Volunteer in Costa Rica with World Endeavors

Diego, our in-country coordinator, he is very helpful and kind. The information about the family and the project was detailed and useful. Yes, I would recommend World Endeavors to a friend or colleague.

This was a terribly run experience, Do not book this program. I did a 2mth program. After 1 month it was so shocking I asked for a refund for the second month which they would not give me. I left early and wasted thousands of dollars. It started when I arrived they put me in the wrong program. I registered for a nutrition program and they placed me in a job at a nursing home for physiotherapy. When I told them, they didn’t know what to do with me do they sent me to the kitchen to wash dishes. I did that for 2 days until I complained and said I wasn’t going back. I’d paid $5000 to wash dishes. The home they put me is was so unwelcoming, that the other students there asked to leave which I shortly did after as well. I also had some of my laundry stolen. You are paying a lot of money, more than staying in a 5 star hotel and you get a bed, sheet, access to shared bathroom with everyone in the house, laundry done and very basic food. Meat was very very minimal, mainly rice and beans. I understand that is what they eat but don’t charge hundreds of dollars per night. I wasn’t picked up for my transfer to the airport and had to source my own transport. The whole program was a disaster and seems like a big money making scheme. I took a 16 year old under my wing who they had expected to try and work out herself how to get public transport to her job on her first day and she didn’t even speak the language. I’d be horrified if I was her parent. It’s appalling how this program is run. Every student that came on the program said how horrible their experience was. Do not trust this program.

Through volunteering in Costa Rica, I learned about myself and my capabilities to adapt as an independent traveler. I met lots of great people from all over the world with whom my path would probably have never crossed otherwise and I learned how lives are lived in a different country.

I now have a broader view of the world and its beauty and people. I will go back and visit Costa Rica and also it helped confirm that someday I would love to teach in a foreign country. My host family was very nice and the kids spoke English fluently so we had a very, very easy time communicating since I also speak Spanish. My housing was not far from town so it was a very nice distance, although it wasn't quite the center. They had a domestic assistant who cooked amazingly and was very sweet.

The learnings from this program has reinforced my desire to become a teacher. I felt touch on how thankful the kids were to us volunteers- they were very appreciative of any help they received. I hope that I made an impact on the children in some way, I taught them new songs to help them with their language skills and I hope that my presence in the classroom made learning to speak English a bit easier. My homestay experience was also one of the highlights of my volunteering experience. My hosts spoke no English, but with the bit of Spanish that I have picked up over the years, we were able to learn a lot about each other. They were very accommodating and patient with us when we were unable to communicate.

When I was in Costa Rica, I saw how the alcaldesa/mayor of Atenas work with citizens and address issues. I also studied how to understand official jargon in the government, and I helped in organizing paperwork. This experience clarified that I want to work in Central America. I already brag about the Volunteer program of World Endeavors to any student wanting to study abroad and I would suggest them to look at everything as an adventure.

Volunteering in Costa Rica left me with a greater appreciation for other countries, cultures, and languages. I will seriously consider living abroad.

The language training I received on the program was the highlight of my days in Costa Rica. My host family was amazing, my Spanish improved, and I grew a lot as a person. Everything in my program is near perfect!

The biggest highlight of my volunteering experience was the orphanage and the children I worked with. I didn't want to leave them. I couldn't have asked for a better volunteer placement.

World Endeavors was remarkably responsive and dedicated to customer service, which is why I chose the program - I truly appreciate your attentiveness and professionalism. Keep up the good work!

It's hard to put into words what a tremendous impact this experience has had on my life. This was hands down the best summer of my life and I had so many unforgettable experiences. In short, my experience in Costa Rica has helped me find who I am as a person, reaffirmed my career choices, and provided me with invaluable teaching experience. I will carry my memories from Costa Rica with me for the rest of my life.

World Endeavors did a great support all around! Excellent experience and smooth transition for my first time abroad! Great resources and all my questions were answered in a timely manner to the best of my Advisor's abilities. I felt supported and secure before my departure. We kept in touch via email and text. Any questions I had were answered or was pointed to the correct resource.

I believe that after this volunteering program, I knew more about another culture which is far from me, knew more about the outside world, and knew more about another whole different lifestyle and so on which broadened my mind and eye.

The experience abroad gave me a feeling of maturity and independence, as well as extensive knowledge of turtle biology.I will definitely do another turtle project soon.

Although I only had two weeks, the experience was life changing. Typically, I am a person that is always by the book, and I always need a plan. The lifestyle there is very relaxed, so it really challenged me, but in a good way. Since I've returned, I've been living a much more relaxed lifestyle and refuse to make major plans. My structured lifestyle is great for school and work, but I find it often causes additional stress in my social life.

