The Kalu Yala Institute: Environment & Community Internships in Panama

I came to Kalu Yala as a Community Wellness student in May of 2017. I left Panama a little over three months later a completely changed human being.
I had selected the CW program because I work in the medical field, will be starting nursing school in 2018, and am incredibly passionate about holistic health. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect, but I came into the program with an open mind and readiness to learn and was not disappointed. In my opinion, CW had some of the best discussions and the hands down coolest guests and field trips of the entire Summer 2017 semester. We covered so much in such a short amount of time and I definitely got everything I wanted to and more out of the program. I also learned so much from other programs and their directors, which was one of my favorite parts of my semester. There's so much overlap and collaboration, it's truly incredible to experience.
Kalu Yala itself is quite simply the most magical place and the most incredible community I've ever been a part of. I woke up every day in the jungle ready to be challenged, inspired, and supported by my peers. I made the best friends I've ever had at Kalu Yala. And I became the best version of myself I've ever been. I transformed mind, body, and spirit and grew into the role of healer, something that has given my life purpose and meaning that will drive my career.
I had done another study abroad/gap semester type program in Central America about a year before coming to Kalu Yala and comparing the two is like night and day. Kalu Yala is easily the best study abroad option I'm aware of, and without a doubt the best investment I've ever made in myself and my future. I would recommend KY to anyone and everyone. It will push you to your absolute limits in the best ways possible and teach you so much about yourself and also the world we inhabit. At Kalu Yala I learned the most valuable lesson of my life so far-- how to live in harmony with the environment and my community. I cannot speak highly enough of KY and the people who have dedicated parts of their lives to working and living there, and making it everything that it is.

My time spent at Kalu Yala was the best of my life. I don't think words will ever be able to describe the knowledge I gained here, and the personal growth I experienced. Kalu Yala challenged me intellectually, physically, emotionally, and spiritually in the best way it could possible do. I gained knowledge about my future career as a psychologist while simultaneously learning about a Panamanian way of life. The program was informative and challenged by existing belief system on modern day medicine, mental health, and much more. The group of individuals I was with also increased the experience; each filled with new passion and kindness. The support of the community at Kalu Yala really topped off the experience due to their endless love and patience. I couldn't be more thankful for this experience.

I love Kalu Yala. This internship was an incredible experience and easily one of the best and most impressionable experiences of my life. That being said nothing is perfect, and to expect Kalu Yala to be a perfect community perfectly mingled with nature would simply be untrue. There are many problems with Kalu Yala, but come on, if you're applying to build an experimental town in the jungle, how can you possibly expect the place to be 10/10 perfect?

Program effectiveness: (Business program)
The business program is what you make of it. It has the potential to be amazingly good for your business acumen or it has the potential to be almost pointless. If you use your time wisely you will learn a lot about small business management and be able to play a part in the businesses around you. Programs are divided into two major components: Director-led projects and independent projects. The first feels a lot more like a traditional internship where you get assigned tasks and you have to work in teams to get that completed (thankfully, no mandatory need to grab coffee for anyone). This is where you can learn how mundane business tasks are important to a business and this is probably what you can put on your resume for future employers. Your independent project is much more for you. The way the program lays out your independent project is very good for entrepreneurial development. It forces you to seek help where you would need it and provides you with business principles you will need in any business. This is very good for practical applications in future jobs, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Once again, how much you learn on a professional level is completely based on how much time you're going to invest in thinking about the projects put before you and how much you actively invest in your projects. Personally I found it very difficult to put some of the things I learned onto my resume, but it was very helpful in interviews and actual on the job applications.

Infrastructure:
Infrastructure of Kalu Yala is lacking in terms of modern first world comforts. Logistics are often confusing and technology (wifi, electricity, etc.) is unreliable. But you're in the middle of the jungle. Don't apply if you aren't willing to step away from technology a couple times a week (I for one, desired a break with technology). Also, some things will seem very rudimentary (like the "laundry" system, or the compost toilets), but hey if it works it works. They've hired a lot of staff to help you in anyway that you need it, whether it be physically, spiritually, or if you need help with your project. Staff is very willing to help and are a great resource. However, executive management and short-term decisions of Kalu Yala is questionable at times. You will question the decisions or short-term trajectories of Kalu Yala and how it will affect the community. However that is a problem in every quick growing start-up and every organization trying to change the world for the better. You just have to trust the company and do your part to make it better. Oh and Panama is expensive for a Central American country. They use the US Dollar and there are SO many things you will want to buy - especially in the jungle, so be prepared for that.

Health & Safety:
There aren't any major health or safety concerns that should worry you too much, however when you get here, you'll feel like there are problems. Jungle stuff will happen. Infections, rashes, bug bites, jungle rot are going to happen to some people in your community, but really, it's not that bad and staff will deal with it, even if it feels like they aren't - and there will be times where it feels like they aren't.

