Nowadays, something is happening to the world. People start to worry about the place we live and feel more and more concerned about ecological issues. It is a good point, but we have to be careful about the way to do it, and be very vigilant about who to trust in.

When you want to travel and to discover a new country, the safe reflex is to get informed about who you are going to travel with and especially if you have chosen to volunteer. Nevertheless, do not think that all ecotourism companies and organizations will provide you the same service quality, it is not true. Some of these are just using it as a business, won’t care about the kind of activities and you will be doing nothing really useful either for the community or for yourself.

At Tropical Adventures, our purpose is your personal fulfillment, the community development and the environmental aspects.

What we can do for you:

First, only come if you really want to do so and if you are highly motivated. We are not offering a sweet and nice hotel with swimming pool and drinks all day long. No, what we can do for you, is provide you with a sense of self accomplishment, a new definition of yourself and something that you probably never felt before. You will meet people from our communities, our friends, and not just business partners. Our host families will do their best to make you feel comfortable and will teach you all they can about the Costa Rican culture and lifestyle.  

We have been providing these projects and tours for years now and you can be sure that every single day will be busy. We have all kind of activities for you, no matter how old you are, if you are in groups or by yourself, or if you came as a family. What we offer you are not simply vacations but life experiences. 

What we can do for the community:

            As I already said, we are not talking about collaborators, but very close friends. Our action, through your help, can help more and more people each year. First, because we are a non-profit organization, the benefits made from programs are going to the communities we are working with. We buy them materials like paint or tools and gifts, this money is also helpful to pay teachers and school supplies. Secondly, the meeting between local people and foreigners is really beneficial for both parts.  You, as volunteers, will teach them English and they will teach you a lot of things about their culture. And last, but not least, the point of our commitment is to fully respect the environment, nature and the culture. We want you to learn how life is here and  why we love it.

Tropical Adventures is not about being a regular company, making profits, selling you a service and taking your money. Tropical Adventures is a community, a way of thinking morally and more than this, we are a family, growing every time a volunteer joins us. We would love for you to be our next family member.

Tropical Adventures

             Hojancha truly is the most peaceful and friendly town I have ever been to. Within days of arriving I have friends religiously stopping by my house to see what I am up to. In addition to providing me with a great opportunity to practice my Spanish, each person I have met is genuinely kind and sincere. Being such a small town “todo el mundo conoce a todos” or everybody knows everybody in Hojancha. It is difficult to walk down the street without someone shouting your name or giving you the friendly Pura Vida!  One of my best friends, Maikol, is a taxi driver, which can really come in handy. The other day I had a TON of laundry to carry back from Ricardo's house (the only guy in town I know with a washing machine). As I was struggling with the awkward and heavy bags, out of nowhere came Maikol, ready and willing to give me a lift to my house.  My host family has been unbelievably kind and hospitable. They are always willing to go on a walk, go out for pizza, or watch a movie together.  Not only have they been able to immensely help me practice my Spanish, but I have also helped them with their English!

            Working with the kids in the day care center has also been a great experience. While they can get a little rowdy at times, they are all fun, great kids. They love listening to me read stories and learning new words in English!  The day care Staff has been a blast to work with. They always provide me with something to eat and a delicious “fresco” to drink. In addition to volunteering in the day care center, I have also gone to Monte Alto where I worked alongside another volunteer. While it was a lot of intense labor, I really enjoyed getting to know the friendly and hardworking staff while simultaneously enjoying the breathtaking, beautiful views. Zachary, the other volunteer, and I helped create handrails for a bridge across a river and afterward we were able to carve our names into one of the rocks used as a support! I also spent a few days in Camaronal working on the Sea Turtle Project.  The beach at Camaronal was unbelievably clean. The waves were HUGE, and attracted a lot of high skill- level surfers. Getting a taste for the night patrols was really fun!  I wish I could have stayed for more time!

            While not volunteering I have enjoyed swimming in the river, lifting weights with some of my new friends, eating the most delicious ice cream I have ever tasted, and learning to cook new and interesting things with  my host family.  On the weekends I have been to a few dances, gone to the beach, and played basketball. Last Saturday my friend Josue invited me to his family reunion party at his grandparents' house. It proved to be an amazing celebration starting  with a game of “fútbol.”  Afterwards there was loads of food, music, and dancing. They even had a Nintendo Wii set up for the kids to play with. Ok....I played too! For me, living and volunteering in Hojancha has been an amazing experience. I cannot wait to see what the next few weeks will bring.

