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Itinerary

Environmental Conservation plus Spanish

Spanish Lessons

Get your Spanish up to speed with 2 x 45 minute Spanish lessons (usually between 09:00-11:00) from Monday to Friday. Tuition is delivered by accredited and licensed teachers and on day one you will receive a short test to establish your level and objectives. These lessons will be tailored to suit all levels from beginner to intermediate and are designed to help you interact and immerse with the local community and enjoy being in a Spanish speaking country.

Volunteering

On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday (2-3 hours per day), you participate in volunteer projects designed to conserve and respect local natural resources. Project work is varied and priorities are seasonal and weather dependent. However, most of our efforts are focused on the following areas:

Beach Conservation
Here we work alongside the Santa Teresa Lifeguards. Having seen the amazing beaches of Santa Teresa, and adjoining Playa Hermosa and Playa Carmen, the recreational opportunities are clear. However, beaches need to be maintained to keep them clear of debris that not only looks unsightly but can cause harm to people and wildlife. Work includes promoting Lifeguard issues with regard to beach safety and etiquette (through signage, presentations and speaking to visitors), organizing clean ups with focus on recycling.

Blue Flag Initiative
Formed in response to water and beach pollution, this government-backed initiative aims to reward communities that adhere to their guidelines on conservation practice. By awarding the Blue Flag, the communities gain international recognition for their beach and can attract more tourists and investment.

Recycling
We are leading the charge in our local community to create as many recycle stations and collection points for plastic waste in particular so that Bionics can easily collect it all once a week from main road. We have built two recycle stations on our street and this has reduced the normal garbage by 30% or more. As a result, on our street alone we collect a huge amount of plastic for Bionics each month.

We clean the beaches of plastic once a week at least and participate in community clean ups on a monthly bases and this month collected close to a ton of recyclable rubbish in one day with the help of about 100 volunteers. We go once a week to the Bionics Depo 30 mins away in Cobano to help them clean, organise and package the plastic for shipment to the USA where they turn it into shoes, T-shirts, building blocks and a whole variety of consumer goods, hence giving real value to this recycled material. This is the future and this is what may just save the planet or make a difference at least. Once this "rubbish" has value people will start to take notice and collect it and turn it into something useful. This way we show our students the full cycle of events, how plastic gets into the eco system, how hard it is to take it out once it's in there, and finally the light at the end of the tunnel, what we can do with it once we collect it.

Tropical Forest
Our main focus is the forests' most important resource - water! You help with the maintenance and supply of our tree nursery; planting carefully selected saplings, gathered seeds and ongoing support of recently planted trees to ensure their success. We support the local Waterkeepers who patrol the river systems of Santa Teresa and neighboring tropical forest resources by helping to report any contamination, clear forest debris and litter from streams before it is washed out to sea and can cause further damage to wildlife, and by maintaining walking/hiking trails that allow visitors to access this beautiful area. It is also a great opportunity to learn about the biodiversity of flora and fauna in this special part of the world.

Hiking

We would like you to enjoy Nicoya Peninsula - an area of outstanding natural beauty so each Wednesday we will explore our surroundings on foot. The first week is a 2-hour ‘jungle river trek’ along a river that runs by Jakera Jungle Surf Camp and into the lush tropical forest that surrounds us. You will quickly find yourself ‘lost’ and wondering which direction the seemingly nearby beach is. The second Wednesday we hike from ‘beach to waterfall’ to discover a multitude of waterfalls and rivers that tumble and twist through the rainforest and out into the Pacific Ocean. This hike helps us to understand how the whole eco system works. There is a huge range of flora including trees with specific medicinal applications. We begin to understand the beauty of this truly diverse location.

Please note: The schedule order may be subject to change according to tide, weather and volunteer work specifics.

Free Time

During the weekends, there are a lot of opportunities to explore the area and try out different activities. If you're into yoga, try a beach session on Sunday mornings: get up a little earlier than usual to enjoy a pre-breakfast yoga session on the beach. Yoga is very popular in this part of the world and 45 mins costs around $15. You can also try white water rafting, horse riding, surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, whale watching, a jungle canopy tour etc. There is always something to do and if it all sounds to active, you can just enjoy the beach or pool.

