Greenheart Travel

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  • Spanish Phrases to Know, a Packing List, and other Tips for Volunteering in Costa Rica

    Spanish Phrases to Know, a Packing List, and other Tips for Volunteering in Costa Rica

    A few tips I have for future travelers volunteering in Costa Rica would be to keep an open mind and to try new things. When working at the project, you will have different jobs every day. This could mean you will have to do something you might not want to do.

    In my case it was building new cages for the animals. I didn’t know if I was doing it right, or if I was going too slow. Never did I imagine that trying to build cages for the first time would be such a hard task, but it became almost impossible to do because I didn’t keep an open mind to try new things.

    Along with having an open mind while volunteering abroad, here are a few other helpful pieces of advice to prepare you for your volunteer program in Costa Rica.

    Packing for Your Volunteer Project

    1. Something you should definitely pack for your time as a volunteer are pants you are willing to get dirty, because you will get paint on them, mud on them and you definitely don’t want mosquito bites to cover your legs.

      The project can get muddy so bring some work clothes for volunteering.
    2. You should bring a good amount of t-shirts, it all depends on the duration in Costa Rica.
    3. Depending on what you want to do during the weekend try to bring some of your nicer clothing. Your host family might want to take you to a party or you might want to have dinner with your friend in La Fortuna. For example my host family invited me to a baby shower, where I wore my nicer clothes and not pants that smelled like Perla.
    4. Proyecto Asis has boots for volunteers to wear when you clean cages or just to use since it’s raining season right now. But regardless bring closed shoes to get dirty and have a pair of open-toe shoes to wear while in your house.
    5. For sleepwear I would bring something super light since it can get pretty humid and hot in your bedroom.
    6. Try to pack a garbage bag as well so you can put your dirty shoes and clothes in it when you pack to come back, just to make it easier for your mom.

    Spanish Phrases to Know Before You Go

    A few phrases you should know while working at the volunteer project are:

    “Que hare el dia de hoy?” What will I be doing today?

    Knowing this phrase will help you make sure you know what you will be doing for that day so you don’t get confused, plus you get to interact with the workers.

    “Suena delicioso!” That sounds delicious!

    Your host mom will cook your lunch every day and they will most likely tell you what they made for you before you put it in your bag. Saying things like “Suena delicioso” (That sound delicious), or “No puedo esperar hasta provarlo” (I can’t wait to taste it), let’s them know you appreciate their effort and hard work.

    “Puedo ver la tele con ustedes?” Can I watch TV with you guys?

    To really involve yourself with your host family, if you see them watching TV just ask “Puedo ver la tele con ustedes?” Can I watch the TV with you guys?

    Mentally Prepare for Helping Sick Animals

    Something you need to prepare for when working in Proyecto Asis is coping with the fact that you will see sick animals. Really prepare yourself mentally. During my two weeks there we got two baby monkeys and a really sick parrot.

    My favorite experience while volunteering in Costa Rica was when I was able to feed the parrot, but it was very heartbreaking too. It was being fed human food which messed up the parrots ability to eat regularly. It was a chance for me to work really closely with the animals as well as a teaching moment.

    These are just a few tips to help you have a life-changing and successful volunteer program in Costa Rica. If you have any additional pieces of advice, share them in the comments below!

    About the Author:

    Citlalli Gonzalez, is 16-years old and our 2017 Greenheart Travel Global Explorer scholarship winner from Chicago, Illinois. Citlalli is traveling abroad as a volunteer in Costa Rica and is most excited about being able to stand in one of the greenest place on earth, being able to get out of her comfort zone, and experience a new culture. Follow her adventures here!

  • A Typical Day Living with a Host Family and Volunteering at the Animal Rescue Center in Costa Rica

    A Typical Day Living with a Host Family and Volunteering at the Animal Rescue Center in Costa Rica

    I am finally here in the greenest place in the world, Costa Rica!  I’m a week into my volunteer program at the Animal Rescue Center and I have already gained many things.

    I have gained knowledge of the animals I have worked with and their stories of why they are at the Animal Rescue project. What foods are appropriate for the different animals and why.

    Costa Rica’s beautiful environment.

     

    I have also gained weight, because there is no way you can say no to the delicious Costa Rican food. But you need to remember if you don’t like the food, or you think eating rice and bread is too much, you have to tell your host family. Trust me when I say that it will be easier for you and your host mom when you are honest from the start on the foods you eat and don’t eat, also on the amount you eat. Portions are very different in Costa Rica, and if you eat more or less than the amount they give you, make sure to let them know how much you eat.

    My host mom is Vita and my host dad is Walter, both work in Proyecto Asis. They have a son Alex who is currently on winter break which took me a while to understand since our summer is their winter.

    What to Expect in a Typical Day as a Volunteer in Costa Rica

    My typical day as a volunteer involves waking up at 7:30 a.m., eating breakfast and changing to my work clothes. Between 8:05 – 8:15 a.m. I wait until the van to pick me up from Vita’s house. Once everyone is picked up they take us to the volunteer project where you will be given a job.