Daily Life:
I loved daily life here, maybe too much. Like I loved it so much that I just didn't know how to adjust back to the States. You won't have another experience where you are so deeply in tune with nature and like-minded people. However the jungle life is not for everyone. Small things like 8 different flies trying to commit suicide on your leg at once is going to get to you. Things will mold, and you will always be dirty (don't bring white clothes). There are times where you think people aren't as professional as they should be (that's an issue to some, and a plus to others). You're going to be upset by the trash accumulated around camp. But at the same time, you're going to learn to love rain, love dipping in the river, love planting trees, hiking and exploring the world, playing soccer with locals, sleeping in a hammock, and eating the most delicious vegetarian food you've ever had. And the people, oh the people. They will instill in you a sense of love, connection, and confidence that you'll crave for a long time. And I'm sure it wasn't just my semester where amazing people came together. The type of people this place attracts are seriously just extremely conscious, lovable, talented people.

I wanted to post an in-depth, unbiased review because I really wish I had one when I was researching this place. Viceland & reddit told me this place was a scam, while online reviews were all too good to be true. It was confusing and it almost made me not go. But I am so glad I went. If you feel an urge to come to Kalu Yala, do it. You won't regret it, just don't come in with expectations that this place will be perfect - it won't be. Kalu Yala wasn't everything I dreamed it would be, but it became the place of my dreams (seriously, when I got back, I couldn't stop dreaming of Kalu Yala for 3 weeks).

I had a spectacular time during my 2.5 months at Kalu Yala. I loved the fact that i got the chance to learn from everyone there, not just the people in leadership postions. Everyone was so kind and welcoming when we first got into the jungle. From then on, I felt like I was a sponge trying to absorb every possible thing i could from my fellow interns, other staff members, and especially the amazing Jon Trimarco (my ag director)

I learned the basics of permaculture principles not only in the topics but everywhere. I learned how to apply permaculture to all aspects of life, not just farming or gardening. I learned how to compost and build my own compost system. I learned the basics of tropical agriculture. I got to teach elementary school kids the basics of tropical farming :) I learned about Black Soldier Flies and how the can break down a compost pile much quicker than anything else and can then be used as chicken or fish feed; extremely nutritious and sustainable feed :) the ag team as a whole were catalysts in regenerating an old cattle pasture back into its natural state of rainforest. We all worked to breed iguanas in a place where iguanas are going extinct. We showed others that hard, manual labor can be fun and rewarding. and this is all just what we did as an agriculture team. The other programs were simotaneously working their magic in other parts of this amazing village which will someday be a town

If you are looking for a digital detox, to re-connect to the natural world, to redevelop your relationships to food and waste management, to meet passionate people who will inspire you in more ways than you think possible, this is the experience for you.
This is a special place that allows people to explore, create and share what they have to offer. The experience will teach you a lot about yourself if you allow it to. The more you put it, the more you get out.

My experience at Kalu Yala was amazing. Every single day was a learning experience from both my directors and my peers. As a business intern, not only was I able to learn about business through a more socially- and environmentally-conscious scope, but also about permaculture, sustainable food systems, and communicating sustainability through a variety of media outlets, among a plethora of other subjects. I was even given enough support to co-launch a start-up company with a fellow intern and was able learn so much from an entrepreneurial environment. I would do Kalu Yala all over again if I could.

I went to Kalu Yala after college because I love central america and it was relevant to what I wanted to do after college. I would say to budget more so that you can travel around the country on weekends, breaks, before and after. Kalu Yala gave me an opportunity to take responsibility for my professional work and personal development while working. This was a beautiful place, with an interesting dialogue.

The best way to change the world is to change YOUR world. And Kalu Yala is a great place to start. It is building the world it wants to live in and will help you shape your vision of the future.
At it's core, Kalu Yala "believes that the answers to most of the worlds challenges already exist and only need to be brought together in one place to demonstrate their truths".
In order to do that, it greets interns and, much like children with limitless imagination, they are guided through a 10-week real-world sandbox experience.
If you are looking for a new way to learn, if you agree that you can often learn more by putting yourself to the test, by building it yourself, by failing and reevaluating and trying it again, then you will greatly benefit from your experience here.

This might give you an idea: Sit down and try writing up a list of what a town needs in order to thrive. Then figure out how to go about making these happen and all the difficulties and questions involved in doing so. Then go over all of these steps and make sure they are as sustainable as possible. Food, living spaces, bathrooms, water, technology, transportation... It's not easy. But it's what we are doing here and the learning experience that you will get out of it will change the way you see the world, the way you approach difficulties and the way you overcome obstacles.

