Authentic Service and Immersion in Costa Rica

The Amigos program gave me a social and cultural experience I couldn’t find anywhere else and I am still infinitely grateful I had the opportunity to go. On this trip I got to meet a bunch of new and amazing people, from other volunteers and supervisors to host families and locals. I am still in contact with the other volunteers and my host family and message them daily! Every day on our trip was an amazing time getting to participate in volunteering and exploration activities and creating a tightly knit group of volunteers. The experience was also a great chance to actively speak Spanish in a real life situation and be able to communicate with people in my second language. I am so glad I chose to go on this trip and I would recommend it to every young student looking to broaden their world view and have an experience like no other!

I had an amazing experience with Amigos this summer. I took part in a 3 week program called Olas y Cerros, which was focused on environmental sustainability, conservation work, and youth leadership. We traveled to 3 main locations and stayed in a homestay with local "parents" for a large portion of the project, and my homestay experience was great. My "parents" were very understanding of anything I needed and our conversations every meal definitely helped my Spanish. I loved the projects we participated in with partner agencies, especially our work with ASTOP in Parismina, where we helped clean up beaches and watched turtle eggs hatch. I had very few, if any, negative experiences on my program and I came out of it with a better grasp of Spanish language, knowledge of Costa Rican culture, and self-awareness.

My experience on the Amigos de las Americas La Brunca project was extremely valuable and transformative. I met so many people from all over Costa Rica and the United States that became my family for three weeks. My time with my host family in community was so special, as I was able to connect and bond with my host siblings and improve my Spanish skills. I learned so much about sustainability and agriculture in Costa Rica and was able to become close with the other volunteers. It was an overall amazing experience and I will cherish it for the rest of my life.

Our fifteen year-old son participated in AMIGOS de las Americas Cartigo Y Caribe service program this summer and as my title states, it was a transformative experience. He was immersed in the culture, experienced multiple cities in Costa Rica and was able to provide service. AMIGOS did an amazing job of preparing him and us for his three week experience. He came home with such an appreciation for Costa Rica and learned invaluable skills. Safety is of the utmost importance in AMIGOS and we knew that we could trust the organization with him.

The amount that I gained from this program went way beyond my expectations. My spanish improved to the point where I was much more confident in speaking spanish to others. But perhaps the largest gain was the ability for me to open up a lot more, and become so much less introverted. By living with 20 other members for 3 weeks, I was able to become more social and create close bonds with my fellow AMIGOS members. Finally, I was also able to deeply appreciate the community of Costa Rica-- their fun and loving culture, amazing food, and large commitment to sustainable development.

I enjoyed our volunteer experiences (cleaning up a beach, painting benches at a park, and creating a garden). I also met great people from Costa Rica and different states in the US. I lived with a host family and loved eating all of the typical Costa Rican food. We went to a local middle school and interacted with the young students. We made cheese on a dairy farm, which was fascinating. I wrote in my journal every day. It was a good experience not having my phone. I learned a lot of card games and became really good friends with my roommates.

I would 100% recommend this program to anyone interested in trying it out. I was beyond satisfied with how much I grew throughout this program; whether it was improving my Spanish, learning about the culture and people, or even just creating lifelong connections and bonds with others in the program. The AMIGOS coordinators and staff were very respectful and kind, as well as hard-working. My experience with AMIGOS was probably one of the best experiences of my life. I especially appreciated how comforting the people and environment there were. Beyond grateful to have been able to attend this program.

My trip to Los Santos with AMIGOS was a memorable experience for sure.
The dining and lodging accommodations were very high quality and super enjoyable, and the project staff were nice. Although, it seemed as though some of the first year staff members could’ve used more training. The social aspect of the trip was rocky. I would’ve appreciated better communication skills from the project staff.
The educational aspect was great. We got to tour farms and build relationships with families from the area. I really appreciated how the activities were strategically and effectively planned, plus the fact that we got free days.
AMIGOS also took great care to educate all of the volunteers about the country and its history, stressing the importance of cultural humility and educating us on social Justice issues as well.