Please note: Travel on the weekends, or any of the extra activities is at your own expense and risk. We cannot be responsible but, if anything happens, we will of course be there to assist. Please ensure that you have adequate medical insurance before you carry out any activity.

Mandatory Volunteer Requirements

Police Clearance Certificate

What Makes a Good Volunteer?

Volunteers need to be flexible and keep an open mind concerning their placements as situations can arise beyond our control which could require you to be placed at a different project than the one you have initially chosen. We will of course always do our utmost to fulfill your initial wishes but do remember that where you are going is quite different from where you are coming and as such one should be prepared for things not always going according to plan.

Volunteering and intercultural travel share a common trait: the more you put into it, the more you get out of it. This program is designed for proactive individuals and groups that are prepared to adapt to the local environment and its current needs. Naturally, the scheduling and activities of our program are subject to change. Alterations in activities are mainly due to changes in local conditions, which we believe is part of what makes overseas programs the interesting adventure and incredible learning experience that they are.

How Long Should I Volunteer?

Our projects range from 1 week up to approx. 30 weeks. Projects have a specified minimum stay, then it’s up to you how long you can commit. In our experience the longer you stay the more you will gain, as your understanding of the project broadens and you take on more responsibilities.
Summary

What’s included?

Extra expenses at the destination
None

Accommodation

We have created a jungle paradise complete with swimming pool overlooked by a rich tropical forest bursting with wildlife including capuchin and howler monkeys.

Accommodation is same-gender dorms with beds, and separate toilet and shower facilities (hot and cold water!). Breakfast and lunch are provided but the daily routine will be structured to accommodate quality of the surf (generally better in the mornings) as we try to create opportunities for the beach in between our priorities of Spanish lessons and volunteering.

There is a laundry service in the local town for getting your clothes washed at a very reasonable price. Wifi is available for free.

Please bring your own towel.

The arrival package includes airport transfer to the hostel in San Jose, one night in San Jose in dorm accommodation, transfer the following day from San Jose to Playa Santa Teresa.

Local transport

You can either get to the project on your own, or make your arrival smoother by booking an airport transfer or an arrival package.

Airport Transfer
You can book your project including an airport transfer. There is an airport transfer at 08:00 from San Jose..

Arrival Package
You can book an arrival package including pick-up from the airport, 1 night in San Jose and transfer to Santa Teresa on the following day. The next day the same transfer times to Santa Teresa apply:
There is an airport transfer at 08:00 from San Jose.

Other Transportation
Local transportation during the program is at your own cost.

Departure Transfer
Shuttle buses can be booked locally for a transfer back from Santa Teresa to San Jose airport. The journey takes approximately 5½-6 hours. Alternatively, a domestic flight can be booked from Cobano to San Jose, the domestic flight is a 10-minute walk from the international airport.

Meals

Breakfast, lunch, and brunch on weekends are included. Safe drinking water, tea, coffee, natural soft drinks will be provided. Beers and sodas are not included. All food in our camp is organic, sourced from local farmers and fishermen with garnishes and a few extras from our own garden. Our menu is predominantly vegetarian, though we do also serve locally sourced meat and fish. Although menus will be local, they’ll be tempered to western tastes and vegetarians are easily accommodated. Salads, simple soups, tortillas, sweet plantains and local food made of tubers (similar to potatoes) are also popular.

There is a kitchen at the camp where you can make your own food. You will need to help with cleaning dishes and keep your room and public areas tidy.

There are also social nights arranged at camp - pizza night, burger night, Mexican night etc where dinner costs between USD 7-10 (not included).

During your week at the turtle rescue centre, all meals are included.

Additional info

Volunteers will need dark coloured clothing to work at night, preferably long sleeved, flashlight with a red LED if possible, mosquito net, closed toe shoes for turtle patrols that will be comfortable and a waterproof jacket.
Light weight sleeping bag for night patrols and mosquito net are useful and should be in the packing list.

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