Become a Global Health Volunteer in Costa Rica

The Ambassador program immersed me for 3 months into the community of Alajuelita, Costa Rica, home to impoverished, medically underserved Nicaraguans and uninsured Costa Ricans. My daily responsibilities in the clinic included: checking in patients by recording medical history, height and weight, preparing medications in the pharmacy, shadowing the pediatrician Dr. Fernandez, and creating health education talks. Weekly, I also worked in a soup kitchen and disability clinic. Ambassadors also design and implement sustainable programs within the community. For my project, I taught a ballet class for girls aged 4-12 to encourage exercise, instill self-confidence, and create positive body image. Shadowing Dr. Fernandez this summer gave me the opportunity to witness her tireless dedication to serving this community and learn from her. Apart from my clinical duties, one of my favorite parts of the week were days I worked in the soup kitchen a tiny ill-equipped kitchen that feeds 200 kids a day. The local women that run it are some of the best examples of selflessness I have ever met. I also taught ballet class for 15 little girls. Watching them having fun, improving every week, and gaining confidence has been so fulfilling. Seeing their excitement to wear their new ballet slippers and having community members express appreciation for the classes, were some of the most rewarding parts of my summer. Overall, most important to me were the relationships I formed with the people I met. The Ambassadorship has allowed me to connect with the people and reach a level of acceptance within the community.

I had an amazing experience with FIMRC Alejuelita the Summer of 2007. I spent a month there, doing a homestay. Mornings were for clinic work--I was able to get hands on experience and observations with the medical team and provide health education. Afternoons were for teaching health programs to the kids in the area, on topics like brushing your teeth and healthy foods. I was able to greatly improve my Spanish knowledge and travel to a variety of areas in Costa Rica--so beautiful there!

The staff was dedicated and committed, my homestay family was friendly and inclusive, and my fellow volunteers a lot of fun. Greatly recommended, particularly for those interested in healthcare.

Although I wish my trip to Costa Rica could have been more hands on, there were many invaluable experiences I gained from this trip. The staff at the clinic was amazing- they are dedicated and passionate. Their passion was so inspiring to me and really opened my eyes to the work and help that is needed in underserved populations such as in Costa Rica. Although I was only able to do small works such as shadow the doctor, log in patients, and fill out prescriptions, I truly believe I made an impact. However, the people I met and the stories I heard during my trip made more of an impact on me. I vividly remember going to the soup kitchen to help which was my favorite part of the trip. I was able to speak to children (most of them who come regularly) and hear some of their stories. One small boy around the age of 12 told me he was not from Costa Rica and that he very much missed his real home as he showed me a picture of his hometown on his cellphone. I was also taken on a small drive to see the living conditions of the people of Costa Rica which was also very eye opening. I saw the shacks that they lived in and the dirt roads that they traveled on. Besides my experiences with the clinic, I was able to spend a lot of time with the team I came with from the University of Illinois. We were able to hike up a mountain, go zip lining, have a nice dinner on top of a mountain, as well as visit the beach. Not to mention, I had a very generous and giving host family to stay with. They took us to a local onion festival the night I arrived in Costa Rica and I was able to experience local festivities.

I had an amazing time in Costa Rica. On a daily basis we would go to the clinic and either 1. Shadow the doctor 2. Take vitals (height, weight, temperature, blood pressure) 3. Fill prescriptions or 4. Play in the waiting room with the kids or talk to the families. Every position was very fulfilling and helped me practice my Spanish as well as receive medical clinic exposure. We also gave two health education presentations to local women and children. These were amazing opportunities that are very fulfilling for anyone interested in health education.
Being in Costa Rica was an amazing experience to gain appreciation for the medical care we have in the US. I returned from Costa Rica with a desire to help people take care of themselves better.
While we were in Costa Rica, we also were able to go on a trip to a waterfall and volcanoe. The land is absolutely beautiful and the weather was amazing. There is a fun nightlife as well! I really recommend going on this trip!