Costa Rica Travel Guide / Volunteer Manual

We are proud and excited to be your host in Costa Rica. We have fun volunteer projects and adven-turous tours waiting for you!

This is a land of beautiful, white sand beaches, monkeys and lush tropical vegetation. Costa Rica is a family-oriented country. Be ready to be welcomed with opened arms!

We have created this manual to help you prepare for your trip. Please take some time to read through it carefully if you have any questions, please let us know by email [email protected] or by phone at 1-800-832-9419.

See you soon!

Introduction

The Tropical Adventures Foundation is a non-profit resource for empowering individuals and communities inside and outside of Costa Rica. Our website address is www.TropicalAdventures.com

Our goals are to:• Support the inherent value of the individual, • Reduce poverty and injustice• Create safe environments for women and children• Promote international learning and cooperation• Foster personal and worldwide Peace

What We Do: • Encourage Self-Discovery• Provide Volunteer Opportunities• Book hotels, transportation and Tours• Foster Respect through our Projects• Help create Self-Sufficiency in our Communities

Costa Rica is an amazing and biologi-cally diverse country located in Central America. Costa Rica is bordered to the North by Nicaragua and to the South by Panama. The official language of Costa Rica is Spanish.

Costa Rica is the “Switzerland of Central America” according to many well-known guidebooks. Costa Rica is a democratic nation with a Nobel Peace prizewinner as its President, Oscar Arias. Costa Rica is a peaceful nation with no army since 1948.

Costa Rica is about the size of West Virginia. It is approximately 20,000 square miles in area. The average life expectancy here in Costa Rica is 76.1 years, higher than that of the USA.

Many attribute that to the relaxed atmosphere and laid-back way of life here. The major exports of Costa Rica are bananas, coffee, sugar cane and pineapple.

Costa Rica is rich in natural beauty and has many different micro climates, which range from hot and humid lowlands, spectacular volcanoes, tropi-cal rainforests, dry forests, and higher elevation mountainous zones. Costa Rica has 7 provinces: San Jose (also the capital city), Alajuela, Guanacaste, Puntarenas, Limon, Heredia, and Cartago. Each province is unique geo-graphically and culturally. Costa Rica welcomes visitors from around the world every year and those adventur-ous tourists definitely do not leave unsatisfied.

About Costa Rica

www.TropicalAdventures.com

About

Costa

Rica

Costa Ricans speak standard Spanish and Central American Spanish, but they, like most other Central American countries over the years, have developed distinct patterns in their language.

Costa Ricans normally use the respectful "Usted" form when addressing each other; this is somewhat formal and surprises some Spanish-speaking foreigners when they arrive. Also, when they do use the familiar form, they often use the less polite vos rather than tú, which is used in most other Latin American countries.

Education is highly regarded in Costa Rica by most of the population. 6% of the country's resources are dedicated to educa-tion and it has been proved to have positive results as > 95% of the population is literate.

Primary (1st-6th grade) and secondary (7th-11th or 12th) are free and mandatory for all citizens. However, primary and secondary public education is widely considered to lack the quality and resources seen in private elementary schools, therefore most of the middle class and upper middle class populations opt to send their children to private institutions.

At the university level, the country has four major public universities: The University of Costa Rica (UCR),the Instituto Technoogico (TEC), The Universidad Nacional (UNA) and the Universidad de Educacion a Distancia (UNED), this last institution is a correspondence institution. Most of the national universities have institutional autonomy and considerable budgets that have allowed them to become some of the major universities in Central America.

Due to the four main universities inability to meet the demand of the growing popula-tion, a great variety of private institutions have begun to appear in the country. Despite this boom in private investment, private institutions are still fighting for the prestige mainly associated with the public universities, and most Costa Ricans when

asked, will have a more positive opinion of someone who graduated from a public university.

Because of the interest in education, most Costa Ricans firmly believe in education as a way to improve their life.