    A few of the jobs I have done so far:

    • Cleaned cages for rehabilitation areas
    • Painted fences that will become new cages
    • Fed the animals
    • Made new toys for the animals which can involve cutting down a tree to make something
    • Paint tires for the monkeys
    • Use power tools to drill holes

    We then have a coffee break at 11 a.m., eat lunch at 12 p.m., and the work day will end at 3:45 p.m. You will then be able to hang out with your friends at the park or nap.

    Advice for Getting to Know Your Host Family

    The first few days I napped because working in Proyecto Asis is a bit tiring, but when you’re tired and want to nap just let your host mom know “me voy a dormir un rato” (I’m going to sleep for a bit). Try to engage with your host family too, when you’re eating make some small conversation just like you would with your real family.

    My host family home in Costa Rica.

    Don’t stay in your room all day on your phone, ask your host family if they could take you on a walk, see the trees and animals all around you. But if you want to stay in your room, which is okay after a hard day at Proyecto Asis just let your host mom know you need some time alone and give her the reason why.

    Make sure to spend some time outside of your bedroom during your volunteer project.

    Now, if you leave to hang out with your friends always let your host mom know where you’re going and what time you’ll be coming back. Just in case of any emergency, exchange numbers to make it easier to contact each other.

    Remember to smile too! Give small compliments about their house or their food, really engage yourself with their family.  

    For my first weekend I wanted to do some shopping and went to La Fortuna with a friend (always have someone with you) and bought some stuff for my family and friends. I saw an entirely different culture and it was amazing.

    To see Costa Rica’s city life was amazing and overwhelming. Be prepared to see a beautiful corner of the world!  

     

    About the Author:

    Citlalli Gonzalez, is 16-years old and our 2017 Greenheart Travel Global Explorer scholarship winner from Chicago, Illinois. Citlalli is traveling abroad as a volunteer in Costa Rica and is most excited about being able to stand in one of the greenest place on earth, being able to get out of her comfort zone, and experience a new culture. Follow her adventures here!

  • Volunteer Spotlight on Citlalli Gonzalez: Greenheart’s Global Explorer Scholarship Winner in Costa Rica

    Volunteer Spotlight on Citlalli Gonzalez: Greenheart’s Global Explorer Scholarship Winner in Costa Rica

    Greenheart Travel is excited to send a group of amazing travelers to study and volunteer abroad as part of our 2017 Travel Correspondent and Global Explorer Scholarship awards. To help introduce our inspiring writers, we are doing a series of spotlight interviews to help you get to know a little more about who they are, where they will be headed and what inspired them to travel abroad.

    Read on to meet 16-year-old, Citlalli Gonzalez, our Greenheart Travel Global Explorer from Chicago, Ill., who’ll be traveling abroad as a volunteer in Costa Rica!

    Favorite thing to do in your free time?

    My favorite thing to do during my free time is watch Netflix and read. I’ll start many TV shows, and read many romantic novels.

    Have you traveled abroad before?

    I have gone to Mexico before to visit family, but this is the first time I’ll really be going away away.

    What got you interested in volunteering and traveling abroad?

    I go to GCE Lab School, a school where they really value community work and building. Which meant I’ve done a lot of volunteer work and the satisfaction I got afterwards was very rewarding, which is why I wished to continue volunteering wherever I can. Being able to volunteer while traveling abroad is just a huge bonus!

    What are you most excited about experiencing or seeing during your volunteer program?

    I’m most excited about the forest! To see all different kinds of plants everywhere, and trees that are thousands years old is what I’m most looking forward to.

    Why do you feel it’s important to travel to a new place and volunteer with the local community?

    I think that going to a new place and volunteering with a local community is very important because it allows you to grow as a person and change other people’s lives as well.

    What are you nervous about?

    I’m most nervous about being so far away from home. Illinois to Costa Rica is about 2,210 miles away (yes, I googled that) and that’s a bit scary to me.

    How well do you speak a second language at this point?

    Both my parents’ native language is Spanish, which works to my benefit. I am able to speak, read and write in Spanish. Being so close to departing for this trip, I’ve asked both my parents to only speak in Spanish with me and to correct me whenever I am wrong.

    How do you think you will change the most during your time abroad?

    I think my views toward the world will change immensely. Living in Chicago, a VERY urban area, it’s very easy to forget to recycle/reuse, or remember that there isn’t an infinite amount of water I can use. I think that the time in Costa Rica will help me be aware of that and help me respect the world and remind me that, yes, there is a limit in the amount of water I use.

     

    About the Author:

    Citlalli Gonzalez, is 16-years old and our 2017 Greenheart Travel Global Explorer scholarship winner from Chicago, Illinois. Citlalli is traveling abroad as a volunteer in Costa Rica and is most excited about being able to stand in one of the greenest place on earth, being able to get out of her comfort zone, and experience a new culture. Follow her adventures here!