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Q. What are the homestays like? A. The EarthConnect program spends a full week in peaceful mountainous region of Monteverde, participating in an intensive Spanish course (see below). During this time, participants stay with host families, giving them the opportunity to practice their Spanish with native speakers. Though the homestay component of our program may sound challenging or frightening at first, participants invariably list this experience as one of the foremost highlights of EarthConnect, and treasure the strong bonds they form with a family from another part of the world and with a very different lifestyle. Each participant is matched up with a host family based on their Spanish language skills and dietary needs. Host families participate in this program through the Monteverde Institute, a program which operates and works with these families year-round. Families are all carefully screened, and have all hosted teens through this program before. Each host family is different from the next—some families are large and others small, and their children are of varying ages. Regardless of size, though, they are all warm, welcoming, and extremely generous, for so is Latin culture. Staff members are always available in case of problems that may arise, and new arrangements can be made if necessary. |
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Q. Where do we stay? A. We stay in local eco-lodges and hotels, and also with local families in their homes. All of the places that we stay have beds, fans when necessary, and hot water. The number of students per room varies from 2 to 6, except at Punta Mona where 8-10 students share each bunkroom. Rooms all also have private bathrooms, except at Punta Mona where showers and bathrooms are a short walk from the bunkhouses. Students may be required to share double beds with roommates in some locations. During homestays, each participant has a unique experience with their own family (see above for more information on the homestay experience). |
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Q. What do we eat? A. We view food as an obvious (and delicious) connection to both the Earth and to the people who live in the region. Most of our meals are taken at local restaurants where regional specialties are served. We make a special effort to taste tropical fruits and vegetables that are not readily available in North America. At all meals, you have a choice of a main entree (usually chicken, fish or vegetarian) with a set menu of side dishes. Be prepared for a lot of rice and beans (gallo pinto) cooked with a special Costa Rican flavor. Because we are an eco-tourism organization and because the cattle industry has played a large role in the deforestation of Costa Rica, we have made a conscious decision to leave beef out of the Costa Rican Adventures experience. This is one way that we show how our personal decisions can be effected by and in turn affect global environmental issues. The only exception to this might be when we are staying with local families, where we eat as our hosts normally would, and beef may be provided in some cases. Vegetarian options are available at all meals |
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Q. What is the Spanish Intensive like? A. During the homestay experience in Monteverde, participants receive Spanish language instruction for approximately 3 hours per day. Students are divided into classes by Spanish level, and “classes” are very small and individualized, with a maximum student-teacher ratio of 4:1. Spanish instruction occurs at the Monteverde Institute, generally in the morning; afternoons are filled with group activities, including ziplining through the cloud forest, hiking in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, a visit to the Butterfly Gardens, visits to local artisan studios, community service projects, and a night-time bat mist-netting excursion. |
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Q. Is Costa Rica safe? A. Known as the Switzerland of the Americas, Costa Rica has been a stable democracy for over 150 years as well as hosting a strong economy with a solid middle class. Tourism is a leading industry in the country’s economy welcoming hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors each year. |
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Q. What about medical facilities? A. Throughout the trip we are never more than 45 minutes from a clinic or Red Cross station, and never more than 2 hours from a hospital. When we are staying at Punta Mona, we keep a boat there in case of the need for emergency evacuation to the clinic. In addition, our staff members are trained in wilderness first aid and carry a first aid kit with them at all times. |
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Q. How do we get around? A. When we are not hiking, snorkeling, kayaking, ziplining, riding horses, and white water rafting, we travel from activity to activity on our own chartered bus with a professional driver. Though the country is small, the road conditions lengthen travel times. Longer bus rides range from 3 – 5 hours, giving us time to fit in activities even on travel days. We also use bus rides as a time to see the countryside, listen to music and get to know one another better. |
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Q. What are the hikes like? A. What better way to get to know the rainforest than through your feet! Walking slowly through the forest affords us the opportunity to witness its natural wonders including all kinds of wildlife. None of the hikes are too difficult for anyone in reasonably good health and moderate physical shape. We never hike simply to get from Point A to Point B but rather to experience the beauty and wonder of the places we visit. We make frequent stops to check out the amazing plant and animal life and to taste forest treats along the way. One thing to keep in mind is that in order to keep its name, there must be lots of rain in the rainforest. And lots of rain leads to lots of mud! Mud (and mud-fights!) add significantly to the fun of all of the hikes! |
