I'm going to volunteer in costa rica, What type of volunteering should I do?

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Steve H

i live in Alajuela and do volunteer work at Amigos de las Aves....hatchedtoflyfree.org......trying to save the macaws......they have no charge for volunteers.....they do have housing set up for $15 per day which includes 3 meals and laundry

Max B

I like working with kids so I would say teach English in a poorer community. The rural areas in Costa Rica are very poorly funded, if at all and you will get a lot out of working with bright eyed and eager to learn Tico kids!

yellowstone

Bugs are everywhere in the tropics unless you live in an environment full of toxic pesticides (Florida?), so bugs should not be your main criteria. What do you like to do?

Do you like hiking and camping? If so an orphanage is not for you. If you don't the orphanage is the trick.

Do you like a good workout? If you don't conservation work is not for you.

If you need nightlife, movies and cable tv, then the orphanage may be your only option.

Do you like the ocean? If so, turtles are your best bet--Alajuela is at least 2 hours from the ocean and even farther from a decent beach.

Much turtle work is night work and you work in the rain (which will be about a 3rd the time).

Trilinie Sarah S

I know Alajuela. Though I'm White, you make me homesick for it. It's beautiful country. - Don't miss seeing Volcan Arnel. - It's 'active' all the time. Big BOOMS and lava. lol lol
In comparison with the rest of Central America, Costa Rica posses subdued people. - It's probably because of an extreme amount of tourism.
The rest of Central America, on both sides of Costa Rica, the people are typical Central American wild. (Everyday firecrackers set off in the street ...an' all that stuff. And all much more poorer, living more primitive, than Costa Rica.)

You'll have a relaxed time in Costa Rica.
I'm hesitant to say this, (because I don't want to deter you from going) but there 'is' ticks in the 'deep jungle real' that rain down from the trees and burrow into, and travel just below the surface, just under the skin.
I didn't die from it ... and it didn't hurt one bit.
There are bizarre looking (almost transparent) insects (Almost weightless) 'floating' in the air.
And the monkeys were looking at me with barred razor sharp teeth when I was very weak.

Outside of the jungle, Scorpions and Tarantulas are rare.
(The story of looking in your shoe every morning is foolishness.)
There's snakes, 6 feet long, as thick as your arm. - About as rare as the Tarantulas.
In the 2 years I lived on the streets there, I only saw 1 Tarantula, and 1 Snake. The Tarantula was a big huge long legged hairy thing that spanned the size of a Frisbee. lol lol
Cockroaches are common. - As big as yer thumb. - They don't bother yea. They got a real hard shell. They look like a June bug. To kill them, you gotta put all yer weight with tuh heel uf yer shoe, an' stomp hard.
Don't sleep on an Ant trail!!! lol lol

But 'please do go'. - I wanted to stay. I fell in love with the people. I just couldn't make a living.

You should have no problem doing the sea turtle thing. - The 'ticks' are only in the deep dense jungle. - Of where no body lives.

Have tuh time uf yer life!!!

Trilinie

likeluis

Hmm, Working with sea turtles or go to the orphanage in alajuela.

DNT

Which ever one you have had training and experience in. All of those require some sort of training to be effective and not just go through the motions to feel good. So go with what you know.

L W

Hi, Im not sure whether this will help but if you are interested in volunteering with youth and want to travel abroad you can volunteer with the scouts. You can do local projects abroad, but can also do activities here in the UK.

Activities they do are those like quad biking, rock climbing, scuba diving and loads more!

Their website is www.jointheadventure.com

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