 |
|
 |
 |
City/State: Cartago, Puriscal, and San Carlos |
|
Country: COSTA RICA
|
|
|
| Cross-Cultural Solutions |
Tower Point 44
North Road
East Sussex
UNITED KINGDOM
BN1 1YR
Phone: 0845 458 2781 / 2782
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Program description: |
|
|
"I learned a lot about myself. I learned that I could handle a lot more than I thought. I also took a part of the Costa Rican culture with me that I will never forget."
This is what one volunteer had to say about her experience in Costa Rica.
Volunteer Abroad with Cross-Cultural Solutions. Work side-by-side with local people and experience another culture like never before. It's the experience of a lifetime. As an international volunteer with Cross-Cultural Solutions, you're making a meaningful contribution, working side-by-side with local people and sharing in the goals of a community that warmly welcomes you. You're experiencing another culture like never before and really getting to know its people. You'll gain new perspectives and insight into the culture and yourself. It's an exciting and personally inspiring experience, and you'll develop memories that will be with you forever.
Enjoy the flexibility of choosing from 12 countries, start dates year-round and programmes from 1-12 weeks long. CCS offers international volunteer programmes in Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Morocco, Peru, South Africa, Russia, Tanzania, and Thailand. Wherever you choose, our in-country staff welcomes you to the CCS Home-Base, your home away from home. Cross-Cultural Solutions is a recognised leader in the field of international volunteering.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
General program information: |
|
|
Program open to: Everyone
Age range: Minimum age of 18 for independent travellers.
Travel to site: Independent Travel
Is opportunity more independant or group orientated: Varies
Living arrangements on the program: Group living
How long does the program last?: 1-3 Months
What are the dates of this program: Programmes run from 2 to 12 weeks long. There are frequent start dates throughout the year. Please check out our website or contact us for more details.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Benefits and advantages of the program: |
|
|
The People: Costa Rican culture is unique in Latin America mainly because of the accessibility and openness of the people who live there. This is due in large part to the country's peaceful and prosperous history in a region that historically has been subject to turmoil and poverty. Ticos exhibit a profound sense of pride in their country's peaceful history and respectful culture. As you and your fellow volunteers are the only foreigners in the town of Ciudad Quesada, your Tico neighbors will be curious about you, eager to share their culture with you and ready to embrace your friendship.
Costa Rican culture is conservative and traditional and in the small town of San Carlos, respect and reputation are of high importance. Because we strive to integrate with the community, maintaining the local culture and avoiding foreign influence, volunteers in this program tend to dress professionally and should take a serious approach to volunteering.
In the canton of San Carlos, two hours north of San Jose, Ciudad Quesada is untouched by the cultural influences of tourism. Situated on a plateau and surrounded by green hills, it is a small town in which everyone knows their neighbour. No matter where you are in the town, you will never lose sight of the hillsides and you will always be able to take in the fresh clean air and small town life.
Volunteers and interns in San Carlos, Costa Rica are involved with caring for infants and children, teaching children, teaching English, assisting teachers, working towards women's empowerment, sharing their professional skills/experience, caring for the elderly, caring for people with disabilities, and assisting teachers of special education.
Cartago is located about an hour away from the capital city of San Jose, in Costa Rica's Central Valley, an area that enjoys almost perfect springtime weather year-round. Having previously been the capital of the country, Cartago is known as one of the most historic cities in the country and is home to many famed locations, such as the Irazu Volcano and the nearby Tapanti National Park. Many Costa Ricans make a pilgrimage to this peaceful city to visit La Basilica de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles, a holy site for Catholics.
Volunteers in Cartago, Costa Rica are involved with caring for infants and children, teaching children, teaching English, assisting teachers, sharing their professional skills/experience, caring for the elderly, caring for people with disabilities, working with people affected by HIV/AIDS, and assisting teachers of special education.
Puriscal is located about an hour West of the capital city of San Jose. Our site is in the city of Santiago, located between two mountain ranges: the Turrubares range, fondly referred to here as the Potenciana mountains, and the Candelaria mountains of Acosta. The town boasts magnificent views, and is just off of the oldest road leading to the Pacific Ocean. It has a very interesting history closely tied to the introduction of the coffee bean.
Volunteers in Puriscal may be involved with caring for infants and children, teaching children, teaching English, assisting teachers, sharing their professional skills/experience, caring for the elderly, caring for people with disabilities, and assisting teachers of special education.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cost or price of this program: |
|
|
Programme fees vary depending on the length of your stay. The programme fee for a 2-week programme is £1,422. Each additional week is £155. This programme fee covers the costs of lodging, meals and ground transportation, plus individual attention and guidance from an experienced and knowledgeable Programme Manager, coordination of your Volunteer Placement, Perspectives Programming activities, a 24-hour emergency hotline in the US, travel and medical insurance, and much more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Typical person for this program: |
|
|
CCS is delighted to welcome volunteers of many different ages and walks of life to its programmes each year. We have families and groups from Australia volunteering alongside teens from Canada and working and retired adults from the UK. We have graduate students from Japan and college students from the US. We have 'gappers,' people who are taking a break before university, or within their professional lives. They come to Cross-Cultural Solutions from very different parts of the world, and from very different places in their life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application process Involves: |
|
|
There is no formal application process. If you are interested in participating in a programme, please contact a Programme Enrolment Manager, who will be happy to talk with you about how a programme could work for you. To reserve your place on a programme, you will be asked to put down a non-refundable deposit of £150.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Other Gap Year Programs listings from Cross-Cultural Solutions |
|
|
brazil, china, costa rica, ghana, guatemala, india, peru, russian federation, tanzania, thailand |
|
Volunteer Abroad with Cross-Cultural Solutions
|
|
|
salvador, brazil |
 |
|
Make a real difference in Brazil
|
|
|
xi'an, china |
 |
|
Immerse yourself in the culture of China
|
|
|
volta region, ghana |
 |
|
Immerse yourself in the culture of Ghana
|
|
|
guatemala city, guatemala |
 |
|
Make a real difference in Guatemala
|
|
|
new delhi or dharamsala, india |
 |
|
Make a real difference in India
|
|
|
ayacucho (andes), lima or trujillo, peru |
 |
|
Make a real difference in Peru
|
|
|
yaroslavl, russian federation |
 |
|
Make a real difference in Russia
|
|
|
arusha, bagamoyo, or kilimanjaro, tanzania |
 |
|
Make a real difference in Tanzania
|
|
|
bangkok or trang, thailand |
 |
|
Make a real difference in Thailand
|
|
|
rabat, morocco |
 |
|
Volunteer Abroad in Morocco
|
|
|
cape town, south africa |
 |
|
Volunteer Abroad in South Africa
|
|
|
|
|
|
