Bamboo - Costa Rica Volunteer Program

I just returned from an amazing experience with the Young at Heart Turtle conservation tour.
I had no idea what i was signing up for, but everything definitely exceeded anything i could have imagined. The BamFam staff(friends) - Kim, Jorge, Joel(Angel), Abarca and everyone else we met on our journey, are excellent and are always making sure you experience everything. (If you wish or are able to) We had a small and amazing group. Strangers for the most part, but we clicked. (Shout out to Angie, Nicki, Patti, Pam and Denny) Actually, we feel we had excellent karma. Within hours of getting to our first location in San Miguel there were turtle hatchlings in the hatchery, a rare daytime nesting Olive Ridley(turtle) and a mini Arribada at a neighbouring beach. (Plans changed ate, napped and at 2 am(pitch black😀) we got up and was driven to the beach to experience this amazing phenomenon. This journey just went up and up...coffee plantations, cocoa plantations, Antonio Manuel national park, etc. Fooood...omg
So i cant say enough...you need to try it. I highly recommend this option.
Very safe for a solo traveler.
Pura Vida
Gina

I had an amazing experience with Maximo Nivel. The general orentation was very helpful and the staff was amazing. My project was great, I was able to help out all around the nursing home with occupational therapy, nursing and in the dining room. The nurses and staff at the project were also great. Even though I had a language barrier they put a lot of effort to explain things to me. I enjoyed meeting the patients and interacting with them by doing activites or just saying hello. I would definitely return and would love to be placed at the same project and with the same host family. Flory Murrillo was my host and she was nothing short of amazing.

I had a lovely time in Costa Rica working at Bebitos. The child care center was on the outskirts of San Jose. The bus system was a bit difficult to figure out. I managed to lose my way more than once, but didn't encounter any trouble with the natives. It was a very friendly city in general.

I spent a week in a home with a foster madre that cooked my meals. I would say the food was very typical for what would be eaten everyday in a normal low income home, which was fine. I loved living like a native to view the city and not as a tourist. It was a culture shock from the time I landed.

I guess my circles that had visited the country spoke to me only about the touristy areas, so it was a little tougher as an English only speaker for me to get around in rural areas.

At the daycare, I would work for the day watching children in a very full daycare program. The kids were adorable and I got very attached to them even though we didn't share the language.