Costa Ricans usually greet one another with a slight peck on one cheek or in the case of two men, a hand shake. If that situation is uncomfortable for you then extend your arm and offer a hand shake. Costa Ricans are respectful of this type of greeting especially when people meet for the first time and will not be offended.

Costa Rica is generally a rather conserva-tive culture. Men and women typically hold traditional roles and that is the norm of Costa Rican society. Alcohol use is legal for those over 18 years of age. The law in Costa Rica regarding recreational drugs is that they are illegal even though in various parts of world they have been legalized. We encourage participants to abide by local laws during their visit to Costa Rica.

A person from the United States is normally referred to as a gringo. For Costa Ricans, the word "gringo" is slang for a United States citizen as "Tico" is slang for a Costa Rican. This term is widespread as Ameri-cans constitute a significant percentage of tourists in Costa Rica. Tourists are almost always well-liked and treated hospitably.

If you are blonde (especially women), don't be offended if you hear yourself described as 'la macha' or ‘la machita’ (literally, 'the blonde') - it is used in polite speech in Costa Rica and is more a term of endearment than anything else. You may also find that some men call out to you using this term while you are walking in the street. It is up to you whether you wish to return the greeting with a polite ‘hola’ or ‘buenos dias’ but ignoring it usually prevents any unwanted advances.

Costa Rican Culture

About

Costa

Rica

www.TropicalAdventures.com

One of the most breathtaking species of butterflies is the morpho, with its 15 cm (6-inch) wingspan and electric blue upper wings. Floating over the rivers, usually on sunny mornings, they are a stunning sight. When they land, only their brown under-wings are visible; a camouflage to protect them from their enemies. Such camouflage is prominent in the butterfly community. Some species look just like the leaves and bark of the trees on which they rest. Yet others have wings with spots that resemble eyes. Predators occa-sionally attack their wings, leaving them with only minor injuries, their heads and bodies safe from harm. Costa Rica is home to roughly 150 species of amphibians, some of which are extremely colorful and exotic. There are tree frogs which spend their entire lives above the forest floor, breeding in the water of tank bromeliads or in holes in the trunks of trees. Others, the poison-arrow frogs, are exuberantly colored, ranging from bright red with blue or green legs to bright green with black markings. These frogs emit skin toxins that are distasteful or lethal to their potential predators, and their bright coloration serves to warn predators of their danger.

There are over 200 species of reptiles in Costa Rica, over half of them snakes. But snakes are rarely encountered, even by those looking for them. Often they are nocturnal or superbly camouflaged, and if they lie perfectly still on the forest floor, they can be virtually impossible to detect. More frequently seen are the country's lizards. The common Ameiva has a white stripe running down its back. Bright green basilisk lizards can reach a meter (3 ft) in length. Their huge crests run the length of their heads, giving them the appearance of a dinosaur. They are nicknamed "Jesus Christ lizards" because they can run across water when disturbed. Costa Rica is also home to crocodiles and turtles. The 14 turtle species include both marine and freshwater varieties. The larg-est of the marine turtles are leatherbacks. Their shells are up to a meter and a half (5 feet) and they weigh upwards of 360 kg (800 lb)! Marine turtles climb up sandy beaches to lay their eggs, a spectacular sight because it happens en masse. Olive Ridleys nest synchronously -- tens of thou-sands of females sometimes emerge from the sea in a single night!

Costa Rican Weather

About

Costa

Rica

Although Costa Rica is a small country in terms of area, there is a lot going on here in terms of weather in Costa Rica. With a climate that is diverse and varied, Costa Rica can be divided into several climatic zones, each of which is distinct and individual. Though generally classified as a tropical country because of its close proximity to the equator, Costa Rica has no real winter period, and the sun shines here throughout the year. With over 12 hours of sunshine a day, the sun rises at about 5 am and sets at about 6 pm consistently throughout the year. Here is a pretty handy chart. It shows our project locations and dry / wet season info:

Literally translated means "Pure Life" but means contextually something approximate to "Full of Life," "Purified life," "Going great," or "Cool!". Some foreigners view the phrase as an expression of a leisurely lifestyle, of disregard for time and wanton friendliness. However, Costa Ricans use the phrase to express something akin to a philosophy of strong community, persever-ance, good spirits, and enjoying life slowly and celebrating good fortune of magnitudes small and large alike.

