Volunteering at CPI- Flamingo

  Costa Rica

• North Western Region: 
Flamingo

Durations of Program: 2-4 weeks, 5-8 weeks, 9-12 weeks and 7-12 months
Typical Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks

Description: CPI´s Volunteer Program in Costa Rica is designed for students who, while visiting this beautiful part of the world, wish to enrich their stay by working in an area of their interest that will benefit the country.

* Teaching or assisting in CPI's English Department

CPI has an English as a Foreign Language program, offering classes from January to November. Classes are typically scheduled in the afternoons and evenings, and participation is possible while the volunteer is a CPI Spanish student or once they have concluded their Spanish classes.

* Volunteer at Mariposa Private Kindergarten and Potrero Elementary Public School.

Mariposa is a bilingual private kindergarten that teaches children from 3 to 6 years old. The public school of Potrero is an elementary school that teaches children from 6 to 12 years old. La Mariposa accepts volunteers to assist with classroom activities as well as tutor individual students. The public school of Potrero accepts volunteers to assist the English teachers and help with administrative duties.

* Volunteer at The Monkey Park.

The Monkey Park is an environmental refuge and rescue of wild animals confiscated by governmental institutions, in which they receive attention specialized for their recovery and subsequent integration to their natural habitat. For many different reasons, animals cannot be freed and in the Monkey Park they receive the best possible living conditions.

The Monkey Park is situated in the town of Portegolpe of the canton of Holy Cross of Guanacaste, in a humid inlet favorable to high biological diversity. The region is characterized for the presence of trees of great beauty that creates the habitat for a distinct variety of animals known to the tropical dry forests of Costa Rica.

Highlights: CPI Flamingo is your best beach option. It was established in 2000. The Guanacaste coastal area, replete with pristine beaches and scattered mangroves, is known as the golden coast of Costa Rica. With its white sand and crystal blue water, Flamingo is perfect for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, sailing, and just relaxing on the beach.

There is a considerable North American community in the town of Flamingo itself; however, the nearby rural towns of Brasilito and Potrero are primarily Costa Rican, and this is where our homestay families are located. Flamingo is a 5-hour bus ride from San Jose, with public buses leaving the capital daily at 8:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., and 3:00 p.m. The private shuttle service that CPI uses, leaves San Jose for Flamingo every Sunday around 10:00 a.m.

The average daily temperature is 32° C (90° F). The climate is hot with fairly high humidity; we recommend shorts and summer clothing.

In Flamingo, students have the opportunity for serious Spanish study in a vacation environment.

Qualifications:
* at least 18 years old
* volunteers should be registered for classes at CPI for a minimum of two weeks

Experience Required: no

Age Range: 18 years old and up

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Costa Rica Independently Or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently Or in Groups

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Written Application

Centro Panamericano de Idiomas's Mission Statement: To be the best language school in Latin America. Today, with three campuses across Costa Rica, each operating independently with the same high quality service, CPI is working to achieve its mission. We continue to accomplish the following goals year after year: * To invest in the quality of our professors by attending annual language conferences, providing regular training seminars, and consistently updating our teaching methodologies and materials. * To provide superior student services by reviewing and incorporating student feedback into our programs, improving our educational facilities, and attending to each student's individual needs. * To offer high quality education at a competitive price. * To increase global communication through language immersion and cultural education.

Year Founded: 1991