IVHQ Construction and Renovation in San Jose, Costa Rica

I did the Construction & Renovation program in San José, Costa Rica, in July, and it was the three best weeks of my life. From the lovely and welcoming accommodation where I had an incredible host, to the super cool environment promoted by the local team and all the other volunteers, everything was just amazing. From the very beginning, the IVHQ staff supported me with instructions, advice, and tips for my stay. And everything they said would be included in the package was perfectly delivered. As for the C&R program, it was amazing to work on real construction projects with local workers. We spent hours under the sun mixing concrete and working hard, while sharing our cultures and realizing that, even though we come from totally different places, deep down we are all the same.

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The guidance from IVHQ was amazing I also felt like I had support if I needed it. This made my first volunteer trip much less stressful. The local team was also amazing! When leaving, I realized that travelling alone and volunteering is something that I wanted to do way more often. Moving forward, I will always be on the look out for opportunities to do stuff like this as it really was an amazing experience. I would say that the best things in life are often risky and a little scary so do your research and take the risk if you want to challenge yourself and make amazing memories.

It was great! I had a great time and meet so many amazing people here. The Maximo staff were awesome and supper helpful. I hope to come back some day!

I had an amazing time volunteering at the Construction project with IVHQ and Maximo. The staff at Maximo go above and beyond to make sure your volunteering is going well and that you are comfortable. They are very friendly and knowledgeable about the programs, Costa Rica in general and provide great advice for travel here. I had a 10 out of 10 experience and would recommend them to anyone!

I volunteered on the construction project in Costa Rica for 4 weeks. It was the most rewarding experience of my life, and I enjoyed every minute of it. This was my first time taking a trip out of the United States, and I was very nervous. However, the staff was incredible and I felt safe the entire time. This trip gave me the opportunity to experience a different culture while doing meaningful work. I also met many amazing people that I still keep in touch with. One recommendation I have for future participants is to stay a few extra days after your project concludes to explore other parts of the country.