Volunteering in Costa Rica

1.-How was the local ABV Coordinator and the support provided in-country (airport pickup and drop off, orientation, introduction to work, availability, other)?

Great! They were very attentive to all our needs. Picked us up from the airport. Took us places for nearby sightseeing. Jenny accompanied us when we needed an interpreter for Spanish. She probably learned a lot of dentistry from us, while helping us.

Love her dogs!

2- What was the most positive surprise you experienced?

At the program: Got a great big hug from the child and Mom after I treated her child’s teeth. (Lot’s of tears for all of us!).She was in a lot of pain so was thrilled to feel better!

At the accommodation: Felt like we were at home

About the country: Has everything..Big malls but expensive!

3- What was most difficult/cultural shock to experience?

At the program: Not knowing Spanish was the hardest part!

At the accommodation: Very comfortable home that we were in.

Waking up to the roosters early AM!

The country: Great country, relatively poor country but seemed like there were very nice people.

Volunteer Dental Program

4- Any tips for future volunteers, give as many details as possible…

Clothing: T shirts, shorts, comfortable clothing, scrubs…a lot depends on where one is going to be.

Donations: $, toothbrushes, gloves, toothpaste, other dental supplies, flash light, any other toilet articles, toys for kids.

Weather: Occasionally rains, but when we were there it was pretty hot.

4.1- Other things volunteers should know, about what to bring, what to do in country, what to eat, transportation, other:

a.- Toilet articles, flip flops, comfortable walking shoes

b.- Snacks to munch on, but one can buy almost anything. We enjoyed some Costa Rican food from local restaurants.

c.- Uber works there too. But taxi’s are abundant. Credit cards mostly accepted everywhere

d.- Swim suits

5- Personal Paragraph (ABV Program Testimonial), don’t leave blank:

Great experience! We went to a dental clinic, a homeless shelter, a special needs home and an area where we saw a ton of kids that needed dental exams. (Also in a relatively low socioeconomic area) Also did dental checkups at a school.

Volunteer Costa Rica

6- How would you describe your accommodation, meals and security in detail:

The coordinator was super attentive to all our needs. She took great care of us. Prepared food almost daily. She paid a lot of attention to detail and let us do whatever we wanted in her kitchen as we pleased. That made us very comfortable. Her house had many rooms to accommodate all of us.

We felt secure almost anywhere we went.

7- What was your favorite memory of this trip?

Program: Just having the variety of experiences, and able to help wherever we could. The experience provided how some people live in such poverty but appear content! But have minimal access to dental care.

Country: Beautiful mountains, scenery. The drive is pretty curvy if you are visiting the volcano 3 hrs away…Bring Dramamine if you get sick in long drives! Tours: an agent took us around for a tour to the Volcano and Baldi Spa…(One day- Time pass)

8.- How was the ABV USA support prior traveling?

Communication (Phone/emails/Online chat): Good. Mostly via Emails.

Website Information: We communicated mostly via Emails.

9 – Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers?

Absolutely! Happy to! Wish we were able to speak with someone before we left.

10 – Can you be specific how did you find or know about A Broader View? 

Went through the Volunteer program through the ADA website

Volunteer Dental Costa Rica

Volunteer Costa Rica

1.-How was the local ABV Coordinator and the support provided in-country?

My local ABV Coordinator, Jenny, was very helpful in every way possible. I was picked up on time at the airport, I had a nice city tour/introduction to Escazú, upon my arrival, she arranged all of my transportation to and from the Rescue program, was always available to converse with and ask questions and be of assistance.

Jenny coordinated my ‘weekend off’ visit to Mario Antonio National Park, and everything was just perfect. Jenny is very knowledgeable about her country, and she is always willing to share her knowledge. Her house is centrally located to everything, the accommodations were very comfortable, and the food was excellent.

2- What was the most positive surprise you experienced?

At the program: Everyone was so helpful, friendly and nice.

At the accommodation: Accommodations were very comfortable, very centrally located so you can walk everywhere.

About the country: People here are so happy, very willing to help you with anything, beautiful, just a lovely country with lovely people.

3- What was most difficult/cultural shock to experience?

At the program: The work at the rescue center, it can be difficult and tiring, but very rewarding.

At the accommodation: I’ve been to Costa Rica before so there was no difficult or cultural shock that I experienced.

