GVI, Ethical Impact: Volunteer in Costa Rica

I went to the GVI program in Javola, Costa Rica to work on the jaguar project. I was there for one month and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I never met or spoke to one person who didn't say the same. The base is basic but waking up to the sounds of the jungle was magical! I have worked with other conservation organisations before but GVI is by far the most professional and worthwhile program to have worked on and I felt like the research we were doing was truly being used for the conservation of the turtles, jaguar and many other species living in this amazing part of the world. Plus I made lifelong friends from all over the works. I dont have anything negative to day about GVI and cant wait to go away with them again!

My experience volunteering in Costa Rica with GVI was honestly one of the most incredible experiences in my life. I am 29 years old and I love animals. I never studied science and had no formal education about wildlife or conservation -- I thought my love of animals would begin and end at observing them through glass at the local zoo. Until I found out about GVI's wildlife conservation volunteer programs. I chose the Jalova Costa Rica program because of my love of big cats and the fact that it is a well-established research base that runs multiple wildlife programs -- sea turtle conservation, coastal jaguar conservation, migratory bird studies, and biodiversity studies in the various habitats within the Tortuguero National Park. The base camp was RUSTIC to say the least (you technically have a roof over your head, but think of it like camping!) but waking up each morning to the sounds of howler monkeys and toucans and stepping outside the base camp gate to see fresh jaguar paw prints along the beach at sunrise -- there is nothing more incredible than that!!!
From the way the programs are presented online I was worried they would be aimed at much younger people (students or young people on gap year) but that wasn't the case at all. In a group of 20 volunteers, there were 6 others just like me who had taken holidays from their full-time job to join a GVI program. There were also retirees and I've heard that sometimes families join the programs together too! There is truly something for everyone in these trips.
GVI is a very professionally run company, they have an impressive recruiting process where you can get different points of view from employees, ambassadors, and former volunteers prior to committing to a trip. They have many different payments plans to help you organize the finances for the trip (some can be expensive -- but think of it as an 'all-inclusive resort' for two weeks and it's not bad compared to other vacations!) and there is a good infrastructure around you while you are on the trip in case anything should happen, you'll have the support you need to solve the issue.

Hi !
My name is Kenza, i'm 19 and I come from France.
This summer, I had one of the greatest experiences of my life. I spent 6 weeks in Costa Rica on a biodiversity conservation program, With the wonderful organization GVI !

Our days were marked by different surveys, we work on the canal (with a canoe), in the forest, in the coconut plantation but also on the beach. Every different place we observed, was populated by hundreds of species of animals. I was able to see how great the biodiversity of Costa Rica is.

Life at the camp is minimalist but that makes the beauty of the place, no hot water, flushing or light in the rooms, but the warm atmosphere makes us forget everything, even when we are not an English native!
If you have chosen the program on jaguars or turtles, don't expect to work on it all the time. Indeed, the tasks are very variable and a large part of the time and observations are reserved for wildlife (amphibians and birds especially).

This experience (going alone on an international voluntary program), brought me many things.
I learned a lot about nature, about others but also about myself. Now, I know that I am able to go abroad alone, I have made strong friendships from all over the world. I also learned an incredible number of different species (birds, reptiles, amphibians, mammals...). And, I can now easily speak in English!

I also made me some very good memories:
The "nights walk" from 8pm to 1am, walking along the beach with only the moon as light (the stars if there was no moon and the lightning on the horizon). Trying to spot almost blindly, fresh tracks of turtles in the sand, to find the turtle and why not, count one by one those eggs!
The evenings on rest days (Friday evening), where small activities are organized : dancing, giant "werewolf" (game), card game or just conversations.
And, the Jag Walk, a long 25km walk in the soft sand, long and tiring but so happy at the end to have done it.

I would strongly recommend this project, it is a total change of scenery, teaching us a lot about the "luxury" that we are in Europe. And the biodiversity is so big that we can observe more than thirty species in less than half an hour.