Pura Vida

About

Costa

Rica

Indigenous PopulationsThe Indigenous populations in Costa Rica are rapidly decreasing in numbers as their children are forced to adapt to modern culture in an effort to survive. As these children leave for the cities they often leave part of their culture behind. Tropical Adventures works with other non profits and strives to create and implement programs that assist these local tribes in empowering themselves while maintaining their cultural traditions.

Over 200 mammal species have been recorded in Costa Rica. Observant visitors to the national parks and other protected areas are almost certain to see one of the country's four types of monkeys -- howler, spider, white-faced capuchin and squirrel monkeys. The country is also home to a wide assortment of tropical mammals. There are two types of sloths: the more commonly seen three-toed sloth, and the more rarely seen two-toed sloth. Three types of anteaters, reside in Costa Rica; the tamandua is most commonly seen, while the others, the giant and silky anteaters are rarely glimpsed. Visitors to Costa Rica's rainforests are likely to see armadillos, agoutis, coatis, peccaries (wild pigs), kinkajous, raccoons, squirrels and bats. However, some rainforest animals are almost never seen. Jaguars and tapirs, for example, are now consid-ered endangered species. Still, their tracks are regularly seen in the more remote, larger expanses of undisturbed forest such as that surrounding the Rara Avis Reserve.

Over 35,000 species of insects have been recorded in Costa Rica, with thousands more still undiscov-ered. Most noteworthy among these are the butter-flies. It is estimated that 10% of the world's butterfly species reside in Costa Rica.

Costa Rican Wildlife

Time Zone

About

Costa

Rica

Costa Rica is in the Central Standard Time Zone (same as Chicago), 6 hours behind Greenwich mean time. Costa Rica does not use daylight saving time, so the time difference is an additional hour April through October.

Food

The food in Costa Rica is based around rice, beans, some meat and plenty of delicious tropical fruits. For breakfast, expect wonderful, fresh fruit along with eggs and “Gallo Pinto,” a national dish of fried rice and black beans. Typical lunch and dinner meals include rice and beans, salads, and either fish, chicken or beef. On the Caribbean Coast you will also find delicious homemade Caribbean-style food, such as jerk chicken or curry dishes. The food will vary depending on which center or host family you are staying with.

Electricity & WaterWater and electricity are things that we often take for granted in first world coun-tries. In Costa Rica, there are often distur-bances in the delivery of these services due to rationing or poorly maintained pipes/lines. You might consider bringing anti-bacterial gel for hand washing should you find yourself in a water or power outage (sometimes water pumps are run on electricity). In Costa Rica they use110v electricity therefore adapters/converters should not be needed for those coming from the United States and Canada.

Toilet PaperThe Costa Rican plumbing system has very low pressure in all but the best hotels and more modern buildings. Often, putting toilet paper into the bowl clogs up the system, so a waste receptacle is provided for the soiled toilet paper. This may not seem particularly sanitary but it’s much better than clogged toilet bowls. In places where toilet paper baskets are provided, volunteers are urged to use them. Pretty much every host family, hostel and restaurant will require that you place your toilet paper in the trash. It may seem a bit strange at first, but it won’t seem as uncomfortable as asking your host family to help you when the water from the toilet is flowing all over the bathroom floor if you decide to flush the paper down the toilet instead and it all gets clogged up!

If you want to use your own cell phone, you need to know the following:

1 Your telephone must by a GSM phone with either Tri-Band capacity or work on the 1800Mhz frequency

2 Your telephone must have the bands "unblocked". Many carriers in the U.S. like AT&T, T-Mobile and Cingular block their bands when you the telephone is included on their plans. If your telephone is blocked it will not work in Costa Rica.

