Volunteer Placements in Costa Rican National Parks

  Costa Rica

• San Jose: 
San Jose

Durations of Program: 5-8 weeks and 9-12 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 5-8 weeks
Dates: Year-round

Description: Includes Spanish language school, volunteer placement, housing, and meals!

Placements are available in 20 different national parks in Costa Rica, including Barra Honda Caverns, Cabo Blanco Nature Reserve, and the Arenal Volcano park.

Volunteer duties vary from park to park. Some projects include: trail restoration, park maintenance, wildlife monitoring, customer service to park visitors.

Highlights: The program runs year-round and you can start on any Monday. You'll spend the first 4 weeks of your stay taking 30 hours of Spanish language instruction per week at one of San Jose's leading language schools. After the educational program, you'll be placed in a 2-week to 8-week volunteer project of your choice.

Spanish Language School:
You will be interviewed, tested, and placed in a group class with other students of similar Spanish language ability. With small class sizes, 2 to 3 students, and an interactive teaching method that focuses on grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, and conversational skills, you will develop confidence in both the written and spoken language. The program also promotes cross-cultural understanding by focusing on topics related to socio-cultural, historical, economic, and political aspects of Costa Rica and Latin America. Cultural activities and tours are also an integral part of the program.

Your International Volunteer Project:
After successfully completing the 4-week language course, you will begin your volunteer placement at a Costa Rican national park. The placement process begins during the 4-week Spanish language course, with interviews arranged by the language institute. Most positions are full-time, although some participants combine a part-time placement with additional language courses at the institute.

Qualifications: Applicants must:
- Be at least 18 (no upper age limit)
- Complete the language course before beginning volunteer placements
- Have at least an intermediate understanding of Spanish upon completion of the language course

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18+

This Program is open to American, Australian and Canadian Participants.

Participants Travel to Costa Rica Independently

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups

Scholarships are Available. Financial assistance is now available through the InterExchange Foundation Grant Program. Established in 2006, the Foundation aims to encourage young Americans to pursue work and life experiential programs abroad. If you have applied for, and been accepted to, an InterExchange Working Abroad program (Language Schools excluded), you may be eligible to receive a Working Abroad Grant. Details will be sent to participants upon acceptance to their programs.

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

InterExchange's Mission Statement: InterExchange is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting cultural awareness through a wide range of work & travel, language, teaching English, volunteer, professional training, internship and au pair programs within the United States & around the world. Our goal is to create affordable and exciting cultural exchange programs, each with an unparalleled level of support. We take great pride in the professionalism and service of our staff and work hard to ensure our programs provide a rewarding experience for all participants.