Description

Volunteer in Costa Rica - Volunteers will arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica and spend one night with a host family in the city. The following day, volunteers will depart early for Gandoca Beach, which lies on the Caribbean side of Costa Rica.

Volunteers will participate in the welcome, orientation, training and cultural activities as well as help with projects at the sea turtle conservation park.

Volunteers will help the sea turtle conservation initiative in the following areas: night patrols per sector, relocation of nests for protection, tagging nesting female sea turtles, taking measurements of the sea turtles, construction of hatcheries(which serve to protect the nests), working in the hatcheries (which require care 24 hours per day), taking temperature measurements inside and outside the nests and collecting data, construction of baskets for the hatcheries, which protect the nests from insects and also landmarking and cleaning the beach.

About the Leatherback Sea Turtle Conservation Project:
The main objective is to protect the sea turtle nests from human poachers and beach erosion. Before the project, the poaching rate was more than 95%. Now, due to night patrols and hatcheries on the beach, the survival rate is more than 90%. The nesting season runs from mid-February to mid-August each year, with the peak period from April to May. Each season, as part of the conservation effort, the project welcomes many volunteers to help in its conservation efforts.

Included in the cost:
* Room and board with host families and/or at the lodge (all meals included)
* Medical insurance
* ELAP staff support
* Pre-departure advising
* Transportation from and to the San José airport
* Transportation to and from Gandoca Beach
* On-site orientation and welcome
* Training on-site
* Tour of the nearby lagoon
* Language and cultural exchange
* Volunteer activities at the site

Highlights

Gandoca Beach is located on the South Caribbean side of Costa Rica and is an important nesting site for leatherback turtles, the largest sea turtles in the world. The sea turtle conservation projects are an excellent way to volunteer and learn about the marine life of the Caribbean coast. Gandoca Beach boasts beaches as far as the eye can see and has beautiful turquoise waters and coral reefs.

Qualifications

Students need to meet the minimum 2.5 GPA requirement. The program is open to all levels of Spanish language.

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Subject Areas

• Biology (general)
• Ecology
• Environmental Sci. (atmosph.)
• Environmental Studies
• Marine Biology
• Marine Science

Cost in US$:

850 USD

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Medical insurance
• Travel while in host country
• Written materials pre-departure
• Excursions
• Registration fees

Program Fees Include:

* Room and board with host families and/or at the lodge (all meals included)
* Medical insurance
* ELAP staff support
* Pre-departure advising
* Transportation from and to the San Jose airport
* Transportation to and from Gandoca Beach
* On-site orientation and welcome
* Training on-site
* Tour of the nearby lagoon
* Language and cultural exchange
* Volunteer activities at the site

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

Patience with yourself and others; Desire to participate and learn; Comfortable with minimum supervision; Personal initiative; Reliability

Age Range

18-25

This Program is open to

American, Canadian and Worldwide Participants.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Transcript
• Written Application

Typically The Application Process Time is

1 week

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network

ELAP - Experiential Learning Abroad Programs's Mission Statement

To provide enriching volunteer and internship opportunities to participants. To enhance each participant's understanding of community and social responsibility within our global society.

Year Founded

2002