Hailie – Age: 28, Nationality: USA, Projects: Organic Farming & Turtle Conservation
Hailie’s Review (taken from Abroad Reviews):
Janina is a very helpful and passionate program coordinator. Upon my arrival to Puerto Jimenez, she took me around the town and helped me by supplies, even took me for a dip in the ocean with her dogs. I felt as though she treated me like a friend, and that was very nice welcoming day.
The Green Life Volunteers program offers a variety of opportunities to experience life in different parts of the country as well as do work on many different projects, whatever your interests may be.
I chose the organic farming and sea turtle conservation. Life on the farm was incredible, but not for people who are squeamish about insects and animals. However, if you are looking to step out of your comfort zone and live in the heart of nature, be in awe of the beauty that surrounds you every morning and see what it is like to live simply, and with hard work, this is definitely a project you should consider. It was by far my most memorable experience to date. It is also a huge plus that my host mom is an amazing cook! The family is so kind and one of my favorite parts of being there was laying in the hammocks after dinner with everyone and talking, as we listened to the sounds of the insects and frogs in the the laguna.
The sea turtle project was really fun and a great way to meet volunteers from all over the world. Be prepared to walk at least 7 miles on the nightly patrols, along the beach. You should probably be in pretty decent physical condition before considering this project. I lost about 15lbs during my month in costa rica, and it felt great to get so much exercise! You will be served healthy meals and will eat in a family-like atmosphere with the rest of the volunteers. You will have a LOT of downtime to enjoy the beach or read, write, play music, SURF, whatever your interests are. A perfect mix of work & vacation. Keep in mind, that it’s best to visit the project during “high” season for turtles. Unfortunately, during my 1 week stay in July, I did not see any turtles. Only a few tracks, with no nests… It’s best to go in September- November. However, I do not regret my time at the project, because I met so many amazing people and truly had the time of my life.
I would definitely recommend Green Life volunteers to anyone and plan on returning again to try other projects or maybe the same ones. 🙂
Thank you, Janina for such a wonderful organization and experience.
