Community Development Volunteering in Costa Rica

My experience in Cusco was such an amazing time. The people and atmosphere were amazing. Only after a short while this place and these people became a second home and family. The dental program was a great experience especially for a pre-dental student, you learn so much and meet so many great doctors, great for people who are ready for hands-on experience, learning, and giving a helping hand. I have already planned my return and can't wait to explore more of the programs that Maximo has to offer!

I loved the experience, I stayed in Yuri's house with his family which was super sweet and available for whatever me and my friends needed, I also met a lot of people who now I consider friends and with whom I'm gonna stay in touch.

I really enjoyed becoming interconnected with the Costa Rican experience. My host parents Tulio and Carmen were the best people ever. They became my home away from home. They were so kind and showed me the true Costa Rican kindness everyone talked about!

It was a great experience I would do it again 100 hundred percent would recommend to everyone I know.i loved my host family so much and the food was great the kids were amazing and the people were super friendly

I volunteered in Costa Rica, working with children, and had an amazing time! I met many wonderful people, made new friends, and enjoyed incredible experiences like ziplining, waterfalls, and many adventures. I highly recommend it!

My Volunteering Experience in Costa Rica My volunteering experience in Costa Rica was amazing and unforgettable. I had the opportunity to work with children, and I really enjoyed spending time with them. different countries and made new friends. We worked together to plan activities and help the children, which was a very rewarding experience. During my free time, I explored Costa Rica and visited beautiful waterfalls. The nature was incredible, and I had so much fun. I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone who wants to help others, meet new people, discover a new culture, and have an amazing adventure. It was a fantastic experience that I will never forget!

I was, probably like some of you, a bit sceptical when initially applying due to the low price compared to other organisations. However, the experience I had was absolutely amazing and I have learnt so much about not only myself, but about different cultures and etiquettes. My program manager, Marissa, was absolutely fantastic at answer all of my questions and adjusting any mistakes I submitted onto my application such as flight number and pick-up time. Despite the huge time difference between Marissa and myself, she was able to reply to my email promptly and with extreme care - I was really at ease throughout the whole process and that made the experience a bunch better. Everything on my volunteering was as described on the program guide and there were no surprises when I landed, everything that happened during my week I was prepared for. I would really recommend this company and I want to thank them once more for the fantastic and truly life-changing experience they provided for me.

I had a really good time in Costa Rica. It was my first time in the country, and probably not the last! The children I worked with were so adorable and I enjoyed every moment of it, when teaching, feeding, putting them to sleep or just disciplining them! I also had some excursions, in the Catamaran and Manuel Antonio Park, and I was lucky enough to get both days very sunny with a clear water. The program in general was so fun, not to mention that I met so many amazing people that helped me throughout the journey.

I had such a wonderful experience in Split! I met so many amazing people from different countries and made memories that I will definitely never forget. The Youth Support program gave me the opportunity to connect with the local community, experience a different culture and grow personally at the same time. The local team was very welcoming and supportive and I always felt comfortable asking questions or getting help when needed. I especially loved the international atmosphere and meeting people with completely different backgrounds and stories.besides volunteering, I had enough time to explore Split, enjoy the beautiful beaches and nature and experience Croatian culture. This experience helped me step outside my comfort zone, become more independent and see things from new perspectives. I’m really grateful for all the people I met and everything I experienced during my time here. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who wants to travel, volunteer, meet new people and create unforgettable memories abroad. ❤️

The support and organization of IVHQ was strong and great. Traveling and volunteering with a family of five, with 3 Jr High School kids but was amazing. Very comfortable and things were laid out well, we all felt extremely safe and comfortable the entire experience.

