I wanted to send a note thanking you all for making my volunteer trip to Costa Rica so great! I had the best time, I loved my family and my volunteer work and, of course, the country. I was able to travel on the weekends which made it so much fun. I met some great people and learned a lot of Spanish, my only complaint is that I wish I had more time. My trip was completely perfect!
Best,
Jendayi
Boston, MA
Program: Marine Conservation
I just returned from my volunteer vacation in Costa Rica. What an experience! I was excited to be able to work in the Jardin Botanico Lankester where they have more varieties of orchids than the rest of Costa Rica combined. Many of these are on the verge of extinction, but everyone at the garden is committed to conservation, and happy to teach me. Simply to be able to work in the beauty of the garden was a superb treat. However, the favorite part of this vacation was staying with my host family. They immersed me in Costa Rican culture for my 2 week stay as they taught me Spanish, took me on excursions, and introduced me to friends, relatives, and neighbors. I loved being with them.
I cannot say enough about the terrific experience that GeoVisions arranged for me. I very much look forward to my next GeoVisions volunteer vacation.
Thank you so much,
Sandy R.
Cambridge, MA
Program: Costa Rica Land Conservation Project
My most memorable experience is probably our last week at the elementary school we worked at. We didn't see all of the kids every day because they had different schedules, so when they knew it was our last week, they all drew us pictures, brought in small gifts, and really expressed their thanks. We loved working with these kids and it was so nice to see how much of an impact we made in just the short time we were there.
The most exciting thing we did while we were there was the canopy tour in La Fortuna. We also went on a tour of the Arenal Volcano, which was amazing. The canopy tour was a separate excursion, but I am so glad we did it. Zipping through the rainforest at incredible speeds was the most thrilling experience. I would definitely recommend it to anyone--even older women in their 60s were in our group zipping through the rainforest with us! It was an unforgettable experience.
Something I would have done differently is not worn any bags/purses without zippers. I'm not sure if I told you this before or not, but our first week in the country, I got pickpocketed and someone actually stole my wallet from out of my bag. It was a small pocketbook type bag and it was on my arm the entire time, but it did not have a zipper.
Someone must have stuck their hand right in and taken my wallet without me noticing.
The school we worked at was very welcoming, despite the fact that they didn't know they were receiving volunteers until the day we showed up! The faculty and staff were very helpful in helping us get acquainted with the school and the area, and were also very flexible with our schedules. They were so grateful to have us. The school itself had very little resources, but we worked with what they gave us and everything turned out great.
Glendy G.
Boston, MA
I loved my trip, and wouldn't change anything about it. The environment, both on the project and of the country in general was amazing.
Chike C.
Hyattsville, MD
Program: Cuddle and a Hug