I have become much more independent since my trip in Costa Rica and it has left me wanting to do more and volunteer more. I learned what it is like to live in Costa Rica and the different perspectives and lifestyles of the people who live there.

The arranged housing of World Endeavors in Costa Rica is good. Would have preferred to be with another volunteer as well. The in-country coordinators and staff are wonderful!!

This experience helped me understand my limits and what I a willing to do. It helped me put things in perspectives for my future plans, which are teaching ESL abroad.

I was nervous about deciding to do a volunteer program on my own through an internet site. I am so glad I decided to do it though because it has been one of the best experiences of my life!

I learned a lot about travelling, costa rica, and sea turtles. I met a lot of great people as well. The work was hard but rewarding, there was a good balance between work and down time.

Good! Very helpful and answered all of my questions! Valuable experience tailored to my needs and requests. The people were very helpful and they set you up for success. I really enjoyed my placement at the school, it was my favorite part of the trip. I was able to complete 45 hours on volunteering required to get my scholarship applied to the trip.

I had an amazing experience in Costa Rica. Many thanks to World Endeavors. They made sure that our instructor was the best they come, and that the homestay experience will be all perfect.

I was surrounded by the students and teacher personnel who highly accepted me. I'm very pleased with the whole experience and will share the information with all.

I appreciated new outlook on other cultures and families. They're all essentially the same but their customs are wonderful to partake in. I loved being a part of something new and unknown.

What I gained from this program was a sense of being a global citizen, getting things you cant learn in the US. Its good to be out of your comfort zone.

The program in Costa Rica gave me a broader outlook on how other cultures raise their children. I benefited from hearing views on the reasons why missionary families do what they do.

Did not know Spanish, but luckily we had Katie who did and helped us out a lot. Accommodation was fantastic! My host were very respectful, fun, warm, welcoming, just great. I valued the great friends, some personal reflection, and great memories. For the future volunteers, be prepared to go outside your comfort zone and be open minded. You create your own fun with a positive mind.

I had an invaluable experience about being independent, as well as learning to work together with a group of people I did not know to make a small house and single bathroom an enjoyable experience.

The application process with World Endeavors is very straightforward and with a quick response time. I volunteed in Costa Rica, and with my stay in the country I observed that Costa rican are very laid back and friendly, Christianity and soccer are a huge part of the culture, and that rice and beans are a food staple.

I love working with the kids at my project but I have also been travelling with the other volunteers on the weekends. My favorite trip so far was to Manuel Antonio National Park. I want to improve my Spanish skills even more. I also hope to learn more about my host family. And, I would love to meet more people.

The program in Costa Rica allows me to have some new friendships and to also have some more valuable life experience. It showed me a little more of the world that I have always wanted to see.I was also able to travel a little bit for my job.

I now have a better sense of myself. I know that I can be placed into a completely new situation with a completely different culture and be okay. I came back with a new confidence in myself and a new sense of adventure. My Spanish speaking ability improved incredibly, allowing me to speak much more comfortably. I also bonded with the other volunteers and created some great new frienships. It was an amazing experience.

While in Costa Rica, I met many new people and I gained further knowledge of the culture. I met a lot of other volunteers. My family was extremely nice and offered to go places with me. My mom was also an amazing cook and she taught me how to cook some typical Costa Rican dishes.

I had such a great time in Costa Rica! The school was a blast, and I didn't want to leave those kids! The language barrier was a bit rough at first, but practicing Spanish with my host family at night really seemed to help. Plus, being around the younger kids at the school who are still learning English helped, too. We both helped each other learn foreign languages.

It was great to see improvements on my Spanish. It was also great to have the host stay and experience more of the everyday life of Ticos rather than a tourist experience. I also learned more about the history and politics of CR.

This experience was wonderful. It really solidified my desires to work with the Spanish-speaking population in this country.I enjoyed working with the kindergarten students most. I feel as though I had the biggest impact with these kids.

I had an amazing volunteer experience! The language training I received in Costa Rica was top of the line. My host family was amazing, my Spanish improved, and I grew a lot as a person.

Through this program, I was able to gain perspective from Spanish people, able to change students' lives by doing the little things, and be initiative

The kids at my placement were really fun, they taught me Spanish. I had a nice house in Costa Rica with own bedroom and bathroom and every meal was made for us. The family I lived with were really nice and I felt at home. I had a lot of culture shock, but I'm very glad that I went, and stayed in a small, non-touristy town. I can say that living abroad allows one to bring a new outlook and share US culture.

