- Waking up to the crisp sound of a rooster just outside the window, bike riding along the seascape, learning the art of surf, teaching English to the locals, and making an impact on the hearts of others. -

Kelly Thompson

I arrived in Samara, Costa Rica with a nervous anticipation of the unexpected. I always dreamed of volunteering in a foreign land, but actually turning that dream into a reality filled me with a roller-coaster of emotion. I soon realized I must abandon any hesitations and embrace my new lifestyle.

I joined the community development project in Samara, helping with the kinder-care children in the morning and teaching english to the locals at night. On my first day with kinder-care I was welcomed, in bear-hug fashion, by seven young boys and girls, all under the age of eight. Bright-eyed and full of appreciation for the simplest things, I found myself learning more from them than they could even realize.

While I loved working with the children in the mornings, my most inspiring moment actually came one evening at night school. I was having a difficult time teaching one student the days of the week in English, but his perseverance was unparalleled to anything I had ever seen. I was completely humbled by this young, nine-teen year old boy, whose determination was completely impervious to any struggles he was facing. At that moment it clicked - this was why I came here. To see even the slightest advancement with this student filled me with a wonderfully unexpected feeling - I was making a difference in someone’s life.

In the end, the truth behind the whole journey for me was simple - the more you give of yourself to the people, the culture and the overall experience, the more you will truly discover about yourself and others. The result can be awe-inspiring if you allow it. No matter which program or where you choose to volunteer, the important thing is that you are going to make a difference. My stay in Costa Rica was short lived in comparison to the grand scheme of my life, but it is a collection of memories that will stay with me for many years to come.

I thank everyone at Volunteer Visions and look forward to my next volunteering adventure!

 

Find Out About Our Affordable Volunteer Abroad Projects In Costa Rica

• Teaching
  Samara, Costa Rica
  Starting at $650.00
• Kindergarten DaycareSamara, Costa Rica
  Starting at $650.00
• Wildlife Conservation
  Carrillo, Costa Rica
  Starting at $650.00
• Ecological Farming
  Perez Zeledon, Costa RicaStarting at $650.00
• Turtle Conservation
  Buena Vista, Costa Rica
  Starting at $650.00

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