GVI, Ethical Impact: Volunteer in Costa Rica

I was just a normal teenage girl who enjoyed normal teenage stuff, I loved to dance in fact I was pretty good at it.
I can remember when all that changed like it was yesterday.

Me and my mum sat with the UKs top othorpedic consultant who told me I had a genetic condition in my feet, which in the worst case scenario would change my whole life.
I was in constant pain, pain which over the years grew to be excruciating! I was unable to do normal things - I couldn’t focus on school, friendships and certainly knew I would never dance like I used too. The pain was to much.

I became withdrawn and depressed and was under many teams who tried to help me cope.

After a few years of surgery, the worst case scenario happened - I was to have the joints in both my feet fused together.

I am lucky to have an brilliant mum and dad and three crazy sisters who was with me every step of the way! The first foot was operated on and I was in a wheel chair no weight bearing for a long long time. I felt more and more isolated, my mum often gave me things to focus on. We spoke about the world and it’s issues. I began to read and read and learn about animals and conservation! My mum forever telling me this part of my life will one day be over and I could dare to dream again.

I eventually learned to walk again with help from amazing physio team .

My mum decided I needed a hobby and took me and my sister Bella to kayaking lessons. I didn’t have to use my feet and so felt free and at home.

Soon it was time for the next foot to be done. This one didn’t go so well. I got an infection in my foot and spent a long long time in hospital. I remember being re-admitted to the hospital on New Year’s Eve and didn’t believe this would ever end. I was on endless medication and my parents could only take me out of the hospital for a few hours at a time as I had to be back on the IV medicine to control the infection in my bones.

As my mum said, day by day I got better and better and was able to use my wheel chair less and less!

From such a dark place, my interest in conservation was born. Me and mum would often visit the GVI website and dare to think maybe one day I could actually do a program because you see, me and family are not from a financially privileged background and so we know it would be a mission impossible

And guess what... with help from my mum, dad, grandparents and my Sunday job, we did it.

I visited Costa Rica and met the amazing most inspirational people from GVI team. I didn’t let my condition stop me - sometimes I couldn’t keep the pace of the rest of the team but they stayed with me and kept me motivated.

I dreamed of seeing amazing animals in the wild - and i finally did. I was felt like I was at home and a part of a team who shared the same the ideas as me. And what we did actually counted, for example we did rainforest servays most days and the data we collected went to local people which can helped them improve there growing business. I also took part in a beach clean - and I was absolutely mind blown due to the amount of litter we picked up on the beach near GVI’s base. 215Kg of litter was collected in just over one hour! Collecting the litter made me feel even more determined to dedicate my life to conservation.

I did it! I actually did two weeks without my parents my wheel chair or waking aids! So if u are reading this and life had thrown you a curl ball - like my mum says these days will pass and if it’s something you dream today - GO FOR IT

One of the best months of a lifetime! I loved my time there and wished I had booked longer. The jungle is stunning and the beach is so close to base. The actual volunteering is really exciting, getting to spot animals and if your lucky you could see something really special! I would recommend it for anyone interested in a biological field or anyone just looking for something a bit different to do. Facilities are a bit basic but it's all part of the experience.

I spent 2 weeks with GVI on the under 18’s program and it was some of the best weeks in my life. I spent most of my time constructing a children’s play ground. GVI have had such an impact on the community and it is clearly visible how appreciative the community are of all the work they do even the children love to come and help with whatever it is that you are doing. The support I received from the GVI staff was out of this world. They were all so approachable and easy to get along with. They made my time there more enjoyable. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking to make an impact as well as having a good time.

In 2015 I 'volunteered' with GVI in Jalova for 2 months. I want to start off by saying that I have many memories here that I do cherish, and had many wonderful moments, as well as having met some really cool like minded people. But, similar to some other reviews here, I feel a little 'duped' by GVI...

