THE MALEKU TRIBE IMMERSION & SERVICE PROGRAM - High School Summer Programs (800) 321-4353

The Maleku Village
Children play games on the walkway that runs through the center of town, giggling and waving as you walk past. On both sides women and men sit comfortably on porches, talking and laughing as they paint colorful designs on dried jicara shells, turning simple gourds into works of art. In the distance village elders stride back from the forest with bundles of leaves for thatching traditional style roofs comfortably resting on their shoulders. Playful puppies nuzzle your legs as you near a Maleku family’s home where you will teach English and learn to make indigenous artwork for the afternoon. Capi Capi and welcome to the Maleku Tribe Service Immersion Program.

Maleku Culture
The Maleku people are indigenous to Costa Rica and have been living in the northwest region of Costa Rica for hundreds of years. They live in three different villages, Palenque Tonjibe, Palenque Margarita, and Palenque El Sol, all located within the Maleku indigenous reservation. With increasing development in Costa Rica and the influence of globalization, the Maleku and other indigenous populations are struggling to keep their rich traditions and culture alive. During this unique program you will immerse yourself in the Maleku culture, befriending wonderful people and learning about a completely different way of life.

Teaching, Painting, and Digging
In addition to immersing yourself in this amazing culture, you will work on several projects for the benefit of the community. Your service work may include painting houses in one of the villages, teaching English, painting a mural at an elementary school, repairing roofs or digging a drainage system for the community soccer fields. On all of your projects you will work alongside members of the Maleku community, learning and laughing together as you teach each other new phrases in Spanish, English, and Maleku.

Living the Maleku Way
As a part of this program you will also have the opportunity to participate in a traditional Maleku ceremony, learn about the medicinal uses of plants from the rainforest, create your own colorful traditional artwork, and more. Live with the rest of your group and your Rustic Pathways guides in bunkhouses that are within walking distance of the Tonjibe village, giving your group a sanctuary to reflect on your experiences and service projects, while always being close to town. Enjoy hearty Maleku meals prepared by members of the community and eat alongside your fellow students, leaders, and Maleku friends.

Who Should Come
This service project is designed for students who are ready for the challenge of immersing themselves in a unique indigenous culture and living in rustic accommodations. Students should be prepared to work hard on rewarding, small-scale service projects with the Maleku community– be ready to practice Spanish, learn a bit of Maleku, get dirty, and have fun. Students can earn up to 32 community service hours per week for the successful completion of the community service portion of this program.

Day 1 (Tuesday)
Depart United States for San Jose, Costa Rica. All scheduled flights to Costa Rica are non-stop and escorted by a Rustic Pathways Flight Leader. Upon arrival at the San Jose airport you will be greeted by your Rustic Pathways Staff. From here you will head over to the hostel rented out by Rustic Pathways where you will meet the other students on your trip and spend your first night. Good luck and enjoy your stay in beautiful Costa Rica!

Day 2 (Wednesday)
Wake up for an early breakfast before departing for the town of Palenque Tonjibe in the Maleku Indigenous Reservation. After a beautiful 4 hour drive, arrive in the village in time for a hearty lunch cooked by our friendly Maleku hosts. After getting settled into the bunkhouses, everyone will have an opportunity to tour the village and learn about the service projects. Enjoy traditional Costa Rican cuisine for dinner and an evening getting to know new friends.

Day 3 (Thursday)
Enjoy a delicious Costa Rican breakfast before heading to the Maleku village to begin your service projects. Projects may include light construction on a community building, painting a local house, or planting a school garden. In the afternoon after lunch, take a walk along a nature trail with one of the Maleku community guides who will teach you about traditional medicinal plants, ancient burial grounds and the local flora and fauna. Later, you might have a chance to teach English in the local elementary school and play games with the students. You will eat dinner in the village and then break into small groups to learn traditions and stories of Maleku culture.

