Summer Camp Leadership Program

Day 1 (Tuesday)
Depart United States for San Jose, Costa Rica Upon arrival at the San Jose airport you will be greeted by your Rustic Pathways Staff. From here you will head over to the hotel rented out by Rustic Pathways where you will meet the other students on your trip and spend your first night. Enjoy your stay in beautiful Costa Rica!

Day 2 (Wednesday) A visit to Turrialba
Your first day will begin with a short visit to the valley of the little town of Orosi. Here the group will get a chance to visit a local school and you will have your first experience working with children in a nearby village. There will be opportunities to get to know your group through team building activities in the local hotel we are staying at for the first night of the trip.

Day 3-4 (Thursday to Friday) Rafting on the Pacuare river
For the next two days, you will experience the beauty and exhilaration of whitewater rafting on the Pacuare river. The Pacuare is considered one of the most beautiful rivers to raft in the world due to the lush greenery, the narrow canyons and above all, the exciting class III and IV rapids. This will be a perfect chance for the group to solidify their bonds as friends and teammates and prepare themselves for the big adventure that is still to come – leading a camp for Costa Rican children. After two full days on the river, its time to head back to the base camp and get ready for some serious planning and preparation!

Day 5 (Saturday) Leadership Camp
After breakfast, the group will participate in intensive training sessions which will give you strategies and ideas for working together and turning your ideas into a real summer camp for Costa Rican children. You will then spend the afternoon working to plan the agenda for the next week and creating the itinerary and activities that will make this summer camp a success!

Day 6-13 (Sunday to Sunday)
The next eight days will be a dream come true for the Costa Rican children joining what for some may be their first ever “summer camp.” Wake up early and have breakfast with your fellow counselors, before receiving the Tico kids every day at around 8:30am. Spend the day with the children, running various games and activities, coordinating lunch and snack times, and then saying goodbye to them at around 4.00pm each afternoon. On some days, after the camp, adventurous students may have the chance to participate in different optional activities in the La Fortuna area. In the evenings, the group will evaluate the day and prepare for the next one. Eat dinner together and enjoy a relaxing evening. On the final day there will be a chance to meet the parents and have a barbeque to celebrate the accomplishments of the week in a local swimming pool where the group will end this amazing experience.

Day 14 (Monday) Relaxing time on the beach
After fun filled, challenging week of running a summer camp for Costa Rican children, the group of Rustic Pathways students will take off for the beautiful and peaceful beaches of the Costa Rican Pacific. These next 24 hours will give everyone a chance to enjoy the down time, take in some sun, play beach volleyball or soccer, eat seafood and enjoy a beautiful Pacific sunset. The group will stay in a hotel near the beach and will eat at local restaurants.

Day 15 (Tuesday) Heading back to San Jose
The last full day with the program, the group will have a chance to sleep in, relax in the morning then head back to the capital. You will spend you last night at the Rustic Pathways base hotel in San Jose.

Day 16 (Wednesday) Homeward bound or off to new adventures
If you are heading home, you must say your last goodbyes to your new friends and head off to the airport bright and early in the morning. If you are heading off to another Rustic Pathways program in Central America, get ready for more adventure!

*** 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. ***

 

SUMMER CAMP LEADERSHIP PROGRAM SPECIFIC PACKING LIST
In addition to the general Costa Rica packing list available at http://www.rusticpathways.com/packing_lists/Costa_Rica.php all students should review the following information specific to the Summer Camp Leadership Program:

• Any arts & crafts tools, indoor and outdoor camp activity tools are welcome to widen the choices of activities available for campers and to make this experience more culturally immersive.

Please E-mail the program director at sammy@rusticpathways.com with questions and concerns.
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT YOUR LUGGAGE

• Please try your best to pack light and fit everything into one MEDIUM size duffle bag or a backpack. We strongly recommend that you DO NOT use wheeled bags. 

• Do not forget to bring a small backpack that you can use to fit your daily gear would make a great carry on.

Make sure everything you pack in your carry-on complies with the new carry on regulations of the TSA http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/prohibited/permitted-prohibited-items.shtm

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS-Latin America
SUMMER CAMP LEADERSHIP

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, Panama and Nicaragua are also escorted by a Rustic Pathways guide.  Flight from Costa Rica to Peru and Mexico will not be escorted.

3 - Do we need to get visas for this program?
3A – Students from the United States and Canada will be automatically issued a 90 day tourist visa upon entry into Costa Rica.
4 – What Costa Rican province(s) does this program pass through?
4A- 5A – During the Summer Camp Leadership program, students will remain in the Alajuela province near the town of La Fortuna.  They will stay in the Heredia province for a very short period of time when they first arrive in country and the night before they depart Costa Rica.  They will also visit the San Jose, Cartago and Puntarenas provinces for short periods of time.  

5 - What immunizations do we need to get for this trip?
5A – Rustic Pathways does not make recommendations regarding immunizations.  We strongly suggest that you consult with a travel doctor or your family physician for medical recommendations based on the area where the student will be traveling (as listed above).  You can also check the Center for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov for more information.  Yellow fever vaccinations may be required to enter Costa Rica if you have traveled to some international destinations including Peru prior to your trip to Costa Rica.  Please check the Center for Disease control website for more information.   