Jason, intern in Hojancha for Tropical Adventures.

Visiting Alto Katsi
 
Alto Katsi is a small, remote community in the mountains of Talamanca, Costa Rica.  There are about 16 houses and approximately 80 people.  I had the pleasure and priveledge of visiting this community with another volunteer, Chiara Nardi, during the early part of May. 
 
The purpose for the trip was to disperse medicines and vitamins to animals. I had been given a donation by family friends to spend during my internship here and chose to spend part towards animals after speaking with a few people here about how it could best be used.  In communities such as Alto Katsi, where people and their animals live in close proximity, animal health is important.  Healthy animals mean healthy people.
 
So, the supplies were collected at the vetrinarian in Bribri, our bags were packed and off we went…let the adventure begin!
 
Life in Alto Katsi
 
Disclaimer:  It has been a challenge to write this part of my experience because life in Alto Katsi is another reality. I have grown up in one reality and one way of living on the planet. Alto Katsi is a different way of living in this world, going through daily life, experiencing nature. It is not fair to say one way is better than the other or place judgement.  So please read the following, knowing that is written through my lens and perspective on the world and I hope I can do some justice to what was an amazing experience.

Life in Alto Katsi is peaceful, beautiful, serene and surrounded by nature.  It is a hard life for residents as there is not consistent work for those who live there.  Most work daily is a matter of survival:  on their farms producing and cultivating for their own consumption.  Harvest is not a source of earnings and savings, for most it is the source of food.  In these times of food security issues, perhaps this kind of knowledge and production is some of the most sound.  What is poverty?  Who defines development?
 
There is no electricity and no running water.  As someone who has grown up in North American culture, with running water and electricity, I first assumed this would be a priority need for people.  Not so.  Living without electricity means there is a peace that comes from not having neighbors blaring music or televisions.  The people I did speak with who have experienced how life is with electricity said they preferred living without electricty. 
 
I found the evenings, after the sun went down and the rooms were lit with lamps and candles, became a sacred time of day for me.  People speaking quietly in Bribri in the room above where we had set up our tents, watching fireflies outside, or learning new words in Bribri.  Everyone went to sleep early, everyone woke up early.  Chiara’s best friend was the family rooster, who was very punctual each morning at 3:00amJ.
 
The source of water for everyone is the river.  The river is to bathe, to drink, to fish, to wash dishes, to wash clothes,….From what I could tell, most houses are located very near the river, perhaps a five minute walk.  On a particularly rainy, muddy day I was feeling grateful that the non-running water situation was temporary.  However, that said, the novelty of this beautiful river did not wear off during my four days there.  Beyond the novelty, however, are people who live here daily and it is not a temporary situation.  It is one full of economic, educational, nutritional challenges as well as limited access to basic needs.
 
 
The Balsa
 
Everyday is an adventure in Alto Katsi…crossing rivers on foot and on horseback, watching with great amusement and pigs, goats and cows were being chased and lasooed to receive their injections, battling mosquitoes, navigating muddy paths, bathing in the river, the kindness and generosity of the people we shared with and last, but certainly not lease the grand finale:  the balsa.
 
How would we get back to Bambu?  Horse?  Bus?  Hmmmm….  Justo told us on Saturday that we would get back by “Balsa” on the river.  I did not know what a Balsa was, but I understood via river so I assumed boat.  Then later on Saturday Justo told us that he and Diego would get up early on Sunday to make the Balsa and that we would leave together after that. 
 
         **Rebecca is thinking “MAKE the Balsa??!!  Ok, what is a Balsa?”
 
Think Huck Finn. Think six Balsa logs tied together with rope. Approaching the river and seeing the Balsa, my first thought was fear.  What the hell were we in for? 
 
Then the fear subsided as I saw the expertly crafted basic transport, the knots, the design and built by people who know the river as well as I know my childhood streets and roads.  Not only that, but a bench had been crafted and tied together for Chiara and I to sit on so we didn’t get wet.  I felt peace as we launched off and was very touched by the thoughtfulness, care and time that was put into this. The ride back to Bambu lasted a little under two hours and it was beautiful.  When we reached the riverbank at Bambu, the knots were untied, the logs were set loose and all that remained of the beautiful Balsa was the rope - to be saved for another use and another day.  There is a lot of wisdom, knowledge and expertise here when it comes to living with nature.
 