I have learned what I want to do, and how to organize my time and my experiences. I felt that I contributed as best I could in such a short amount of time. I had only two weeks to commit to the program, but within that two weeks I did my best to make a difference

Although I would have preferred to have volunteered at a more needy school, I enjoyed every moment here. I was always looking forward to get to the school. Thank you very much for enabling this experience.

All staff in my volunteer placement was very enthusiatic and encouraging to go out and enjoy yourself. Taxies and other transportation fares took a little getting used to, more expensive than someone would have expected.

I benefitted from more life experience, understanding of myself and broader understanding of other cultures. The Tico (Costa Rican) people were so welcoming. The other volunteers were so much fun and it was great to be placed so close to the others. This event opened up my eyes to the idea of continuing this for the rest of my life. In addition, in just 2 weeks (should have stayed at least a month), I learned more about myself and my interests and abilities more than I have in all my years. This was one of the best and most rewarding experiences of my life, and this will not be my last volunteer abroad program.

I believe I've gained Spanish skills, communication skills, people skills, street skills, confidence in myself, new friends and family, knowledge about Costa Rican culture, knowledge for traveling abroad alone, and most importantly a lot of love!

Through this program, I now know I want to become fluent in Spanish and travel more. I have to say I learned a new culture, a desire to become fluent in a language, maturity to succeed and travel on my own.

For me, joining a program abroad allows me to learn what it is like to be alone. At first the spanish barrier problems really upset me because I was afraid that the distance would negatively impact my experience, but I realized that being separated like this allowed me to look at everything more analytically. I really learned a lot about health care and about the culture of families in costa rica.

Everything and everyone were amazing. The highlights were being able to travel all over the country every weekend and having such a dynamic schedule throughout the day.

I want to do this exact thing again! BEST FAMILY EVER! so fun to be around and so kind, i felt like i had known them forever. I've gained an unforgettable experience and definite improvement in my Spanish.

I gained more of an understanding of the way different cultures work, along with the way different socioeconomic classes work. It is definitely interesting to see where I as a volunteer fit into the lives of those I am trying to help - whether I am significant at all or just a fleeting presence.

My relationship with the kids was great. I got to know them really well and was very sad to leave. I now know that my future job has to involve helping less fortunate people. I appreciate more about myself and realized that I was capable of many things.

The best part of volunteering in Costa Rica was meeting my host family, the children and living in a completely different culture! My family was wonderful, made me feel right at home and I miss them and think about them daily. I also hope that I made a positive change with the children. I realized that we take way to much for granted in the states, and traveling and volunteering is a great way to experience culture. I'm already hoping to volunteer again.

The teachers at the school that I was placed were very helpful and made me feel very comfortable. My local contacts in Costa Rica were amazing. They were very helpful and went out of their way to make my experience enjoyable and rewarding.

I learned that in order to fully grow from an experience, you have to jump whole-heartedly into every situation with confidence and open eyes. Although it may not feel like you are making a drastic impact upon the country, every small task that seems so irrelevant, adds to the bigger picture and my individual contribution counted.

I thought the Spanish program I was using was effective until I go to Costa Rica and I could barely understand the people. But with the Spanish class, the help of my host family and the women I was working with, I learned Spanish pretty fast and I could communicate with them as long they were patient with them. And most time, they were very patient.

I want to continue learning Spanish. My host family spoke very little English and I speak very little Spanish. But it took me outside my comfort zone and I learned a lot.

It was a very good experience to study aboard and I think every single person should. Because of this program, I was able to gain perspective about the difference in culture.

I have learned some problem solving skills, and some traveling skills. I also gained a lot of perspective on my own life, as well as the experience of helping others.

It has been great! I have really enjoyed interacting with my host family, working at the school, and going on trips with other volunteers.

Great! I felt unprepared because there are things i could have used that would make my experience better, but i have made things work out.

LOVE the town, the people (especially my host family!), the clinic where I work and am very happy with my spanish classes. Overall, I think World Endeavors and their local staff did a great job organizing everything.

Well, I really enjoy my experience in Costa Rica. I learned so much from the costan rican people, especially things about being hardworking, taking care of your environment, caring about other people and conserving nature.

I now have a better understanding of the cultural and daily life in Costa Rica. I traveled after the program and had a very different/touristy experience. My time volunteering in Costa Rica was much more meaningful.

I learned and gained a lot while I was Atenas but what I hope will stick with me is problem solving. I learned to be more independent and to figure out things on my own, even when I was struggling to find the words in Spanish.