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Q. Do we have free time? A. Our days are really jam packed with activities, and we stick together as a group for the entire experience. We have some (supervised) free time at the beach and in town. In the evenings before and after dinner, there is often some “down” time for journal writing, reading or hanging out with each other within the hotel grounds. |
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Q. Can we do laundry? A. Approximately once a week, participants have a chance to turn in their dirty laundry to a hotel or laundry mat. Laundry is optional, and cost (to be paid by the participant) is dependant on the amount of laundry turned in. |
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Q. What is the weather going to be like? A. Very hard to predict! Costa Rica as a whole generally has a clear ‘rainy season’ and ‘dry season’. However, over the past several years, this distinction has been less and less reliable. Because we are going to the rainforest, there must be rain. Luckily, this usually happens mostly at night or for shorter periods in the mornings or afternoons. We have rarely had to cancel activities due to rainy weather. Please be prepared for hiking, walking, and playing in the rain. (It’s an incredibly fun thing to do, actually, when you realize that the beauty of the forest around us is totally dependent on the rain!) The temperature is usually quite warm and humid, but not unbearably so (80s and 90s). The nighttime temperature in Monteverde and San Jose can get down to 60°F. |
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Q. What about bugs? A. The rainforest does have bugs…lots of them. And we wouldn’t want to kick them out of their homes just because we’re coming to visit! Most of them, however, do not have any interest in you. It is the mosquitoes that may “bug” you the most. For extra protection against the mosquitoes, we recommend that participants bring insect repellent and lightweight pants. One extra tip is to wear socks during sunrise and sunset. |
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Q. Can we drink the water? A. Every morning we provide clean drinking water for you to refill your bottles from. You will need at least one 1-1⁄2 liter bottle or canteen to be refilled everyday. Please mark this with your name in permanent marker as many bottles look the same. |
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Q. How much spending money do I need to bring? A. The only spending money you need is for phone cards, laundry, snacks, souvenirs, and gifts. $200-250 should be more than enough. You can bring cash (in small denominations) or travelers’ checks. Most places accept US Dollars, but you can also change money into Costa Rican colones. ($1= ~455 colones) |
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Q. Are we able to call home? How do I stay in touch with my family? A. Most of the hotels where we are staying have only one telephone line, so it is difficult for everyone to call from the same place. We do, however, make a point to allow everyone to call home at least once a week. The best way to call is by purchasing a local Costa Rican calling card which charges about $.50/minute for calls to the US (calling cards are available for students to purchase upon their arrival in Costa Rica). Participants can also use a calling card (AT&T, MCI and Sprint all have local access numbers) or by calling collect (English speaking operators are available). We also send group emails home at least once a week so that families can share in the experience. It is impossible for individuals to check or send email on a regular basis. Families can also send faxes to participants; fax numbers for each hotel we stay in will be provided in a later mailing. |
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Q. Do I need a passport? A. Yes! If you do not already have a passport, allow 6-8 weeks for this process. It is possible to obtain a passport in less time, but planning ahead can save you money and worry. If you are not a US or Canadian citizen, please consult with the Costa Rican consulate nearest you to determine if you require a visa to enter the country. |
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Q. Do we need any shots? A. You are not required to get any shots, immunizations, or medications to travel to Costa Rica with Costa Rican Adventures. We view these issues as a matter of personal choice, for which you should consult a trusted physician at least 4-6 weeks prior to trip departure. The Center for Disease Control recommends that travelers to Costa Rica receive immunizations for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Rabies, Typhoid, Yellow Fever, and boosters for tetanus-diphtheria and measles, as needed. The CDC also defines the regions we travel to in Costa Rica as “malarial-risk areas” and recommends the antimalarial drug Chloroquine. Many staff and students traveling with Costa Rican Adventures decide against taking antimalarial drugs due to the potential side effects. Please consult your physician who can help you to make an informed decision. |
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Q. Do we need to know Spanish? A. It is not essential that you know Spanish well before you arrive. However, the homestay and language intensive component occurs towards the beginning of the trip; therefore, for those who have not studied Spanish at school, we do recommend some home study before EarthConnect begins. This may include Spanish language tapes or CD ROMs or simply asking a school Spanish teacher for a basic overview and simple exercises- just to get an understanding of the basic concepts of the language. In addition to the homestay and language intensive component of our program, we make a concerted effort throughout the trip to include Spanish in all of our activities. |