3 Most European phones are not blocked and will work well in Costa Rica if you meet the criteria in item 1 above.Costa Rica now allows non-residents the opportunity to buy prepaid SIM cards to use in your phone. We recommend buying a SIM card in the airport upon arrival from one of the ICE phone company booths. One of them is conveniently located by the luggage carousels The cost is 5,000 Colones (about $2.50 USD) and will come with a credit of 5,000 Colones so you can immediately begin to make phone calls.

Keeping In Touch

Keeping

In

Touch

Cell Phone Coverage Keeping a Travel Blog We would also love to post your story or blog entry about your experience in Costa Rica on our Tropical Adventures Volunteer Blog (www.crazyjungle.com). Please email your story to [email protected], along with a few pictures. Prospective volun-teers love to hear about what it was like in Costa Rica and what they can expect.

Many of our volunteers like to keep an online account of their travels and experiences to show their family and friends back home. We can recommend TravelPod – www.TravelPod.com. All you have to do is register for a free account using your email address; you can then write about your expe-riences, upload photos and create a map of your journey. It’s a nice way to show people back at home what you are doing and a good souvenir for when you get back!

Keeping

In

Touch

Health and Safety

Your health and safety is of the utmost importance to Tropical Adventures. The water in Costa Rica is safe to bathe with and certainly is much safer to consume than other Central American countries, but it is not up to the standards of North America or UE. In most areas drinking water is totally safe. However, we suggest that you drink bottled water during your visit to Costa Rica if you have a sensitive system or are nervous about getting ill. Bottled water is readily available at stores, restaurants and bars. The ice is safe to consume. We strongly encourage all volun-teers to drink much more water than they would normally at home. The heat and humidity of Costa Rica combined with physically challenging volunteer projects will require more hydration for your body. Heat stroke is a common ailment for tourists and we don’t want any of our participants to become victims of heat stroke.

We recommend that participants who want to explore the local area do so in small groups just as a standard safety precaution when traveling to any foreign land. We ask that volunteers be wary travelers and to not carry their passports, large amounts of money, etc with them when not needed. Your belongings will be safe in your host family homes and if there is a safe in your hostel or near your project location, we encourage participants to utilize this free service. If you become ill, please contact your Tropi-cal Adventures Volunteer Coordinator right away. Please familiarize yourself with the medical insurance we offer and the add-on travel insurance we have available for purchase.More information available athttp://medical.tropicaladventures.com

No vaccinations are required to enter Costa Rica for citizens of most countries, but we would recommend that all participants have up-to-date typhoid, hepatitis A, yellow fever and tetanus vaccinations. For more infor-mation about requirements and sugges-tions, please see our Frequently Asked Questions section of our website.

For a list of which countries require their citizens to get yellow fever vaccinations, please refer to the Centers for Disease Control website:http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/costa-rica.htmNeither Canada nor the United States require this vaccination.

PrescriptionsPlease pack your prescription medications in your carry-on luggage and carry prescrip-tions in their original containers. Bring along copies of your prescriptions in case you lose your pills or run out and carry the generic name of prescription medicines.

Culture Shock Culture shock is a feeling of discomfort (this can be physical, emotional or both) as a result of being away from the comforts of home and being in a completely new envi-ronment. Having to contend with a different language, new foods, different customs and a different pace of life may leave you feeling a little under the weather at first. Symptoms may include:

- Anxiety- Homesickness- Tiredness- Apathy- Digestive discomfort- Obsessiveness over cleanliness- A disliking of your new environment- Feeling isolated COPING WITH CULTURE SHOCKMost people experience 'culture shock' at some point during their travelling lives and this is something you may experience when you arrive in Costa Rica. We have found this more common with first-time travelers.

These feelings are usually mild and you can deal with them and settle in more quickly if you are aware that what you are experienc-ing is simply a natural reaction to being in a new environment. You will find that the Costa Rican people (Ticos) are very friendly and polite, and will try and help you settle in as quickly as possible. But don't worry if you still feel out of your comfort zone - this is natural!

