General Impression
Overall Rating: / 10
Overall I enjoyed the programme, even if it ended up being very far from what I initially signed up for. While the change from education support to sports camp supervision [due to school holidays] was all ok, it was a shame that the sports camp was cancelled and that we didn’t find out until the day we were supposed to start. Regardless, the other activities we ended up doing (beach cleanups, bracelet making, helping at the local market and yoga) were fun and we did end up doing at least a little English teaching assistance. From a Love Volunteers standpoint everything went perfectly.Country
Costa Rica is great. Once you learn to respect the dangers of the sun and local wildlife, the Pura Vida is fantastic. Despite not being a completely developed country I received great medical care when I needed it, and you can get anything you might need from pharmacies, supermarkets and other shops. The food is delicious and there’s always plenty to do if you look for it.
Project & Staff
We were the holiday program's first group of volunteers, so there was some adjustment required. Their staff were all very kind and accommodating, and did their best to make sure we had a good time even if the planned sports camp fell through. Perhaps some better forward planning would’ve been ideal, and I would’ve liked to have somewhat consistent hours each day, but other than that all was well.
Tips
If there was anything I wished I could’ve known in advance:
(1) Most things are fairly expensive here, a decent meal out will cost you £8-12 for example (so roughly the same as in the U.K.)
(2) Make sure you get all of your vaccines ahead of time, which you’ll need to begin planning at least a month in advance. Watch out for insects as much as you do the sun and make a rough list of the nearest medical facilities for where you’ll be staying.
(3) Selina locations make for great accommodation if you’ll be staying for 3-4 weeks. Make sure to use their Passport or CoLive programmes!
(4) Don’t underestimate how long it takes to get around the country, Uber’s will often be your best option for transport when it comes to cost and travel time.
(5) It is extremely, extremely humid here; 28°C feels like 36°C, so be sure to bring very light clothing for essentially all times of day and night. Equally, the UV levels are insane (even for those who are generally good in the sun, in the early afternoon you can get badly burnt within 5 minutes if not adequately protected), so if possible try to bring some long-sleeves.
(1) Most things are fairly expensive here, a decent meal out will cost you £8-12 for example (so roughly the same as in the U.K.)
(2) Make sure you get all of your vaccines ahead of time, which you’ll need to begin planning at least a month in advance. Watch out for insects as much as you do the sun and make a rough list of the nearest medical facilities for where you’ll be staying.
(3) Selina locations make for great accommodation if you’ll be staying for 3-4 weeks. Make sure to use their Passport or CoLive programmes!
(4) Don’t underestimate how long it takes to get around the country, Uber’s will often be your best option for transport when it comes to cost and travel time.
(5) It is extremely, extremely humid here; 28°C feels like 36°C, so be sure to bring very light clothing for essentially all times of day and night. Equally, the UV levels are insane (even for those who are generally good in the sun, in the early afternoon you can get badly burnt within 5 minutes if not adequately protected), so if possible try to bring some long-sleeves.