Kalu Yala puts to the test everything I believe in when striving for an alternative and healthier way of life. Have no expectations, don't take anything for granted.
Be open to challenge everything you know about community living & education.
Buy the ticket, take the ride!

My major in college was Recreation and Sports Management and my minor was sustainability. I came to Kalu Yala to be in the outdoor recreation program- so tell me this wasn't the perfect internship for me?! I came down unassuming about anything except that I would be living in the jungle during rainy season. I was greeted by many hugs and people genuinely happy for me to be there. From the very moment I got to Kalu Yala I could feel the authentic community around me. A community of people who wanted to learn, to incite change, to be a part of something bigger than themselves, and to be themselves. I spent the semester hiking, swimming, surfing, climbing, getting to know humans from all different backgrounds and schools of thought, and learned things that I will spend the rest of my life unpacking. At the end of the semester I did a short video interview with one of the other students as part of their project and they asked me what the hardest thing about being here was and I was at a loss for words. Sure some parts were difficult but I expected that so in hindsight they weren't "the hardest thing"- they were a learning moments.
Before Kalu Yala friends and family would ask me what I wanted to do when I graduated and I would shrug and reply with, "I'm not sure, I just want to play outside!" Kalu Yala (or something like it) became my goal and what I wanted to do. And I found that here.
10/10 would recommend.

Taking an internship with the Kalu Yala Health and Wellness team in rural Panama is probably my best decision to date. Living and working in a small community in the countryside taught me new approaches to community building and gave me a much greater, more nuanced understanding of development. The Health and Wellness program challenged me to expand my vision, dismantle my preconceived notions about my role in the community, and push myself to flourish far outside my comfort zone. I wish everyone could have the kind of humbling and radically empowering experience that Kalu Yala gave me!

Kalu Yala has opened up a whole new way of living for me. During my time as an intern I met the most passionate, creative and determined people who influenced me professionally and individually. I was surprised on how quickly I became friends with complete strangers in three months. I was there during the rainy season which I tested my personal and mental strength. I needed to step out of my comfort zone and adapt to the living situation. Which was not always easy. I had to get use to living with bugs, animals, lack of personal space, mud, jungle life, being away from family and friends, and a whole bunch more. I learned so much about sustainability and how to look at life with a different perspective. I am grateful for my time as an intern at KY.

Kalu Yala was a life changing experience that led me to reevaluate what I want to achieve in life, who I want to become, and what I want to stand for. I have never experienced a more supportive, hands-on, and creative experience. What I learned and who I met will always be at the core of my being.

Hi Reader!

Are you a college student or recent graduate looking for an intensely cool experience?

Have you seen ads in your campus to study abroad for anything, even for science (particularly biology and environmental science), but didn't know where to start?

Do you love Spanish, beaches, jungles, deep friendships, and being in harmony with the culture around you, while saving money big time for international travel?

If you answer yes to these questions, Kalu Yala is seriously the right place for you, no matter who you are and what people thought you could do with your life! You can reinvent yourself at K.Y. and grow to be the happiest person who can be, with a vision for success and a refreshed body from the stress of your hometown life.

My daily experiences in the biology internship group included the chance to build a water system to nourish local villagers from the ground up with close team members, and to establish your very own pilot project of science research at local hydrological companies including Indicasat and FSU's GIS department (I personally did this research alongside another team member for her study abroad program in hydrology, which involved collecting water samples throughout the country and analyzing their quality in the lab). This gives you the wonderful opportunity to tour Panama, learn to use its inexpensively good transportation system, speak good Spanish, and visit the most beautiful waterfalls and tropical forests you could have ever imagined!

Panama is one of the safest Latin American countries as it has the Panama Canal and plenty of revenue to eliminate crime and poverty in this fine nation. Plus, it rivals even Mexico for fine tourist destinations that you will have a chance to go to, including Bocas Del Toro, San Carlos, and San Blas.

If science internships are not your interest, you can still have other interesting opportunities such as business interning (affiliated with the TED-X Organization, a reputable movement for accomplishing the dreams of visionaries). My personal experience with those business interns has been to work together to sell the water plant I helped create to our new, sustainable village. Beyond the business and biology programs, many other great programs exist in Kalu Yala, including the Community Outreach program, where I personally joined 20 other soccer fans to play Latin-style soccer and to help teach English even. The Panamanians here are very welcoming to visitors from abroad, so please visit if you have a heart for adventure!

This internship is the most affordably priced program to live abroad for a full semester (3 months), and offers an alliance of coworkers who will give you the peace of mind of having a family abroad who will protect you if you get sick or need help. Other internships may include NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership Society), or Kumbaya, but the cost of NOLS may be about $5k compared to the $2k I invested in Kalu Yala. And, Kumbaya isn't even abroad (it is within the USA). For the hundred days you will spend in Panama via the Kalu Yala organization, the cost of living turns out to be about $20 per day, while having something worthy to put on your resume.

