I had backpacked through Europe the past two summers, and I was looking for something completely new this summer. I knew that visiting Costa Rica would be much different than visiting Europe, and volunteering in one city for two weeks would be a different experience than typical tourism.

Testimonial Image
 
Name: David Wilson Project: : Construction
From: USA Age: 32
 

I had backpacked through Europe the past two summers, and I was looking for something completely new this summer. I knew that visiting Costa Rica would be much different than visiting Europe, and volunteering in one city for two weeks would be a different experience than typical tourism.

I worked on two different construction projects during my two weeks here. The first week, I helped to build a house, which was about a 30-minute bus ride from the dorm. All the other construction volunteers left at the end of that week, so Ligia was able to reassign me to the community center for my second week, so I didn't have to worry about the bus anymore. At the community center, I worked on various ongoing construction projects. Each job was a good experience in its own way.

One thing that appealed to me about AVIC was staying in a dorm with other volunteers, and that was fun. It was nice to have dinner together each night, and there were chances to go out with the others on most nights, if you choose to.

Having a three-day weekend gives you a chance to see some of Costa Rica's tourist sites. I went to Monte Verde for the weekend with two other volunteers, and Ligia helped us set up the trip. By the way, Ligia is really accessible if you need a recommendation or have any kind of problem. She does a good job at helping everyone navigate through a new culture and she makes everyone comfortable while away from home. It feels strange to pay to do volunteer work, but the fee pays for your room and board, and you have total peace of mind, knowing there is a coordinator who will take care of all the details (both little and big) while you're here.