We also enjoy very much the possibility we have to send volunteers from all over the world to help as volunteers in different places where there is poverty and need.
We believe it is very good when our students want to offer their time to help and give a contribution to our country and also we know that it will be a very rewarding and enriching experience for the volunteers, too.
During the time you work in any of these projects, you can also stay with a host family.
Also, every month we receive volunteers from 4 very good organizations who recruit volunteers to work in different countries in the world. Here, in Costa Rica, Logos is in charge to arrange the home stay, transportation, volunteer work, Spanish lessons, etc. These organizations are:
Volontärresor (from Sweden)
El Puente (from Sweden)
Travel to Teach (rom UK)
International Volunteer Association (USA)
Some of the projects we have in San José are:
Public schools:
Normally schools in downtown San José or in other suburbs in the vicinity. Volunteers help in the English classes, Sports classes or Arts. They work as assistants to the teachers, since normally each group has from 35 to 40 children and only one teacher without assistant; so volunteers help in the class with making materials, etc. Indeed, teachers are always very happy when volunteers can help, especially in the English classes, which is an important focus in the last years because the many job opportunities people can get when they know English, Costa Rica being a very touristic country and hosting many international companies. Volunteers work from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
In many of the schools there is also a kinder garden and preparatory area, so volunteers can also help with the younger children.
Daycares:
In some poorer (but still not notoriously dangerous) areas there are some organizations that have daycares, which are for free, for poor families. Every day they receive about 80 or 90 children from 3 months old to 12 years old. This is a way to help the children while their parents are at their places of work. Many children are children of single mothers, some of them are children from families who are poor but very loving but many of them come from families that have a lot of problems with alcoholism, drugs, violence, etc. Many of them can suffer bad punishments in their house and hard treatment, so it's very good when volunteers can be there to show them care, love and attention. These organizations try to help them the best they can but sometimes they don't have so many workers because they don't have so much money to pay for more staff, so the help of volunteers is very welcome. The daycares we work with are more usually in Zetillal and San Sebastián. Volunteers work from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, although those places are open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Soup kitchen for children:
There are also organizations that help by giving lunch to children in poor areas. They provide lunch every day for about 80 children whose families have not enough money to buy food. They don't only feed the children but also teach them different things and try to keep them out of the streets. In this way they try to get the attention of children to stay more hours learning constructive things or having healthy fun instead of wandering in the streets and being exposed to drugs, dangerous people, etc. So, in the mornings volunteers teach handicrafts or arts to the children and in the afternoons help them to use the few computers available in the place for making their homework, or playing or learning, or volunteers can play with them sports, table games, teach them songs, etc. Normally volunteers work from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at those places.
There is also an orphanage and a daycare/school (Aldeas S.O.S and Oratorio Don Bosco) where they really do some great work and we can send volunteers but only when they stay more than 4 months (in Aldeas S.O.S) respectively more than 6-8 months in Oratorio Don Bosco.
Some times in the past we received volunteers who wanted to work in elderly homes, in churches or Christian organizations, in physical therapy centers, etc. So, according to the volunteer’s education background, beliefs or interests, we can offer individual options.
Environmental projects and National Parks:
We also work in cooperation with a very respected environmental organization that has almost 30 years of working experience for the preservation of the environment and species in risk of extinction like several kinds of turtles and other animals.
Volunteers can help in National Parks and protected areas. Some of the projects are in:
Playa Matapalo (at the Pacific coast)
Manuel Antonio National Park (at the Pacific coast)
Gandoca Wildlife Refugee (at the Caribbean coast)
Tortuguero National Park (at the Caribbean coast)
Marino Ballena Wildlife Refugee (at the Pacific coast)
Arenal Volcano National Park
Jacó Beach (at the Pacific coast)
Normally work in those places includes: Patrolling the eggs and baby turtles, making safe nests for the eggs from the turtles, helping the turtles to get safely to the sea and protecting them from predators that might attack them, cleaning the beaches and forests, building trails, fences, signs, ramps (for handicapped visitors), guiding visitors, teaching children, etc.
If you’re interested to work as a volunteer, please just e-mail us and let us know and thanks in advance for your solidarity and help!!!
Internships:
We also can help you to find a place to do an internship according to your field of studies, work or interest. You can e-mail us and tell us what kind of work you’re interested in and we will try to locate a place that suits your particular expectations.