The country: The noise is different than the U. S., traffic, horns, scooters, roosters, etc. But you get used to it!

4- Any tips for future volunteers, give as many details as possible…

Clothing: Just need warm weather clothing, and bring an umbrella for the rain.

Weather: Very warm, humid and rainy

4.1-Other things volunteers should know, about what to bring, what to do in country, what to eat, transportation, other:

a.- Bring an umbrella

b.- The coasts are beautiful so I would suggest trying to get to either the Pacific Ocean or Caribbean while you are here.

c.-Bring comfortable shoes, you walk a lot.

d.- Bring any snacks you prefer from home

5- Personal Paragraph (ABV Program Testimonial), don’t leave blank:

I had a fantastic experience all the way around with ABV. From the time I inquired about their programs, to almost the day before I left to come to Costa Rica, ABV was continually in touch with me making sure everything was arranged, taken care of, answered any questions I had. ABV is a very professional organization and one I would volunteer with again.

Volunteering in Costa Rica

6- How would you describe your accommodation, meals and security in detail:

Accommodations were very comfortable, had my own room, shared a bathroom, the food was excellent, Jenny accommodated my vegetarianism, and she continually made sure I was where I was supposed to be and safe. I loved my Spanish lessons also. The teacher was amazing. The class is about four blocks away from the host house.

7- What was your favorite memory of this trip?

Program: Working at the rescue center, quite an experience!

Country: Loved staying with a Costa Rican family and see how they live in this country..

Tours: I enjoyed going to Manuel Antonio National Park, what a grand experience it was, earthquake and all!

8.- How was the ABV USA support prior traveling?

Communication (Phone/emails/Online chat): Perfect, I always felt ABV was on top of everything. I liked the constant communication.

Website Information: Website has all the information you need, almost. If you need more, ABV will respond quickly to your email, chat, phone call.

9 – Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers?

Absolutely!

Volunteer Abroad

How was the local ABV Coordinator/staff and the support provided in-country (airport, orientation day, follow up, communication, emergencies)?

The local staff and support in country was great. After making my way through immigration, grabbing my bags, and making my way through customs, it was a little daunting trying to find my way, but the local staff was easy to locate and they got me to where I was supposed to go. The orientation by the coordinator was also great. It definitely prepared me for the project and gave me a better idea of my duties. Overall, it has been a great experience.

What was the most positive surprising thing you experienced?

a.- Volunteer Program: was most likely just how happy many of the children are. They are in a hospital, and yet most of them are able to offer up a smile. They are happy to have someone with them, and the look on their faces when their parents arrive is just awesome. Many of the kids manage to stay positive and happy which is just awesome to see.

b.- Host Family: was probably how welcoming and friendly they are. They were so kind to me and showed me around their neighborhood the first day I was there. They definitely made me feel right at home, and it definitely does not hurt that my host mom is a fantastic cook.

c.- Country: The most positive surprising thing that I experienced in Costa Rica is definitely how friendly most of the people are. My Spanish is mediocre, and yet most people are so patient and try to help figure things out. They don’t get super frustrated and try to work with me, which is definitely a great thing.

3- What was the most challenging thing you experienced?

a.- Volunteer Program: The most challenging thing I experienced in regards to my work at the hospital is most likely realizing that sometimes you can’t fix all the kid’s problems. Sometimes the kids would be upset and nothing you could do would make them feel better. Some would only be okay when their parents were with them. I just had to realize that even though they were upset and would not stop crying, at least they knew that they were not alone and that someone would stay with them until their parents arrived.

b.- Host Family: The most challenging thing I experienced with the host family is probably communication. My Spanish is so-so, and while I can understand a little more than I can speak, it was still tough at first. The pace that people speak at here is so fast, and it took some getting used to, but with time and practice I have gotten much better.

c.- Country: The most challenging thing in Costa Rica for me is navigating. I am used to places having numbers in their addresses, however that is not the case here. It definitely made navigating hard for me because the addresses of places I was going were sometimes hard to interpret, but you get used to it.

4- Any tips for future volunteers… (clothing, travel, personal items, donations, gift for the host family)

1. If you are traveling during the rainy season, a rain jacket or an umbrella is a must. It often rains in the afternoons when I finish at the hospital and if I did not have an umbrella, I would be drenched by the time I reached home.

