Throughout the year, many WorldTeach Costa Rica volunteers start or contribute to existing projects in addition to their regular teaching responsibilities. Nature Guide Training, teaching English to Red Cross volunteers, and developing environmental education projects with the National Children's Museum are just some of the opportunities that volunteers have taken advantage of in the past. Responsibilities include teaching classes from first through sixth grade, working with a Costa Rican counterpart, developing language and teaching skills, attending monthly meetings with a regional supervisor, reviewing lesson plans and curriculum development, organizing adult classes, and forming English clubs in their communities. To assist in the effort to raise the public's awareness of the importance of issues such as conservation, waste management, and reforestation, WorldTeach volunteers are introducing environmental education at primary and secondary schools, starting environmental clubs, and raising environmental awareness in their host communities. Placements Volunteers are placed at public primary schools throughout Costa Rica.
Sites range from small towns or farming communities to large, urban settings.
Distances are short in Costa Rica and public transportation is very easy to use, so it is unlikely that you will be placed more than two hours from another WorldTeach volunteer. Housing Volunteers live with local Costa Rican families, who receive a reimbursement from the MEP for housing and feeding WorldTeach volunteers. You will probably have your own room and share the bathroom and living space with your host family. Food Rice and beans are the staples of the Costa Rican diet and you will probably get used to eating them twice a day. Other traditional fare includes fried plantains, eggs, tortillas, and lots of fresh tropical fruits.