Program Description:
Costa Rica has become one of the most popular travel destinations in its Central American region and receives more than a million tourists a year. This popularity only benefits Ticos who have the tools to work with international visitors. One of the most crucial skills for them is fluent English. This program is based on student volunteers tutoring students in English in a local school as a part of a larger language curriculum that empowers local youths to create opportunities for themselves in the near future. To maximize their effectiveness, volunteers are encouraged to become proficient in Spanish. This is mostly accomplished by a home stay that enables students to immerse themselves not only in the local traditional lifestyle but also get a chance to practice Spanish on a daily basis.

Description of Location:
The small town of Turrialba is located in the mountains of the central region of Costa Rica near the Turrialba Volcano. The area is mainly affected by the Caribbean dry and sunny climate but also receives the humidity and the rain of the nearby rainforests. The town itself is a small town approximately 1 hour away from the capital of San Jose and about 2 hours from the Caribbean town of Limon. The population mainly consists of Spanish speaking coffee farming Ticos. Weather is warm during the day all year, chilly in the evenings during winter months. There are two main seasons, the dry season from December until May when it is a much drier while the rainy season is from June until November when it is warmer and more humid with daily showers.

Suggested Service Projects Available on this Program:

Project 1: English Tutoring:
Location of Project: Turrialba, Costa Rica
Transport to project location from program location: Taxi
Description of Service: English language tutoring
Dates: Open Enrollment from September 2nd, 2010 through May 26th, 2011
Hours per Week: 30 hours per week (8.00am – 2.00pm Monday to Friday)
Note: Basic understanding of Spanish is necessary to be able to communicate with local school staff and to be able to help students understand tutoring. A week or two of daily lessons for Spanish beginners can be arranged prior to working in the school for a small extra cost.

Project 2: Special Needs School Assistant:
Description of Service: Help local teachers at a public school in a small community. Work with special needs students.
Location of Project: Turrialba, 5-minute car ride from accommodations.
Transport to project location from program location: Taxi, walking
Hours per Week: 30 hours per week (8.00am – 2.00pm Monday to Friday)
Note: Basic understanding of Spanish is necessary to be able to communicate with local school staff and to be able to help students understand tutoring. A week or two of daily lessons for Spanish beginners can be arranged prior to working in the school for a small extra cost.

Staff: Wainer Ocampo, Puchi Avalos, and Alex Sevilla.

Start Location: Students will arrive to San Jose, Costa Rica and will join the program in Turrialba, about an hour away.

Transportation (how to get there, how to leave): Our private bus will take student volunteers to Turrialba and return them to the airport at the conclusion of their stay. In Turrialba, students can walk, take local buses, or take taxis to get around Turrialba.

Accommodations: Student volunteers have their own room in a family house. Each student will have his or her own room. The home stay conditions are basic, but clean. Host families are carefully chosen according to the need of the students and the length of their stay.

Food available: A simple breakfast and dinner will be prepared Daily by the host family. Students will be responsible to arrange lunch for themselves throughout their entire stay.

Medical Facilities Available: Hospitals and local clinics are both available within a 15 minute drive.

Cell phone reception: Good!

Availability of Internet: Available on a daily basis

Laundry: Available for approximately $6 / load

Local Contact/managing local staff: Alex Sevilla, Wainer Ocampo, Puchi Avalos

Program leader/Managing Director: Ricardo Romero (Ricardo@rusticpathways.com)

Optional Activities :
• 4 hours of daily Spanish classes at “Spanish by the river” school / $390 – two week session. This school is located within a 5 minutes car drive from Turrialba.
• Volunteer possibilities at the local Botanical Garden (KATIE), which is located within a 5 minutes car drive from Turrialba.
• Optional adventure activities (rafting $75, horseback riding $25, cycling $25, hiking $20) at an extra cost. All located within 15-45 minutes from Turrialba. You’ll have world-class outdoor activities in your back yard!

Packing List: http://www.rusticpathways.com/2009/packing_lists/Costa_Rica.html

Medical Requirements: All students must consult their doctor for suggested precautions to take when traveling.