I initially had signed up for a 6 month internship, perhaps in a flurry of wine-fuelled, post undergraduate excitement at the prospect of living life out in the jungle, surrounded by amazing wildlife. I was keen to pick up some conservation volunteering opportunities following my undergrad degree, and felt that this was a strong option. Let me tell you this, it is certainly an option, but it costs a small fortune - not really viable for a struggling undergrad just out of university with little cash! Sobering up to the reality of my finances after realising that it'd take me over a year to save enough money to afford to go on my income then, I reduced my time to 2 months instead of 6. In lieu of the 6 month internship, I opted into one of the lovely GVI 'add-on's', paying a little extra to do the biological survey techniques 'module' (more on that to follow).

After 6 months of scrimping and saving I finally made it to Jalova - jungle paradise. If you're looking for an opportunity to live in basic accommodation in a beautiful national park, this is ideal. My fondest memories come from the personal experiences there, being in the heart of a wilderness was truly special, I feel like these experiences were worth the price tag alone. As part of the deal, volunteers are given a great deal of health and safety and survey training, a lot of which does feel quite corporate, as we're reminded of GVI's mission and aims... All looks great on paper, but soon the cracks begin to show. Staff on the base are paid very poorly for chaperoning volunteers, I'm not sure what development and training opportunities provide their staff to ensure a positive experience, but I found some of the staff to be under a lot of pressure and often not the greatest mentors.

The quality of the science is also debatable. Jungle surveys were brilliant fun - getting to walk through the bush and look for different animals (what's not to like about that?!), but I feel the 'data' collected from these surveys probably isn't that useful, and failed to really see any evidence of the usefulness of the data. Bird surveys are done in a similar fashion, but this time you're on a canoe on the canal... Canoeing through a jungle was great fun, but not quite sure how much 'science' this actually covered. The turtle and the jaguar project are more useful, the turtle project (a draw for many of the volunteers there) sees you triangulating turtle nests, counting eggs and monitoring hatchling success (disclaimer: when booking with GVI, make sure you read up on turtle nesting seasons if you have particular ambitions for working with leatherbacks or green turtles, or indeed hatchlings!) There was ample opportunity for some amazing night time beach adventures, stumbling around the beach in the dead of night looking for turtles was truly an exhilarating experience.

In addition to the 'scientific research', you also have to put in some hours cooking, cleaning and maintaining the camp. Absolutely no problem, I have no issues pulling my weight and doing my bit. I think we were expected to do 2 half days per week, which is not completely unreasonable, and hey, jungle cooking is part of the fun! Where the fun stopped, however, was during a visit to Jalova from the GVI country director and some of the team from the Quepos project. During one of my final weeks there, we received a site visit from 5 or 6 GVI staff members, a great opportunity for the staff to check up on each other and see how the other projects work... This, however, meant more cleaning and cooking duties for the paying volunteers, and less surveys! I found myself in a position where I had 2 full days of cooking and cleaning in a week, and much less time doing the things I had scrimped and saved to do. I found this to be quite unfair, particularly since it was nearing the end of my time at Jalova. My final days on camp were also marred slightly by a lack of permits to undertake some of the jungle surveys. It appears MINAE were taking their time in approving the permits for GVI, so we legally weren't allowed to undertake any jungle surveys. We had a couple of 2 week volunteers with us, who were seriously missing out on what they'd signed up for.

As I mentioned previously, I also undertook the biological survey techniques 'module'. I think I paid around £100 extra for this privilege, but I'm really not sure what I gained from it. The module saw me using textbooks from the library to put together some reports on species (dated textbooks, so the reports were probably a little old school in terms of scientific accuracy...). We also had to identify some species, which granted was a useful experience, and put together a presentation on a conservation topic of our choice. Hardly groundbreaking stuff. A lot of the skills you might already have picked up in university, college or school, so I'm not sure why this cost an extra £100? You got me on that one, GVI!

I know it does sound like I'm being quite negative, but I really do cherish the time I spent on Jalova. I met some wonderful people and got to live alongside some amazing wildlife. I would just do a little more research next time I'm looking for this experience. It really did feel like a summer camp, you're bound by GVI's rules and regulations, and the experiences you have can often feel a little corporate... I'll leave you with this story (which I wrote for the blog, but surprisingly hasn't made it in!)

