Intro to Community Service in Costa Rica

Participants will be staying in our Volcano and Rainforest Service Base. This property has two fully equipped houses located 15 minutes away from the town of La Fortuna and is one of the most comfortable accommodations out of all our Costa Rica programs. Both houses have flush toilets, electricity, bunks beds, fans, and hot showers. They share a fresh water outdoor pool, soccer field, volleyball net and many other amenities!

Participants will be eating a good variety of food during the buffet style meals served at the Volcano and Rainforest Service Base. Breakfast usually includes eggs, bread, cereal, milk, juice and fresh fruit. Lunches and dinners range from traditional Costa Rican meals such as chicken, steak and fish dishes, rice, black beans, potatoes, plantains, salads, and pasta; to more familiar dishes like barbeques and burgers.

Yes, this program can easily accommodate vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and other common dietary needs. Please make sure to include this in your medical forms so that our staff can prepare and we always recommend bringing along some of your own favorite snacks!

Water from the tap is safe to drink in this program. Don’t forget to bring along your own reusable water bottle, so we can minimize our plastic usage.

Students should be prepared for hot, humid weather in the 80s and 90s (Fahrenheit) during the day with occasional rain showers. Since the base is located in the mountains, the temperature will go down into the 70s in the evenings. The weather does not vary much between June and August. Synthetic fiber clothing is recommended, because it dries quickly.

This program does not have any internal flights.

We want to encourage students to disconnect in order to fully immerse themselves in the experience and get the most out of their program. Thus, students will not have access to wifi. Reception for international plans is spotty and we do not recommend purchasing one for this trip. Parents will have access to our 24/7 emergency number and will also receive updates from our staff once your student is in country.

All activities in this itinerary are included. Personal gifts, laundry, phone calls, and snacks are not.

Students will have the chance to visit several souvenir stores during this itinerary, in addition to small snack shops. We recommend $150 per week to cover souvenirs and incidentals.

In general, Costa Ricans dress modestly and as polite visitors we will dress accordingly. While La Fortuna town can be a little more relaxed, it is important that we show respect at all times, particularly in the villages and local schools. The requirements are fairly straightforward and the same for both boys and girls:
Shorts: Basketball-style only; no running or soccer-style shorts. Rule of thumb is that the bottom of the shorts should be approaching the kneecap.
Leggings or yoga pants: Only if paired with a long T-shirt.
Loose-fitting pants and capris: Acceptable and preferred.
Tops: Shoulders must be covered – No tank tops or spaghetti straps.
If you arrive and your clothing is deemed unacceptable by your program leaders, you’ll have to purchase appropriate clothing before service work begins in the villages or the local schools.

Students will have the opportunity to do laundry once during this trip. The cost is $5 per load.

As we work closely with our local communities, these service projects will be determined in late spring in conjunction with our local partners and based on current needs. Typically students will be involved in an infrastructure development project as well as interaction with students at the local primary school. Prepare to get your hands dirty during these incredibly powerful projects!

The service projects in this program are appropriate for most physical activity levels. Students should be prepared for moderate physical activity including lifting heavy materials, shoveling, digging, mixing cement, wood work, and other manual labor during the construction projects. Rubber boots are suggested for community service projects.

On this program, students will be able to practice their Spanish while interacting with the local community and our staff, but will have no formal instruction.