GVI Costa Rica - Like Volunteer Camp

The morning of my GVI program, I met the Intern and Logistic Coordinator as well as a group of fellow volunteers at the hostel in San Jose. With crisp efficiency, these women took care of orienting us to the country, the project, and the community as we travelled the three hours to the Pacific Coast. Our accommodation was set directly between Quepos (where the project is) and Manuel Antonio (where one of the most beautiful beaches I've seen is).

When we arrived on the sweltering June day, the Project Manager served us the typical lunch of rice and beans and showed us around our home away from home. The accommodation was cramped and with a rotating schedule for cooking and cleaning, one bathroom for 12 people, and three bunk beds crammed into my small room, it felt an awful lot like summer volunteer camp for college students. (The upside is that the accommodation expanded to the lower level of the house as I was leaving, so it won't be quite as cramped for future volunteers).

While in Quepos, I split my time between the GVI Community Centre helping teach english to kids and a new library project where GVI is providing the resources to keep the library open for the kids all day. In the humid Costa Rican climate, the days can feel long, but the kids are wonderful and the project is continuing to evolve.

Like summer camp, friendships developed quickly and there were plenty of people to join you if you wanted company at the beach or on a weekend away. I miss the community of Quepos and Manuel Antonio already. It's a beautiful part of the world and a wonderful place to volunteer.