Volunteer Vacation Testimonials

We were working directly with an active member of the church we were building benches for. We got feedback from families who fed us lunches and dinners that they appreciated the work we were doing. Federico was great! We were really grateful to have him all to ourselves! The information he shared our first night there about cultural differences and what to expect was very helpful. 

The free time was perfect! A couple hours to do our own thing each afternoon/evening was good to reflect on the day and refresh before having a meal with a local family. The extensive touring was very informative and fun without being rushed.

We loved the food, getting to learn more Spanish, learning new skills that were used to help the community, and getting to know so much about the country and valley. We are so grateful for this opportunity and all that Federico provided during our stay as well as how helpful Norma and Kimberly were in planning and preparing to go.

Lori Bane
Orosi Valley, Costa Rica.
March, 2025

“We got to do a significant amount of cultural immersion and exchange with the local community: understand their way of life and values, participate in their traditions (tamales on Christmas, for example), eat in family members' homes every day, and share our perspectives with them. We could see where our program fees would improve the local community (construction materials, families hosting us for meals, etc). We worked on a project that was right-sized for our small group of 2 people (building tables at a local community center) and were able to see the results at the end.

We had enough personal downtime to process our experiences within the community, especially with a small group of 2. Accommodations were good. There was enough space, and we enjoyed having coffee and snacks in the kitchen and trying local Costa Rican cooking. Some of the things we liked best were the cultural exchange and project work, a leisure trip to local hot springs, and our coordinator, Federico!

Federico was great. He spent a lot of time with us, communicating what to expect and soliciting our feedback on how to get the most out of our time in Orosi Valley. He did lots of translation. We also tried using our limited Spanish to interact and apps like Google Translate to carry on direct conversations.”

Keith Torluemke
Orosi Valley, Costa Rica.
November, 2024

“It was very rewarding to work with the community center and have an amazing time with the local families. It was an amazing experience for our family and sharing new experiences with my 4-year-old daughter. She already wants to do India next!

There was a great balance between seeing things and helping with projects. It was nice that Federico gave us late afternoons to rest and shower before dinner. Travelling with a 4-year-old made those rest times very important.

The best part of the week was Federico and the families! Federico was an amazing host, making us feel at home and so knowledgeable about local plants, wildlife, and customs. It was so great to have him as a translator with the families, and you can tell he has strong relationships with them. The families were so welcoming and authentic, and it was a highlight to get to know them. The food was SO GOOD, and it was really sweet of them to make vegetarian food for us. 

Thank you so much for building this program. You can see the good it has done in the community, and it was so educational for my family! The families were so welcoming, and it was amazing to cultivate such authentic connections after so short of a time (even with a language barrier). We will treasure the memories forever and hope to be lifelong friends with our coordinator.”

Amy Corp
Orosi Valley, Costa Rica.
November, 2024