I admit that traveling alone was very daunting at first, finding my way through international airports and passport control. Especially in Atlanta, having my photo taken and fingerprints was very intimidating. I wasn’t expecting that for a short stay of two hours!! But once I arrived in my hotel in San Jose I was relieved and definitely proud of myself for making it.
After my two plane journeys, a night in San Jose and a bus journey to Samara I eventually made it. I was so glad to arrive in “paradise”, lush white sands and scorching sun, perfect! My first impressions were definitely positive.
It is expected that at first “culture shock” will be experienced, but this is only natural and you should be prepared for this before arriving. Being surrounded by completely different people and immersing yourself in a way of life that is dissimilar to your own is at first challenging but it wasn’t as tough or frustrating as I thought it may be. The main idea is to keep an open mind and not look at it as if it is extraordinary but just accept the differentiation. Despite suffering minor “culture shock” I soon felt at home and very comfortable. Everyone being so friendly and welcoming around me definitely helped. I haven’t yet had the time to even miss home, which is a shock!
My favorite thing about Samara is the compactness of the town and the feel of a close-knit community. You soon get to know and be familiar with a lot of the locals, which helped my a great deal with settling in. It almost makes you feel a lot safer living in their neighborhood, knowing that they are friendly towards you and welcome you to their “territory”.
uVolunteer often arranges get togethers, this is a great way to bond with the staff as well as the other volunteers. These get togethers can be anything from barbecues at the beach to bike rides to visits to other parts of the country. This always gives you something to look forward to at the weekend after a week of work!
One of the main priorities of uVolunteer is their standard of service. The service provided is superb, without a doubt there is always a member of staff willing to talk to you, offer advice or listen to your problems. This ensures that you never feel alone in any tough situation you may encounter and always have someone to turn to.
I started off my time in Samara with two weeks in Intercultura, the language school. This was a thoroughly enjoyable experience; the staff there were extremely friendly and very passionate about their teaching. No English is spoken in lessons what so ever, so no matter what you will go away knowing more Spanish than you arrived knowing. Admittedly I am a slow learner! I understand Spanish a lot more than I can speak it, but the fact that I have improved from the knowledge of little Spanish to being able to understand and get by is a great achievement for me. I highly recommend starting off in Intercultura if your Spanish is minimal because without a doubt you will learn a lot in such a short time! And more importantly have a pleasant experience at the same time.
I was lucky enough to be here in Costa Rica during Semana Santa (Easter). We were given the week off as the schools were closed, which landed us a great opportunity to explore! Myself and two of the other volunteers decided to go to La Fortuna for a few days. We had an amazing time, the scenery was breathtaking and the difference in the climate was certainly a nice change from Samara’s scorching sun.
Although for the majority of time I am in Samara it is nice to know that there is also the chance to do some traveling further a field at weekends or during national holidays. We are fortunate enough to have an equal balance between work and free time.
A highlight of my stay here has to be the accommodation, where I am extremely happy. I am currently living in a volunteer house but within the compound of a Costa Rican family, which is a great mix.
Although it is not a full on home stay you still get the feel of a home stay if that is what you wish for. The family is always around to talk to and willing to help to any of your needs. They are also very keen to have you try lots of different traditional foods here in Costa Rica, so be prepared to have a taste of local dishes! On the other hand we still have our own space if we want some time alone to relax. This is a good contrast and a perfect condition to live in.
Lastly, the other volunteers and staff are a big highlight of my stay. Everyone seems to get along well luckily and we all see it as one big family!! There is almost always someone around to hang out with, so you are hardly ever alone. I also love the fact that everyone comes from completely different backgrounds with different lifestyles, experiences and cultures but still manage to get on like a house on fire! Also it is a fabulous opportunity to learn about different parts of the world, the stories shared amongst everyone are endless!
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