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About
Costa Rica: Magnificent, active volcanoes steam over cool highland cloud forests.
Lush jungles blanket the lowland regions and give way to pristine beaches which unfold
in startling, primitive serenity. There are 12 distinct microclimates
The Project: Participants fly as a group to the Costa Rican capital of San José, where they spend
a day learning about the culture and history of the country. The next morning they travel to their
home for the month, a rural town in an area surrounded by mountains and tropical forests teeming
with exotic flora and fauna. Working with young people from the village, past summers’ groups repaired floors and walls in a community center, painted murals, built levees
along river banks, and planted trees with local reforestation projects.
This summer’s participants have been invited by our warm and enthusiastic
friends in the pueblos to work on municipal projects, teach English to young
children, and continue work on environmental projects in their towns and
nearby national parks. The living conditions are basic: accommodations are
in a small village house or school. Each day students help a local cook prepare
meals. The work day is full, starting early and including a break at noon to
beat the heat. Students spend evenings relaxing with Tico friends, visiting
their homes, playing soccer in the town square, and attending local fiestas. |
found in this tiny
nation, each of which creates a unique ecosystem, home to an unparalleled biodiversity of
plants and animals. The people of Costa Rica,
Ticos, are a diverse group, blending indigenous,
Afro-Caribbean, and European origins.
Despite its national commitment to ecological
conservation and reputation as Central
America’s most stable democracy, Costa Rica suffers from widespread poverty, particularly in its more remote corners. Life in rural villages
is made difficult by the country’s weak infrastructure, limited education system, and widespread
degradation of the environment.