You arrive in a mesmerizing town somewhere in Costa Rica and realize there is a plethora of things to do in the area. You really want to participate but you also get tired of being a tourist. There are alternatives to endless tours and beaches! One of the best ways to experience a locale is to actually get your hands a little dirty volunteering. Here are a few cheap options.
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Learn Spanish and help the sloths in Manual Antonio National Park.
There is a Spanish school called El Parisio that offers pretty much unlimited education in Spanish. As a bonus, while becoming fluent you also get the opportunity to work at a beautiful coastal national park on Costa Rica’s south western coast. Although not free, the program breaks down to under $400 week all inclusive.
Help the elderly cross the road in Quepos
In any country people are bound to get old, that is unless they’ve found the fountain of youth. This opportunity, also run by El Parisio, offers you the opportunity to help out the elderly in their daily life while also learning Spanish. This is a wonderful feel good, do good opportunity. This program is under $400wk all inclusive as well.
Help and teach the kids in the jungle
If you like working with children and want to teach abroad, or even better have an ESL certificate and want to get some real experience, head on over to Escuela Futuro Verde where they are always in need of help or support. You may not get paid, but you also don’t have to pay to help. Hey, volunteering counts on your resume!
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Do you want to give Polly a cracker?
If feathers are your fancy and you prefer talking to birds that can talk back, consider working with the ARA Project. This group is dedicated to the protection of the Great Green and Scarlet Macaws, both highly endangered and in need of help. Although there is not a lot online about them, an email to Fernanda Hong-Beirute, the director, will hook you right up as a volunteer. The best part is that once you are down there it will cost you nothing or next to nothing to do it. They simply need willing participants.
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Butterfly fly fly away
Butterflies are one of our favorite insects. They are a living, flying art form coming in all sizes and colors. Costa Rica is well known for their massive variety of butterflies. If you happen to love butterflies as much as we do, and would love to work with them in the mountains of Costa Rica, than go no further than Monteverde Butterfly Garden. You can volunteer for free by giving tours to individuals in exchange for food and a place to stay.
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Hanging with the Locals
We have heard about free home stays to learn Spanish or paying for it by learning a livelihood of fishing or coffee farming. It’s not advertised online, but many families would appreciate the extra hand and any money you could provide. Another option would be to just find a cool place like a nature preserve or teaching center and just ask to volunteer. Most places would jump at the opportunity of free help.
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So there it is: 6 out of dozens of opportunities to help you go out and experience the country of Costa Rica. We do suggest however that one of the best ways to find cheap or free opportunities is to just keep your ears and eyes open while down there.
Volunteering does not have to cost a fortune, you just need to seek the opportunities out. This list should at least get you started!