Keeping

In

Touch

When you leave home and all the things that are familiar, you encounter many new and confusing situations. These situations naturally create stress (culture shock). Some of the differences between life at home and life in a new place are obvious: • Language • Climate • Religion• Food• Educational System• Absence of family

Other differences are not as obvious: • How students relate to teachers• How people make decisions• How people spend their leisure time• How people resolve conflicts• How people express feelings and emotions

These differences cause feelings of uncertainty and anxiety:

• "Am I speaking properly?"• "Will I be a successful student?"• "Will I find friends?"• "Should I discuss my personal beliefs or my political opinions?"• "What does it mean when some one looks directly into my eyes?"• "Should I trust this friendly stranger?"

All of these uncertainties . . . and more . . . are confusing. You may also feel that you don't know what to do in certain situations. Probably you did not think about these things at home because you knew what to do and what to expect. You also knew how other people acted and thought. In other words, you understood "the rules" and "the signs." Life was easier at home.

How can you adjust to your new environ-ment? How can you make a successful transition to living in a new culture?

First: understand that there are and there will continue to be uncertainties and confusion. Imagine how a local resident might react to living in your country.

Second: observe how people in your new environment act in situations that are confusing to you. Try to understand what they believe and why they behave as they do. Avoid judging things as either right or wrong; regard them as being merely different.

Third: remember the ways you have been able to reduce stress in difficult situations in the past and apply those methods in your present circumstances. For example, you might take a long walk, go to a movie theater, or write a letter to a close friend or relative. Try to see the humor in confusing situations that you encounter; laughter is often the best "medicine."

Fourth: accept the difficult challenge of learning to study and live in a new cultural setting. Believe that you can learn the skills to make a satisfactory transition. Gradually try to apply some of the skills you are learning.

Fifth: recognize the advantages of spending time in a different culture. Your life will be enriched by meeting people whose cultural backgrounds are not the same as yours. Share your time with many different people. Avoid having friends only from your country but main-tain strong personal ties to your culture while you are away from home. Think about how you can help local residents learn how people from your country believe and act.

www.TropicalAdventures.com

Keeping

In

Touch

Sixth: acknowledge your progress in adjusting to the new culture. Think of all that you have learned since the day you arrived. Recognize that, like other people who have lived in an unfamiliar country, you can and will make a successful adjustment to the other culture. If you believe yourself to be suffering from symptoms of culture shock, you should speak with your Volunteer Coordinator, or someone in the Tropical Adventures office. Here are some other suggestions for your consideration: There is no Right or Wrong. Things are what they are. Please do not think that because you’re coming to Costa Rica, a denominated “third world country” that people are not happy just because they may not have access to the material com-modities that the average US citizen has. Costa Ricans are well known as being very happy people who work to enjoy life instead of living their lives to work. Remember, there’s a thin line between “Sympathy” and “Compassion.” Sympathy is feeling sorry for someone, and it leads to over-responsibility.

Compassion is empathy. It is a quality of being with someone. It’s not a “doing” thing. You can’t pretend to know why. Just be willing to through the experience with the other person(s). You will likely see and smell things that you have never encountered before which will be an eye-opening experience. Costa Rica is a beautiful tropical paradise, but it is still a developing country. There are exotic species of plants and trees that exist only in Costa Rica and among the beauty there are often issues with garbage strewn along roadsides, potholes, temporary blocked/closed roads, and malnourished street dogs. Typically here in Costa Rica you will see some families living in poverty, but Costa Rica has an ever growing large middle class population which own vehicles and have modest cement block homes on a small plot of land. We strongly encourage participants to ask questions about vegetation that they see, wildlife that is observed at volunteer sites or en-route to these areas, and about any cultural customs that are new or seem unique.

Airport Instructions The following are instructions for those of you who are flying into the San Jose Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). Most airplanes arrive at a gate, but be aware sometimes there isn’t any room at a gate and you will park on the tarmac. If that happens, you will deplane using the stairs, board a bus and be driven to the terminal. In either case, you want to look for the signs that say “Immigration.” Follow the signs to the Immigration area and stand in one of the left lanes that say “Tourist.” This process is usually pretty fast, but it depends on how many people and airplanes arrived at the same time you did. The Immigration official will need your passport and the paperwork you filled out on the airplane. Most of the time they don’t ask you any questions, just stamp your paperwork and hand back one of the sheets of paper to you, along with your passport.

