Insight Costa Rica
Service, Learning and Connecting in a Costa Rican Community

Sarah, 16, Great Falls, Va.
The children were open and welcoming and made our job not only easier, but a lot more fun. One morning, we walked through the local barrios. I was shocked and felt guilty when I realized my old tennis shoes could get a kid into elementary school. Even though I felt ashamed, the people living there greeted us with smiles. When they heard we were cleaning up the school, they thanked us. Even people without their basic needs met knew the importance of an education above all else.

Hannah, 15, Valencia, Calif.
First there is the project. It meant a lot to me that something so simple had such a big impact. I will never forget the students. They were fun and adorable. It was great to see the smiles on their faces. Then there was free time. Never in my life have I had a chance to ride a zipline through the forest of Costa Rica or repel down a waterfall. Definitely one of the highlights of this trip! I also loved eating Costa Rican ice cream! The last thing was the friends I made. I never felt more comfortable in my life than when I was around them.

Cassie, 14, Paris, France
The volunteer work was great. We worked at a school that had a special program to help children living in extreme poverty. I definitely had the feeling that I was helping, which was immensely satisfying. The activities we did outside of the volunteer work were so much fun. The dancing and cooking classes were very interactive and an interesting way to learn about the culture. The visits to the volcano and the Orosi Valley were also very interesting. The camping trip was an amazing and exhilarating way to discover the Costa Rican rainforest. We even saw a sloth!