Travelling
Logos has working agreements with many travel agencies and companies in Costa Rica and abroad. This way we can offer our students and volunteers discounts and good options to travel around and get to see the beautiful nature and sightseeing sites of Costa Rica.
Costa Rica is a country with great diversity and abundant nature. 25% of the land is protected areas so you can enjoy paradise beaches and islands, amazing volcanoes, exuberant forests and a great diversity of animals and exotic and beautiful plants.
We take pride in seeing to it, that our students and volunteers have the best opportunities possible to take advantage of their time here, getting to admire those beautiful places and things.
Not only are we in a position to ensure discount tour prices, but we can also help you with the reservations, addresses, information and whatever else you might need.
If you want to go by public bus to any place or need information about hostels, hotels, etc. or if you already have a specific hotel or hostel in mind, we’ll be glad to help you with addresses, reservations, etc.
Ask also for the overnight tours to Tortuguero, San Lorenzo, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Jacó, Puerto Viejo, Montezuma, Santa Teresa, Playa Hermosa, Arenal, etc.
Cultural and Social Activities
In order to help our students and volunteers to get the most from their time in Costa Rica and enjoy their time here as much as possible, we have made agreements with other schools, companies and persons with the idea to be able to offer to our students the best and at a very appealing price.
During the last years, many students expressed an interest in taking Art lessons, or learning to play some instrument with Latin rhythms, learning to make souvenirs or handicrafts, etc., so in the course of the last couple of years we were privileged to get to know very good teachers and instructors in those fields.
So, some of the courses we can recommend are:
Dancing lessons:
We have two options:
Escuela de Baile Merecumbé: This is the biggest dancing school in Costa Rica, they have schools in more than 12 towns. Depending on where you are staying during your time in Costa Rica, we will help you to book the course in the school which is closer to your town or suburb. They have classes every day and different schedules, especially in the evenings so you can choose the time which is better for you.
Academia de Baile Olé: This is also a very good dancing school. The owner and instructor, Shirlene, is a professional dancer who has been abroad in dancing presentations and has won several important prices with the dancing group she has. She has these two schools in Tibás and Coronado. Often we have dancing lessons at Logos and then she is the one who teaches and always the students like it very much and learn very well.
Cooking lessons:
If you want to learn to prepare the delicious Costa Rican food, just let us know and we will arrange cooking classes for you. These lessons can be arranged in groups or individually. We have several cooking instructors who are really good but also you must remember that sometimes your Spanish teacher can teach you to prepare something as part of the class. Learning to cook is really fun and what is even more fun is to enjoy the food that has been prepared. At Logos we have a fully equipped kitchen with all what can be needed in the cooking class. We recommend this class to be taken by several people together as a group.
Art lessons:
Drawing and painting:
Right across the street from our building there is a really nice Art Gallery and School. There you can learn to draw and also painting. Many of our students have enjoyed much painting typical Costa Rican landscapes, toucans, exotic flowers, jaguars, colorful frogs, beautiful sunsets on the beach, volcanoes, etc. Classes are one time per week, 3 hours. Besides you need to buy the materials which are not really expensive in Costa Rica. Some materials are available at the school and some in stores nearby.
Music lessons:
Guitar, Latin Percussion, Violin, etc.:
Maybe you already know to play some musical instrument but you would like to learn to play the Latin rhythms right here with Latin musicians or maybe you never have learnt to play an instrument before and now it’s your opportunity to take the time for that. We know instructors both in Spanish and English and people who are great musicians and also with a big gift for teaching. You don’t need to have the instrument here since the instructor can borrow what you need but if you want to practice at home, then we recommend you to bring your own instrument or buy it in Costa Rica at a very good price. For example, acoustic guitars are one of the specialties from Costa Rica and many are exported to many countries around the world.
Costa Rican handicrafts and jewelry lessons:
If you like to work with your hands, there are many options of activities. You can learn many different kinds of handicrafts, jewelry, with wood, with glass, with paper, sewing, etc.
There are several schools in San José downtown, near Logos where you can learn useful skills and also enjoy very much while you can also get to know other people and hang out while you’re in class. Prices vary depending on the activity and materials you’ll need but what we can tell you for sure is that courses like these are very inexpensive in Costa Rica and the materials too.
Surfing lessons:
This is your opportunity to learn to surf from a beautiful beach in Costa Rica. Visit Jacó beach and we will be glad to help you to book your surfing course.
