Volunteer

Vounteer Vacations in Costa Rica

By teletico ⋅ February 23, 2008 ⋅  Email this post ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

There is a rising trend in alternative vacationing these days, whether its participating in a theme vacation, learning a new language, or lending a helping hand during your stay. A new breed of vacationers are moving away from the traditional all inclusive resort vacations and towards a new and exciting way to experience leisure while contributing to and taking something valuable away from their trip. The following provides a brief introduction to volunteering in Costa Rica, a life-changing experience I had as a volunteer, as well as a list of volunteer programs available in Costa Rica. 
 
Volunteer Vacations are a great way to experience all that a country has to offer in biodiversity, culture, and charm while providing a service to members of the local community. Volunteer activities in Costa Rica are diverse, ranging from teaching in English in local schools to monitoring the progress of nesting and hatching sea turtles along the coast. Many of these programs have been established for years and are well equipped to handle individual as well as groups of volunteers for days, weeks, and even months. Before assuming that these programs are all work and no play, I should not that the majority are located close to or right in the middle of popular tourist destinations. Many local communities hosting volunteers have access to their own natural wonders in rainforest trails, waterfalls, and stretches of beautiful beaches.

Volunteer Vacations can be designed according to your schedule, budget, and commitment to volunteer work. Most programs require at least one week of volunteer service. These programs usually involve four to six hours of actual work per day, combined with scheduled meals and downtime to experience the community and natural settings during your stay. Some may choose to spend 2-3 weeks working at the same volunteer site. Others may opt for a 3-4 week trip volunteering at different sites. In this way volunteers are able to work with turtle conservation, rainforest preservation, and community assistance all in the same trip to Costa Rica. Yet another option is to volunteer for a week or two and then spend a week touring popular destinations in Costa Rica. Whatever itinerary volunteer vacationers choose, the resulting travel experience is complete with purpose, meaning, and self-growth.

Four years ago I participated in a volunteer vacation in the small town of El Sur de Turrubares. Our group numbered five in total and we spent the week teaching English in the local school, building a bridge over the small river passing through the center of town, and painting the school and community center. The cultural immersion we experienced was incredible, sharing meals with families, milking cows, playing on the El Sur soccer team against a local rival, and participating in traditional sugar cane processing. Leisure activities like horseback riding, swimming in the pristine pools below hidden waterfalls in the rainforest, and night shrimping made the trip complete.

I must admit that my first love was the village itself. The people of this community, numbering no more than 30, were so warm and receptive during our time there. After spending a week in the small village I returned a month later as a volunteer to teach English in the local school. It was during this time that I fell in love with my Costa Rican wife, whom I met upon my first visit to El Sur.

Together we now work to bring more volunteers to El Sur and other locations throughout Costa Rica for the purpose of furthering our belief in the importance of meaningful, responsible, and sustainable travel. Community-based rural tourism is a means by which local communities like El Sur are able to continue in their traditional agriculture-based way of life, while maintaining income through the growth and dominance of tourism over the Costa Rican economy. My view is that the combination of volunteerism or service learning and community rural based tourism is one of the strongest, most effective ways to promote and participate in sustainable travel here in Costa Rica.

I have compiled the following list of my favorite volunteer vacation opportunities available to travelers in Costa Rica. The programs listed below focus on volunteerism rather than the community rural based tourism experience I mentioned above. I will explore options for these unique experiences in another post, although it should be noted that many volunteer opportunities due involve the local community and many community based rural tourism experiences have optional volunteer elements available. Those seeking more volunteerism with respect to wildlife conservation should explore the list provided below. If you’re looking for more culture, check out my post on community based rural tourism options.

Monkey Park Rescue Center – Located on the pacific coast of Guanacaste, this wildlife rescue center is focused on the rehabilitation and reintroduction of rescued animals back into their natural habitat. The center is home to toucans, coyotes, monkeys, deer, crocodiles, as well as other species of birds and small mammals.

The center is located within close proximity to the small towns of Portegolpe, Cartagena, and Huacas with the larger beach towns of Flamingo, Tamarindo, Playa Grande, and Brasilito. Protected areas in the region include Palo Verde National Park, Las Baulas National Marine Park, and Diria National Forest. Day trips to these locations can be arranged through coordination with the administrators.

