IVHQ Childcare Program in San Jose, Costa Rica

IVHQ did a great job preparing us for the trip. Everything was professional, well organized, and clearly communicated, so we always knew what to expect. That level of preparation made the entire experience feel smooth and stress-free from the very beginning. We would highly recommend IVHQ to anyone looking for a volunteer abroad experience.

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This was a great experience for me! I grew so much and I felt empowered! The program only requires you to volunteer for 5 hours a day so prepare for downtime! You will have plenty of time to explore the city/country and try lots of food before and after your volunteering. If you are going by yourself, there are a lot of others there also by themselves who would love company! I made some amazing friends! It is scary when you first get there before your orientation, but be brave! If you feel scared or have questions, ask the Local Team, they are very helpful and they want you to have a good experience. At my volunteer placement, there were frequently people from the Local Team in and out making sure I was doing okay. Expect the unexpected! The trip wasn't exactly what I pictured in my head, but it never is! Be ready to be flexible! Overall, it was great and I learned so much!

IVHQ Met &/ Exceeded my Expectations? For my 1st volunteer trip abroad, flying solo, I was pleasantly surprised how everyone remotely and locally took my safety and comfort into consideration. The orientation was thorough prior to arriving. Additionally very welcoming when I got there. I was impressed with the IVHQ staff who not only came on the bus with me the first day but CAME to visit me MORE THAN ONCE while onsite to ensure I was OK. The accommodations hostess went out of her way to ensure all of my crazy dietary needs were met. Everything was comfortable and clean. Thank you IVHQ team. I am a grateful Canadian that hopes to share more enjoyable care experiences. ??

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I did not think that I would be able to make an impact in one week. However, when I arrived at the childcare center, they had an autistic child in the classroom that they did not know what to do with. Having had a background in special education for seven years, I was able to provide them with much-needed advice, support, and skills. I feel as though I was able to provide a different life trajectory for this one child and her teachers. Getting to experience another culture and way of life with my teenage daughter was my favorite and most memorable moment of the volunteer experience. For anyone thinking about volunteering abroad, I can say, do it! IVHQ is a safe, friendly, accommodating, and wonderful organization.

My favourite moment had to be when we would take the kids to the park. Even though there was a language barrier, playing is a universal one and it was great seeing children come out of their shells. I appreciate the world so much more after my trip. There is a lot of support and a lot of other new volunteers. Don't be scared as the community will help you!

I had an amazing experience doing the childcare program in Costa Rica. Not only were the kids and staff amazing, but I made unforgettable memories with some amazing new friends! I would high recommend this for anyone looking to visit a new place as well as wanting to make a small difference in other people's lives!

This trip was one of my favorites! And it was my first time traveling for something other than a vacation. I was nervous at first that I would not have a whole bunch to do outside of the daycare, but it turned out that I had more than enough options for before and after work! Sonrisas, the daycare where I worked was an amazing experience! The kids and the teachers were super welcoming and easy to get along with. My entire trip here was my favorite one to remember!

Such a great, eye-opening experience. Absolutely will plan another trip in the future. Highly recommend. I did a week and will most likely do longer my next trip that I plan in the future. Such a great, eye-opening experience. Absolutely will plan another trip in the future. Highly recommend. I did a week and will most likely do longer my next trip that I plan in the future.

Everything about IVHQ was a really great experience for me - I am travelling for 6 months and my international flights didn’t match up with project start dates, but they were very accommodating and the communication throughout was brilliant! My host mum and the connection with MAXIMO NIVEL in Costa Rica were both fantastic too! I felt fully supported from start to finish which allowed me to really relax and enjoy/get the most out of my project. I was at a daycare centre in San José, one of many that Maximo and therefore IVHQ support. This project was so amazing - providing activities, good, cuddles and care for the kids in the poorest area of the city. The whole programme and process was a pleasure to be part of!

Volunteering in Costa Rica was fantastic. IVHQ definitely prepared me well for my trip and continued to check in throughout my duration there. The local team was outstanding, I always knew I could go in and there would be people there happy to help. I loved my project, and learned so much from the kids. The other volunteers were kind and motivated. Overall, I would recommend this trip to any and everyone!

I went to Costa RIca and volunteered in the childcare program. I stayed with a host family right outside of San Jose, and it was great. My host house was clean, the family was very kind, and I was housed with other volunteers. The actual volunteering definitely made me feel humbled and needed. I felt like I made a great impact on this trip, while also being able to explore a new community and culture, and meet great people. I gained a lot of independence, appreciation and love for new cultures from this trip.