Volunteering went well. I was communicating with the Director about ways to improve the volunteers experience as it seems other volunteers were having difficult times. I personally have thoroughly enjoyed my time, but also see a lot of areas where the volunteer program could be improved.

i loved speaking spanish with the ticos. it was an amazing experience and i feel more comfortable starting a conversation in spanish now. i also enjoyed interacting with the other volunteers in atenas and was able to make really good friends with them. traveling was also incredible! i liked being able to see other parts of costa rica.

New language. Meeting people from all over the world. A different outlook on how to live life. Friendships that will last a lifetime. Experiences that are unforgettable. Maturing in faith, relationships, and mindset.

When I was in Costa Rica, I met many new people and was able to see so many different parts of such a beautiful country. I experienced the culture and food and church and wedding and school and so much more. I can't even describe how wonderful the experience was.

I believe that I gained a lot more confidence on my ability to travel by myself and to be more outgoing that I usually am at home.It has been a great growing experience, that I might not even know the full extent of yet. It has also given me a lot of time to think about what I want from life an figure out some of my aspirations and how to make them all fit together in my life.

The program I was part in with World Endeavors was a great experience! I gained some new friends, some better insight on the culture, some better Spanish-speaking skills, some experience abroad on my own, and many more things.

I feel more confident to be able to go out and do things on my own now. I feel like I have a greater knowledge of the culture in Costa Rica, and also have a greater appreciation for our level of healthcare here at home in the U.S.

This was my first experience becoming totally immersed into another culture and language and an opportunity to see the world through a completely different lens and reaffirm my passion for diversity.

My volunteer participation in Costa Rica gave some insight on leadership and responsibility needs within a research project. Also provided experience in handling wild animals while learning procedures to protect them

For the most part, I feel as though it has shifted my perspective and has opened my eyes to life. I feel as though I have gained a deeper understanding of human connection, communication, and of how the fulfillment of one's job/duties can contribute to the whole.

This was my first time traveling, let alone traveling by myself. It really let me know that I could accomplish anything I wanted to do. It gave me a better understanding of another culture and a desire to travel more. I really love helping other people out, and I was able to meet other volunteers and people from Costa Rica that are now great friends.

I came back with a lot more confidence and excitement. I'm treating this as a taste of Costa Rica, and I can't wait to come back to Central America and try more!

My volunteer participation in Costa Rica gave some insight on leadership and responsibility needs within a research project. Also provided experience in handling wild animals while learning procedures to protect them.

I got to practice speaking Spanish while in Costa Rica. I learned so much about Costa Rican culture, cuisine, and people. And I gained new friends.

In Costa Rica, I met new friends, gained new outlook on certain things, greater comfort with and knowledge of the spanish language

From my experience in Costa Rica, I gained self-confidence in my abilities as a teacher and as an independent woman traveling alone.

My mind was further opened, I made new friends, improved my Spanish, helped out in a school and two conservation projects, and tons of memories to cherish for a lifetime!

Well, my volunteer placement is actually over now but it was amazing. I loved working with the kids and building relationships with them.

The highlight of my volunteering experience was traveling around Costa Rica and working with the kids that improved my language skills the most.

The advisors were helpful and kept in touch. Deadlines and things to keep straight could have been more clear however. Got to know the host family really well and share experiences that I loved to have even though I hadn't foreseen or knew what they were.

I really enjoyed working with kids and teaching kids English with World Endeavors in Costa Rica. The host family was nice too. And I had a lot of fun. Even though I had some bad memories, over all it's still a good experience for me.

It was a great experience to volunteer at an emergency clinic in Costa Rica and also to live with a host family. I wish there would have been more volunteers for me to travel with or my host family was more willing to take me places.

The people I encountered during my whole stay with World Endeavors in Costa Rica really exceeded my expectations. Everyone was friendly and patient, especially considering the little amount of Spanish I could speak and understand.

Very helpful, quick replies, never got sick of answering questions, very nice! I loved everything about Costa Rica. The people were incredible, the scenery was always beyond beautiful, and the food was great. Having an open mind and going with the flow was the most beneficial thing that helped me.

Timely and frequent communication, great information, and excellent, genuine service overall. I loved my experience and the country of Costa Rica! I only wish the language barrier would have been smaller so that I would have been able to help more and have more of an impact in the community.

All the people within the placement and host family were so kind. I feel as though my host family was a perfect fit. Everyone made sure the experience was very enjoyable. My host family took me in as one of their own. I plan on visiting them within the next year. Allison was a great help from start to finish, especially when trying to find an orphanage to donate to. All emails were answered quickly and every question was answered to the best of Allison's ability. For that particular placement, three weeks should be the absolute minimal time allowed to stay. I was finally getting in a routine when I then was flying home. If I could go back and do it again I would stay for longer.

