volsol costa rica brochure 2016 compressed

2016BROCHURE

COSTA RICA

www.volunteeringsolutions.com

VOLUNTEER INTERN TRAVEL

ContentsCover01

Contents02

Accommodation and Living12

Cost and Start Dates13

What am I Paying for?14

What am I Paying for? (Contd.)15

Things to Do16

How to Apply - The Process17--19

Get in Touch20

Costa Rica and San Jose Overview03

Costa Rica - All Programs04

Childcare Program05

Teaching English Program06

Medical Health Care Program07

Turtle Conservation Program08

Wildlife & Rescue Center Program09

Spanish Immersion Week10

VOLUNTEER


Your Accommodation 11

Gifted with some of the nature’s best carvings, the land of Costa

Rica is a traveler’s paradise. It comprises of all kinds of shades,

which the nature has to offer. From giant hot volcanoes and vast

dense forests, to scintillating beaches and varied flora; it’s all there

in Costa Rica. It is said that the pride of Costa Rica is its people,

which is justified from the vibrant and cheerful crowd that needs

no special occasion to go into a celebration mode.

WhileWhile exploring the rich traditions and golden heritage of this

beautiful country, one can always indulge in some philanthropic

work, which, in fact, if done in consortium can ascend the

experience of traveling and take it to another level. Volunteering

Solutions. Volunteering Solutions has a variety of volunteering

programs set up in the areas of Heredia and Santa Barbara which

are the suburbs of the capital city of San Jose. Programs are also

locatedlocated in other locations of the country such as Alajuela as well as

in Carribean and Pacific coast.Taking up any of the programs can

definitely change the course of your trip completely, and will add a

meaning to it. And anyway, what better way could it be to know the

culture of a place than knowing it from the natives themselves.

Costa Rica Trip Highlights

Commence with a week-long of Spanish cultural learning in the Spanish Immersion Week.

Engage in interactive sessions with kids at childcare centers and preliminary schools to conduct classes,

especially for english language.

Spend blissful time at Caribbean or Pacific coasts while working for preservation of turtles.

Help community people overcome their illness and educate them about essential hygiene regimes in

health care programs.

ReliveRelive your days of childhood by spending time with small children at orphanages, community centres,

and various other child care centres.

Explore the varied wildlife through the Wildlife and Rescue Center program, and help the endangered

species.

Enjoy the amazing cuisine straight from the kitchens of Costa Rican dine-outs and taste some of the

most deliciously authentic food.

Costa Rica Overview


03


Childcare Program

Teaching English Program

Medical Health Care Program

Turtle Conservation Program

Wildlife & Rescue Center Program

Spanish Immersion Week

Costa Rica - All Programs04

Program Requirements

At least 17 years of age

Criminal background check/Character Certificate is required

Energetic and enthusiastic to bring about a difference

In good health

This is the best program for those who simply love kids and miss their

childhood days. The childcare program requires the volunteers to

work at various childcare centers, community soup kitchens,

community child care centers, and day care centers. For a day span of

Monday through Friday, a volunteer is supposed to provide their time

for at least 4-5 hours, playing with the kids, taking care of them,

providing affection and making them learn the basics of their age.

ThereThere are patches of some backward and underdeveloped countries

around Costa Rica, such as Guatemala and several others, from where

people often migrate to this country. These kids account for those who

are homeless and needs a special and urgent attention to prevent loss

of what can be a prominent future of the nation. As a volunteer, one

needs to be responsible of their actions and self-display, as there will

be in-house staff as well who you would be assisting.

Childcare ProgramStarting from $620


05

I really liked working at my

placement. Accommodations

location was amazing

-Melanie Lynn



Open minded with flexible attitude to work in a new and different environment


In good health

With an increasing globalization of the country, it has become a huge

necessity for the future generation to be groomed according to the

need of the hour; the foremost thing for that is to be accustomed with

English language speaking. This program caters to the need of learning

spoken English, where in the volunteers will conduct classes at

community centers, preliminary schools, and secondary schools. The

classes would be more of fun and interactive kinds, so as to make it

easier for the students to understand the concepts. easier for the students to understand the concepts.

The work will span for 5-6 hours day during weekdays. Evenings and

weekends are free for sightseeing and touring purposes.

Teaching English ProgramStarting from $620


06

I loved my project and had a

great time working with the

kids and getting to know the

teachers

-Julia Potapof f




Only pre-med, medical and nursing students and professionals are eligible for this project


In good health

This is the best channel to understand the healthcare standards of

Costa Rica and how the medical system works here. Nurses, doctors,

and even 3rd/4th year medical students can be a part of this program.