You will even have bragging rights to say that you survived living in the jungles of Panama should you choose the biology program, and to have genuine collegiate experiences that you may have missed out on in a smaller university or because you were too timid before your undergraduate years ended to be adventurous. No matter who you are (such as an Asian-American or other minority), I have seen firsthand how positive this place feels to catalyze your way to becoming a healthier and more sociable person.

If you are hesitating to apply for the Kalu Yala Internship program simply because you aren't sure if it is a legitimate program, then I reassure you that you will be fulfilled with its authenticity!

If you are looking for an experience that will absolutely change your life for the better, look no further. As an Outdoor Recreation intern, you will be living in the jungle. That's right. You will be living a few miles away from the nearest small town which is about an hour away from Panama City on bus. You will meet some of the most influential, passionate and caring individuals ever. You will sweat a lot and cry tears of blissful happiness. You will wake up and fall asleep with the sun and the stars. I was an intern in the summer and surprisingly, the weather was not too hot and the rain every now and then was the most glorious thing. On the real, I suffered from depression before my Kalu Yala experience and can confidently say that the jungle and the beautiful souls I came in touch with have cured me. Best experience of my life, hands down. I plan on returning one day for a longer stay!

There was always something to do. We had personal projects that we worked on but we also helped each other with their projects, did chores around camp, had time to read and explore, went swimming, and lived as a community. In addition to getting close with the other interns all of the staff were great. They were always there whenever and for whatever you needed them. I learned a lot about myself while I was there and I'm so proud of all that we were able to accomplish. Definitely an experience I would recommend to everyone even if you aren't used to camping, peeing outside, bugs or bathing in rivers.

My experience with Kalu Yala was unlike any internship or study program that I've participated in before or since. I was an outdoor recreation intern in Summer 2012. I can still remember the first week vividly in my mind. The adjustment to living in the jungle with the team was physically challenging but mentally stimulating. I still reflect on many of my experiences as an intern and with the other interns/directors/staff in Panama. The location=humid and/or hot rainforest; the people=interesting, fun, deep, engaging; the company=creative, unique, up and coming, basically the definition of entrepreneurship.

Kalu Yala Internships is an amazing program. Rather than being interns just becoming cogs, interns are actually instrumental in paving the path of Kalu Yala. It was a life changing experience for me.

The 11 weeks spent in Panama City with the business internship was one of the best times I have ever had. I was able to meet great life long friends, network with business leaders, and grow personally and professionally. Kalu Yala allows interns to create their own projects based on their vision, and provides the tools to meet those goals. We are allowed the best resources: The CEO of one of the worlds most sustainable timber operations, a thought leader in economic models, a permaculture expert pushing the limits of ecological design and many more speakers that came in to share their experiences with us. Kalu Yala is where future leaders go and becoming part of the Kalu Yala family is one of the best decisions I have ever made. The internship is not for everyone as it is very demanding, but for students that wish to challenge themselves, the reward is great. This internship allows you the freedom to make of it what you will. If you want to have a vacation and find yourself that is great, if you want to start a business, test a theory, or experiment in the jungle you can do it. Enter the internship with a plan and goals.

I took a semester off during my second year of undergrad on a whim to be a Kalu Yala intern in the spring of 2011. I was welcomed by loving people (staff and citizens of San Miguel), amazing food, and breathtaking views straight out of a photography book. I created my own research project and my work remains a tool that I am continually contacted about by other interns. The positive reinforcement, the passionate people, and the vision of the company as a whole were just a few of the reasons that I applied to be a program director. As a paid employee I was allowed to create my own program, carry out IRB-approved research, and help to shape the lives and experiences of my interns, my fellow employees, the local individuals, and Kalu Yala as a company and driving force in the sustainability movement. Kalu Yala has been a springboard for me to get related jobs in research. They remain helpful and encouraging from afar.

Other unique experiences from both of my stints with KY: collected medicinal plants with an Emberá healer, helped raise chickens, hiked in and out of the Kalu Yala valley, traveled around Panamá, harvested yuca and other plants with local San Miguelians, created a book detailing local plant knowledge of 150 plants, conducted 21 recorded interviews in Spanish with local women regarding healthcare; created lifelong bonds with interns, staff, and locals alike.

Kalu Yala is such a beautiful place, and there is always something to do. I got the opportunity to work on a variety of different projects. It was a fabulous work environment because there is a mentality that everyone helps each other out. The directors are knowledgeable and exceptionally ambitious leaders. They encouraged me to do my own project. They supported me by sharing proven research materials and listening to my ideas and providing feedback.