Lettre de motivation – Candidature pour une mission de volontariat Madame, Monsieur, Je souhaite vous présenter ma candidature pour participer à votre programme de volontariat. Motivé, sérieux et ouvert d’esprit, je souhaite vivre une expérience internationale qui me permettra de développer mes compétences, de découvrir une nouvelle culture et surtout de contribuer activement aux activités de votre organisation. Je suis une personne dynamique, responsable et capable de m’adapter facilement à de nouveaux environnements. J’apprécie particulièrement le travail en équipe, la communication avec les autres et l’apprentissage de nouvelles compétences. Je suis également prêt à participer aux différentes tâches proposées et à m’investir pleinement dans la vie quotidienne du projet. Pour moi, le volontariat représente bien plus qu’un simple voyage. C’est une occasion de rencontrer des personnes venant de différents horizons, de partager nos expériences et de contribuer positivement à la communauté d’accueil. Je suis prêt à sortir de ma zone de confort, à apprendre et à donner le meilleur de moi-même. Je serais très heureux d’avoir la possibilité de rejoindre votre projet et de mettre ma motivation, mon énergie et mon sérieux au service de votre équipe. Je vous remercie pour l’attention portée à ma candidature et reste à votre disposition pour tout entretien ou information complémentaire. Cordialement, Hamza Talhawi

I was teaching kids in Costa Rica and it was so much fun the people there were really nice and always smiling. I made many friends in the time that I was here and I always was busy with fun exciting stuff.

I did the teaching project in a community center for two weeks and it was an incredibly memorable experience; the people in San José are so lovely and I got to immerse in a lively culture through the students and the host family. Absolutely recommend this project!

It was amazing to meet all these People ! meeting these children and teaching them was incredible. I learned every day. My family was really Nice ! I made friends for life !! I recommend this trip for everyone !

Honestly, I went into this with no expectations and then was really surprised with the beauty of peru. We got to see evey hike that we wanted to see, and they were all so beautiful! I also got a great room allocation with a lot of friends and made new ones as well! My first time in South America was such a different experience toi what I had known before and I was happy to contribute, if only for such a short time to this project.

This experience was my first time in South America and I couldn´t have wished for a more satisfying visit. Maximo was very helpfull in any inquiries I had and provided a tremendous amount of aid with city life, exploration, and my construction project. Finally, my host family was great and made me feel comfortable and welcomed me to the new country.

best time ever, everything was great. saw amazing things, and was able to do amazing things. The host house was amazing with really cool people. We were able to do our own thing and that made my trip just amazing. Maximo was just great.

I have traveled before and Iove to experience new cultures. Learning spanish, talking to the locals, and getting to know everyone at Maximo Nivel was amazing! The staff were patient and listened whenever I had a problem, the tourism mixed with volunteering was a perfect mix. I learned so much from the children I taught and the teachers I got to know. I really loved the enviroment and feel this is a place anyone could thrive. Would not suggest coming for just one week, the longer you stay the better as theres so much to do, see, and learn!

The preparation before trip was so detailed that I don’t have anything to worry about. It got everything listed and made it so much easier to tick off what I’ve done and what they need. The communication with the manager for the volunteer was so smooth and fast, and I was able to get a reply current evening or next morning (due to different timing in different countries). I wanted to change my volunteer from rural teaching to turtle reservation, it was so fast that there wasn’t any problems with the money nor arrangements, everything just went so smoothly, really impressed. The local team there really helped a lot, the driver, the leader, everyone was just so nice, even the cook and the receptionist. This volunteer as itself also helped me a lot on raising awareness for the sea turtles, learnt a lot and really hope to help them consistently. This is such a memorable trip and I hope to do these volunteers with IVHQ next summer with my friends.

I had a great time! Living situation was comfortable, the other volunteers I met were all amazing, and the park rangers and dorm we were at were all welcoming, a bit quiet - but friendly and kind. I think from my time here, and having spoken to a few different volunteers about their experience and perspective, my only issue would be that I think Maximo Nivel doesn’t always paint an accurate picture of their programs. Despite this, I still think it’s worth coming here if anyone is thinking about it, but that it’s really important to do your research on the program you want to do. As for example, me and another volunteer were confused as to why over email they’d been led to believe our program was on the Caribbean coast, when it in fact ended up being on the Pacific Ocean Coast. And also that online our sea turtle programs talk about various activities like helping hatchlings etc but doesn’t inform you if the season you are going on is nesting season or not etc. Host family were lovely, and transportation was fairly clear. The online and in person admin team at Maximo were especially helpful, and Kaylie was especially wonderful! Overall, would definitely recommend - just think it’s important to ensure the program detailings are clear to you before you arrive. Thanks! Miss Costa Rica already!!