These answers to frequently asked questions will help inform you about the program in Costa Rica. If you have further questions, please call the WorldTeach office at 1-800-483-2240 or 617-495-5527. We can also put you in touch with a returned Costa Rica volunteer.
Q: When does the program start and end?
A: The program starts in early June and ends in mid-August. Volunteers must commit to the full duration of the program. More information on exact dates of departure will be available about 2 months prior to departure.
Q: Do I need to speak Spanish?
A: Knowledge of Spanish is not required for application or participation in the program. Volunteers with many different levels of Spanish speaking ability have participated successfully in the program in the past. However, some prior exposure to the language will help you adjust to life in Costa Rica more quickly. We recommend you start learning Spanish (or brush up if your Spanish is "rusty") before you leave, either through classes or practice with a Spanish speaker. Returned volunteers agree: the more you speak before you go, the easier it is to adjust once in-country. Once you arrive in Costa Rica you will receive a week of intensive orientation training that will include language practice. In Costa Rica you will speak Spanish on a daily basis with your host family, colleagues, and in the community, although you will use mostly English in the classroom.
Q: Will I get any training in teaching?
A: Yes. Your first week in-country will be spent in an intensive orientation training program with your fellow volunteers. This will include orientation to the country and culture, language training and teacher training. Teacher training will focus on ESL teaching methods and techniques, lesson planning, teaching resources, and feedback from your peers and Orientation leaders.
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Q: When will I find out where I will be teaching?
A: All summer volunteers in Costa Rica teach English in public secondary schools. Teaching sites range from very small towns or farming communities to more urban settings, though almost all placements are very rural. It is in the rural areas that teachers are most needed. Volunteers may be placed in the central mountains, in the plains of Guanacaste, or on the Pacific coast. See the Sample Placements to read some volunteers' descriptions of their teaching site and host community.
Teaching placements are determined by the WorldTeach Field Director in consultation with the Ministry of Education. Once accepted to the program, a volunteer may express general preferences with regard to their teaching or living situation. The Field Director will take these preferences and the volunteer's background into account when matching them with a suitable school and host family. Since WorldTeach also has to take into account the needs of the host communities, and the direction of the Ministry, we cannot guarantee any particular placement. This process of matching volunteers with placement sites is done once the Field Director has received information on all the volunteers in the group. You will receive detailed information about your placement site, teaching assignment and host family about one month prior to departure. Host communities have usually hosted WorldTeach volunteers before, and are very welcoming. Volunteers find that with flexibility and an open, positive attitude they soon become very involved in and attached to their host communities.
Q: What type of housing will I be staying in?
A: Wherever possible volunteers live with Costa Rican host families, either in the family's home or in a room or house nearby. Most volunteers have their own bedroom and share the bathroom and living space with their host family. They eat meals with the family, and enjoy being a part of family life. Host families are paid a stipend (provided by the Ministry of Education, administered by WorldTeach) to cover the costs of hosting a volunteer. Volunteers will live with two host families during the course of the program, one during orientation and the other at their teaching site. Host families are eager to host a volunteer because they enjoy the cultural exchange, and they treat the volunteer like one of the family. Volunteers find living with a family takes patience and flexibility, but enables them to integrate into the community, learn about the culture, and make lasting friendships.
Please keep in mind that housing accommodations in Costa Rica will generally not be as comfortable in the US. The WorldTeach field staff visits every site to ensure that you will be housed safely; however, you should not expect "all the comforts of home." If this is a concern for you, please contact WorldTeach. We can put you in touch with a former volunteer who can elaborate on what you can expect in Costa Rica.
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Q: Does WorldTeach arrange travel to Costa Rica?
A: WorldTeach arranges travel for each group departing for Costa Rica from a departure city in the USA. The group will meet at the departure city airport and then travel together to San Jose, Costa Rica. The international flight from the departure city to San Jose is covered by the WorldTeach program fee, as is the return flight at the end of the program. WorldTeach purchases round-trip tickets valid for one year at a discounted group rate. Each volunteer is responsible for getting him/herself to the departure city (usually Miami, but this will be confirmed for your group). More details of the group flight arrangements will be available about 2 months prior to departure. You will then be asked to confirm your travel plans. Many volunteers are able to find discounted or teacher/student fare domestic connections from the internet or student travel agencies such as Student Universe or STA Travel.
Q: Can I make my own travel arrangements?
A: You may opt out of the WorldTeach group flight. You should arrange your own flights if you plan to travel in Costa Rica before the program starts, or if you do not plan to leave from the United States. If you do book your own travel to Costa Rica you must plan to arrive in San Jose on or before the date of the group flight's arrival, so that you do not miss any orientation activities. Be sure to buy a ticket that is valid for a full year and has a changeable return date, in case your travel plans should change. Volunteers traveling independently must inform the program manager in writing of their travel plans. If you purchase your own air ticket WorldTeach will deduct from your program fee the cost of one ticket on our group flight.
Q: Can I come home during the summer?
