You’ve been with International Student Volunteers (ISV) for a little over 11 years, how did you originally get connected with the organization?
I was working for an NGO name Asociación ANAI which had a sea turtle project in Gandoca, Costa Rica’s South Caribbean. Under ANAI we won the 2002 United Nations Equator Prize in the field of Sustainable Development for its Talamanca Initiative, which included the sea turtle volunteer program I was in charge of and from which I was fortunate enough to have met for the first time ISV International Directors and Founders. We had, and still have, many things in common such as our passion for volunteering, conservation, and community development.
Working on an organic farm during ISV Project Leader Training
Your work with sea turtles won you the U.N. Equator Prize at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. Where did you develop your passion for sea turtle research and responsible community development?
Sea turtles are an important umbrella species; they allow you to protect many different habitats and associated organisms. Working with turtles also allows you to work with people, because of the traditional and historical link between these amazing animals and humans. Sea Turtles are a sign of our ocean health, if they are well, our ocean is also. I also hold a very strong passion in working with vulnerable coastal communities and fisher groups; this is because at the end of the day it’s not only a matter of managing turtles which have been here for eons, but rather working with people on proper management strategies to protect sea turtles, as well as marine and coastal environments.
What does your role as Costa Rica Project Director entail on a daily basis?
I work in conjunction with our International Director, Narelle Webber, as well as with our International Educator Coordinator, Deanna Mathewson, on project set-up, training, and documents previous to volunteer seasons. During the group arrival from May to September (North American) and November to February (Southern Hemisphere), I do field visits to projects and constantly communicate with our partner host organizations and project leaders the effective running our all programs.
It is a great job because it allows me to work with an amazing and inspiring group of professionals from around the world, as well as with our highly qualified field staff and partner host organizations, all of which dedicate their efforts and time to make a positive impact. I would have to say also that I still get a chance to make it to the field and escape from the office, which is always amazing because it allows me to connect with our wonderful participants and as gets me in the outdoor mood...and dirty!
Wagner showing his daughter an olive ridley turtle
What has been your biggest accomplishment during your time with ISV?
There have been many accomplishments over all these years, many related to the work we have carried out with our partner organizations. But, on a personal level, I would have to say that my biggest accomplishment was obtaining my degree in Marine Biology while working with ISV. I owe this accomplishment to ISV because they supported me all the way through to conquer this dream of mine while I was already married and supporting my family. It was hard work and a very busy time, but with ISV backing me up, and my family believing in me, I was able to make it happen. This is for me a testimony of how ISV is committed to its core principles of impacting the world, person by person, and from there, communities, countries, and the planet as a whole.
What sets International Student Volunteers’ programs in Costa Rica apart from other volunteer opportunities?
ISV programs in general, regardless if it’s Costa Rica or the Dominican Republic, Thailand, South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand, all hold the passion and the heart from our committed staff which gives all of their efforts to make ISV the best student volunteer and adventure travel program of the world. We are very strict with making sure that each one of our participants gets a life changing experience while on our program. Not only do our participants enjoy and have fun every minute of their experience, but they also learn on the front lines with hands on activities that work with people, animals, and communities. We take our participants experience to a personal level, and at this stage I can say with strong security that we have been able to change the life of dozens of thousands of people, participants, and community collaborators, as well as being able to generate improvement to our natural environment and many rural and coastal communities.
As a native Costa Rican, what is the most important tip you would give a prospective volunteer as they prepare to join one of the International Student Volunteers programs in Costa Rica?
Make sure to pack a smile, have an open mind and not too many expectations, and to enjoy every single little thing they are about to experience. We have top projects, top staff, and many years of experience, and the other 50 percent of the puzzle depends on our participants’ attitude. If they come with the right mindset, ready to give of themselves, to make a difference, and to be open minded, I can assure them their life will never be the same after they join an ISV program, here in Costa Rica or in any other ISV country.
Wagner showcasing hawksbill sea turtle he caught in the water!
What are the top three most important qualities you look for in volunteers?
- Open minded
- Ready to volunteer and work hard
- Responsible
What is the most popular volunteer project in Costa Rica in terms of numbers, and what makes everyone love it?
Sea Turtle Conservation and Research Projects have being historically famous, these incredible animals have the quality to be so charismatic that people just love to interact with them and to support conservation efforts involving their habitat. Despite the above, I have seen that regardless of the volunteer project participant’s join, after their first two weeks, everyone simply considers their project to have been THE best one, no matter if it was community development or forest research; no one would change their experience because it was the best, it was unique, and at the end of the day changed their life.
In your free time, you enjoy swimming and spending time at the beach. What do you consider to be Costa Rica’s most beautiful beach?
I just came from swimming one hour ago, I love it and it keeps me healthy, to be in the water is my yoga. As per the most beautiful beach, I sincerely cannot say one name because there are so many! With over one thousand kilometers of coast on the Pacific, and 200 kilometers on the Caribbean, what I have lately enjoyed the most is discovering new beaches. You can find all shapes, sand colors, shades, vegetation, waves, wildlife, I mean, so many different characteristics that makes you enjoy every single one of the differences. If I have to be more specific, I would then have to filter sea turtle nesting grounds!
Coloradas Beach Mission 12 hour patrol!
What is the most fulfilling part of your role with ISV?
The most fulfilling part of my job is also one with great responsibility, generating a program in which our participant’s life is changed in a better way, while positively impacting the conservation efforts and community development initiatives that we partner with in Costa Rica. ISV to me is not only a job, it’s my passion, my life, my family. I could not even dream for a better job to be sincere.
What is on the horizon for International Student Volunteers’ programs in Costa Rica?
The sky's the limit, and as we gather more experience year after year, we do our best to maximize our impact and to sharpen every single aspect of our program. We will continue to support our best projects with more groups to increase our accomplishments and to continue making a positive difference. I would like to generate more ISV videos and communication tools to share all that we have done and that we are doing, it’s time for us to show the world what of a great impact our thousands of participants have generated so far.
