I took 2 weeks holiday from my corporate sales job to live in the JUNGLE and save the jaguars

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.