Projects Abroad Volunteer Programs in Costa Rica

Overall, the Projects abroad staff was incredibly supportive, helpful, and accommodating. Not only did they make us feel comfortable and welcome as soon as we got off of the plane, but they continued to offer their assistance in any way possible and the staff member that accompanied us throughout our daily activities was amazing and certainly added to the overall experience I had in Costa Rica. I was there for two weeks and always felt safe and taken care of. They helped plan activities, like dinners, trips to the beach, and other excursions before we arrived, as well as planned last minute activities that we wanted to try once we had arrived. They were able to make last minute zip lining reservations and figured out ways to fit it into our incredibly busy schedule. They made sure that we were happy and could do what we wanted. Our placement in a local host family's house was great and we had no problems with our living arrangement. Any minor issues that arose, like food preferences, the staff was able to help with if students felt uncomfortable talking to their host family or simply did not know how to communicate with them. I went with a group of 14 girls, and they were able to house almost all of us in the same home. The volunteer placement at a local daycare was only a 25 minute drive, and they provided transportation that was never a problem. The first week we were there, we were arriving to the daycare before the children, and we were a bit confused as to what our role was. But, they quickly adjusted the time that we were picked up, and we arrived an hour later the next week. We felt a little uncomfortable in our placement at first, as we were unsure what our role was and what exactly we should be doing. After a couple days, we got the hang out of and felt more comfortable. Projects Abroad also has a lot of information on their website for people to read before they travel to their destination, it was specific and incredibly helpful to read and have a checklist provided for us of things to bring. The travel guide on the website covered all of the possible elements to expect, like what to bring, what to expect with our host family, and the general culture that we would be immersed in. The staff contacted us multiple times via email and phone before our trip in order to make us feel comfortable and answer any questions we may have. Overall, I was extremely happy with the accommodations and staff. They really care about you and want to make you happy, the projects abroad staff even attended dinners with us and truly just wanted us to enjoy our time in the country. This was my first time traveling abroad and I would definitely do it again with this organization. If you are new or nervous about traveling, this organization will make is easy and comfortable for you, as they are happy to do so.

It is hard to put a price on an experience that will 1) forever change you and 2) continuously help you in life. That is what Projects Abroad gave me. I went to Liberia, Costa Rica when I was 18 years old, I am now 23, and this opportunity has continued to follow me!
The program Projects Abroad was well placed and I was with someone most of the way there. I was picked up at the airport by a staff member and driven to the buss station where I was handed off to a close family friend who would be going the same route as me. Once I arrived in Liberia another representative was at the station to drive me to my host families home. I was able to walk to the school I would work at as well as any stores that I may have wanted to go to.
The teacher I was shadowing would hang out with me and show me around. I also made friends with a local church group in the town square are started spending my free evenings with them once they came to my host family and introduced themselves.
I am now the Child Care Assistant Director at a local YWCA and provide Respite care to children in need in my community and while Projects Abroad may seem unrelated it gave me the chance to hone my skills at adapting to different people and situations both culturally and personally different than myself. To have been able to go to a different country where I didn’t know the language, the exact currency change, or some of the major customs and leave with a deeper understanding of both world that I am both apart of as well as the world I had only read about was a truly life changing experience. I had more growth as a person and human being in two weeks than I ever thought possible. Even now I am able to reflect back on that time and center myself as an adult in this moment. To be able to use a memory from five years ago to help me focus my current ambitions and goals is truly profound.
To anyone who wants a unique, life altering and exhilarating life experience look no further than Projects Abroad.

Life IS what YOU MAKE of it. Make it an experience that will last you a 1,000 life times.

I spent three months in Liberia, Costa Rica, volunteering as an English teacher in a public arts experience. I choose Costa Rica because I wanted to improve my Spanish skills and the country is beautiful. I had the most amazing time! My host family did not speak any English, but I arrived knowing enough Spanish to speak with people. When I arrived in Liberia, I was met by a staff member who took me to my host family. The family was very accommodating and cook vegetarian meals for me. I really did feel like part of the family. Everyday, I would come home from work and we would have a family lunch together. Luis would always come in yelling "Charlotte, Pura Vida" and his daughter, Maria Jose, would ask me about my day. Carmen was very accommodating to the fact that I am a vegetarian, and also tried to give me some traditional Costa Rican food. Of course, this involved lots of rice and beans, but I got used to that. On night she even made me plantain ceviche as a substitute for the raw fish version. Since I really did not want gallo pinto for breakfast, Carmen would just cut me some fresh fruit, which was always delicious!

