Volunteer abroad impact on Community: Global Volunteers

Our last team to colaborate with the SR community was in charge of many tasks. One was to change the electrical system for the community center. As you can see in the photos all is working well and it was quite importat to do just in time for the local fiestas held this past weekend.

The fence was also painted at the community center. One side served as the going away point for the "cabalgata" and the other to station the animals before it started.

December 2010, First Team, Cebadilla ladies demonstrate tamal making for Christmas

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

Spring into Service

"Spring into Service” with Global Volunteers to receive a special limited discount offer for our March and April 2011 teams!

Four or more volunteers who apply by January 31 for any of these 28 teams in 16 countries will receive a discount of $200 off our standard service program fee, per volunteer, for one-, two- or three-week international programs or $100 off our standard service program fee, per volunteer, for USA programs. No other discounts apply.

Please encourage others to volunteer in our five fundamental project areas: education (especially promotion of girls education), labor and community infrastructure, health care, child care, and food and nutrition. Call me at 800-487-1074 for details and I’ll assist you every step of the way.

Our worldwide host communities can’t wait to welcome you!

Be a bridge of understanding and peace! As a Global Volunteers team member, you're a catalyst for local people's vision of self-reliance and prosperity. You can truly make a difference! Global Volunteers pioneered direct service-learning programs abroad in 1984, and has mobilized more than 27,000 short-term volunteers on long-term development projects in more than 120 host communities on six continents.

Costa Rica Service Program Dates, March & April Teams:
19-Mar-11 to 2-Apr-11
30-Apr-11 to 14-May-11

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