(For High School Students)
La Pura Vida - Pueblo a la Playa
4-Week Language Immersion, Cultural Exchange &
Service Program
Session 1A : June 28th - July 25th (28 days)
Session 1B : June 28th - July 25th (28 days)
Session 2A : July 3rd - July 30th (28 days)
Session 2B : July 3rd - July 30th (28 days)
Average size of group : 18 - 20 students
Grades for session 1A : 9 - 12
Grades for session 1B : 9 - 12
Grades for session 2A : 9 - 12
Grades for session 2B : 9 - 12
Tuition for 28 day program : $4895 (plus RT airfare from Newark)
* This Program Offers Staff Escorted Group Flights
Costa Rica’s most popular saying, “pura vida,” literally means “pure life.” And that’s just what you will get on this Global Works journey to this land of amazing geographic diversity and unassuming human warmth. From the small villages we live in to the beaches we play on, our experience will be one that is authentic and meaningful. Join us on one of our most popular and longest running immersion programs.
Service Projects*
- Earn 50-70 community service hours
- Work on small construction and erosion prevention projects with a Costa Rican conservation organization
- Help construct community facilities in the Pacific Region
- Teach English and lead “Día de Actividades” for local children
Language Immersion*
- Experience a Homestay in a small village
- Receive instruction from language teachers who work alongside students on service projects
- Practice your Spanish & teach English with Costa Rican Students
Adventure and Cultural Activities*
- Raft Costa Rica’s best white water
- Surf world class Pacific waves
- Take canopy walks and night hikes in Costa Rica’s beautiful cloud forests
- Enjoy a Latin dance class
*Please note that some of the projects and activities will change from year to year. A final itinerary will be printed prior to each trip.
SAMPLE ITINERARY
Orientation and Rafting (4 days) - Our experience begins in the San Jose Central Valley area B&B, where students get to know one another and establish goals for the weeks ahead. Here we will learn more about Costa Rica, take a Latin dance class, and loosen our muscles with an overnight rafting trip on one of the many spectacularly scenic rivers. We will also participate in some informal Spanish games and lessons, so please come with a desire to use your Spanish!
Cloud Forest Exploration and Service (4 days) - After settling in, we travel to work with local park rangers in one of Costa Rica’s pristine tropical cloud forests. A rigorous hike will bring us to a comfortable eco-lodge, our home for the next several days. Time will be spent on a combination of environmental projects (trail work, reforestation efforts, etc.), night hikes to view wildlife, and day hikes to swim or see waterfalls. If the weather cooperates, we may have a spectacular view of the active volcano, Arenal, and adjacent Lake Arenal. It is very common to spot monkeys, anteaters, parrots, coatimundis and dart frogs in the cloud forest!
Guanacaste/Nicoya Region and Homestays (11 days) - After our stay in the cloud forest, we head off for our community service projects in the Pacific Region. While living and working with local families, we will work on projects chosen by the residents. Each of our groups will live and work in its own unique community. Typical service projects include: pouring the foundation for a community center, painting and tiling a community kitchen, constructing a plant nursery, completing a sidewalk around the town square, building a school library, and assembling and painting school desks and chairs. We’ll have many opportunities for interaction with the local children. Los niños inevitably become integral members of our group. In addition, Global Works participants plan and teach English lessons, and organize and lead a “Día de Actividades”– an event for the community that includes field day competitions, art workshops, music, games and more! We will spend our afternoons and evenings joining in the daily lives of community members as we play soccer games, prepare special dinners, participate in a traditional game and dance night, or take short excursions.
Chirripo Hike (3 days) (Sessions 1) – After our homestay experience, we head back to the Central Valley for a chance to regroup and enjoy some “gringo” food and a movie. From here, our specified groups will head for a challenging three-day backpacking trip to the top of Mt. Chirripo, the highest peak in Costa Rica (12,500 feet). We spend two nights in huts just below the summit, allowing for a sunrise ascent of the summit and exploration of the surrounding glacial lakes and valleys. This hike is rigorous and takes an average of eight hours. It is achievable for everyone, so please come ready to physically challenge yourself!
Rincón de la Vieja National Park (3 days) (Session 2) – Following the homestay, we travel to northern Costa Rica’s most spectacular national park, Rincón de la Vieja. Four volcanoes surround this eco-adventurers paradise, home to an astounding array of plant life and animals such as monkeys, tapirs, sloths, quetzals, and even jaguars! Here the group ill stay in comfy eco-cabins on the grounds of a locally-owned working organic farm. We’ll explore the park via its phenomenal zip-line, and indulge ourselves in Rincon’s many thermal hot springs, mud baths, and hidden waterfalls. The combination of exciting activities in such a unique setting make Rincón the destination of a lifetime!
Pacific Eco-Resort and Surf Camp (3 days) – Time to hit the beach! We travel to the Pacific Coast, famous for its unique combination of rainforest and ocean settings. We spend two days boogie-boarding, enjoying zip-line canopy tours, and viewing wildlife. For two days we challenge ourselves with surf lessons taught by professional instructors. The wave conditions on this beach provide the perfect opportunity for all levels to hang ten!
Central Valley and Travel Home (3 days) - Leaving paradise is always sad, but our trip back to the Central Valley gives us time to share our memories before we fly home. At a celebratory dinner in a nice restaurant we have an ‘awards ceremony’ to reflect upon our last four weeks together. We realize that Costa Rica and the friends we have made will be with us forever.
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