Spanish Courses & Volunteering
in Costa Rica

Spanish Courses and Volunteering in Costa Rica

EXIS language- and voluntary work programs in Costa Rica combines Spanish lessons with volunteering in social institutions or in national parks.

Volunteering in Costa Rica offers a unique possibility to experience the country, its culture and population from an inside view while doing a meaningful job. Volunteers must be independent, open minded, and minimum 18 years old. You can, of course choose to follow Spanish lessons without volunteering.

Volunteering in Costa Rica

EXIS organises a language and volunteer work program in collaboration with the school and local Costa Rican organisations as well as the National Parks, a language course followed by voluntary work of different kinds.
You must be independent, open minded and at least 18 years old to join the program, and have the desire to do social work or work to preserve the environment. This voluntary work is a unique opportunity to experience the country, its inhabitants and culture. At the same time, you are doing a meaningful job. The voluntary work also demands adaptability, as you must often work closely with Costa Ricans.

The language school has a special coordinator to help you before and during your working period.

The work program is constantly evaluated. It includes the following working areas:

Voluntary social work

It’s possible to volunteer at local social organisations and institutions, or at the University library. During the last week of your language course you will be introduced to the relevant leader of the organisation or institution by the job coordinator. He or she will also be your contact person during the voluntary work. At the end of your work program, you will be asked to present a report in Spanish to your job coordinator. These reports will help the next volunteers to take over.

If you have never studied Spanish before and want to volunteer at a social institution, you will need to follow minimum 4 weeks Spanish lessons before volunteering. Volunteering in a national park does not require any particular level of Spanish, so even beginners in Spanish can work here after only 2 weeks preliminary lessons.

For all these social work positions volunteers have to accept to help in all areas required by the institution, such as organising activities, helping the children according to their needs, maintenance, cleaning and so on. The director of each institution will supervise the volunteer and assign functions.

Centro Educativo de Educación Prioritaria Itiquís

This is a plubic elementary school, kindergarten to six grade, only 10 minutes from downtown Alajuela. The chidren are from six to twelve years. Work schedule is Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteers help the teacher with many activities, from assisting with English and Spanish to art and sports.

Patronato Nacional de la Infancia

This governmental organisation in Alajuela takes care of children who have been abandoned or abused and come from very poor families who often struggle with social problems. The elder boys and girls must help take care of the smaller children. You will help the children with different activities, both play and educational. You may also help to feed and tend the youngest. If you choose to work at this institution, you are urged to bring toys, picture books or other things that could brighten up the day for these children who lack almost everything. Patronato can be a tough place to be, so it is important that you are mature, well balanced and prepared to give the children love, comfort and security. The children’s home is run by “tias” or “aunties”, who organise work and give volunteers the necessary training and introduction. As a volunteer, you work max 8 hours per day, Monday-Friday. You may not smoke at the children’s home. There are two locations, Naranjo and Alajuela.

Centro Educativo Santo Domingo

This is a private bilingual kindergarten for first and second grade children. Volunteers work with children from 2 to 8 years and assist the English teacher and/or help during Spanish classes as well as play-related activities. Working hours are from 8.00 a.m. to 12.00, Monday to Friday.

No smoking. The school is closed during the months of December, January and the first two weeks of February, and the first two weeks of July.

Hogar de Ancianos (Carrillos)

This institution takes special care of old people. The volunteer will help with daily tasks which also include chatting with the residents, playing games, reading newspapers or books, helping with handcraft. All residents are over 60 years old. Some elderly people live in their homes and use the centre as a meeting point. Working hours are from 8.00 to 3.00 p.m. Monday -Friday. Work schedule is arranged together with the leader of the home. During Easter holiday and from the 24th December until 2nd January the institution is closed.

Hogar de Ancianos Santiago Crespo (Alajuela)

This nursing home is a under the supervision of the Costa Rican Ministry of Culture. Volunteers help the residents work with handicrafts, read newspapers or stories, participate in dancing, singing, traditional games, or group dynamics. All activities that keep the elderly people occupied and stimulated. This organisation offers volunteers lunch and snacks during the day. Working hours are from 8.00 a.m. to 11.00 a.m. and from 13.00 to 16.00 p.m. This institution works hard to reinforce self-esteem through group or individual activities. This home is open all year round. It is a beautiful home, located in a park.

