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Itinerary - Africa and Asia Venture

Itinerary

GETTING THERE

You will need to fly into Costa Rica's capital, San Jose, arriving in the late afternoon/early evening, and be met by our representative. The whole group will be  doing the Spanish Course and home stay so you will all be whisked off to the language school in Centro Panamericano de Idiomas in San Joaquin de Flores, which is quite close to the international airport.  The School will arrange individual home stays with local families and place you there that evening.

SPANISH COURSE AND HOME STAY - 3 weeks

This will be a three-week activity guaranteed to improve the Spanish and cultural understanding of everyone who takes part. Home stay families are carefully selected for their friendliness and cooking ability! You will stay as an individual with a family and immerse yourself deeply into the life (and language!) of the Costa Ricans. From Monday to Friday, by day, you will join the others in your group and attend four to five hours of Spanish at the level appropriate to you - absolute beginner to advanced. The rest of the teaching days are spent in the city doing some practical exercises, designed to bring on your confidence, and your evenings will be spent with your family or out on the town with the other AV volunteers and friends you will make.

DEPARTURE FOR THE CARIBBEAN!

The morning after your language course finishes, with all of you now speaking pretty good Spanish, the whole group will head off to Pacuare - a 3 hour journey. You will disembark at La Rocha jetty and board a boat for the last 30 minutes of your trip into Pacuare Turtle Lodge, overlooking the Caribbean.

YOUR NEW HOME

Whilst on the Reserve you will be accommodated as a group in simple but comfortable cabins with two or three to a room. All rooms are mosquito-screened and there is a communal block with showers and flush toilets. There is no electricity in the reserve. Candles and lamps provide light. Refrigeration and cooking are by gas. By the end of your project you will appreciate your home comforts.

Meals are taken together in a dining area, and there is also a separate lecture room for students.

THE PROJECT

After initial familiarisation, you will spend a day on induction and briefings so that you have a clear understanding of the history, culture and customs of the people you will be living with and an introduction to turtle conservation. Your main task over the next two weeks will be night beach patrols, which can take between three to five hours depending on the number of turtles coming in to lay eggs. 

Always accompanied by guides or biologists you could help measure or tag turtles, and also count eggs as they are laid. If the turtle has already laid her eggs, you will help try to disguise the nest from poachers. If she has still to lay her eggs, these may be collected in a bag while she lays and then placed in an artificial nest that is dug nearby, which can be more easily camouflaged from poachers.

There will be time for educational workshops on turtles and a chance for you to help tidy up the reserve - clearing the beach and even painting murals.

INDEPENDENT TRAVEL - 4 weeks

This really is your chance to go out there and explore Costa Rica with some friends. The Pacific and the Caribbean provide some pretty amazing beaches.  Of course, there are animals, birds, volcanoes, rain forests and Panama, too...all easily accessible.  You simply have to make a plan.

HOME

The scheme will end after your independent travel so make sure you're back in San Jose for your flight home! 
 

 

WHAT'S INCLUDED

Before departure:
  • Pre-departure information, support and advice
  • A nominated member of the UK volunteer support team
  • One-to-one face to face briefing for UK applicants
  • Telephone briefing for non-UK applicants
  • References taken up
  • Comprehensive online health check
  • Advice on group flight booking or individual flight arrangements
  • Briefing for group departure from London airport
In-country:
  • In-country representative
  • 24/7 in-country backup
  • Meet and greet at airport (if arriving with the group)
  • Airport transfer (if arriving with group)
  • In-country induction course
  • Transfer from induction course to school/project
  • Accommodation (except during independent travel)
  • Food allowance (except during independent travel)
  • Accompanied by a guide whilst on project
  • Management of emergencies, including lost passport, illness, etc. whilst in-country
  • Language school accommodation
  • Spanish school
Upon returning home:
  • Returning home advice
  • Full telephone debriefing

WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED

  • Flights
  • Travel Insurance
  • Country visas
  • Meeting of non-group arrivals
  • Accommodation for early/late arrivals
  • Medical expenses, e.g. inoculations, malaria prophylatics
  • In-country medical expenses
  • Drinks
  • Tips/gratuities - No tips/gratuities for AV staff are necessary or expected
  • Spending money
  • Extra activities that you choose to do
  • Independent travel
  • Bus fares to and from the language school, if appropriate

 

dates and costs

apply

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If you need some help and want to talk about your plans to volunteer, please Get in touch 

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