Amistad Institute

In March, I was forwarded to this institute from Love Volunteers for the Teaching English Program. I had my own housing so Amistad Volunteers charged $100usd (¢61,190 Colones) for a two week program. I was put in touch with an administrator at the school and I NEVER heard from Amistad Volunteers again. Not an initial check in, not a mid way check in, and definitely not an end of program debrief! The school administrator that dropped me off at a classroom on the first day, never spoke to me again in the two weeks I was there! The classroom teacher of course had no idea I was coming. I tried to help as much as I could without being an additional burden. After a week, I inquired about the empty classrooms in the school and was told a teacher tested positive for COVID the weekend I started, so those classes were cancelled! That information would've been great to know so I could make my own decision about continuing on with the program. I don't reccomend volunteering with this agency.

This program was such an amazing experience. Marco and Rebecca are phenomenal people - so friendly and willing to help, and always there if you need them. They're both incredible cooks, so you'll never go hungry. I volunteered at the Neo Fauna Wildlife shelter which is in Herredura, but it was very easy to get to the beach by bus (about a 15-20 minute ride). Costa Rica is a really beautiful country, but like every foreign country, it does take some time to get used to. The culture is different than what some might be used to (in Jaco people are very laid-back and run on "Tico time", and the area is very catered to tourists so you can expect that people will be constantly trying to sell you things), but it's a great experience if you go in with an open-mind. Generally, Jaco is very safe, although I would take precautions anywhere you go that is unfamiliar. It's also a very clean area, as Costa Rican people take great pride in being environmentally friendly, and there is almost no pollution on the beach. I went on the trip alone, I didn't know anyone in Costa Rica, nor did I know if there would be anyone doing the program with me, but i was fortunate enough to meet some amazing people while I was there. While there is no guarentee that there will be other people there at the same time as you, it's still worth going even if on a solo-trip. You'll definitely have some time to explore, shop, tan, etc., and it's an experience you don't want to miss.