The best thing about my trip for me was the feeling of connection with the other volunteers. It felt like a small family. The bond you build when you spend so much time together and do such extraordinary work is incomparable.
Erik spent a month with us at the wildlife project in Costa Rica, where he volunteered with 20 other volunteers from all over the world. His tasks included feeding and caring for the project's monkeys.
Erik quickly settled into the project and learned to love the incredible community of volunteers. In his free time, he explored the unique surroundings and discovered many beautiful places. He made countless new friends on the trip and learned a lot about himself, which he would like to share with future travelers in this report:
At the end of last year, I decided to travel to Costa Rica in February. I had two months to prepare, get the necessary things and get vaccinated. Everything worked out great as I had plenty of time. The most exciting part of the preparation for me was the anticipation of the project and the people. I couldn't imagine exactly what to expect, but that was the interesting thing about this time. Of course, I did a lot of research about the country, and the anticipation grew from day to day.
Together with another participant, I flew to Costa Rica and was picked up at the airport. WanderWorld booked a hostel for us to stay in for the first few days. Our contact person Lisa showed us around the city and told us lots of things about Costa Rica. Two days later, I went on to the project.
Arriving in a new place is a big adjustment at first. The other volunteers in the project had already been there for some time and knew each other. It is therefore important to approach them. But after a short time, you knew everyone and we had a great time together.
Many volunteers from all over the world work on the project, so everything has to be well coordinated. There are two different shifts, one starts at six o'clock in the morning and runs until half past one and the other runs from three o'clock until half past nine. It's nice that you have either the whole morning or the whole afternoon off. You also have a day off once a week when you don't work. So there's plenty of free time, which I mainly spent at the pool when I wasn't out and about with the other volunteers. There is a lot to explore in the surrounding area, the beaches are not far away and there are beautiful waterfalls.
In my free time, I often enjoyed the sun and lay by the pool. The project has a large pool surrounded by rainforest. If you chill out in the pool, you can watch the parrots flying overhead as they have their feeding place directly above the pool. There are also lots of tables and deckchairs by the pool, where the volunteers often spend time.
We volunteers also went on many excursions as a group, for example we once rented quads and explored the area on them. In the evenings, we often sat together in the lounge and played cards and chatted.
The friendliness and warmth of the people in Costa Rica was a very special experience for me. Everyone welcomed me immediately and I quickly felt at home. Randy, the cook on the project, also cooked typical Costa Rican food, which was delicious! The cuisine in Costa Rica consists mainly of beans, rice, vegetables and meat. The food is very varied and also very healthy.
The best thing about my trip for me was the feeling of connection with the other volunteers. It felt like a small family. The bond you build when you spend so much time together and do such extraordinary work is incomparable. I have made many new friends and met a wide variety of characters from all over the world. Every single one of them has enriched my life.
I was fascinated by the small bays and hidden beaches. It was incredibly quiet and breathtakingly beautiful. It's definitely worth searching for these spots, because when you find them, it feels like a little piece of paradise.
Nature. The animals. The people. The combination of these three things makes Latin America, and Costa Rica in particular, an incomparable place.
I have definitely developed personally as a result of the trip. I am more open and less shy about talking to strangers. The experience of living in a country with a different standard of infrastructure is also very valuable. This may make you appreciate some things in Germany more that you took for granted before.
Be open and approach people. The people here are very friendly and are happy when you approach them and talk to them. You will quickly make new contacts and people will be interested in your culture. Latin America is definitely worth an experience and the small surfing towns with their special flair are truly paradisiacal.
Sophia, founder of Wanderworld Travel
Lisa, Coordinator & Participant Support
Amanda, Support and advice before departure
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