A: As a WorldTeach volunteer in Costa Rica you are an employee of the Ministry of Education and are responsible for teaching full time for the duration of the program. Because your time in Costa Rica is short, it is very difficult to schedule any time to go home, though exceptions can be made in emergency situations. Any trips home or other personal travel will be at your own expense.
Q: Will there be a chance to travel to other places?
A: You will have opportunities to see different areas of Costa Rica. You will spend the week of orientation as a group in a small town located about an hour and a half from San Jose. After orientation you will travel to your individual teaching site. You will reconvene with the whole group for a Mid-Service Conference and again at the end of the year for an End of Service debriefing meeting. Your travel costs to attend these program-related meetings will be covered. Any travel you choose to do beyond these program activities will be at your own expense, and must be during weekends or school vacations. You may want to visit other volunteers at weekends, or explore another part of the country. You should bring your own spending money for personal travel.
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Q: Do I need to get a visa?
A: No visa is required for entry to Costa Rica if you are a US, Canadian, or EU passport holder. A tourist/visitor visa, good for 90 days, will be stamped into your passport upon arrival. Non-US passport holders should contact the WorldTeach office to discuss their visa needs - for citizens from some countries a prior application for a tourist visa is required.
Q: What immunizations are required?
A: No immunizations are required for entry to Costa Rica. However, as for travel to any developing country, it is generally recommended that you get immunized against Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, and Typhoid. You should also make sure that your Polio, Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), and Tetanus-Diptheria (TTD) vaccinations are up to date, or get a booster shot if necessary. Also check that you have had a recent TB test.
The best source of information on immunizations and travel health is the Center for Disease Control's website. This site provides recommendations for travel to Central America as well as detailed information on specific diseases. Also refer to the Healthy Travel guide that WorldTeach will send you when you confirm your participation in the program. You must consult your doctor or a travel health specialist about immunizations and other health needs. Please understand that WorldTeach staff members are not qualified to give medical advice.
Q: What if I get sick? Are there doctors and hospitals?
A: You should expect some sickness as your body adjusts to a new environment. You will need to look after yourself, and to ask local people for help. There are public clinics in most major towns and a private hospital in San Jose. During orientation you will learn where to go if you need to see a doctor.
As a WorldTeach volunteer you will have health insurance coverage that includes emergency medical evacuation insurance. For medical expenses such as doctors visits, prescribed medicines, etc. you pay up front, keep the receipt, and then file a claim to get reimbursed by the insurance company. All volunteers are covered under the WorldTeach group insurance policy; it is not optional. The policy has been designed specially with WorldTeach volunteers in mind. If you have a pre-existing health condition that may require further treatment you should consider maintaining your own health insurance coverage as well. You will be sent the health insurance policy information when you are accepted as a volunteer.
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Q: Is it safe?
A: While there is always some level of risk involved in traveling and living in a developing country, WorldTeach pays close attention to US State Department and Embassy advice and does not place volunteers in any area considered dangerous.
Costa Rica is a stable democratic country. Many people visit Costa Rica as tourists, students, or on business. Costa Rica is also a developing country, with economic difficulties that give rise to social tensions. Risk of theft is present (as it is everywhere, in your home town too!) and you will need to take sensible precautions to look after your personal belongings. Do not take any belongings that you are not prepared to lose. As in most countries, road accidents pose the greatest risk. You will need to use common sense, be responsible for yourself and aware of your surroundings, and travel with other people wherever possible. Your host family and community will know you and look out for your safety. Your Field Director will discuss safety and health during orientation, and you will each be registered with your Embassy in case of a national emergency.
Q: Will I have internet access?
A: Internet access is becoming more readily available in Costa Rica. It is unlikely that volunteers will have internet in their towns, but you should have internet access in regional towns and cities a few hours from your site.
A: A suggested packing list will be included in the guide to Living and Teaching in Costa Rica (which you should receive with your confirmation packet). Do not take too much baggage - you will need to be able to carry it easily. You will find that most things are available in Costa Rica.
Q: Will I be paid?
A: No stipends are paid to summer volunteers. However, many volunteers find that they qualify for scholarships and international travel/internship funds from their universities or other funding agencies. Volunteers are encouraged to look into these possibilities.
Q: How much money should I take?
A: The amount of spending money you will need is very subjective. It will depend on how much you intend to travel, and the lifestyle you intend to lead. Volunteers living in or frequenting urban areas will probably spend more money than volunteers in rural areas who spend most weekends in their host community. Costa Rica is not as inexpensive as some other countries in Central/South America. Your room and board (daily meals) are provided by your host community, and WorldTeach reimburses program-related travel to meetings. You will need some spending money for personal costs such as communications with home and social activities, and for paying up-front for medical expenses. Traveler's checks are the safest way to take money as they can be replaced if lost. You can also draw money using a credit or ATM card at banks in San Jose and other more urban locations. Many volunteers choose to open a bank account in Costa Rica, so that their money is safe and can be accessed from most large towns.
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