One night we were on turtle survey, stalking the beach looking for leatherbacks nesting. Against the crash of the waves we could hear a rasping noise. Carefully we scanned the area and came across a huge leatherback turtle. Something wasn't quite right. On investigation we found a huge bite in her neck. The stench of jaguar was ripe in the air. We'd come across a recent attack. We couldn't have been more than 2 minutes behind the attack - you could almost feel the jaguar watching you from the jungle. We moved swiftly on from the site, a little shaken up from the find, and reluctant to get in the way of nature. Later that night, the turtle died.

The next morning, another group was on nest survey (walking up the beach to check the condition of the marked nests). Our nighttime survey group was woken up by an excited staff member who'd found our dead leatherback with jaguars around it - a mother and cubs! The jaguars hadn't been scared off by the group on the beach and were apparently quite content with the humans on the beach. There was an opportunity for everyone on base to go see jaguars in the wild! Buzzing with excitement, everyone was ready to set off until we were stopped by a staff member on base telling us we couldn't go as jaguars were dangerous and we had to leave keep our distance. Thankfully, I think everyone thought screw it and went regardless. Being around a like minded group of wildlife enthusiasts, there was no chance we weren't getting to see this. I'm glad we rebelled against GVI's procedures, if we hadn't, I wouldn't have had this incredible experience.

Take from that what you will, rules are there to keep you safe, but sometimes breaking or bending them can be fun.

I spent just two weeks in Costa Rica with GVI, but in that short time alone, I felt I had gained so much.
Upon arriving I was greeted by a group of people who welcomed me instantly. The level of knowledge and enthusiasm each and every staff member and volunteer has is huge, and really inspired me to learn and become part of the team. I received training regarding the huge biodiversity of the Tortuguero National Park, as well as in data collection methods and practices key to life in the jungle. Although there is a lot to learn quickly, being out everyday helping with various programs allows you to put it all into practice.
Although the experience brought with it some challenges, such as physical exertion and living conditions that take some getting used to, they are 100% worth it, not only to be able to witness the good that is being done, but also in the personal sense of achievement.
As someone who has struggled with Anxiety, there were some moments before and during the program where I felt I was struggling, but the support of the staff and attitude on base that means no one needs to do anything they aren't comfortable with, these moments passed quickly.
I am to be back in the Jalova base before the year is out!

I had the most amazing two weeks in Costa Rica, which was packed with new experiences! We spent the first week volunteering making sidewalks for a community in Quepos which was a great way to get to know all of the new people and the community were really welcoming. It would have been great if I had known a little more Spanish to speak to the locals more but the GVI staff were a great help with overcoming the language barrier. By the end of the week we had all become close as a group and were able to feel like we made a really positive impact. The second week was adventure week which was so much fun. We were able to go white water rafting, canyoning, hiking, surfing and so much more. GVI was a fantastic way to make lifelong friends whilst also contributing to their vital projects. I would highly recomend GVI and I cant wait to volunteer with them again in the future!

I had the best time working with GVI in Costa Rica. GVI really works closely with local partners meaning all the work you do is suggested and asked for by local people, so you know what you do really makes a difference to them. We worked with local children, built playgrounds and community centres, and helped run local events. The staff are incredible, the base is basic but comfortable, and it really does become one big family when you all sit down and eat together. I loved seeing the impact we had on the local community and how much everyone there really cared about the work we were doing, even when it was a day of hard work in the sun and the kids were being challenging. Also, Costa Rica is just the loveliest country full of amazing friendly people and stunning wildlife.

Living at Jalova, Costa Rica was such an amazing adventure and allowed me to focus on a career that I am passionate about. It is very remote with just running water and one hour of electricity a day, mostly for light. No it is not for everyone, but if you like being off the grid, seeing exotic/new things, and making new friends, then you need to go. I worked with sea turtles, jaguars, birds and more. I learned about conservation and how important it is. The food was good, the fruits were interesting and fun, and you get to learn how to cook new things. Everyday was a new experience and the memories gathered are worth a lifetime!