Follow the signs out to the baggage claim section where you can claim your luggage. It's in this section where you can purchase a pre-paid SIM card for your cell phone from the ICE phone company booth. Once you have all your luggage, head towards the exit. You’ll have to stand in line again and place all your luggage on the conveyor belt.

The customs officials scan your bags, you pull them off the conveyor and you hand your last remaining piece of paperwork to the officer standing by. (Note: Sometimes they are too busy and don’t even collect your paperwork.)

Continue walking outside. The exit is very obvious. Be aware that a million taxi drivers will be asking if you need a ride. Either ignore them and focus on getting out, or just politely say “no gracias.”

Arrival in Costa Rica

Arrival

in

CR

Pick-Up – IMPORTANT Please print off the following information to bring with you.Unless you have been advised otherwise, our friendly driver, Manuel, will be waiting at San Jose International Airport to collect you.

As you exit the final door of the airport you will see a wall of glass in front of you. Your driver will normally be standing there behind the glass holding a sign with your name(s) on it. Acknowledge them and then continue walking out the exit toward the right.

If you miss your driver or can’t find them for some reason, simply go to the pay phone area and they will find you. The pay phones are to the right as you exit to the street. Manuel’s number is 8318-4750.

You need to please call us if you miss your flight, or if for any reason you will be delayed. Our number is toll-free at 1-800-832-9419.If you miss your flight and do not advise us, we can not advise your driver. If this happens and they go to wait for you at the airport for no reason, they will charge you for a second trip to the airport.

PLEASE be careful of your bags. Do not leave them unattended for even a minute. Petty thievery is an issue at this – and all airports around the world

Once here in Costa Rica, if you need any help or anything goes wrong, please contact us using the support numbers on this page.

As mentioned above, this is Costa Rica. On the rare occasion, something goes wrong (traffic, accident, or any number of other uncontrollable issues) and we will be late, please wait at the airport. We know you are coming and are on the way to get you. But feel free to call at any time. We are here for you!

We are very excited to meet you! You’ll be greeted by one of us and we will take care of your immediate needs (ATM, food, etc.). Unless you arrive early enough to continue on to your project, you’ll be taken to a nearby hotel to rest until the morning, when we will pick you up and get you transported to your project location. Our goal is to make your trip comfortable – and FUN!

Tropical Adventures experienced bilingual staff will be available 24 hours a day during your stay here in Costa Rica. Once here in Costa Rica, you can call any of us collect if anything at all goes wrong or you need help. This is how:

1. Pick up the phone and Dial 1110

2. After the opera-tor sasy a sentence or two in Spanish, press 1

3. After another sentence in Spanish, enter 2575-0410 (our office)

4. One last sentence and a beep, then say your name

5. Wait a minute or two. Either you’ll hear us come on the line or the opera tor will tell you we weren’t available.

Should we not be available, repeat the above, substituting the following numbers for instruction number 3.

Tropical Adventures 24-Hour Support

Arrival

in

CR

IMPORTANT

Arrival

in

CR

Please ensure you print a copy of this page to leave with somebody at home. Your family can call any of us if there is a need to get a message to you. Here at the Tropical Adventures Foundation, your safety is our primary concern. In the event of any emergency, please use the follow-ing information to contact us here in Costa Rica. Please be aware that we not only live in a developing nation where communication and technology are inconsistent, but we also work in remote areas.

We do most often answer the phone, but in the event you can't reach us, please leave us a message on more than one number and we will get back with you just as soon as possible.