Volunteer tasks at the center include:

• General housekeeping and maintenance
• Cleaning animal cages
• Feeding the animals
• Veterinary assistance
• Trail construction and maintenance
• Work at the butterfly farm
• Customer service and guide for tourists


 

Las Pumas Rescue Center – Located in the province of Guanacaste, but farther from the coast near the town of Canas, this wildlife center is also dedicated to the rehabilitation and reintroduction of rescued wildlife back into their natural habitat. Las Pumas is home to various species of big cats, making this rescue center particularly unique and attractive. The center is home to jaguars, pumas, ocelots and margays, the largest facility of its kind found in Central America. Volunteers here focus on biology and veterinary education.

Las Pumas is equipped to handle only four volunteers at one time, so planning and reservations should be made well in advance. Volunteers have one day free per week when they can hang out at the center, use the internet, or visit the nearby town of Canas.

Volunteer tasks at the center include:

• Food preparation and feeding the animals.
• Cleaning animal cages
• Construction of new cages for the animals
• Maintenance of infrastructure
• Preparation of educational materials and guide for visitors
• Development of special projects

Sea Turtle Rescue & Research

Las Baulas National Marine Park – Situated on the central coast of Gunacaste, this beach is considered one of the most important nesting sites in the world for the baula, or leatherback turtle. The park itself is primarily composed of ocean, beach, and mangrove. In fact its possible to find all six types of mangroves native to Costa Rica here. During the day, Playa Grande host to surfers seeking some of the best waves Costa Rica has to offer. At night, the beach is off limits to visitors, unless accompanied by a park ranger or professional guide for viewing besting turtles.

Nesting season takes place from October to March. The leatherback is critically endangered with the number of nesting turtles decreasing each year. Park rangers and scientists attribute this to overfishing in the area as well as overdevelopment, as lights from hotels distract and disorient turtles coming up to the beach. Park rangers are active in patrolling the beach for poachers and collect eggs for incubation in order to increase their rate of survival. Volunteers are welcome in and out of turtle season, as tasks necessary to maintain the well-being of this park are available year-round.

Volunteer tasks in the park include:

• Patrol walks to protect nesting turtles
• Beach signaling
• Maintenance and cleaning of beaches
• Maintenance of ranger station

Please Note: Opportunities to volunteer with turtles are also available in various other locations throughout Costa Rica. Simply drop me a line and I’ll be happy to give you the details if you’re interested in this amazing experience.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
National Park Protection and Preservation
 
 

Ballena National Marine Park – This option is excellent for volunteers with a special interest in marine biology. The park, located in Uvita on the central/south pacific coast of the country, works to ensure the healthy reproduction and nesting of marine based species in the area. The park protects sandy and rocky beaches, islands, reefs, and coastal rainforest. Crabs, worms, lobsters, seaweed, various species of fish, sponge, mollusks and marine birds are found in this environment.

On days off volunteers may enjoy the beautiful beaches and calm gentle waters of Playa Uvita or take a trip to the nearby surf town of Dominical. Ballena is Spanish for whale and the park was originally established for the protection of migrating humpback whales. Whales pass through the region during the months of August through October and December to April. Whale and dolphin watching tours are available for volunteers to enjoy as well.

Volunteer tasks in the park include:

• Trail maintenance
• Clean up of camping areas and general infrastructure
• Customer service for tourists
• Support for ranger patrols
• Beach cleanup

Corcovado National Park – National Geographic calls this place on the most biologically diverse place on the plant, and rightly so as the park contains 2% of the planet’s biodiversity. Corcovado is located in Costa Rica’s southern zone, a long trip from San Jose, but definitely worth it. The park is filled with flora and fauna including scarlet macaws, all four species of monkeys (white-faced capuchin, spider, howler, and the endangered squirrel monkey), as well as peccaries, tapir, and jaguars. There are four ranger stations located in the park, each of which can house one volunteer at a time.

Days off and down time is restricted to the park due to its remoteness. Nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts will have a field day exploring the numerous trails abounding with wildlife and natural wonders. You may also have a chance to visit Cano Island off shore, Costa Rica’s best site for snorkeling.

