IVHQ Teaching English Project in San Jose, Costa Rica

IVHQ did a wonderful job in organizing a beautiful volunteer program in Costa Rica. I took part in the teaching project in San José for two weeks, and I was welcomed into a loving home, with delicious food and several roommates (fellow volunteers from all over the world). The locals are so welcoming and sweet; teaching them english was the best experience ever, and they taught me a lot about life as well. IVHQ sent me multiple emails before, during and after the program to make sure that everything was going alright and I received my volunteer certificate once the project was over. Absolutely recommend!

Volunteering as an English teacher with Costa Ricans and immigrants to Costa Rica re-filled my heart and soul. I met kind, generous people who welcomed me into their homes, their church, and their lives. The volunteers from around the world shared a love of adventure and a desire to give back. It was a transformational (and fun!) experience that opened a door to a different way of travel.

I debated what experience to do when volunteering in Costa Rica and settled on Teaching English. I took a TEFL course, did the IVHQ prep work, and waited patiently for my volunteer dates. I volunteered for IVHQ previously in Fiji and had a fantastic experience. The Costa Rica was a very different experience as you may expect differences in a different country but also fantastic. I was partnered with a community center about 1 1/2 to 2 hours by bus outside of San Jose so ended up taking UBER, which was affordable. My class was a group of Intermediate English learners and by listening to their needs on the 1st day, changed my teaching plans from grammar to focus on speaking, reading comprehension, and vocabulary understanding. I had a great 2-weeks with the class, making an impact in a small community often overlooked, and hope to come back through another volunteer experience. The local team had great resources and support. My homestay was with an awesome family. I enjoyed the private room that had a kitchen and a place to stretch out in the mornings/evenings. I also enjoyed the Costa Rican cuisine that the matriarch of the family cooked daily.

I had an amazing time in San Jose. The local team were so good at making us feel comfortable. They took us to our project on the first day, showed us how to use the buses, gave us safe and comfortable homestay accommodation, provided us with extra entertainment and fun evening activities as well as giving us a useful briefing about the country and the activity beforehand, which was informative and accurate. All the coordinators were super helpful. My placement was at a local daycare centre and it was really easy to see what help I could give. I would advise people not to have expectations before going, because even within the same project, people on different placements would have vastly different experiences (all were good though!)

My host family were friendly and welcoming. My favorite moment from the volunteer experience was meeting and getting to know my students. For anyone who's hesitant about volunteering, I'd say Go for it!!!

With IHVQ, I was prepared to travel, but not totally prepared for what my heart would find just outside of San Jose, Costa Rica. I did the Teaching English course for 2 weeks through IVHQ and I was placed at a family home in La Carpio, a very poor and impoverished area right outside the country's Capitol. Every day, I would ride two buses and partake in a 15 minute walk (usually in the rain) to make it to a tiny house hidden back in a dangerous neighborhood. The first day, the trek was intimidating. But when I met the little boys I would be teaching, my heart knew it was worth it. Every day we went over simple ESL activities, like how to describe oneself and how to spell and say the names of fruits and other foods in English. While many times the boys would want to leave to go to la cancha and play fútbol, for the most part they got involved and listened to me, even though they knew I would soon be leaving, too--just like many other teachers. These boys need stability and love; even though multiple weeks isn't too long, I think IVHQ volunteers are a source of stability and affection for them. As for other parts of the trip, it was a step up from what I imagined. My host mother was great--she never cooked us the same meal twice. My roommates became good friends and the locals I met were friendly and excited to know that I was trying to learn Spanish. If you're looking for a chance to grow, buckle up..but you will sure find it here.

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I had the wonderful experience of volunteering abroad in Costa Rica. For two weeks, my name was teacher and I absolutely loved it. Every day I would take 2 buses to go to the small town of Coronado and teach English to about 15-20 adults. The program was very independent, although the local partner offered resources to help you teach, it was really up to you to take initiative and make the class the best it could be. I really enjoyed my experience because my students really wanted to learn and they wrote everything down. I spent an hour in the morning each day, planning out my lesson. The first day, the community partner gave an example lesson for adults and then the next two weeks were all on me. Be prepared with teaching activities and take the time to plan your lesson. They really appreciated the English teachers being there. I was the only teacher in the classroom. Two other volunteers taught ESL to children. In terms of my general experience abroad, I would say to go into service abroad with an open mind, ready to take initiative, meet people from all over the world and just put yourself out there. IV HQ was great in coordinating everything but they do not schedule your day to the minute. Resources and opportunities are offered, but it's up to you to take advantage of them. I would do service through IV HQ again.

I was able to volunteer at an after school teaching english program while in Costa Rica. It wasn't easy but as I was teaching the kids it was rewarding to see them gaining confidence in their english skills and building upon what they already knew!