I work at Colegio Felipe Perez with students from the ages of 13 to 18. They often had problems maintaining focus in class but they were happy to practice with a native English speaker. They always invited me to sit with them during the breaks or in assemblies. One of my students even taught me traditional Costa Rica dances so I could perform with her at the English Festival. I had a lot of responsibility in the classroom. I helped my teacher grade exams, created activities, and even taught the class by myself if my teacher had a meeting. I also was able to experience Costa Rican culture as the school would host assemblies on holidays and showcase traditional dances and songs. The kids were all really talented.I even got to help stand up for the rights of students in my school. When I first arrived, the school didn't have access to potable water or clean bathroom facilities. They administration needed more money from the Department of Education to fix the problems. Off and on for two weeks, classes would stop and we would march around the "barrio" or the town in protest.

I also worked at the Parque National Barra Honda for my final week. The park is famous for the many limestone caves in the area. As part of the project, I got to go into the caves and see the amazing formations. I also helped to clear trails and work on the construction of a waste recycling system. The volunteers lived in cabins in the park. The bathrooms were a bit dirty but it wasn't too bad. The staff was amazing and they always made an effort to come over and chat with the volunteers in our down time. I really wished I could have stayed longer as I did not get to work on the butterfly or bat project. After Liberia, traveling from Barra Honda on the weekends was more difficult. There was only one bus that ran from the national park into the nearby town and it took a very long time. To get back to the park on Sunday evening, I had to get a taxi, which was expensive.

I also had an amazing time traveling on the weekends with the other volunteers. We really had the chance to see all of Costa Rica, but we arranged it ourselves. We would either take the public buses or rent a private bus, neither of which were that expensive. I traveled to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side, to the cloud forest of Monteverde where I went bungee jumping, to Jaco and Manuel Antonio, and to the numerous beaches on the Nicoya Pennisula. While I was in Liberia, there were always about 15 to 20 other volunteers from the ages of 17 to 35. All of our crazy adventures exploring the country bonded us together and we still keep in touch even though we live all over the world. I am so glad that I took the time to work and live in Costa Rica. I had the most fantastic time!

Being the younger sister of two, I occasionally feel the need to assert my independence. So when it came to my gap year, I was pretty keen to do something different. The year before me, my sister had travelled to South Africa for a couple of months with Projects Abroad and ended up loving it so much that she extended her stay for a month longer than planned (much to my mother’s dismay!). She’d come back buzzing with stories of friends and experiences, not to mention considerable heartache at having left them all behind… But I wasn’t going to let myself be convinced that easily: I was going to do my research properly! I quickly realised, however, that the service provided by Projects Abroad is pretty unique.

What first struck me was the wealth of opportunity available, both in terms of the choice of countries and the range of projects. The second deciding factor was their flexibility; due to their extensive networks between and within counties, Projects Abroad could really take to my plans into account and help me customise a trip that involved two countries and three projects (I really couldn’t choose between them!) which, compared to the other companies I researched, was impressive. So a month later, partially prepared, very excited, and a little nervous, I was off! My first stop was Costa Rica, where I’d be learning Spanish for a month. I’d then planned to fly over to Peru to teach for a month, followed by a week of conservation in the Amazon.

The arrival procedure in both countries was very supportive; I was met by a Projects Abroad member of staff at the airport and taken straight to meet my host family (with the added bonus of receiving a whistle-stop tour of the area on the way). After a night of settling in, I then joined a few other volunteers for an orientation of the surrounding area in which I was living and how to get to my place of work/study, which was invaluable. As for my host families, I couldn’t have wished for more. The warmth I felt on arrival put me at ease almost instantly, and they were so caring throughout my stay – staying up for me if I got back late, or leaving meals in the microwave with a note. Recalling the chats we had over the kitchen table, my early attempts at Spanish, or running around with my host mum chasing cockroaches still makes me laugh. The accommodation was also a lot more luxurious than I expected (I had an en suite in Costa Rica!), and I always felt safe in the area.

The teaching and conservation projects that I took part in were outstanding. The proactivity and passion of the staff out there is infectious, and I really did feel like I was making a difference during my time. The English teacher in the Peruvian school that I was assisting had a very low level of English herself, so I took up to the role of teacher from the beginning. It was daunting at the start, but the weekly workshops and regular contact with the project staff, plus lots of ideas and material from the office really supported me, and by the time I was leaving, both my pupils and my teacher were chatting to me in English! My week on the Taricaya conservation project was equally rewarding. Feeding animals, chasing baby turtles, picking fruit... I kept having to remind myself that it was real. I also joined at a really exciting time during the re-release of Spider Monkeys into the wild, which involved lots of cuddling of baby monkeys and treks into the depths of the Amazon to set up the pre-release cages. A few of the tasks I got involved in weren’t particularly glamorous, but the depth of involvement that volunteers are allowed to experience makes this project truly unique.

Lastly, the countries themselves were breathtaking. From triple tier waterfalls, volcanoes and beaches in Costa Rica to deserts, lakes and Machu Picchu in Peru, every day of my three short months combined to make it truly an experience of a lifetime.