I hope my review would have helped you decide to go there and live the greatest adventure of your life!

Kenza

The one time I have ever left the country was to volunteer with GVI in Quepos and I will absolutely go again. In addition to the beautiful beaches and scenic views, I gained so much on the trip. First, I was so touched by the children's eagerness to learn (regardless of the language barrier). While teaching, I learned so much on this trip about recycling and global headlines. I also gained perspective for a simpler, better way of life. The members of the community impressed me so much with their positive attitudes and resilience. In addition, I made global friendships with the awesome GVI team members. Most of all, there is a high chance I touched atleast one child's life during my time there. These reasons and many more are driving me to do more volunteer projects with GVI.

Being an undergraduate BSc Zoology student and wanting to go into conservation myself, I was a little skeptical of GVI at first. I doubted the validity of the science, and how much impact my role as a volunteer would actually have. BUT it was the best decision I have ever made! being at Jalova was a joy, even on the days were tropical storms cancelled the days surveys and we sat in the kitchen for hours playing cards and reading books. The science that is conducted here is used both by the Sea Turtle Conservancy, Costal Jaguar Conservation and MINAE Costa Ricas' Ministry of Environment and Energy, to help manage the park and ensure the wildlife thrives alongside the community who live there!

The jaguar project itself involves camera trapping, turtle track surveying, working dead turtles (smelly, but very important) and walking, lots and lots of walking up and down the beach as the sun is rising over the ocean. Travelling on the jaguar project does not limit or prevent you from getting heavily involved in the other programs run at the base such as the biodiversity or turtle project. Regularly, you go on forest surveys in the jungle night and day, looking for crazy frogs and reptiles, mammals and birds! Wading through knee and some times thigh deep water on some trails! On the beach you conduct night walks, looking for female turtles coming up to nest and nest checks as the sun rises with the waves at your feet!

One of my greatest memories was my first night walk as we watched a green sea turtle female lay over 100 eggs, then get to body check her as she proceeded to throw sand all over us! I mean everywhere!

The park itself is stunning and you have the beach right on the base doorstep. You get used to the simple style of living, with water from a well and disconnect from the constant world of the internet. You fall asleep to the sounds of frogs and tropical birds, sometimes howler monkeys if they have decided to move onto base! The staff are nothing but wonderful and always there to support you and have a laugh! It really is a family and I cannot wait to go back soon!

Safe to say this trip was the best experience I've ever had! At first I was nervous seeing as it was my first time I'd ever travelled alone but after I had arrived that all changed. The staff were amazing at making you feel right at home and so were the other volunteers - everyone is so nice and approachable and I've made some awesome new frineds form all across the globe.
From forest surveys to turtle night walks you'll never be bored as there is always something new to learn. You get so many opportunities to experience something so few get to do especially with it being such a remote location.

This trip is one I'll never forget and might even do again! I'd definitely recommend it to anyone considering it as I had such a wonderful time!

I was quite nervous before heading out to Costa Rica as it was my first experience of traveling alone however, the process was much smoother than I thought. Getting to the meeting hostel was simple and I even met a few of the other volunteers the evening before. I will never forget the sense of excitement as we traveled (the 5ish hour trip) to the base. For the first week or you will probably stick with the group you arrive in as you can experience this new place together. Later on, you get to know the rest of the people on base and quickly become a close friendship group.
We spent our days on surveys, watching the amazing nature around us either on foot or by boat and our free time chilling on the beach. Life has a much slower pace here and that allows you to appreciate the experience you have been given that much more.

I would 100% recommend anyone with a passion for conservation and the environment to volunteer at this base not only will you make amazing friends but you will also get to be emersed in the Costa Rican way of life and have an experience very few are lucky enough to get.

