Volunteer: Sara. Country: Finnland. Age: 29. Project: Dog Rescue in Puerto Jimenez. Duration: 4 weeks. I immediately felt welcomed by GLV, after my first email was answered within hours. This first impression proved right. From when I first began planning my trip to my last days in Costa Rica, I could count on Janina’s help and flexibility to make my stay enjoyable.
She gave me plenty of tips for activities off the job, and was always just a phone call away if I encountered difficulties or was confused. The Tica family I stayed with was also extremely nice. I was one of the first volunteers at the new dog and cat rescue project in Puerto Jimenez, so there was a lot administrative / set up work to do, on top of taking care of the animals that were being housed at the time. I also got to assist at local spay and neuter clinics, which was a unique experience for me, since I’m not a vet. It was my first time volunteering abroad, something I’d always wanted to do, but that I had been weary of due to the high fees charged by the big organizations. I definitely felt needed at the project and was able to contribute to it in a meaningful way. And just like I had hoped for, I was able to do some short trips on my days off. I headed to Arenal/Monteverde for my last days in Costa Rica, and I must say I much preferred the Osa. I felt it was much more authentic and the nature is stunning!