Day 04 (Friday)
Everyone will eat breakfast as a group in the village before continuing work on community projects. In the afternoon, we will participate in local art lessons. The Maleku Tribe generates most of the village income by making traditional warrior masks and other crafts which they then sell to tourists in the area. You will have the opportunity to learn their craft, and turn everyday items like jicara shells into works of art. After dinner there is another opportunity to visit with local families.

Day 05 (Saturday)
Today after breakfast, the group will head off on an excursion to the Rio Celeste for hiking and swimming. Explore the national park, stopping at different bright blue natural pools to observe their unique color and formation. Finally you will arrive at a beautiful waterfall where you can swim in the blue waters. Hike out for a hearty Tico lunch at a local restaurant then head back to the village for some much deserved rest.

Day 06-07 (Sunday and Monday)
You will spend the next two days working on a variety of satisfying projects with community members and immersing yourself in the village life of the Maleku people. You will also have the opportunity to participate in a traditional Maleku ceremony, an amazing and unforgettable experience. You might also enjoy playing in village soccer games, hiking in the rainforest or swimming in a local water hole with friends from the community.

Day 08 (Tuesday)
Awake for breakfast and finish off any last service projects before lunch. Today you will also have a chance to buy some wonderful artwork and souvenirs made by your Maleku village hosts, helping to support their livelihood while also bringing home a really unique gift for your family or friends. After lunch, head back to San Jose for your last night in Costa Rica. (Those students doing two weeks on this program will stay in the village with a Rustic Pathways guide and await the arrival of the new group)

Day 09 (Wednesday)
A sad departure for the USA or on to more great adventures with Rustic Pathways!

*** PLEASE NOTE: The itinerary described above is typical but not set in stone as work and optional activities vary depending upon the needs of the various communities, as well as the weather. This itinerary is designed to give you a good, general idea of the day to day schedule and activities on this program but may be changed during the summer as staff see fit. Students will work hard on this program, and will probably get wet, muddy, and bug-bitten in the process. This is all part of the rural Costa Rican service experience and is a small sacrifice when compared with the positive impact this program has on local communities and on RP participants. ***

1 - How long is the flight to this country?
1A – Direct flight from Newark to San Jose takes approximately 5.5 hours.
Direct flight from Houston to San Jose takes approximately 3.5 to 4 hours.

2 - Will there be a flight leader to this country?
2A – Yes. All flights between Costa Rica and the USA will have a flight leader starting in both Newark and Houston. Return flights to the USA will also have a flight leader as far as Newark and Houston. Flights between Costa Rica and Peru will not be escorted.

3 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
3A – Students from the United States and Canada will be issued a 90 day tourist visa on entry into Costa Rica. Students from other countries should check with their consulate.

4 - What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
4A – See CDC or WHO websites.

5 – What Costa Rican province(s) does this program pass through?
5A – We drive by bus from San Jose and live in the Alajuela province.

6 - How does this program connect to other programs?
6A – On Tuesday afternoon students will depart from the Maleku village for San Jose. They will have a final dinner en route then sleep in a hostel rented out for Rustic Pathways students in San Jose. Wednesday morning students will take off with their new group for their new program.

7 – How long is the drive from San Jose to this program?
7A – The drive by bus takes approximately 3.5 hours.

8 - Is this a good program for students interested in practicing their Spanish?
8A – This program is good for students interested in practicing their Spanish. Almost all Maleku are bilingual, they speak Spanish and Maleku. All Maleku are interested in learning English but much of the communication happens through smiles and Spanish! However, students WITHOUT ANY Spanish language abilities had NO TROUBLE communicating. It’s that type of village.

9 - What costs are not included on this trip?
9A – Students should bring a small amount of spending money for soda, ice cream, and other snacks available at the small town dry goods store. ADDITIONALLY, Maleku artisans are renowned throughout Costa Rica and most students take the opportunity to buy gifts directly from the local artists. On average, students chose to spend between $75 - $100 on art for family, friends, and themselves.