2. Be ready to use public transportation. Buses are a great way to get around here, and they run from all over the city. They can also be used to travel to other cities.

3. Try to make friends to travel with. It is much easier to sightsee on the weekends if you have a friend, so don’t be afraid to approach someone at your program to see what they are doing. Certain tours have a minimum of two people and you don’t want to miss out on certain things.

4. Definitely sightsee if you have the time. There are so many cool things to explore so you should definitely take the opportunity to do so. It doesn’t have to be anything big, but try new things.

Volunteer Costa Rica

5- Other things volunteers should know before coming here:

a. You may have to use public transportation to get places, which is a lot cheaper than getting a taxi.

b. Uber is definitely an option to get places.

c. The trip to and from the hospital takes about 45 minutes, but it is pretty easy and painless.

d. Don’t be discouraged if it’s not what you expect, merely take the experience for what it is and you will get enjoyment from that.

6- Personal Paragraph about the entire experience (ABV Program Testimonial) give as much detail as you can:

The ABV program that I have been a part of here in Costa Rica has been an awesome experience. I was lucky enough to volunteer at a hospital where I would help care for the babies or kids whose parents could not always be with them.

There are not enough nurses to care for all of the kids and the parents need to eat or sleep at some point and that is where the rest of the volunteers and I come in. We would help take care of the children. This could be as simple as sitting there and letting them play, or helping feed them. What has been amazing to see is how happy many of the kids are even though they are in the hospital. Just playing with them for a few minutes is enough to see a big smile, which has been great. It has been so rewarding. Also, the family I have been staying with has been amazing.

Alice is the greatest cook, and she has been so welcoming. She helped to show me around my first day in the country and has been such a great help since then. The weekends are also a great time to explore the country of Costa Rica. I was lucky enough to explore the Arenal area through zip lining and a trip to the hot springs. It is definitely something that everyone should do. Honestly, this program has been a blast and great in every area.

7- How would you describe: your accommodation, what meal did you enjoy the most, security in the house/neighborhood, friendliness, quality others:

My accommodation was great, Alice and her family are the best. When I first got there, another volunteer working at the same hospital was also staying there which was nice. She and Alice and her family were so welcoming and glad to have me there.

Alice is also a fantastic cook and so every meal has been an enjoyable experience. However my favorite meal that she has made would have to be either empanada or the tamale that she made. Alice has been so friendly and welcoming, and her house is very nice as well.

It is in a nice neighborhood and the bus stop to the hospital is no more than a three minute walk away which is super convenient. Ultimately, staying with Alice and her family has been a great experience.

8- What was your favorite memory of this trip?:

a.- Volunteer Program: My favorite memory of the program is not really one particular moment or memory. Rather it is different moments of the same thing. What I really enjoyed is when I would come in, and a kid would no longer be there because they got to go home. I was sad that I would not get to play with them anymore, but also I was so happy that they were healthy enough to go home.

b.- Host Family: My favorite memory of the host family would definitely have to be watching soccer games with them. They are being Real Madrid fans so they would make sure to watch all of their games. I was told that Real Madrid is the best team in the world, and I could tell they were really big fans, which was nice to see.

c.- Country: My favorite memory of the trip was definitely when I went zip lining and visited the hot springs with another volunteer. We were able to be picked up at a nearby hotel and were taken to the Arenal volcano area. There we were able to go zip lining and even go on a Tarzan swing which was so much fun.

Then we were taken to a nearby hot springs that was just amazing. I definitely would recommend it to someone if they were looking for something to do.

9- How was the ABV USA support prior traveling?

The ABV USA support prior to traveling was good. The emails were very helpful and keep me up to date on what I needed to do. I did not really have very many questions, so I never needed to chat online or make any phone calls.

9.1- What do you think about the reservation system online?

I thought the online reservation system was really good. The online system clearly had the steps that I needed to follow listed out, and it was easy to keep track of what I was supposed to be doing or needed. The different tabs kept the system really organized which was a lot better than looking at one massive page with everything on it.

9.2- Who did you find Abroaderview website

I found Abroaderview first by looking at a site that listed reviews for different volunteer abroad services. There were several different services that had reviews, and I really liked what people had to say about ABV. That is how I ended up finding the site.

10 – Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers?

