The way people think and live is simply fascinating. The nature is breathtaking and so diverse. If I had to describe Latin America in three words, they would be: happy, content, relaxed.
Lena spent 3 months at the surf camp in Tamarindo, Costa Rica with WanderWorld Travel. In this report, she describes her activities at the surf camp, her experiences with the culture and how she organized her free time. During her stay abroad, she explored the beautiful country of Costa Rica and then traveled on to Panama. She learned to be more independent and responsible and is very proud of herself for taking on this adventure.
I had always wanted to travel the world and didn't really know what to do after graduating from high school. I then talked to my parents and they were also very enthusiastic. I booked my trip with WanderWorld at the beginning of 2022 and went to Costa Rica to work at the surf school for 3 months in November. I had a lot of respect for the trip. Not knowing where you're going and the people you'll be living with really scared me. However, as we received all the important information from WanderWorld regarding the preparation and the trip itself, the whole thing was (in hindsight) really relaxed.
Our first impressions of the country were super nice. The food was delicious and we were given a brief introduction to the culture. We walked through the city with Lisa and were able to try local fruit and typical dishes and see some of the city's monuments. We were a nice group of 15 people and we all got on really well. We then took the bus from the capital to my project on our own. It didn't take long for me to settle in there because the accommodation and the people were really great.
My initial tasks were to get to know the booking and cash register systems and then to communicate with the customers. I was responsible for booking surfing lessons and then collecting the money. We also cleaned, that's just part of the job. Later, tasks such as waxing boards and screwing on fins were added. At the very end, when I had already gained a lot of surfing experience, I was allowed to help out as a surf instructor. That was super cool! In general, we did a lot of the tasks ourselves. But I also had a lot of freedom to introduce and implement new ideas. I was able to learn a lot of new things about surfing and surfing equipment. That was really great.
I always organized my free time in very different ways, but mostly with the people from the accommodation or the guests in the hotel. You were never alone and always had super nice people around you. The people always changed. There were always two people from WanderWorld and then usually one or two people who were doing their internship semester at university there, for example.
There was also a language school and we spent a lot of time with the language students from all over the world. For example, we went out partying a lot, went on boat trips, went to other beaches for swimming or surfing, went out for a delicious meal or visited the skate park. Beach volleyball and soccer were also a must and the BBQs with the locals were also really nice and delicious.
I think "quite different" describes the culture very well. People always make you feel very welcome and are very welcoming. Everyone takes the time to explain or show you something that is typical of the country and its people. The people there are all much more relaxed and for them "work" doesn't mean anything like it does for us. It's also not as structured. This can have advantages as well as disadvantages, but I really liked it. The people taught me not to take everything so seriously, especially when it comes to punctuality.
I actually had the best moment just before Christmas when we had a Christmas party at the surf school. We were invited to a local bar and there we, 4 Germans and 20 Ticos, sang karaoke, talked, had fun, ate and drank delicious food and spent a super nice evening. Afterwards we went to a rodeo. What a great evening!
We had an eight-bed dormitory where both volunteers and guests slept. The guests were those who had booked a week of surf lessons with an overnight stay at the surf school. They were all super modern rooms. We had two bathrooms, a large locker and a very comfortable bed.
The way people think and live is simply fascinating. The nature is breathtaking and so diverse. If I had to describe Latin America in three words, they would be: happy, content, relaxed. It's simply how people convey their culture and their way of life. The words describe it quite well.
What I can recommend is to visit several countries. I traveled to Panama after my project, which was very nice. The countries in Latin America are absolutely breathtaking. Personally, I wouldn't stay longer than 2 months in one project, but would rather use the time to visit the other countries and projects.
I have become more independent and have learned to take more responsibility for my actions. I have learned to pay more attention to my fellow human beings and to be more mindful in general. I have also found out what I want to achieve in my life and why it is worth living in this beautiful world. I am super proud to have mastered this journey.
Sophia, founder of Wanderworld Travel
Lisa, Coordinator & Participant Support
Amanda, Support and advice before departure
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