Rozelijn volunteered with us on the Turtle Conservation project on the Osa Peninsula in January of 2024. This is her review.
I volunteered for two weeks at the Mariposa camp in Carate for turtle conservation, and these were absolutely two of the most special weeks of my life. I would recommend the COPROT camps to anyone who wants to experience this beautiful life in one of the most rural and biologically diverse places on earth.
The team at the camp made me feel extremely welcome from the start. I have made connections with the people there and learned things from them (and about myself) that I will never forget.
I am normally a person who likes comfort and city life, but I wanted to do something outside of my comfort zone and I am so happy I did!! I saw so many amazing animals, like the scarlet macaws, a baby alligator, different types of monkeys, and of course the mama and baby turtles. Almost every evening I went to the beach to enjoy the breath-taking sunsets. The peace in this place is amazing and is something I will never forget.
Even though the camp has a pretty simple layout, it is super clean and there is enough space for everyone to relax. Waking up in the middle of the night to go on a patrol is definitely not easy, but it is all worth it, when you get to help a mama turtle with her nest or see wild babies hatch. You need to love a bit of hard work, but if you do, the rewards are truly unforgettable.
Once again: I would advise this to anyone. Get out of your comfort zone and do it, because staying at the COPROT camp is an experience you will hold on to for the rest of your life!!
I worked with Green Life Volunteers for this project and I am extremely grateful for all the help I got leading up to and during my volunteer time. Janina was super nice and actually recommended the turtle conservation project to me. She helped me book the national flights, choose a hostel in San Jose, get a taxi to and from the project, and much more. She has become a true friend during my time here and I would absolutely recommend working with Green Life Volunteers to anyone who wants to volunteer in Costa Rica.