Hi, my name is Berni. I’m from the UK and I have just returned from three months working on the GVI Wildlife project at Jalova, Costa Rica.
Well, where do I begin??? .....so much I want to tell you.
I’ve always had an interest in wildlife but I will confess to being an ‘armchair’ enthusiast. I love watching anything wildlife related on TV, have a love of being outdoors and take an interest in conservation but have never actually done any conservation work before. My work involved helping children and young people with emotional difficulties, so doing wildlife conservation work was very different for me.
Circumstances within my work environment provided me with an opportunity to take some time out.... a gap year. So I decided to stop sitting in the armchair, get out there and do something about my conservation interest. I knew about Costa Rica’s diverse wildlife and, in terms of places I wanted to visit, it was right up there at the top of my bucket list.
I started to do some research into companies offering ecotourism and was overwhelmed by the choice! I’d heard that some organisations would quite happily take your money and not give you a genuine, worthwhile experience, and I wanted to make sure I would be working for an organisation which was credible and was making a real difference on environmental issues. So I contacted several organisations and asked lots of questions! And, for me, GVI ticked all the boxes. After a lot of extensive research, I knew I’d found the organisation I wanted to work with.
The weeks leading up to my trip were busy. Flights; insurance; making sure I had all the right equipment... the list seemed endless, but finally the day arrived when I was ready to go. To say I was nervous was an understatement! But as soon as I was met by Vix, Amber and Ben at San Jose airport, I felt at ease and knew I would be well looked after. Some of the other volunteers and interns were also at the airport, and I met others when we arrived at the hostel in San Jose.
Then the following day, we were all transported to Jalova, which was going to be my home for the next three months. After a good night’s sleep, I was able to get used to my surroundings and I fell in love with Jalova straight away. Yes, the facilities are basic and not what I was used to at home; electricity is solar powered – Jalova is in the middle of a rainforest which meant that some days there was no sun - and therefore no power - so charging devices, and even lighting was limited to say the least; there was sufficient water to have a shower each day, but all other water came from the well. Still, base camp has such charm and I saw a multitude of wildlife within a few metres of my dorm. Oh, and did I mention that the beach (and the Caribbean) is only metres from the camp???
Very quickly after arriving at camp, the training began. As a mature traveller, it was several years since I’d done any studying and I felt as though I was never going to learn the names and characteristics of all the necessary birds, lizards, frogs and mammals. But the staff and other volunteers were so supportive. We would all study together and test each other on our knowledge. It seemed the staff’s motto of ‘we believe in you’ paid off and the studying, along with getting out in the field and seeing some of the species ‘in the flesh’ (which I did very soon after arriving at Jalova), helped me to pass the necessary tests.
As I’d signed up for the Wildlife programme, I became involved in all aspects of the project which was exactly what I wanted. Surveys were varied; - forest surveys, butterfly walks, night walks, nest checks, jag walk, jag cams, frog walks and bird boat. I loved going out on the bird boat – the canals which surround Jalova are absolutely stunning – so peaceful and calm, and we saw an abundance of birds and other wildlife (but be prepared to do lots of rowing!). But my favourites have to be nest check and night walk because that was where I had the opportunity to see turtles! For me, seeing these beautiful creatures in the flesh, after years of only seeing them from my armchair on TV, was beyond my wildest dreams! I got the opportunity to ‘work’ some green adult female turtles – this involved counting the eggs as she was laying them (what an experience!), measuring her, marking the nest and doing a body check. I can’t begin to describe the feeling I got the first time I did that. And then on nest check I saw baby leatherbacks making their way to the ocean – so many special memories that I will treasure forever.
Going to Jalova and working with GVI has truly been a life-changing experience for me. Every single person I met was warm, friendly, accepting and kind, and we all shared a passion for helping the beautiful creatures we encountered. The staff could not have done more to make me feel welcome, accepted, and that I was truly making a difference to the work we were doing. Their belief in me has really boosted my confidence. I can’t thank them enough.
If you are thinking of doing some wildlife conservation and considering going to Jalova, my advice would be ‘just do it’.