6 - How does this program connect to other programs?
6A – On Tuesday night students will have a final group dinner and stay the night in Heredia at the hotel. Wednesday morning students will meet with their new group and guides at the same hotel where they stayed and go off on their new program.

7 – How long is the drive from San Jose to this program?
7A— There will be several road trips during the two weeks of the program. It will start with a 1 hour drive to the town of Orosi from the San Jose base. Then the second day the group will take a 1 hour and a half long ride to the rafting entrance of the Pacuare River. On the third day there will be an approximately 4 hour long drive from the rafting exit to our base in Fortuna where most of the trip will take place. During the time of the camp itself there will be daily short 20-30 minute drives to town and to optional activities in the area. Then at the end of the trip the group will take a 3 hour ride to the town of Puntarenas to get on the Isla de Tortuga ferry and spend the last day relaxing. Finally it will be time to drive another 2 hours to return to San Jose for the last night.

8 – What is the climate in the region where this program takes place?
8A—The Summer Camp Leadership program takes place in the rainforest area, a very green, humid, and “wet” area in the country.  Students should be prepared for hot, humid weather in the 80s and 90s during the day, and the daily rain shower.
9 - Is this a good program for students interested in practicing their Spanish?
9A— This program focuses mainly on leadership skills however; students will be in close contact with Costa Rican children who will only be able to speak in Spanish, making the program an excellent opportunity to practice Spanish conversational skills.

10- What service projects will I work on and how are the projects identified?
10A-. The main service work is based on creating a summer day camp for Costa Rican rural children. The first part of the trip will focus on the actual set up of the camp, planning the logistics and details of the camp. Then the main work will come by making the camp come true and running an 8 days long session for the kids. Overall this program is truly one of the most rewarding yet the hardest service work we have in Costa Rica.
11 – How physically strenuous is this program?
11A- The Summer Camp Leadership program is appropriate for most physical activity levels.  Students should be prepared to actively facilitate games and sports with Costa Rican children. 

12- What costs are not included on this trip?
12A- There will be several optional activities during the time of the summer camp that students can choose to participate in, however these activities are not essential to complete an excellent experience.

13 – What are the optional activities available at an additional cost on this program?
13A-Optional activities are:

1. Ziplining:    $65
2. Rappeling:  $85
3. Horseback riding:  $45
4. Kayaking: $45
5. Hotsprings: $35

Please note that these optional activities are subject to change.  Occasionally Rustic Pathways staff identify new opportunities throughout the summer that we feel will enhance the students overall experience.  Optional activities may also be canceled. 

14 - What kind of food will we be eating? Where?
14A— For the most part students will be eating at the base camp’s restaurant where traditional Costa Rican food will be offered daily such as rice & beans with beef, fish, chicken, pork and other local specialties (expect a lot of rice and beans!!!). When away from camp they will be eating at local restaurants and will have a variety of meals to choose from.

15 - Can we cater to specific diets?
15A-Rustic Pathways can cater to most dietary needs on this program. There will be access to vegetarian choices in the buffets. Vegan diets can be accommodated.  Please know that while we are happy to accommodate alternative diets, many of the special diets common in the United States are not common in other parts of the world and travelers must be patient and understanding in having these needs be met.  Please contact costarica@rusticpathways.com with any questions regarding special diets or allergies.
16 - Will the kids be drinking bottled water?
16A—Costa Rica water is generally potable, so students should feel comfortable drinking tap water unless otherwise advised.  They can also purchase bottles of water in the local grocery stores.  

17 - What will the accommodation on this trip be like?
17A— For the majority of the Summer Camp Leadership program, students will be living in comfortable cabins at the base outside the town of La Fortuna. The cabins are furnished and equipped with basic commodities such as running water (hot & cold), bed sheets, pillows etc.  During the white water rafting trip, they will also stay in a rustic tent base camp along the river (tents, mattress, sheets will be provided).  All other accommodations when students are on trips outside of la Fortuna will be clean and comfortable hotels.

18.  What are the bathroom facilities?
18A- The cabins have running water, American style toilets and showers.  Hot water may not always be available.   

19 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
19A – There are typically more girls than boys however the exact numbers vary from week to week

20- What is the ratio of guides to students?
20A- Rustic Pathways generally strives to maintain a ratio of approximately 1 guide for every 5 students. Our guides go through a rigorous selection process including interviews with our program managers and a full background check.

21-Is your staff qualified in First Aid?
21A-   Because safety is our number one priority, all of our programs have staff that is certified with First Aid and CPR training. Many of our guides are also qualified Wilderness First Responders, EMTs, Wilderness EMTs, or Life Guards.

22 - How often (if at all) will students be able to do laundry on this program and what will it cost?
22A—Students should pack reasonably for this program. Laundry is available once a week and the cost is $5-$10 depending on the amount of clothes.  Those that will be connecting to another program will have access to another laundry service in San Jose at the end of their program for a cost of approximately $10-$15.    
    
23 - How often will they have access to phone and internet?
23A-Students will have limited access to internet during their program when they visit the town of La Fortuna. They will be able to purchase international phone cards in Costa Rica from the guides or at local convenience stores which can be used to call home from the public phones in La Fortuna.