College Service Learning Trips to Costa Rica

This program is provided by

Location

Costa Rica: Alajuela, Arenal, Atenas and 20 other cities, Bribri, Coronado, Gandoca, Guadalupe, Guanacaste, Heredia, La Fortuna, La Selva, Limon, Manuel Antonio, Monteverde, Nicoya Peninsula, Osa Peninsula, Puerto Viejo, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Puntarenas, San Jose, Talamanca, Tamarindo, Tortuguero

Description

EcoTeach works with conservation and community projects in Costa Rica that are inspired and managed by local Costa Ricans. We want to help you be an integral part of a learning experience to remember by participating in hands-on conservation work that might include working with endangered sea turtles, building "smokeless stoves" for migrant coffee workers, accompanying scientists on research boats to collect information about green and hawksbill turtles, volunteering at a local school, working at a wild animal rescue and rehabilitation center or participating in research at Veragua Rainforest Research Park. We coordinate service projects, environmental rehabilitation projects, language school experiences, family living situations and more.

At EcoTeach, we're dedicated to combining volunteer work with real-world experiences. While fun and adventure are part of every EcoTeach tour, it's the conservation work and cultural exchange that make our programs stand out. When you work on community-based projects to protect sea turtles or the rain forests, you know your trip will have a positive impact both on the environment and your understanding of the world.

We take on the responsibility of working directly with students to affect their perceptions and behavior about conservation and ecology. Our objective is to make travel as easy and safe as possible, using every opportunity along the way to share and teach. Founded by a teacher in 1994, EcoTeach has created real-world,customized experiences for nearly 10,000 students, teachers and individuals focusing on education, culture and adventure.

Highlights

* Participate in sea turtle conservation work as you witness a 1,000 lb Leatherback turtle make its way onto the beach to lay 80-100 eggs.
* Learn to build "smokeless stoves" from "found objects" that will improve the health and well-being of migrant coffee workers.
* Work at a wildlife rescue center where you may build enclosures, feed animals and help rehabilitate monkeys, macaws, kinkajous and more!
* Accompany scientists in research boats as they study green and Hawksbill turtles on the rugged and pristine Osa Peninsula.
* Volunteer at a local school where you may teach English, participate in light construction to improve the school, plant gardents, paint, etc.
* Participate in reptile and amphibian research at Veragua Rainforest & Research Park.

EcoTeach offers a wide variety of volunteer activities to include:
* Patrolling 3-4 km stretch of beach in search of nesting sea turtles
* Relocating turtle eggs to a hatchery
* Building turtle hatcheries
* Cleaning beaches of debris
* Accompanying scientists in research boats to study turtles
* Working with rescued wild animals
* Reforestation
* Building clean burning stoves
* Teaching English, light construction to improve local schools
* Volunteering at a local school and participating in a research at Veragua Rainforest Research Park.