I did not receive academic credit from my volunteer experience, however my personal goals were exceeded. World Endeavors was the only study abroad organization that I could find online that has Physical Therapy opportunities. I will definitely recommend WE to my physical therapy school classmates and/or anyone who has an interest in volunteering specifically in a physical therapy setting abroad. Everything about my experience with WE was wonderful. Looking back, I feel that I was well prepared by the WE staff before I entered Costa Rica and once I was in the country, I was well looked after by my in-country coordinator. Although I was the only student volunteer at my site and in Atenas, I never felt that I was left completely alone without help which is greatly appreciated. I loved my experience so much that I wish I could have stayed longer. I will never forget these memories and THE culturally immersive experience and I hope to take what I learned and continue to volunteer in foreign countries as a physical therapist.

Traveling to Costa Rica was a wonderful experience. It was great to stay with a host family and get a real sense of the country rather than a "resort" sense. Working at Tortufauna was incredible. I already miss my host family. Getting to travel with my mom and sisters was also an amazing thing. I am so happy to have had this experience! World Endeavors was helpful and accommodating from start to finish. They helped us find a program that suited all four of us, which was not easy! I am grateful for their help.

I feel that WE is world class in safety and support for participants while also allowing us the flexibility to thrive in a volunteer site where we actually have passion and experience. I give the experience 10 stars because my host family, work site, and in-country coordinator were some of the most amazing, supportive people I have ever met. The entire experience was welcoming, safe, and spectacular. I am so thankful for my opportunity to be a part of World Endeavors! World Endeavors did so much to support me before, during, and after my trip and this exceeded my expectations greatly! The only part of the experience that could be improved is the travel time to and from my work site. Going 45 minutes by bus plus 10-15 minutes walking to and from the bus stop both ways was pretty excessive, and I wish there were a way to have been able to work at a site in Atenas with OT. I understand that Atenas is a small town though so it makes sense having to travel, and I absolutely LOVED the town of Atenas and my host family! Could not have loved them more.

Thank you each and all for a spectacularly memorable experience! I wanted to experience and learn about a new country with my 3 girls. And I did! Everyone - from start to finish at WE - was supportive, attentive, responsive, gracious, and knowledgeable. I felt that, with WE's excellent travel planning, ongoing support, and personalized care, my daughters and I were in good hands! My experience abroad exceeded my expectations. I expected my experience to exceed my expectations because I didn't go with many expectations in the first place. I know that traveling with few expectations, an open-heart, and an observant mind offers the riches experiences, and I was open to discovering what was in front of me (places to see, people to me, experiences to have). I must say that the added bonus of traveling with my 3 daughters brought me the unexpected surprise of having intimate time to share, discuss, and process adventures beyond what we normally could experience in our busy daily lives. Traveling together was wonderful!

Living with the family was a highlight of my experience. Eating the food that Costa Ricans eat was another great aspect only highlighted by our host mama being a wonderful cook!

Everybody in Costa Rica likes coffee, there are little bakery/ coffee shops everywhere. It is typical to have a large lunch and a small dinner. Also, all meals include rice and beans. Most people are very kind and helpful.

World Endeavors is very organized, has a quick application process, and great support. Some of my favorite experiences in Costa Rica are picking up Spanish, learning about the Costa Rican culture. I also enjoyed speaking with the children at the orphanage.

I gained cultural experience in a country other than my own and my indepence has scaled up a level. I also gained the pride and happiness knowing that I have touched the people that I was helping, especially the teacher. She was constantly letting me know how much she appreciated my being there.

What were the highlights of my experience in Costa Rica? Everything! I was able to live my dream. I was able to go to another country and help children. But when I was there I realized that the children weren't all I was there for. The people right around me were in need of so much love too. Also, the people in the country are so friendly, warm and inviting. They actually acknowledge you when you pass by. What a concept! That's quite a change from cold-hearted Los Angeles. It was amazing to go to a whole different country and by the second or third week while walking through the town I was already running into people left and right that I knew or recognized. You can live in a city for years and never even know your own neighbors. But not in Costa Rica. I felt blessed to be surrounded by such a lovely culture and such lovely people. It feels wonderful to have been able to adapt to a totally different culture. I was able to improve my language skills and make new friends...that I'll never forget. And, most importantly, I now have a place that I can call home and people that I can call family in another country. I have to say that I fell in love with Costa Rica...and my heart yearns to once again experience!