A beautiful mix of volunteering and learning Spanish
Pour yourself a cup of coffee, get comfy and tune in on Tamisha's adventure in Costa Rica. For 2 weeks she joined a cool project in Santa Teresa with a mix of volunteering in the local community, adventure trips with her new friends and learning Spanish through practical classes in the camp. This is her story.
Pura Vida - Welcome to Costa Rica!
Hey fellow adventurers!
I’ve always dreamed of visiting Costa Rica, the land of Pura Vida, but I never expected the trip to be as life-changing as it was. I was lucky enough to spend two incredible weeks in Santa Teresa, focusing on learning Spanish and giving back to the local community through a volunteer placement at Jakera, a great partner of KILROY's.
I went in with high expectations for Costa Rica itself, especially after seeing countless TikToks and Instagram Reels about the famous Santa Teresa sunsets. Let me tell you: they lived up to the hype 100%. Even though I was there during the transition from the end of the rainy season into summer, the sunsets were truly amazing every single evening.
But what blew me away the most wasn't the beaches - it was the camp and the incredible people I met.
A Luxury Camp Experience (Seriously!)
Before arriving, I had zero expectations for the camp itself, but Jakera was "way better" than anything I could have ever imagined. The people who work there are so warm that it genuinely felt like a little family. We were a group of 13 volunteers, and the bond we formed was incredibly quick and tight. From the moment we were picked up in the shuttle bus, we knew we’d be spending day and night together for the next two weeks and we quickly found each other.
If you’re nervous about solo travel, joining a project like this is the easiest way to make friends. You automatically have a huge passion in common - you both chose this place and this volunteering experience, which makes starting conversations about why you’re there incredibly easy.
A strong plus is that the project staff are great at building dynamics: on Wednesdays, they swap volunteering for things like a group hike or interactive Spanish classes, and we even learned dances like Merengue. When you’re trying to learn partner dancing with people you just met, or falling off a surfboard together, the awkwardness quickly disappears.
Chef Mario: The Ultimate Camp Perk
Giving Back: From Beach Cleanups to School Maintenance
The volunteering was incredibly fulfilling. I went to Costa Rica to learn and take in the culture, but I also had the chance to give back to the people who actually live in Santa Teresa, which made the trip so much more meaningful than a regular vacation. I felt like I was an actual part of this small community. It was also cool so agile the project was, as we rotated projects based on the weather:
1. Beach Cleanup: We helped clean up the beach right in front of the camp. It was bizarre how much waste we found, including objects like Legos, toys, and shoe soles,. We sorted the plastic into "good plastic" (recyclable) and "bad plastic," which the group leader, Aban, then took to the local recycling project.
2. School Maintenance: We partnered with local schools that struggle to afford maintenance because most of their money goes toward providing food for the students. At a primary school in Santa Teresa, we painted and assembled new tables that the previous group had built out of wood.
3. Gardening with Kids: At another primary school in Mais, we did gardening. The kids were so sweet; they would run up to us, picking yellow flowers and placing them in our hair while we worked!
Spanish, Surfing, and Waterfalls
While volunteering was central, there was plenty of time for adventure and learning. I had two weeks of Spanish classes, four days a week. I’d studied Spanish before, but found it "a bit scary to speak". My teacher, Lily, was extremely supportive, and the learning style was very practical - no boring books! Teachers would even bring real fruits from the surrounding nature into class when teaching vocabulary. I started at the B1 level, and by the end of the two weeks, my speaking ability was a lot better. The biggest gain was confidence: I now feel confident enough to speak Spanish.
The location in Santa Teresa is perfect for ocean life. Although I only tried surfing once, I actually managed to stand up on the board, as did everyone in the group,! While it was definitely tough work (it’s "actual sport"!), the instructors made us feel better than we actually were.
For a big group outing, we paid a small fee (around $45) for an activity day in Montezuma, which included transport, lunch, and a hike to the waterfalls. The waterfalls were truly amazing, and the hike was fantastic. Since we were there just after the rainy season, the nature was super green and smelled wonderful. It was definitely a highlight for many of us.
Summing up: Why You Need to Go
Costa Rica is a stunning destination, and combining travel with volunteering made the experience truly fulfilling. If you're doubting whether to take a trip like this, I would 100% tell you to give it a shot. I was so inspired by my time contributing to the community that I plan to incorporate ways to give back into all my future travels.
You really are not going to come back the same way. So pack your bags, get ready for amazing sunsets, and prepare to feel like part of the Jakera family - you won’t regret it!
Are you dreaming of a similar adventure?
Do you want to experience something similar to Tamisha? Do you want to combine traveling & adventure with volunteering or learning a new language?
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