As a volunteer, one needs to give out 4-6 hours of their time each day

for five days, from Monday through Thursday, while assisting the in

house staff of doctors and nurses.

TheThe EBAIS system in Costa is one of the preventive medical programs

that take care of patients who visit for a regular checkup and periodical

evaluations. The volunteers can also tag along with the doctors and

nurses to visit nearby villages to perform free checkups and at various

other community campaigns. This is a great opportunity for medical

students, as this will reflect a huge positive mark in their vitae.

Medical Health Care ProgramStarting from $620


07

Meeting new people and

clinical experience in my

health care program is the

highlight of my

volunteering experience

-Julia Potapof f




Hard working

Ecologically sensitive


In good health

This is another enthralling and fun-filled program, tailor made for

those who don’t mind getting up, close and personal with mother

nature and love turtles. Volunteers, working in groups, will be assigned

tasks by the group coordinator, who will be placed at the beaches

along the Pacific as well as Caribbean coasts, which are a 5-6 hrs.

distance from the mainland city. The task would mainly involve making

sure of the safety of turtle population in the region.

AA volunteer will be required to assist the permanent staff while

harvesting the eggs, night patrolling, turtle counting, keep predators

away from eggs, keeping the beaches clean, and obtaining the

information on the remains of the nests.

Turtle Conservation ProgramStarting from $715


08

We thoroughly enjoyed our

program placement, had a

wonderful time in San Jose.

Thanks to VS

-Jeannie Hare




Hard working

Ecologically sensitive


In good health

Costa Rica is a home to diverse fauna, with around 200 different

species of mammals and almost 800 species of birds. Getting into this

program will be a doorway to enter the wildlife zone of this region. As

a volunteer to rescue center program, one needs to have a proactive

instinct and must be willing to work hard to nurture the endangered

lot, as the animals comprise of those who lost their habitats or got into

an accident, or even the victims of repossession.

VolunteersVolunteers assist the local staff in cleaning the cages, feeding the

animals, developing special projects and many more activities, which

may vary on day to day basis.

Wildlife & Rescue Center ProgramStarting from $715


09

This was one of the most

incredible experiences of my

life :)

-Julia Potapof f





In good health

This is the pilot project of any program in Costa Rica. The Spanish

Immersion week gives you a glimpse of a native Titos’ life and their

culture. During the week, your language skills are being tested on the

very first day, so as to understand where you stand on the level of

fluency and comfort in conversing in Spanish. Comprehensive Spanish

lessons will be conducted from Monday through Thursday from 8:00

am to 12 noon.

TheThe week will comprise of dancing lessons on Monday, Tuesday and

Thursday from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and cooking lessons on

Wednesday from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. A certification of participation

and successful completion will be provided at the end of the week.

Spanish Immersion WeekStarting from $525


10

I loooooved my home stay

family! They were so nice

and the food was amazing!

The coordinator was very

supportive and helpful

-Julia Potapof f

Your Accommodation


11

Accommodation Highlights

Fully Furnished accommodation with all basic amenities

Close to project and program site

Hot water and heater (during winters)

Freshly cooked meals

Western toilets (we recommend you bring your personal toiletries)

As a responsible placement organization, Volunteering Solutions

makes sure of a comfortable and memorable stay for all of its

volunteers. After receiving the volunteers, coming from overseas,

from the airport, they are taken to the homestay where their

lodging is been set up. You would be meeting your host family on

this day and getting settled at the accommodation. After an

orientation on Monday, volunteers are taken to their respective

projectproject sites. Participants working in wildlife and turtle rescue

projects travel outside and the travel time varies 3-5 hrs

depending on the placement allocated Participants in the turtle

project stay at ranger house accommodations within the project

itself.

After a quick orientation, volunteers are taken to the project site

which is located around 5-6 hours from San Jose. There are ranger

houses at the beaches where they are been accommodated. A

three time home-cooked meal is served to the volunteers, both

veg as well as non-veg. One would find common meals like meat,

pork, beans, chicken and vegetables in their meal. During their

free time and weekends, a stroll on the city lanes is a best way to

knowknow more about the town. Staying with a Costa Rican family is

exciting as participants get to improve their Spanish language

skills and know their way of life.


