December 2010 , First Team of 2011, Arriving

On the left: Amy shows progress on the first day in Cebadilla Community Center.

Team Journal

Saturday 12-18-10: dinner reception

The adventure started with a nice sit down informal dinner at Las Orquideas. The night was pretty quiet, but to be expected because most people were jet lagged and none of us knew each other prior to this experience.


Sunday 12-19-10

9:00am: Orientation meeting

It seems as if the goals of the meeting were to start forming our team and to better understand the guiding principals and rules of this volunteer opportunity. It’s all about the people. The people on our team and the people we will be serving with. Whether talking about Global Volunteers or the local people, we are all learning about different cultures and their particular values on life.

We had about an hour to eat lunch and the food was good.

1:10pm: off to Monteverde

We are officially off on our “3 hour tour”. It was a beautiful day for the drive and not much traffic. The sky was so clear on the way up that Nia even let the driver pull over so we could be “tourists” and take the scenic photos of the beautiful landscape. And wow was it beautiful as we climbed the mountain! When we got to the gravel road, you could see and feel a little anxiety in the bus. We finally arrived at the hotels and had about 45 minutes to get settled in our rooms and/or adventure out for a bit.

5:20 pm: team meeting

We discussed team characteristics and did an informal Spanish lesson. I can’t believe how good Nia can speak English!

6:00: dinner

Dinner was brought to the hotel by a caterer and the food was great. We had fish, rice and salad. Rosanne had brought some delicious cornbread from Chicago and was gracious enough to share with the entire team. Delicioso!! With that, the night has ended. The real work begins tomorrow.

Amy

Thanks to our Partners in Costa Rica!

Dear Friends,
As we celebrate Global Volunteers' 25th Anniversary in the world and our 18th anniversary in Costa Rica, we share our joy of the contributions made. We also wish to thank the unconditional support of our fellow Host Partners and vendors in the area of Santa Elena and Monteverde. We wish to reiterate our commitment to sustainable development in the context of peace, harmony and collaboration for the benefit of those who need the support of our volunteers en la Santa Elena, Monteverde and surrounding areas. We wish you all peace and ask for more volunteers to work in partnership with us in Costa Rica!

Thank you, Nia Salas
Global Volunteers Country Manager

http://25years.globalvolunteersonline.org/

December 2008

Costa Rica Tribute to our volunteers...

Dear Volunteers,

The Costa Rica Service Program is held in the Monteverde Region and surroundings, in quite emblematic peaceful villages, where life is simple, where life is taken at a slower pace, tranquility and friendship cherished as the greatest of treasures. Help us make a difference for the kids, the hope of progress and self sufficiency of the cooperatives we serve, like the coffee and arts and crafts coops, the village that now has the first computer room in an elementary school of the region, mini health clinics, gyms, community centers, drainage pipes, thanks to all the volunteers that generously chose to serve in this program.

But there is so much more that needs to be accomplished! One of our villages is even preparing surprises for the volunteers that will come on Independence Day (Sep 15th), the ladies even meeting in their spare time, to design good meals for volunteers whose faces and names are yet to be known but that they trust will sign up to help the village… Help us make the difference in their lifes! They are eager to welcome you and greet you with a smile!

I would like to share my favorite quote from Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world …Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has”.

Come , visit, serve, leave your “soul-print” in our hearts and land!

Saludos from the Cloud Forest,

Nia Salas
Costa Rica Country Manager