Current & Past Volunteer Stories

Want to know what it might be like to volunteer abroad?

Omprakash volunteers have been posting stories, photos and even videos from their time abroad since 2007. We now have an extensive collection of personal stories from volunteers who've worked with our partners abroad. You can browse through the most recent stories below or use the category selection tool to narrow your search. Alternatively click on the Stories tab for each organization we work with to see specific accounts from a particular organization. Be careful - you might lose a couple hours of your day in here! Happy reading.

First Week in Costa Ricaprint story

September 28, 2012

Asociacion CREAR Costa Rica
Melanie Brouwer

As everyone back home in Canada prepares for fall, I begin to ease myself into my new home in Costa Rica for a bit of an extended summer. Asociacion CREAR, the organization I'll be volunteering with over the next month, gives new volunteers a few days to acclimatize before starting work. I arrived a week ago and have spent my spare time exploring Playa Samara and the surrounding communities.

For anyone looking to do a little "voluntourism," I would highly recommend getting involved with CREAR and living in Samara. This small town is based on a long stretch of beach with calm waters. A variety of surf schools, restaurants and other services line the shore, offering plenty of activities for an eager tourist. Even with all of Samara's options, the long beach remains uncrowded and the town itself has an off-the-beaten track, authentic feel, which is great for anyone who wants to practice their Spanish or get a taste of what Costa Rican life is really like!

Over my past week here I have : snorkelled off the nearby Isla Chora; hiked up one of the mountains that back the town; taken a boat tour to see dolphins and turtles; and biked around to the surrounding beaches to enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery. I'll attach photos of my adventures below.

On Monday my work with CREAR will be in full swing and this weekend I'll begin to prepare for the following week's classes. This month, the educational focus is on earth science and each week will have a set learning theme. During this upcoming week we will be teaching the kids about plants and seeds!