Yes, I would be willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers.

Costa Rica Reviews

1- How was the local ABV Coordinator and the support provided in-country?
The woman we stayed with, Jenny was amazing. She is the perfect host and will make you feel right at home. She always made sure we were happy, fed and taken care of.

2- What was the most surprising thing you experienced?
I was surprised to see how different the various areas in Costa Rica are. We visited two dental clinics, one in a better side of town than the other. Regardless, the people were all extremely nice, welcoming and very curious about us being from the United States. The clinics were much smaller than back home and help is definitely needed there.

3- What was most difficult to experience?
Our host mom made things very simple and safe for us, but the most difficult thing is just the adjustment which takes a few days. I am not entirely fluent in Spanish, but I do understand it pretty well. Sometimes though, communicating or understanding certain things was a bit difficult but doable.

4- Any tips for future volunteers… (Clothing, travel, personal items, donations)
I would definitely recommend bringing a rain jacket, poncho and insect repellant because it does rain every day without fail. Also, always bring more money than you think you will need because things do come up and you may not account for certain expenses like transportation or excursions on the weekend.

5- Personal Paragraph (ABV Program Testimonial):
You have to go into your program very open-minded and with patience. There will be difficult situations, you will be tired, but it is all worth it.

Volunteer Costa Rica

6- How would you describe your accommodation, meals, security (e: host family, on-site, shared)
I was very nervous going into my international volunteering trip to Costa Rica. I was scared for my safety and really did not know what to expect. From beginning to end though, you are taken care of. The ABV driver picks you up from the airport, our host was always there for us and very helpful, and we were only ever on our own on the weekends when we decided to do excursions, which was our own choice.

You learn so much working in the clinic, and being out of your comfort zone around different people and places really opens your eyes and helps you grow. The main dentist, Jessica is one of the most humble and driven people I have ever met. I would go back to Costa Rica just to see her and Jenny again. The weekends off were also very fun because there is so much to see and do in Costa Rica. I highly recommend visiting La Fortuna for a hike around the Arenal Volcano, waterfalls, hot springs, zip lining and hikes with hanging bridges.

7- What was your favorite memory of this trip?
Our host mom was excellent. We would always clean up after ourselves, but she would insist on washing our clothes and dishes whenever we tried to do it ourselves. She would always freshen up our beds and make sure everything was tidy. She made us meals whenever we were hungry, and it was nice having some traditional Costa Rican meals. Jenny’s house is very safe because outside of her house there is a gate, another gate in front of her door, and then the lock on her door itself as well. The two dogs she has, Rusty and Whiskey are great too!

8- How was the ABV USA support prior traveling?
My favorite memory from my trip was simply interacting with the great people and learning in the clinic. Our weekend in La Fortuna was full of fun too!

9 – Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers?
They were always helpful and would answer any questions we had quickly. They made the process easy.

10 – Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers?
I would speak to others about these programs because they really are extremely beneficial for whatever your interests are.

1- How was the local ABV Coordinator and the support provided in-country?
Knew good English and showed me around the capital city before taking the bus

2- What was the most surprising thing you experienced?
How kind everyone in the area was towards tourists and ABV volunteers

3- What was most difficult to experience?
The heat, drink lots of water

4- Any tips for future volunteers… (Clothing, travel, personal items, donations)
Pack light Learn some spanish Keep an open mind

5- Personal Paragraph (ABV Program Testimonial):
Have fun and make your time last

Volunteer Costa Rica

6- How would you describe your accommodation, meals, security (e: host family, on-site, shared)
People who really care about your accommodation and are dedicated to making it a good experience

7- What was your favorite memory of this trip?
Host family was extremely kind and caring, meals were well thought out.

8- How was the ABV USA support prior traveling?
Meeting the locals

9 – Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers?
Good, answered all the questions I had about the trip

10 – Are you willing to speak to other potential ABV volunteers?
Yes

Volunteer Costa Rica

1-What was your daily task in this Project

Observing the procedures and helping clean the instruments

2-How was the local ABV Coordinator and the support provided in-country (airport pickup and drop off, orientation, introduction to work, availability, other)?

I met Jenny in a nearby hotel lobby because I wasn’t arriving at the airport. She showed me where to go on Monday morning and introduced me to all the staff members I would be working with throughout the week. She was always available at home if I had questions about anything.