The Central Library of the National University of Costa Rica

This library was founded in 1979. It has an extensive bibliography covering current topics, international economic relations, international political relations in Central and Latin America and Costa Rica’s foreign policy.
The library is a depository for Costa Rican documents from the United Nations since 1980. Volunteers will work in the library, participating in data processing of bibliographical material, word processing the information in the database and helping university students to find specific books or documents. Working hours will be Monday-Friday from 9.00 a.m. to 16.00 p.m. The library is closed during the months of December and January. The University is located in the province of Heredia. Volunteers will need to take a bus from Alajuela (45 minutes bus ride).

Escuela de Enseñanza Especial (Alajuela)

This is a public elementary school for children suffering from Down syndrome, deafness or other physical disabilities. Volunteers will receive special indications and instructions about how to work with these children. He or she will help in the area of the children’s development and assist the teacher. Working hours are from 09.00 to 14.00 Monday to Friday.

Hospital Nacional de Niños en San José

This institution is a public hospital that takes care of children. You will assist this organisation with different activities, such as recreation, feeding and therapy.

Funcavida

This nonprofit organization for people suffering from cancer is located in the town of San Ramón de Alajuela, about an hour’s drive from the international language school. Since 2007 Funcavida has been working with prevention, care and support to patients and their families, something which is not offered by the Costa Rican public health system. The organization has been officially recognized by the Ministry of Health. Their aim is to provide counseling, care and support to patients who are being treated or have been treated, in order to adapt their lives to new circumstances and create opportunities to maintain or improve the quality of their life. No medical treatment is provided.

The staff consists of a professional psychologist and therapists offering psychological counseling and physical therapy. The staff is very friendly, caring and they are strongly promoting a diversity of activities to collect funds for their projects to help people with the illness as well as their families and friends. The average number of patients is 50 and there are about 25 local volunteers, most of whom have (or have had) a family member with cancer.

Volunteers without health education can get tasks like distributing food supplies in packages to patients, organizing larger or smaller activities, such as a big Christmas party in December, bingo, trips in the local area, helping out in the kitchen with lunch, which is served each day to volunteers and patients or simply just chat with patients. You can work with people at all ages. This is an ideal work place for students or professionals in social work, psychology, nursing, yoga or creative subjects. Internships can be arranged. Your accommodation will be with a local host family, at walking distance from your work place.

Fundación Servio Flores en Alajuela

This institution helps young people who require special education. You will work with young adults after instructions from the direction. A good place for those who can help teaching skills for local industry and handicraft centres.

Escuela Pública Jesús Magdalena de Cacao

Esquela Pública Jesús Magdalena is a public elementary school from kindergarten to sixth grade. You will be able to help in many areas. The school offers a rotating work schedule in the following areas: Working with children in the classroom, helping the physical education teacher, participating in sport activities with the children, or assisting the English teacher.

Voluntary work in National Parks

A non-Governmental and non-profit organisation co-ordinates the conservation of Costa Rica’s national parks.

Turtle Project

There are three different projects along the Pacific Coast, working with two species of turtles, the critically endangered Leatherback and Olive Ridley. Volunteer tasks can include:

Patrolling and clearing the beach.
Preparing, relocating and repairing protection around nests.
Taking temperatures in nests.
Counting, recording and handling eggs
Helping to release baby turtles
Tasks follow the seasons and weather conditions. All volunteers work night and day shifts on a rotating basis. A normal day’s work is 6 to 8 hours. There is one free day per week, negotiable with the director of the project. In case of extreme high tides or flooding due to heavy rain or hurricanes, volunteers will be sent to another conservation project further inland. The nesting season is from June to February. It is during this period that the last baby turtles appear. Most work is done during the night. During the day volunteers work with the personnel at the refuge, keeping the area clean and occasionally helping with the cooking. Volunteer projects last from June to the end of December.

In the spring, before the turtles arrive, the projects continue with different tasks at the same site or in other projects in the same region.
Accommodation is in a room at the entrance to the park. No luxury! There is a small kitchen with refrigerator and a microwave oven, bathrooms with showers and a laundry room. Volunteer meals are in a small restaurant in Portegolpe town, 1.5 km from Monkey Park. Volunteers can use a bike to travel to Portegolpe to eat. A weekly day off can be negotiated with the administrators. There is a guard at night, so it is very important to report to him when you leave and let him know when you will be back.

Internships

Send a mail to [email protected] and ask which of the institutions mentioned above offer internships. Other possibilities are at hotels, art schools, supermarkets and a butterfly farm. We will be happy to send a more detailed list.