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Q. Where does the staff come from? How old are they? A. Trips are staffed by a minimum of 2-3 leaders at all times, depending on group size. Each trip is accompanied by one local naturalist guide, usually in his or her late 20s to early 30s, and 1-2 (depending on group size) North American trip leaders. During our adventure activities such as ziplining and rafting, we are also joined by instructors and guides with extensive experience and training in the activity in which we are engaging. Our Costa Rican naturalist guides lead trips year-round for Costa Rican Adventures. Throughout the trip, they share a wealth of information about each of the places we visit, including natural history highlights, details about tropical wildlife, and insights into the rich cultural and ethnic bio-diversity of the country. Our North American guides are highly experienced trip leaders who also work year-round with Costa Rican Adventures leading teen school groups on shorter trips. |
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Q. What is staying at Punta Mona like? A. We hike through the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge in order to arrive at our remote beachfront site. At night, we will stay in bunk beds in a communal lodge. Punta Mona is a very rustic and remote site which most tourists to the country do not have the opportunity to visit. We trade in some modern amenities in exchange for the privilege to live so closely with nature. The site is equipped with running water, electricity for lights from solar power, a gas stove for cooking that also runs on methane converted from our septic system, and sanitary bathroom and shower facilities. We collect our own food from the organic gardens and all help to prepare the meals. During the days we partake in a variety of activities. These include touring the farm and grounds, gardening, kayaking, fishing and arts & crafts projects. Participants also have the privilege of meeting Costa Rican Adventures founder Stephen Brooks, who currently resides in Costa Rica, developing and running Punta Mona in an eco-friendly manner. |
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Q. What do we do for our community service projects? A. As visitors to Costa Rica we hope to leave a positive mark as responsible tourists by putting our energy back into the land and communities through which we travel. Projects are organized in conjunction with community members, and the specific projects each group will work on depends on what is most needed at the time. Past projects have included: painting local schools (including painting murals inside and outside); planting fruit and vegetable gardens at local schools; helping with building and planting projects at the Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve; Turtle Conservation projects; putting on a carnival for local school children; and beach clean-ups. Participants each receive a Community Service Certificate stating the number of hours worked (usually approximately 20 hours per trip), and we are happy to fill out any other paperwork necessary to ensure participants receive school-credit for their volunteer efforts. |
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Q. What about flights? A. For each trip, there is a group flight, for which all participants fly through a hub city (most likely Houston, TX) and travel together from the hub city to San Jose, Costa Rica. A trip leader meets participants in the hub city, and accompanies them on the group flight. We arrange the entire flight for each participant, starting and ending in their home city. Cost is dependent on the participant’s home city, but is usually approximately $600. Detailed flight information will be included in the Spring Packet. |
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Q. Why travel with Costa Rican Adventures? A. For nine years, Costa Rican Adventures has been committed to creating a healthier and more sustainable planet through eco-centered travel. During our trips, we fully engage the curiosity and wonder of participants by visiting some of the most awe-inspiring parts of Costa Rica. A family-run business, we treat our participants as part of our worldwide family. Many of our school groups have come back several years running; many of our students have come back after graduation to Costa Rica to study. Our trips allow participants to spend a great deal of time interacting with the indigenous and local cultures of the Southern Caribbean coast. This kind of cultural immersion offers participants a first-hand experience with the rainforest, and how its destruction is affecting both communities and ecosystems. Our guests also visit our very own Punta Mona Center for Sustainable Living and Education, a beachfront organic farm and model of sustainability and eco-technologies. |
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Q. How do I sign up? A. To enroll in one of our Summer Programs, fill out and send in our Registration Form, accompanied by a $500 deposit. When we receive your deposit, we will contact you to confirm your enrollment. In the Spring, we will send you a packet of information that includes: trip itinerary, packing list, final invoice, participant information form, medical form, and waiver. Forms included in the Spring Packet must be completed and returned in a timely manner. Final payment is due April 15th |
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For any other less frequently asked questions, contact: 2002 Addision Street, Suite 202, Berkeley,
CA 94704 |
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