Our office numbers are:Toll-Free from the US or Canada:

1-800-832-9419International Direct-Dial:

+506 2575-0410

If you can't reach anyone in the office (nights, weekends, and holidays), please start calling people from this list. To dial a +506 number from the US or Canada, please dial 011-506 and then the rest of the numbers:

Susan Schuetze Travel Coordinator +506 8358 - 6161 Manuel Driver +506 8318-4750 Scott Pralinsky Executive Director +506 8868-0296 Steven Marín Office Assistant

Medical Insurance Tropical Adventures offers insurance at no extra charge to our volunteers (not tour-only or voluntour clients) as part of our basic package. Additional coverage is available for $25 per week for those tour-only and voluntour guests, as well as those volunteers seeking coverage in Costa Rica before or after their volunteer time.

Please see our Medical Insurance web-page at: http://medical.tropicaladventures.com for more detailed information on the insur-ance policy. We highly suggest you consider purchasing some additional and affordable insurance for your trip. We have a great relationship with an international company who provides insurance that covers such things as:

• Medical and Dental Emergency Coverage

• Emergency Medical Evacuation • Travel Accident Coverage • Luggage Loss or Theft • Sporting Equipment Loss or Damage • Trip Cancellation or Interruption You can read more about the insurance they offer at: http://medical.tropicaladventures.com. Please note: if you purchase the insurance using the link above, Tropical Adventures will receive a 10% commission and 100% of the money will be used directly to support our projects. The cost to you will be the same as if you went to the provider yourself. Thank you for your continued support!

+506 8791-1224

Important to note:

Arrival

in

CR

•If you have chosen to stay in a hostel or have purchased an upgrade to a hotel, you will be responsible for buying your own lunch and dinner ($20 per day should cover that easily).

•Transportation between projects and back to the airport is not included in your package. Depending on how you decide to travel (bus versus shuttle van), transporta-tion between projects and to the airport will likely vary anywhere between $1 and $45.

•You will be required to pay a $28 exit tax at the airport per Costa Rica law.

•If you fly in late or depart early, you’ll likely need to stay in a hostel or hotel near the airport. We are happy to help you with the reservations, but this is not an included program cost. To avoid this cost, please fly in before Noon and depart as late in the day as possible.

Tour Info

• Sometimes there will be changes to your itinerary which are beyond our control. We are always available to help you make other choices and adjustments. • If we are unable to accommodate you on your chosen date, we will, at your option, either reschedule your date or refund your payment. • Full payment is required at the time of reserving with Tropical Adventures to secure your spot. We will email you a confirmation of payment received. • Different Tour Operators have different cancellation policies. Please ask about these at time of booking. • Should your plans change and you are unable to make your tour, we will work with the tour vendor to either accommodate you on another tour or refund your money. However, many tour companies have already committed resources to your tour when you book it so refunds are not always guaranteed. The more notice you give us, the more likely we will be able to accommodate your request. • Prices on our website and in our emails to you are subject to change (this happens when the Tour Operator changes prices and hasn’t notified us in advance).

Tropical Adventures offers many tours. It’s most likely that you have already booked some through our Tour Department. Here are some things we want you to be aware of: • Most tours run daily but have a minimum number of persons required for the tour to operate. They may also reach their maxi-mum number of clients they can accommodate

What to Bring

Arrival

in

CR

The best rule of thumb for packing for your trip to Costa Rica is to pack a few extra sets of clothes due to the heat and humidity of the tropics.

Here are our suggestions for things you should consider bringing:

• Insect repellent with Deet • Sun block (SPF 25+)• Hat• Sunglasses• Anti-bacterial hand gel and/or hand wipes• Personal Toiletries (shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush etc)• A small first aid kit with items for cuts and bites (make sure you include some ant iseptic ointment of some sort – it is important in this climate to ensure any cuts are kept clean).• Towel • Light-weight cargo pants • Light-weight long-sleeve shirt • A good supply of cotton T-shirts• Sturdy, open air shoes (such as Keens) • Light clothes....it can be hot and humid • Mosquito net (optional, but nice to have) • Rain coat • Bathing suit • Small umbrella (this is indispensible during the rainy season!)• Snack bars (you will receive three meals if with a host family and breakfast if at the hostel, but these come in handy!) • Flashlight (non-battery if possible) • If volunteering at a school, you'll have to have sleeves and you must wear pants or a skirt. You might also want to bring stickers, temporary tattoos or other small gift to hand out as prizes in class. • Backpack • Camera (don’t forget extra batteries and memory cards) • Passport and at least two copies• Copies of your other legal documents – e.g. insurance policy, flight tickets etc.• Money (small USA bills) and ATM card • English / Spanish Dictionary • Possibly gift(s) for your host family (if applicable), such as photos of your family, post cards and a map from your community, a "treat" local to your area such as maple syrup or something fun to share. • Any required medications in their original containers • A few plastic bags to keep soiled/wet clothing in• Consider filling up any extra space with donations!