Volunteer tasks in the park include:

• Maintenance of green areas
• Cooking or assistance with cooking
• Trail construction and maintenance
• Housekeeping and infrastructure maintenance
• Customer service for tourist visitors
• Control support and protection activities

 
 
Teaching English
 
 

El Sur de Turrubares – You will fall in love with this small village nestled in a mountain valley near the central pacific coast of the country. With a population of no more than 30 residents, this traditional agriculture-based community is currently working towards achieving an ideal model of rural tourism. The town is bordered by Carara National Park and residents have been working to establish trails, provide access to natural wonders, and organize cultural activities in an effort to complete this model. With more than 10 years of work with volunteers, the village is fully equipped to receive visitors who can provide assistance with various tasks.

One of the most important elements for the community is learning English as a second language for the purpose of communication with tourists. Many of the adults have worked and attained this goal through formal and informal education as well as interaction with volunteers in the past. The local school, however, does not have an official English teacher. Due to its small size the Ministry of Education does not require that the main teacher speak English and does not provide additional staffing for this purpose. It is vital that the next generation of residents here learn English so that they can continue the work that their parents and grandparents have started with respect to community based rural tourism as a means of sustainable income in the future.

Volunteer tasks in the town include:

• Preparation and delivery of daily English lessons to the students (40 min – 1 hour)
• English lessons for adult members of the community 3-4 times a week (1-2 hours)
• Interaction with students outside of classroom hours through recreational activities.
• Occasional computer/internet lessons for adults and students.
• Assistance and interaction with short term volunteer groups.
• Trail maintenance
• Brainstorming and planning with members of EcoSur for future volunteer projects and tourist activities.

Montezuma, Cabuya, & Las Delicias – Located on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula on the pacific coast of the country, these three rural towns require volunteers to aid and assistance teachers in teaching English to elementary school students. Each town is distinct in nature. Montezuma is more touristy, offering many comforts of home, while Cabuya and Las Delicias are more rural, surrounded by forests. Many of the residents in Cabuya and Las Delicias make their living with agricultural and sustainable management practices.

Cabuya Absolute Nature Reserve is within close proximity to all three towns. The reserve offers excellent opportunities to witness wildlife at its best. Montezuma and Cabuya all offer access to white sand beaches and spectacular natural wonders in waterfalls and rainforest. Homestays with local families are available for volunteers adding to the cultural immersion experience.

Volunteer tasks in the town include:

• Teaching English to children in their respective schools
• Preparation of training materials for English classes
• Occasionally support and assist teachers of other subjects

La Escuela Hacienda Jaco – This small school is located in Jaco, a popular beach town on the central pacific coast of the country. The school is currently in need of volunteers to assist with English lessons. English is of vital importance in this town, a popular tourism hub that is growing literally by the day. Volunteers are also needed to help coordinate activities with the Central Pacific Chamber of Commerce in Jaco like beach cleanups and fundraisers with the participation of students from the school.

The school has limited resources in a town that has lots of money, so one of the central objectives of volunteers here is to help raise awareness and develop ideas and programs that will help move resources from the private sector into the education system. Some of these resources include computers, school supplies, uniforms, and materials for building maintenance and security.

Volunteer tasks at the school include:

• Teaching English once a day to students.
• Assisting teachers with classroom activities and recess monitoring
• Helping to prepare and serve lunch at the school
• Working with the local chamber of commerce to plan activities with the school.
• Working with the local chamber of commerce to raise funds and resources for the school.

Based on this list you can get a pretty good idea of the wealth of opportunity for volunteers as well as the need for assistance with respect to conservation and preservation of wildlife as well as advancement for education here in Costa Rica. Many of the programs listed above are limited in the number of volunteers they can support at one time. For this reason it’s a good idea to plan ahead and make your reservations well in advance. Spanish is not required but a basic knowledge of grammar and vocabulary is extremely helpful for volunteers.

There are also many other programs available that fall within the categories listed above. If you are interested in volunteering in Costa Rica please contact me, as I have worked to develop relationships with the organizations sponsoring and directing these programs. I can assist you with travel planning, reservations, transportation, and practical advice for participation as a volunteer. Contacting these organizations directly can be challenging at times due to hours of operation, language spoken, and response time, so please make use of my resources to plan your trip effectively and efficiently.