Orphanage Children Care Program in San Jose, Costa Rica

My experience volunteering was extremely positive and I had a wonderful time at the children’s orphanage. The staff I met were friendly and willing to help. My language immersion was a great experience and I learned a lot very quickly which was a huge help in navigating Costa Rica. My host family went above and beyond to assist me throughout my program and I am so grateful for all they did. Overall I was extremely pleased with my program and felt very supported throughout.
The most positive experience during my program was the rewards of volunteering and the feeling of being able to give back whilst simultaneously becoming immersed in a foreign country and experiencing all that Costa Rica has to offer.
Be to be prepared to be out of your comfort zone. The best experiences I had in my program were the ones that I had never experienced anything like before and was not afraid to get involved in. Definitely take initiative throughout your program, although you are in a foreign environment be proactive in making your program the best it can be so you don’t have any regrets.

Overall this was a great experience and I would suggest it to anyone who is thinking of doing any type of similar work. This being my first time leaving the United States it was a huge culture shock but it made it so much better in the long run. You get a real sense of the people and the culture that the country is made up of that I don’t think a tourist vacation would allow you too see. I think in the future I will put more thought into what kind of work I would like to do in a trip because I learned that anything can change and become what you wouldn’t expect. If I had the opportunity I would do this program again but for a longer period of time so I had more time to see the country.

This experience In Costa Rica was one that I will never forget. Meeting children that have been abandoned by their parents and being able to put a smile on their faces and bond with them is a great feeling. Many days my heart was broken because all you want is for them to have great futures and unfortunately you do not know whether or not they will have great futures. This experience has opened my eyes to the problems that our world faces with the orphans. I do not want my work with them to stop here, I would love to keep in communication with the Costa Rican orphanage.
My host mom and house were great, I was able to sleep in a comfortable bed in a room that was always at a good temperature. The meals were delicious, and I have had my fill of Costa Rican food. Security was great. We were at a wonderful residence where all the neighbors were friendly. The friendliness here is amazing. People are always saying Good Morning or How are You Doing when you walk past them. The quality of service here is very good. I love San Jose because it reminds me a lot of USA and it makes me feel at home.