If you are working with our turtle project, there are a couple of extra points to think about:

• Bring dark clothes • Bring closed-toed shoes (like sneakers) that you won't mind getting dirty from walking on the beach

Spanish English Buenos dias Good morning Buenas tardes Good afternoon Buenas noches Good night Buenas Hello Gracias Thank you Con mucho gusto It’s my pleasure / you’re welcome

You will hear this a lot in Costa Rica.

Disculpe Excuse me (sorry) Con permiso Excuse me (let me by) May I enter the

house? May I leave the table? Por favor Please Por favor, hable mas despacio Please speak more slowly Disculpe, no hablo español Sorry. I don’t speak Spanish Mucho gusto Nice to meet you Baño Bathroom Me presta el baño por favor May I use the bathroom? Izquierda Left Derecha Right Directo Straight (direction) Me regala… Literally: “Gift me”

But used when ordering food or buying something instead of “sell me”

Cuanto es…? How much is…? Cuanto vale…? What’s the cost…? Cuanto cuesta…? How much does it cost…? Voy a… I’m going to… Va a…? Are you going to…? Me nombre es… My name is Anna Pura Vida / Tuanis Tico expression meaning “right on,”

“great,” “thanks” and many more things. Donde esta…? Where is…? Tengo hambre I’m hungry Me regala agua por favor May I have some water please Que hora es? What time is it? Don Timoteo/ Doña Pastora Mr. Timoteo/ Ms. Pastora

The use of Don o Doña is an address to older people as a form of respect.

Como te llamas? What is your name?

Arrival

in

CR

Spanish Basics

Arrival

in

CR

What You Can Expect From Us

Our goal is to help you have an exciting, fun, rewarding and learning experience. Hopefully you’ll remember your trip to Costa Rica as one of the best trips you have ever taken!

• You can expect that our number one concern is your safety and that we will do our best to help you have a safe trip. Should something happen to you, you can expect we will go out of our way to help by getting you get to a doctor, hospital or to do what-ever is necessary.

• We are very aware that sometimes people have a different expectation of what Costa Rica or their project will be like. You can expect us to do our best to educate you in advance so you have a pretty darn good idea of what to expect when you arrive. However, if you encounter an issue with your hotel, host family, staff, professor or project, you can also expect us to listen and do our best to make any changes within our means to assist you.

What We Expect from You

• We expect you to engage, participate, do your best – and to have FUN!

• You have already agreed to our Enroll-ment Policy at the time of enrollment. We expect you to adhere to these policies at all times.

• We expect you to speak with us immedi-ately should you encounter an issue, or if something is not right about your lodging or project.

• Should you need to change something on your itinerary, we expect you to notify us immediately (this will save you money and heartache).

• We expect you to notify us of any changes or deviations you are going to make to your itinerary. This will help us know where you are so we can best care for your safety and find you in the event of an emergency.

Fundraising

If you would like to do some fundraising at home to help reduce your program fees – or to pay for them in full – please contact us at: [email protected].

Bringing Donations and How to Help from Home

As you know, Costa Rica is still a develop-ing nation. That’s why we exist. We can always use help and donations of cash or materials and supplies. Please see http://help.tropicaladventures.com or contact us for more information as to what you can bring with you and how you can help.

See you soon!

www.TropicalAdventures.com