3- What was the most positive surprise you experienced?

At the program: How well all the staff members received me and cared about what I was learning

At the accommodation: How kind and welcoming Jenny was as well as how helpful and present her brothers were

About the country: How kind and helpful everyone was and how just walking down the street people were very familiar with the other residents of Escazu

4- What was most difficult/culturalshock to experience?

At the program: No one spoke any English, many people I encountered spoke at least some but everyone I worked with didn’t speak any.

At the accommodation:The number of people that arrived and left the house very quickly.

The country: Speaking Spanish on an everyday basis, I’d taken plenty of Spanish classes and understand most of the grammar but speaking everyday was difficult for me.

5- Any tips for future volunteers, give as many details as possible…

Clothing: Dress for the heat, but know that during the rainy season it rains almost everyday so bring an umbrella or raincoat. Also if bring a couple pairs of lighter long sleeve shirts or pants in case you go anywhere with more mosquitos and bugs than the town.

Donations: A Broader View offers a fundraising option that could help potential volunteers.

Weather: During the rainy season is is warm in the morning and rains almost every afternoon. While it is warm most morning the rain typically keeps the country cool so it is not as hot as I expected and wearing pants is fine most days.

5.1- Other things volunteers should know, about what to bring, what to do in country, what to eat, transportation, other:

• Insect repellent

• An umbrella and rain jacket

• Cash to exchange

• Be ready to eat a lot of rice and beans

• You can use uber in most places which I found was much cheaper than taxis and you don’t need to have colones with you to pay

6- Personal Paragraph (ABV Program Testimonial), don’t leave blank:

I found the program to be very helpful and worthwhile. I found it very interesting and helpful for understanding different aspects of dentistry in different parts of the world. All the dentists and other staff members that I worked with were very accommodating and made sure to explain what they were doing and made sure that I could see. I did assist with some cleaning of instruments and was able to assist in minor capacities with patients, but the patients comfort and safety was always placed first which I appreciated.

The program coordinator, Jenny, was incredibly kind and helpful. I had some allergy restrictions, but she always made sure I was well fed and ready for the day. She was also very knowledgeable about the area and helped me plan a trip for after the program ended, because I stayed an additional week in Costa Rica. I also was not as prepared for the Spanish as I thought I would be and Jenny was very patient and helpful as well as speaking English to help clarify anything I misunderstood.

Volunteer Costa Rica

7- How would you describe your accommodation, meals and security in detail:

The food was excellent and was always ready when I was ready to eat. The accomodations were very clean and comfortable as well.

8- What was your favorite memory of this trip?

Program: Getting to see the day to dayinteractions of dentists and patients in a different country

Country: Getting to experience the pura vida attitude of everyone

Tours: I really enjoyed wildlife tour in La Fortuna in which I was able to swim behind a waterfall and relax in hot springs

9- How was the ABV USA support prior traveling?

Communication (Phone/emails/Online chat): The email communication I received was always very quick and clear.

Website Information: The website was very easy to manage.

10- Can you be specific how did you find or know about A Broader View?

I was on a dental website, I believe either ADEA or ADA, and found a list of dental programs that they recommended and A Broader View was on that list.

11- What do you do in your free time?

In my free time during the week I talked with the other ABV volunteers in the house and watched soccer games and netflix. On the weekends we went on tours with the other volunteers.

Volunteer Costa Rica

How was the local abv coordinator and the support provided in-country?

Very good support, al questions were answered, made me feel more comfortable about traveling in a foreign country

What was the most surprising thing you experienced?

Everyone i met was extremely kind and open

What was most difficult to experience?

Getting use to the heat

Any tips for future volunteers… (clothing, travel, personal items, donations)

Pack light learn some Spanish bring spending money

Other things volunteers should know:

Keep an open mind, have fun

Volunteer Reviews

Personal paragraph (abv program testimonial):

A great organization dedicated to making difference. Very well organized and makes for a life changing experience.

How would you describe your accommodation, meals, security (e: host family, on-site, shared)

Steady meals that were well prepared, very kind host family

What was your favorite memory of this trip?

Getting to know my host family meeting people from all parts of the world

How was the abv USA support prior traveling?

Good provided me with all the information I needed

Are you willing to speak to other potential abv volunteers?

Yes