I decided last year I wanted to make a difference and get away, after lots of research I found Projects Abroad and after some emailing with the staff chose to volunteer through one of the many programs they offer. My first choice didn't work but the staff at the PA office helped me find another I would enjoy, and it became Costa Rica's Conservation Project in Barra Honda National Park. Getting there was easy, the staff helped me the entire way and everything was organized. The accomodations were much better than I was expecting, a massive washroom attached to your shared room (bunk beds, shelving on one wall, windows, and a front porch area). The work itself ranged from being very physical, to relaxing-- the work in the tree nursery was quite relaxing after a morning of doing something more physical. There are some staff members that live on site with you in another building and they are great! In the free time the staff, and other volunteers will go play football (soccer), the staff will teach you about Costa Rica, help you learn spanish, and help you plan trips to see the country on the weekends. Being away from the cities means you really bond with the other volunteers and the staff it quickly became a second home. The food is AMAZING!! They provide 3 meals a day and they are big, most times you actual ask for less even with all the work you are doing. The chef, Meciel will make custom dishes for people who have dietary restrictions, or just don't really like something. I think the staff at the park really made my trip, I enjoyed doing work that improved the park, working with animals (bats, butterflies, Macaw conservation, and monkey observation), getting to explore the one of the man caves in the park, and living right in the National Park really teaches you a lot about yourself-- no internet in the park, no nearby cities (but some really cool villages), and surrounded by nature is awesome.

You get to see a million stars at night because there is no light pollution, you will see monkeys daily, beautiful birds singing in the morning, I recommend this trip to anyone!! You can be any age to go, I worked with people 18 years of age up to mid 50's.

After my initial Spring Break plans fell through I decided I wanted to do something more with my vacation than just lie on a beach with my friends- I wanted to give back. I was a little skeptical of volunteering abroad at first because I was essentially paying to volunteer, a concept I had never heard of before, but I just decided to go with it and take a chance. Once I was in Costa Rica and saw where exactly my money was going to I was elated that I could donate my time and money to such a great cause. Projects Abroad is a wonderfully organized volunteer program. Every single member of staff that I met was amazing and I learned so much from them while I was there. I felt so welcomed and like I was genuinely needed at my placement.
The other spring breakers and I participated in the Care program and spent the week working at a daycare, doing odd jobs for them and playing with the kids. I had the opportunity to practice my Spanish in every day conversations; an opportunity that I never got in my American classrooms. The work was definitely physically hard and exhaustive at times but we still had time to go out to the bars and restaurants and even to the beach. The other girls in my placement were from all over the world and I feel more knowledgeable about other cultures simply from living and interacting with them for the week.
I would recommend Projects Abroad to anyone looking to volunteer in a foreign country- you learn so much about yourself and people in general that the experience is not to be missed! The only drawback is the price (it is quite pricey) but the money is used for such a great cause that this issue can be overlooked. My only regret is that I was not able to spend more time in Costa Rica.

I spent two months in Costa Rica, originally I was supposed to be on the conservation placement for 2 months but like most volunteers, I changed after a month. While Barra Honda is an amazing park with so much to offer, the facilites are well below standard. The bunk rooms were filthy and there were at times 6 in a room with only one fan to share. We also had a volunteer who was causing trouble however due the lack of accommodation there was no where else they could stay except our room.

The staff are knowledgeable and really happy to talk to you about the environment. I learnt a lot and got to participate in a huge variety of projects. The work is physically intense so be prepared for that!

After a month I transferred to the teaching project in Liberia. The staff were amazing and really happy to help. I had the best time of my trip with the host family I was placed in. I met many other travelers and my Spanish improved drastically. We had some fantastic weekend trips away and enjoyed things like going to the movies together every week.

I would recommend anyone going to the Conservation placement to be prepared for some hard work! I would also suggest you do some time in one of the other projects as well.

My first few days were a little bit too uneventful. Projects Abroad staff gave a quick intro to the town of Liberia and then let me go on my own. I didn't speak much spanish and was a bit shy about finding my own way around.

Once I met other volunteers and started my placement, however, things picked up a lot. I would suggest doing the care program, teaching program, or conservation program as those are the ones with the most impact.

The friendships were great. A much younger crowd than I expected, but it was nice that we were most single travellers looking for friends along the way.

The schedule is pretty relaxed and weekend travel can be more expensive than you planned for if you aren't careful. I got lucky and was able to both take spanish lessons and volunteer while I was in Liberia, Guanacaste with Projects Abroad. I think for some of the people who only took spanish lessons, the days were a bit long.

Overall, living with my host family was the best part. I played with the kids in my family everyday and they helped me tremendously with my spanish skills. My lessons were also great being that they were one on one and my teacher was really invested in my learning.