Volunteer in Costa Rica- Lowest Fees & Trusted Since 2003

I volunteered at a medical clinic for 2 weeks in Quepos, Costa Rica. The staff at the medical clinic were very welcoming and always looked for opportunities to teach me. Most of the staff spoke English, which was very helpful as I only knew basic Spanish. Although it would be helpful to know more Spanish so you can understand more when patients who speak Spanish come in. During this program I stayed with a host family, who were absolutely wonderful. They loved helping me learn Spanish and showing me new foods. I would have liked if more information was given about the medical clinic and program before I came as well as a more detailed orientation. I was dropped off the first day and did not know what the regular day-to-day would look like there.

I spent a month doing mangrove/turtle research in Osa, where I got to learn a lot about research, how the program worked, and of course, the plants and animals. Everyone there was really nice and made you feel welcome, both the people living there and volunteers alike. The volunteers participated in handling the turtles, planting mangroves, and taking down data, etc. so you get lots of hands on work. It's a good project for anyone interested in the environment, biology, or who simply wants to help out. While some people stayed only one or two days, others stayed for weeks. I personally think staying for more than a few days is best because sometimes you don't catch a turtle, and sometimes you catch a lot. I also suggest bringing cards and lots of sunscreen for the beach. If you bring a snorkel, you can see fish in the mangroves or bioluminescence at night :)

We volunteered at an orphanage in Costa Rica for over 2 weeks. The program was very good. Our host family was FANTASTIC! They were so hospitable, fun, and kind, and they made it a truly memorable experience. We were made to feel welcome and at home. We enjoyed working in the orphanage, as it was extremely rewarding. Neither of us speak English, so that did make it more difficult to communicate with the kids and adults at the orphanage. We weren't always entirely sure what we were supposed to be doing, but we tried to find things to do to help as much as we could. We felt the value of the program was very good. We were provided with meals and room and board for the duration of our stay for a very reasonable price. Everything about this program was very good, and we would definitely recommend this program to anyone!

I volunteered in El Ceibo, which was very rural, nearly an hour from San Isidro Del General. I loved it and got to experience the very simple yet hardworking life of the ticos there. I worked alongside my host family in their day to day lifestyle, walking out to the coffee farm, working with plantain and corn and planting beans. The amount of fruit that I got to try was a delight. Despite the wet season, there was lots of sunshine in the mornings and into the afternoons. I'd recommend rubber boots to anyone coming here between April and December. Both as a deterrent to hundreds of biting bugs, and to contend with the mud. My hosts were able to show me some nearby wonders, but transportation was limited. Coffee harvesting starts in October for those volunteering with that as their interest.

My adventure this summer was one only a few get to experience, I was lucky enough to spend 7 weeks in Costa Rica. Being seventeen I had no idea what to expect since I’d never really traveled out of the country, let alone by myself. Also being a student my budget was tight, thankfully global crossroads helped with that. Coming home I’ve now realized how much an impact this trip made on me. I spent the majority of my day in the orphanage I was volunteering in and my heart will forever lie with them. My Spanish wasn’t near great but quickly I found out love speaks beyond language. All these kids want is a friend and someone to laugh with. I would recommend that everyone does something like this at sometime in their life. It’s always said that you can find yourself while giving of yourself, and I can say from experience that if you give all of yourself you will indeed find yourself.

I will start by saying that the Host family and the country coordinator were great. They made me feel very welcome. They were always willing to help me and were making sure that my stay in Costa Rica was very effective and smooth. Such a nice people they were.

I was placed in a school which was about 20 min walk from my hosts. The school had a warm atmosphere. The staffs were supportive and kind. The students were disciplined. During the weekend I went to a beach and down town. They were perfect get away whenever I needed it and it was only 5-10 min walk from my hosts. The valuable lesson I learned here while teaching was finding the balance between life and work. I am very happy I decided to do this.

The application process was very smooth with Global Crossroad. Every answers were answered, they left no room for confusion or complaints.

The experience was amazing, and the friendships we have made will surely last a lifetime. This trip has exceeded all of my expectations, and I am very grateful to everyone at Global Crossroad.

I worked at the Escuella Santa Cecilia, teaching and helping to make a library for the kids. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming; I feel my time there was very fulfilling and educational. I learned a lot and hopefully passed on a lot as well.

I could have accomplished more if we were there for a longer period of time. I had the chance to help develop and decorate a library, to make a better learning environment for the children. I wish I could have had more time to help clean up the outside of the school as well, and make it even safer for the kids.