10 - What kind of food will we be eating? Where?
10A – All meals are served in the comedor, a kitchen and dining room for Rustic Pathways students and guests of the village. It is a short walk from the Rancho where we make our home. Three lovely cocineras (local cooks) prepare our meals. Almost every meal features the Costa Rican staple of rice and black beans. At breakfast, scrambled eggs are served as well. Lunch and dinner typically include traditional Costa Rican preparations of chicken, pork, beef, or eggs as well as side dishes such as plantains, yucca, potatoes, or cabbage salad. This diet is ideal for the nutritional demands of service and fun in the tropics and fits well with most vegetarian regimens, too.

11 - Will the kids be drinking bottled water?
11A – There is no need for most students to drink bottled water, but it is for sale in the small town store as well as in the comedor. The water in the Maleku reserve is safe to drink without further treatment or purification. Students are reminded to bring a durable water bottle such as a Nalgene, Sigg bottle, or Klean Kanteen with them so they can stay properly hydrated. Along with eating enough, this is the single most important measure to ensure an energized, happy body in Costa Rica.

12 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
12A – Students and guides meet, relax, and sleep in a typical Maleku rancho owned and operated by a local family. Malekus built the rancho using wood harvested from within 100 kilometers of the reserve and constructed a traditional thatched roof of palm leaves. These time tested techniques result in a dry and comfortably rustic shelter. The rancho provides us with running water, western style toilets, showers, and a common area with ping pong and foosball. Six rooms are arranged dorm style, adjacent to the common area. Each room has two bunk beds in it and mosquito nets can be obtained for those who sleep more comfortably with them. Each room has an electrical outlet but few students have use for electrical appliances while on the reserve.

13 – Will there be someplace to store medications requiring refrigeration?
13A – Yes, medications can be stored as needed in the refrigerator at the comedor, our dining area.

14 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
14A – There are typically more girls than boys however the exact numbers vary from week to week.

15 – How should the kids safeguard their personal belongings while in the village?
15A – The Maleku reserve is an extremely safe place, however it is situated in one of the least affluent cantons (similar to counties in the United States) in all of Costa Rica. Still, the ethics of the Maleku make theft nearly non-existent. Nevertheless, we want to take pains to avoid the appearance of flaunting our relative material wealth and perpetuating the stereotype that all North Americans, Europeans, and travelers in general are extraordinarily wealthy. Also, the Maleku have different customs with regard to communal ownership of property and the children all posses an insatiable curiosity. Belongings that go missing are more often the result of misunderstanding than of criminal intent. The best safeguard is to avoid such misunderstanding. We can do this by keeping cash, cameras, and other valuables locked in our bedrooms when not in use and never leaving valuables unattended in a public area.

16 – Can students use Ipod/MP3 players while on the trip?
16A – While in transit to the reserve, students are welcome to listen to their Ipods. In the Maleku reserve however, students are VERY STRONGLY DISCOURAGED from listening to Ipods outside of their bedrooms. First, they are luxury items that we do not wish to display gratuitously (see above). Second, we sincerely hope that students will engage with the community and each other using all five senses and an open mind. To that end, we seek to minimize distractions that exclude students, even partially, from the community dynamic.

Lest you get the wrong idea about us, we want to make something clear: WE LOVE MUSIC. So, instead of having an Ipod on your hip or arm, consider burning a handful of CD’s to bring down and leave in Maleku. They are cheaply obtained in both Costa Rica and more developed nations, can be shared and listened to on existing players in the village, and make working and relaxing together more enjoyable. Just keep in mind, that music is a great way to increase vocabulary in another language, so no explicit content please.

17 – Can students do laundry in the village?
17A – Students will not have the opportunity to do laundry in Maleku. Because the northern lowlands can be humid and occasionally muddy, it is important for students to bring enough clothes to live and work comfortably for one week. Many students avoid overpacking by designating work/play clothes and rest clothes. Only students who are continuing on to another program or doing two weeks on the Maleku program will have the opportunity to do laundry in San Jose. Typically, this service costs between $5-10.