Day 01 (Tuesday)

Depart the 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 Rustic Pathways base 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 02 (Wednesday)

Wake up for an early breakfast before departing with your group on the 4 hour bus ride south to the Pacific beach town of Uvita. After settling into your base and taking in the beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean, head to the beach for your first introduction to Uvita’s famous waves. In the evening, return for a delicious dinner at the base and enjoy a relaxing evening making new friends.

Day 03 (Thursday)

Rise early for breakfast before heading out to catch some morning waves. Spend the remainder of the morning working on different service projects in Uvita and the surrounding communities which may include teaching English at the local school or working on a community beautification project. After lunch at the base, set off for a boat tour to scout for dolphins and explore the islands outside of Uvita. Return to the base for dinner and another fun night hanging out with friends.

Day 04-05 (Friday-Saturday)

Wake up early to start the day surfing or working with community members on different service projects. In the afternoon, relax in the sun, explore the famous Whale’s Tale rock formation or play a game of beach soccer with local children. You will also have the opportunity to visit a locally owned Butterfly farm and learn about these beautiful creatures. In the evening, hang out with your friends at the base or try out your Latin dancing skills with the villagers at the local restaurant.

Day 06 (Sunday)

After breakfast, take a morning hike to a hidden waterfall with the possibility of seeing toucans, monkeys, sloth, and other wildlife. You may spend some time working on the trail in an effort to improve accessibility to the waterfall and promote tourism in the area. At the end of the trail, enjoy swimming and sunbathing in the crystal clear pools at the base of the falls before returning back to the base for the evening.

Day 07 (Monday)

In the morning, take advantage of the early waves before participating in a beach clean-up project at Marino Ballena National Park. After lunch, enjoy an afternoon full of optional activities which may include horseback riding, cooking lessons, butterfly art lessons, mountain biking, or reading a book by the beach.

Day 08 (Tuesday)

After breakfast, the group will have one last opportunity to surf, before its time to say goodbye to friends from the community. After lunch its time to head towards San Jose for your last night in Costa Rica.

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, the tides, the quality of the waves, 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.

Service & Surf Program Specific Packing List

In addition to the general Costa Rica packing list available at http://www.rusticpathways.com/2009/packing_lists/Costa_Rica.html all students should review the following information specific to Service & Surf:

• Surf Boards - Rustic Pathways boards are available however experienced surfers may prefer to surf on their own boards. Airlines typically charge extra to transport surfboards.

• Board Shorts – you can bring a few extra pairs of “boardies” – bathing suits for surfing.

• Rash Guards – if you have one, feel free to bring it. It is a shirt that can be worn while surfing to prevent a rash from forming on your chest when it rubs against the board. Long sleeve ones can also help protect your arms from the sun.

• Waterproof Sunblock – for use while in the water. Many surfers also choose to bring some form of sunblock with Zinc Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide in it to further protect their faces.

• Flip Flops – a must for being on the beach.

• Clothes/Shoes that can get used and abused - during service projects clothes often get paint, cement, and dirt on them and so we recommend you bring clothes you don’t mind permanently damaging.

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- During the Service and Surf program, students will spend the majority of time in the Puntarenas province.  They will spend their first and last night in country at a hotel located in Heredia, close to the airport. 

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—The bus ride from San Jose to Uvita is approximately 5-6 hours depending on road and weather conditions.

8 – What is the climate in the region where this program takes place?
8A—Students should be prepared for hot, humid weather in the 80’s and 90’s during the day with a daily afternoon rain shower. 

9 - Is this a good program for students interested in practicing their Spanish?
9A— While there is no formal language instruction on this program, students will be able to practice their Spanish while working with local communities on service projects.  

10- What service projects will I work on and how are the projects identified?
10A- Rustic Pathways works with local community leaders to identify and prioritize the needs of each community. In Uvita and other nearby villEdad, students will work on small scale construction projects that will help improve community and school infrastructure. Students will also facilitate educational and cultural projects with local children and youth, with a concentration on Teaching English.  During the first two weeks of Julio, Costa Rican school children are on vacation, so students should expect to work with students in more informal environments.  

11 – How physically strenuous is this program?
11A- Service and Surf is appropriate for students of most physical activity levels.  Students should be willing to work on some projects that require manual labor and should be ready to surf and spend time daily at the ocean.  

12- What costs are not included on this trip?
12A- The majority of costs associated with the program are included on this trip. Students should have extra allowance money if they wish to buy souvenirs or additional snacks or sodas from the local grocery stores. Students should bring extra money if they choose to participate in optional activities that are not included in the trip costs.

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

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— Students will be eating meals prepared by local community groups and at restaurants in the area.  The food will vary between traditional Costa Rican food (rice, beans, meat dishes and salads) and occasional American and international selections. 

15 - Can we cater to specific diets?
15A-Rustic Pathways can cater to most dietary needs on this program. Vegetarian 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’s 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 - Students will be staying at a comfortable base near the town of Uvita. Girls and boys will be staying in separate rooms.

18.  What are the bathroom facilities?
18A- The base will have modern bathrooms for each cabin including running water, American style toilets and hot water showers.

19 - How many girls and boys are usually on this trip?
19A – We expect a mix between girls and 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 will only be available for students staying more than one week on the Service and Surf  program. For all others connecting with another program they can do laundry in San Jose at a cost of $10-$15 USD per load.

23 - How often will they have access to phone and internet?
23A-Students will have limited access to the internet during this program, mainly when they are in the town center of Uvita where they can go to internet cafes. 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. 

24 – Will Surf Boards be provided on this program?
24A-Yes, surf boards will be provided. However advanced surfers may prefer to bring their own as Rustic does not have any short boards to use.

25 – Is this program suitable for beginners?
25A- Yes. Many of the students who attend this program have never surfed before. All students are welcome, from beginners to advanced, as long as they have a desire to learn to surf or improve their surfing skills.