Accommodation and Living12

Most people are surprised to hear that they have to pay to volunteer abroad. What they often do not realize is that there

are significant administrative costs involved to arrange for a worthwhile volunteer abroad placement. Volunteering

Solutions is not supported by any government funding and runs its programs entirely from the fee that volunteers pay to

take part in the volunteer programs. Volunteering Abroad, involves incurring of many costs such as food, accommodation,

transportation, transfers, project selection etc. The program fee charged by us, goes into providing you all these services.

The money that you pay to us is distributed at various stages to provide you a meaningful volunteer abroad experience.The money that you pay to us is distributed at various stages to provide you a meaningful volunteer abroad experience.

VOLSOL Program Cost IncludesAdvertising Online/Offline Credit Card processing charges

In country maintenance of offices, vehicles etc.Staff recruitmentVolunteer recruitmentMaintaining office and other expenses

Salaries for staffNGO financial helpCommunication with volunteers and partners, by phone/email etc.International travel done by our staff to monitor projects and attend local meetings with partnersWebsite maintenance.Government taxes.


What am I paying for?14

Administration Cost

In Country SupportProject Development

Project Support &Field Cost

Food & Accommodation

It is necessary for an organization to employ full time staff to recruit and manage volunteers. There is lot of work that goes

side by side ensuring that you are supported before and during your program. We are dedicated to make your volunteering

abroad a memorable experience and ward off of all possible hunches at every steps. Our administration cost is 28% of the

total cost which include advertising, staff salary, website maintenance, taxes, volunteer recruitment and other expenses.

The application processing fee is part of your administrative costs, unlike many other volunteer travel company we do not

chargecharge any additional credit card processing fee. These companies can charge as much as 6% on your application fee taking

it to a difference of almost $100 extra. We have a flat rate and that is what we charge.

Administration

You may be endowed with exceptional skills and acumen in your area of expertise but to figure out your exact role in the

placement agency and to gain insights of its operations require training. To know cultural practices and etiquettes is of sub-

lime importance to carry out your tasks. So you need someone who could impart training and dispel your doubts at every

step, obviously he/she doubles as your friend and trainer.

Good grasp of the local language is an added advantage that helps you to communicate effectively and learn the culture

promptly so in some cases they also assign language trainers to help you out who is paid by program provider.

Training and orientation

We charge for food and accommodation based on your preferences. You may decide to do home stay or group accommo-

dation or relish the cuisines cooked by host family and pay them. You may cook for yourself if you find it economical or your

placement organization may provide you lunch. You have plethora of options to choose from and charges are determined

accordingly. Host organization provides a safe and welcoming atmosphere for the volunteers. Food and accommodation

charges cover 40% of your total expenditure.

Food and accommodation

Volunteer service organization often employs in-country staff to provide local support and to make your volunteering

abroad experience memorable. As long as you are volunteering outside which may take up to six months, our staff is con-

tinuously working for you behind the screen. So we pay them from program fees we receive despite other sources like

grants and donations.

NothingNothing can be more discomforting than to struggle for getting basic services like healthcare, banking or even visa

reviewing in a foreign land that otherwise would have been comparatively less difficult in an English speaking country. As a

volunteer, you have not been tied up to the agency only but you may roam around the city to watch historical places, zoo,

movies etc. and should have total access to everything in order to distress yourself. VolSol has incredible in-country support

(around 12%) to ensure your trip runs smoothly.

In country support

The most important part of the volunteering fees is on the project which you have chosen. Program fees help fund the

project activities and resources. Thus organizations need paid staff member to ensure continuity of your program and

administrative duties. Project development involved 11% of the total program fee.

Project Development

What am I paying for? (Contd.)15

There is a famous quote in the region of Costa Rica that says, “La vida en Costa Rica es una vida pura”, which means, “The

life in Costa Rica is a Pure Life”. The life in here is, indeed, filled with natural beauty and serene ambience…… definitely No

Artificial Ingredients!!! Surrounded by amazing tropical rainforests, it is a perfect escapade for a nature lover. Checkout this

list of things one can do while volunteering in Costa Rica:

With various museums and theatre house located in the city of San Jose, one can simply admire the architectural designs,

made years ago; a simple and straightforward way to understand the history, indeed. The Costa Rican Center of Science

and Culture is a fortress like building, which served as the central penitentiary till 1979.

