meet other volunteers, to cook local food, to know other host families, travel around this beautiful country, etc.

Nothing to complain about!
Many thanks,
Elena Sánchez

Living in Costa Rica was an incredible experience. I was doing the project on women empowerment and it was a great job, with a lot of things to learn and to achieve. Everybody was really welcomming and they were really nice. My family was great and I had a lot of fun with them, the room was good and the food that they gave me too! They are always open to talk and take care of your needs, wich is great when you are travelling and missing your homeland and family. Costa Rica is a really nice place to travel and it has amazing views, great people, food, beaches and animals. I was really glad that you could find really easily somebody to travel with and most of the people are open to it.
Glad to come back someday again and thank you very much!

I spent almost four months in San Ramon, a great city in the centre of Costa Rica.
My experience overseas started with a two-weeks language course which helped me a lot to learn about the specifics of the Costa Rican Spanish, to settle in and to prepare myself for the voluntary program.
I actually had two projects which I enjoyed a lot. The first project is a women empowerment project and it is the perfect place if you want to bring in your own ideas. I worked in the marketing and administration part, but although being a typical office job it was great to support a NGO with the knowledge I gained during my studies. Additionally I could exchange a lot with all participants, we had great events and I learned a lot about life in Costa Rica.
My second project was in the city hall, more specifically in the sustainable city development and here I could learn a lot about the efforts Costa Rica is undertaking in order to achieve their sustainability goals. The biggest part of my work consisted of supporting workshops in primary schools about recycling and it was super interesting to work with the children and teach them about this topic.
But my experience wouldn’t have been this great without my lovely host family. I felt like a family member and could really dig into the Costa Rican family life. For me it is a really important part of the voluntary program to also have this experience!
And to close I have always been supported greatly by my host organisation in San Ramon. I felt welcomed from the very first day and we also did great trips together.

I'm so happy to did this. It is a experince which i never forget. Thank you all for this.
I was in a kind of education project to support children who live in really poor areas and it was a pleasure to see how happy the children are in this project. It had a lot of work, in the morning i worked with the little ones and it was so so great. And in the afternoon i played with the older ones, for example soccer or other sports. It was really good to play and to see the children happy. For me it was the best decision in life and i want to do more in my future. Furthermore i had really good coordinaters in my procet who alwaysw support me. All in all it was a pleasure.
And the volunteering all in all was perfect, with my coordinaters and my spanisch lessons, it was so so good and i really miss it.

I highly recommend Inlex/CA, especially if you are considering a combination learn Spanish / volunteer experience.

From arrival at the airport in Guatemala City to my departure three weeks later, I was extremely well looked after. I never was concerned about how to get anywhere, how to do anything, or any other aspect of my stay, because the staff at Inlex/CA assisted me with every possible logistical detail and eventuality. The support is second-to-none.

One of the main reasons I chose Inlex/CA for my experience was because I wanted to learn Spanish, and I certainly was not disappointed. During my three weeks, I truly had an authentic immersion experience. With the support of the Inlex/CA staff, my incredible host family, an amazing one-on-one Spanish teacher (a total of 60 hours), and the staff at El Centro Sabor y Gracia, my Spanish went from beginner to advanced in only three weeks.

The volunteering aspect of the programme was also rewarding. I was able to teach English to a small group of primary (age 5 - 8) students, and another group of junior (age 9 to 12) students at the Centro Sabor y Gracia in Santo Tomas. The director and staff of this special project were also very supportive, and the children, although energetic and with a wide variety of learning needs, were responsive and appreciative of the time I spent with them.

The locale (Santa Lucia, Santo Tomas, and Antigua - the #1 tourist destination / jump-off point in Guatemala) was small enough to present an authentic picture of daily life in Guatemala, but it also provided close access to many popular trips around the entire country.

Inlex/CA really did give me the experience I was looking for; it effectively catered to both aspects (volunteering and learning Spanish) of my three-week "holiday."

I was lucky enough to volunteer at a local clinic in Peru. I was really scared coming into this, because I had never traveled out of the country by myself. I'm really glad that I completed this trip, and feel like a stronger person coming out of it. My time here has not only confirmed that I'm on the right path, but has taught me a lot about the type of doctor I hope to be. I learned how to empathize with patients when you deliver bad news, and how to celebrate when you deliver good news. One thing I realized is how taxing it is on your mental health to be with sick patients all the time, but the doctors were constantly giving me advice and helping me through some of my first times with patients. The clinic opened their doors to me, allowing me to learn and thrive more than I could have imagines. From assisting in surgeries to perfecting my Spanish, no textbook or lecture will be able to teach me things I learned first hand in Peru. This experience has taught me to take risks and try new things; find my own path. I’m really excited to take everything I’ve learned and put it into practice, both in my personal and professional life.

My experience in Guatemala was exceptional; I learned about the culture, the language, and the amazing people who live here. Throughout my trip, I was challenged with several obstacles that advanced my ability to adapt, problem-solve, and be patient. With the support of Alex, my host family, and the school system I was able to face these challenges and still progress as a student. I feel that leaving here I will have gained so much. The trip was so much fun and I will miss all my new friends dearly, especially the young children I got to meet. I believe that they taught me just as much as I taught them and that is something I will hold onto forever. Ultimately, this trip was an extraordinary learning experience and an opportunity that I am grateful that I got to attend.

It was a unique experience. People here are incredible nice, they are really helpful and amicable.
I felt at home at the family where I was staying and the food there was amazing!
The programm was always looking out for you and they offered some activities for you to get to know all the volunteers.
Costa Rica is a really safe place to travel even if you go alone and if you need anything locals are always eager to help.
The volunteer work is very fulfilling. You get to learn a lot from profesional people and you feel like the work you do really matters.
It’s an incredible oportunity to embrace another culture and get to live it with the locals. Great for learning and getting the opportunity to grow in both work and personal level. Being able to travel alone and discover yourself is one of the best things of this volunteer.
Overall it was an incredible experience and I woult totally recommend this program.