Intro to Community Service in Costa Rica

If you're looking for an experienced-packed volunteering adventure and you're new to the whole volunteering scene, this program is a good pick. That's exactly what I was looking for when I chose it and I wasn't disappointed.
While going to at least 5 different schools in the area and doing a lot of volunteer work, you also get the chance to do a ton of once in a lifetime things, like swimming in hot springs, ziplining, or seeing some of the local animals- if you're lucky you'll see a sloth.
The volunteer work is, with a few exceptions, pretty physically tiring; it entails a lot of shovel work, and due to the unpredictable rains during the summer, usually while drenched. So, definitely not for people who can't get their hands dirty now and then. You also get to interact with a lot of kids, but again, they're Costa Rican, so brush up on your Spanish so you can talk to them a little.
Since the weather is very humid, my number 1 suggestion is TAKE MORE THAN ONE TOWEL! Depending on the number of girls and boys, you're in a room with 6 or 8 people to a bathroom so showering all the time isn't an option, although you might feel like it after the dirt, sweat and rain. It doesn't make much of a difference though, because nothing dries properly. If you have long or thick hair, consider always wearing it in a braid or tied up, because washing it and waiting for it to dry will take eons.
The food is good, depending on the program; I was on the Intro to Community Service program in July 2015, and our chef was amazing, but I was told by participants in other programs that the food wasn't as great. All in all, great or not, it's Costa Rica, so prepare yourself for lots of black beans with most meals.
I'm from Spain so I knew when I went on the program that I would be a minority, since Rustic is an American based program that caters to American teens. There are some nationalities, as there was a Turkish kid and a French kid on our program too, but you are mostly surrounded by American teens- which can be a good thing and a bad thing. If you're not that socially outgoing, it could be somewhat negative, because you've only got 9 days to open up and make friends with these people.
The Rustic staff are great. I really enjoyed talking to them and finding out about them. You usually have some South Americans or Ticos (Costa Ricans) on your trip, which make for a great cultural exchange. Again, brush up on your Spanish as for some, their mother tongue is Spanish.
Take lots of pictures, but don't go nuts about it. One of my BIGGEST issues with this program was that some of the USA teens could not put down their phones, despite the Rustic no phone policies. They were either constantly snapping pictures or checking social media. I understand taking some pictures of this once in a lifetime experience, but remember that that's exactly what this is, a unique experience, so why spend it all on your phone?
Overall, I would suggest the program for starters and, as the program name points out, as an introduction to service.