Admire the architectural brilliance

The land covered with dense forests, gigantic volcanoes and quintessential beaches can never have any dearth of

adventure activities; the same is the case in Costa Rica. Hiking, Surfing, trekking, canopying and lots more of adventure

activities can be done, when in Costa. One can also explore the gigantic volcanoes, some of which are still active. The Arenal

volcano, the Poas volcano and the Chato volcano are few to name.

Take a ride full of adventure

A 2-3 hours’ drive from San Jose will take you to some of the most scintillating and mesmerizing forest parks in Costa. Vast

lands of plush green forests, having a varied flora and fauna in it will definitely going to woo your senses. The Tortuguero

National Park, The Corcovado National Park and Manuel Antonio National Park are just a few to name.

Embrace the gift of nature

Yes! The Ticos (that’s what Costa Ricans like to call themselves) not only believe in natural living but also healthy eating as

well. Seldom does the use of cheese or any other milk product can be seen in the kitchens of Costa Rica. The focus is always

on the use of more and fresher vegetables, fruits, and herbs. Rice and black beans are a part of their staple diet to a large

extent. Gallo Pinto, made of rice and black beans, is one of the signature dishes in the cities. Casado, Chancletas, Ceviche

and Guaro are some of the other delicacies and traditional drinks one must try.

No Artificial Ingredients

The region of Costa Rica, certainly, is more known for its natural surroundings and warm-welcoming people, but that surely

doesn’t takes away the charm of its market lanes and the opportunity for you to fill up your luggage with some memorable

souvenirs. Grab a hand on some of the finest, purest and organically harvested fresh fruits and vegetables at the local

farmer’s market (Feria). The tribal market offers some of the rarest of souvenir gift items you would find in Costa Rica.

Get the best of your shopping experience


Things to Do in Costa Rica

16

Trip Notes

The country faces rain for most parts of the year, hence it is always advised to get enough raincoats and umbrellas.

How to apply - The process17

From the drop down select either Volunteer Abroad, Intern Abroad or Summer programs abroad.

If you are already familiar with the website and are visiting just to apply ignore this step and simply click on the Apply Now button at the

end of the drop down header.

Where it will ask you to create a login and password for your My Account login. Your email id would be treated as the username or user

id. Click on the proceed to next step button. The next step button will take you to a form that you have to fill to pay your application fee

of $225. This application fee will book your seat in the placement until you pay the entire program fee amount. If we fail to provide you

the placement we will refund you the money.

**Points to Heed

**If you are a past volunteer and already have my account user id and password then login to your my account section directly.

**If you are a returning volunteer within a year, then you do not need to pay the application fee again. **If you are a returning volunteer within a year, then you do not need to pay the application fee again.

01

When you click on the apply now button, you will get a window like this:

02



Fill out the forms marked 2 to 4 and submit application, it will be redirected to your payment gateway, where you can make the payment.

If you make the application fee payment now, your My account login would be activated as soon as we receive the payment. In case of

any glitches if your My account login is not activated, please inform us and we will do it manually.

You will receive a Thank you mail for booking the application or making your my account

login. You will get this email irrespective of full payment made or not.

03

04

This email would be followed by a Welcome mail and a community email with platforms to

help you connect with our past volunteers. If you are using gmail, please check your

promotions folder or spam folder and mark them not spam and shift them to your inbox.

Actively participate in VolSol Facebook page and Groups and also join the social

community made by volunteers, that will help you better prepare for the trip.

05



One month prior to your booking you will get your pre departure booklet. The pre-

departure booklet would contain all the details about your project and project location.

While on the project, we will send you an email to check on you, whether you are doing fine or not. You can send your pictures, blogs or

videos or anything related to your ongoing work to us and we will share it with other prospective volunteers.

After the completion of your project, we send you a feedback form, fill this form out and help us improve our services.

06

If your placement is confirmed you will get an email from us stating the same, along with

the final payment due amount.

You can pay your program fee from your my account section or from payment page. The

links for the same would be provided in the email. Payment details would be updated on

your my account page.

05

Know your coordinator

Marco(Program Manager - Costa Rica)

Marco offers more than sixteen years of experience as a professor of Spanish as a Second Language.

Through his professional work he has conducted various Educational workshops in Costa Rica. He

received a BA in Tourism with an emphasis in Community Tourism and Development Projects from

Universidad Panamericana de Costa Rica, a certification in Human Resource Administration from the

National Institute for Learning (INA), studied Language and Culture Facilitation through Peace Corps,

Costa Rica. Marco is dedicated to providing exemplary service to every participant.


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