July 11th, 2016 was the day I realized how much this trip had impacted me. In just two weeks, the people, culture and music brought out the best version of myself. I was part of the childcare program, waking up everyday to go to Infantil Maria Orphanage was my favorite part of this trip. I met so many creative, smart and humble kids. I loved having a lesson plan to teach them English or math. My passion for childhood education grew. I was also able to see the beautiful beaches and parks. I never imagined going bungee jumping and parasailing in such a beautiful country. I can continue discussing everything I did but it could not have been possible without the IVHQ family. Since my arrival, I was able to quickly see the staff and I felt safe. We had an orientation, which fully prepared us to understand about the culture of Costa Rica. I knew that if I was worried or curious about something, they were available at any time to answer my questions. I stayed with a host family and I felt home within a few minutes. Honestly, the only advice I would give to future volunteers is to stay for more than two weeks. I only wish I had more time to explore but I made sure to make every minute count. This program will guide you through every step to make your trip as incredible as it can be. My journey does end here, volunteering abroad is something I will continue to do and I know IVHQ is the best choice. My story is to be continued...

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I absolutely loved my experience with volunteering through IVHQ, childcare, in Costa Rica! I was there for 8 weeks, and I wish it was 80. It was filled with so much fun, laughter, growth, change, and humility. I learned more about myself than i ever anticipated. I went on this trip, because I teach at a daycare in the states, and I love it, and I wanted to experience my job in a different culture. Never did I anticipate, that I would learn more about myself through this experience, than my job description. I live in Florida, so Costa Rica climate, and the tourist attractions were not a huge difference, but the city life of San Jose was a huge difference! I had never even seen a bus before my trip, and now I could tell you I've been in over 100. coming to Costa Rica I didn't really speak too much spanish, now leaving after 8 weeks, I speak it! and I can't tell you how amazing that feels. the bond you create with your host family when you can speak spanish is incredible, my host mom will forever be one of my best friends, and I can't wait 'til I come back and visit her already! Also the impact you can make on the kids lives if you can actually communicate with them, and the other teachers is powerful as well. my first few weeks prior to speaking it were a lot more difficult, because the kids and teachers are frustrated and you can only do so much without being able to properly communicate to them what you want! near the end, I felt at home there, and I know the kids felt a real connection to me, and I didn't feel so "gringo" anymore. at first I was discouraged, because i didn't know how to make a huge impact at my placement! cause thats what everyone thinks right? I'm coming here for a few months, and i HAVE to leave them with something amazing. well my placement was already really established and was running better than expected, so i needed to think more internally, rather than what can i buy them or give them. as a teacher, i picked up on the lack structure and intentional activities going on at Gatitos. so i decided to try to install that into the program, because with structure, you will see a change of attitude and behavior in students as well as better habits and a better over all sense to the location. it appeared as chaos my first few weeks, and i know how much the staff and students could benefit from being more controlled and intentional. this will also help the students to focus and produce better work when they go to school after spending the day at Gatitos. so by the time i left, i can say the location was running on better structure and intentions. we broke the kids into four different groups of 15 kids, each with there own teacher.we had hourly activities we switched between, and we engaged in their lives, rather than them doing whatever they wanted, whenever they wanted. it was amazing to leave and have a better peace of mind, knowing that these kids are loved and cared for, and that these teachers care too. i also started teaching them english for an hour or two a day in my last two weeks there. the kids LOVED it, i couldn't believe how excited they were for english class! i loved to see them learn and try hard every day. i also loved when the light bulb clicked and everything made sense to them! we ran off a sticker chart, so i know they also had motivation to do well because who doesn't love stickers? I left my next volunteer a booklet of all the things we had done; crafts, projects, lesson plans, needs, mission, everything! i hope that whoever is lucky enough to be at Gatitos next, leaves them with even more than I did! because these kids, who have been through domestic violence and abuse, still show up everyday smiling and hugging me and showing me more love than I have ever felt. I hope they always feel that in return. I also was so impressed by the staff of the parrntership at maximo nivel. James, the director, is incredible and so helpful with everything. the other staff at the school are as well! the field managers, i thought could use a better attitude! there job is AMAZING, they get to see such beautiful change and growth in all these needed areas, and i wish i would have saw in them the desire for this as well. it would have been really encouraging to me as a volunteer to bounce ideas off of or get support from them! i would definitely recommend to future volunteers to take spanish classes before hand and at maximo novel! it was such a beautiful school and they really cared about teaching us. i could go on for days about how amazing my host family was, but to make it short, thank you! i don't know how we get paired with who we do, but i can't imagine my time n costa rica without my family. Cindy Cespedes, is the most beautiful women inside and out. I've never met a more hard working but loving person. i feel like the luckiest person to have been able to be apart of her family for the short time i was! while in costa rica i also got to meet Dan, a manager of IVHQ, and that made my trip even more fulfilling. to hear all about his experiences, and the other projects around the world, was incredible! was a great mission and organization IVHQ is! I would recommend them to anyone, any day! Thank you for making this time of my life incredible, and thank you for the memories I will have forever!

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