I feel most grateful for this four days. Much love and thanks to Diego, Justo, Marina and their family for being such kind and thoughtful hosts, and to Chiara who was a great traveller to share this intense experience with.

Rebecca Uncles, intern for Tropical Adventures

The Hojancha Christmas party took place this week for the kids and community members we work with in the beautiful town of Hojancha in Guanacaste Province in the North-West of Costa Rica.   We had 13 volunteers helping us in all, including a group of 12 from Central Michigan University - thanks so much guys!!  Thanks to all the wonderful donations we've received and the great help our volunteers gave us in putting up the decorations and organizing games, prizes and food, everyone had a wonderful day.

The kids from the small school next to the Camaronal Reserve (where our volunteers work doing turtle conservation) put on a puppet show for everybody all about turtles and the need for preservation.  All the children enjoyed the games we had and loved beating our group of volunteers at soccer!

Thank you so much to all the volunteers from Michigan who donated gift bags for the children from the  Daycare & Nutritional Center in Hojancha.  These were really special and all the items in the gift bags such as tooth brushes, tooth paste, pencils and stationery items are really important for the learning and healthy development of these kids.

We're today off to Puerto Viejo for the Bambu and Puerto Viejo parties over the weekend and coming week.  We're looking forward to meeting all the volunteers and we hope these events will be as successful as the Hojancha party!

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!

The following entry is by Lindsey, a volunteer who recently helped us out at our Hojancha Daycare Center Project:

Heading to Costa Rica

After graduating college and before starting full-time work I wanted to do something where I felt I was making a difference. So, I packed my bags and headed down to Costa Rica where I was welcomed by some of the most incredible people I have ever met. I was able to spend a week in the town of Hojancha staying with a host family and teaching English at the local Daycare Center.

Meeting My Host Family

When I arrived in Hojancha I was welcomed with open arms by my host family. Carmen and Carlos along with their daughters Karla and Gabby, and grandsons Carlos Eduardo and Jose Maria immediately made me feel at home. Throughout my week there they introduced me to many aspects of their life which made it very special for me. I had the pleasure of meeting some of their extended family, visiting their farm, attending a birthday party, watching them package their own brand of coffee and so much more. They included me in everything they did and made this a very wonderful experience.

Off to School

On my first day of classes I headed off to the Daycare Center with Carlos Eduardo where I met up with Ricardo from Tropical Adventures. Ricardo introduced me to Cecilia, the maestra, and all of the children I would get to play with all week. I was warmly greeted by everyone there and was quickly taken it as part of the group. Within five minutes of being there they had me dancing in circles and singing songs in Spanish.  I knew very little of what I was singing, but the kids got a kick out of me pretending to have the nose of an elephant and acting out the other words of the song right along with them. The entire week they included me in everything they did. When we were playing chef they put an apron and hair net on me. When we were walking to lunch they would take my hand and walk with me. And when there was a birthday party they shared their party favors with me. The entire staff did a great job of making me feel comfortable. They did everything from walking me home to make sure I got there safely to making sure I had enough to eat at lunch.

Teaching English at the Daycare Center…

Words cannot explain how rewarding it was to see the kids’ excitement to learn English. They would all bring me books and toys and games and ask me over and over how to say the words. Their enthusiasm would keep smiling all day! One of my favorite stories is about a four-year-old named Fabian. We were learning actions and he asked probably twenty to thirty times how to tell his parents he wanted to take a ‘shower’. His desire to perfect even just one word was really touching.

… And What it Was like Not Knowing Much Spanish

Truthfully, having only one semester of Spanish was a little difficult at first. The kids knew that I  spoke English but had a little harder time understanding that I didn’t know much Spanish.  A lot of our communicating seemed like a game of charades which turned out to be a lot of fun. By the end of the week they had helped to teach me Spanish and talking with them got easier.  Yes, I went with the intention of teaching English but looking back I realize that those kids taught me more than I could ever have hoped to teach them.

Saying Goodbye to All the Incredible People

The hardest part about the entire week was saying goodbye to everyone. On my last day at the school each of the students made me a paper flower. On the back they had written ‘con amor’ (with love) and their name. Each and every one of them gave me a flower along with a hug and a kiss and said thank you. It was extremely touching and made it all the more difficult to leave them. Having to say goodbye to my host family was just as hard.  I was only there for such a short time but they really made me feel like part of the family and I will never forget the wonderful time I had with them.