Alex,
Everything went really well! Federico and I had no issues meeting up at the airport, and from there everything was great. He was a blast to spend time with, and helped provide a lot of perspective on the local culture, not to mention the wildlife and vegetation. He's practically a walking encyclopedia. He also set up transportation for me to visit the LaPaz waterfall park on the morning of my departure, which turned out to be really cool and something I'm very glad I did. I wasn't aware of it until the night before I left when Federico suggested it. But getting to see toucans so close up was cool, and the area where they let you hold test tubes of nectar while hummingbirds whiz around you was probably a once in a lifetime experience. The waterfalls were really dramatic too. And I got to really experience the true meaning of cloud forest after getting rained on while there.
“We had a wonderful experience and are so grateful that we were able to go on this trip as a family and with our friends. Many companies discouraged us from bringing young children along on a volunteer trip, but Globe Aware has encouraged us to bring our children and made it possible for us to do so. Thank you so much! I have already recommended Globe Aware to several of my friends.”
- Amy
Dear Staff at Globe Aware,
I wrote a long thank you to Frederico for our wonderful trip to the Orosi Valley last Dec., '15 when we painted their church for Christmas, but I don't think he received the email. I has been awhile but this trip is a forever memory experience. It was the most amazing time, and we (with family) enjoyed both work and play on this trip.
The wonderful other families (both on the trip and our hosts), food and futbol, card games after working a full day made the event more like "camp" since we made new friends while helping and having fun. Please send this Thanks to Frederico who may not even remember me (Sue, Scott and Mark) by this point with all his visitors, but possibly and I hope so. When I say "amazing" trip, I truly mean it and know Frederico was working hard behind the scenes every day to make this happen while appearing relaxed and easy going when he was with us, but always helping us keep on schedule.
The local people were so appreciative and welcoming. There was plenty of free time to unwind. The food was great and they even made vegetarian meals for my daughter. It was amazing to see another culture and how they live. My children were amazed at how small the houses were but everyone seemed happy. More is not always better. We were able to communicate even though there was a language barrier. It was a wonderful experience. Our guide, Federico, was amazing. He knows so much about the local culture and community. He was a travel guide, interpreter, chef, driver and friend all wrapped up into one. He is an incredible person. - Jennifer Hilger July 2014
New testimonial: Having just returned from our service trip to Orosi Valley I wanted to reach out and thank your organization for putting on a first class trip. It was truly an enlightening experience for my son and me. The accommodations were perfect, Federico did an amazing job in coordinating everything for our week’s stay, and the local work projects which we assigned were were both educational and fulfilling. My son is still talking about all that he saw and learned while in Costa Rica. - Alexander Allen, March 2015
Federico was super accommodating and tried to respond to every request that someone in our group made -- whether it was about food, free time or something else. From my perspective, everything went very smoothly. I thought the food was delicious. I especially liked the lentil patties at Gustavo's house. Going to try and make those at home one day! - Emilia Askari February 2015
I felt like our group had a positive impact on the community and was able to learn about Costa Rican culture.
The food was outstanding and was very accommodating to our groups dietary needs. - Rebekah Dunstan, March 2015
The project was something that the community needed to be done and it was fun to do it. We enjoyed the kids in the school who were eager to learn and show us their culture! What we liked best was meeting the people in the community and eating meals with the families. Federico was incredibly helpful and fun! Patricia Oppenheim February 2015
Seeing the homeowner so happy with what was being done, and how active and interested the community is in the project really showed us how meaningful our work was. It was good to see how happy and content people are with the basics when they are surrounded by a loving family. Federico was very good at explaining his country and culture and how it is different from the U.S. - Ann Ackerman January 2015
I believe our group's work project was indeed meaningful. The direct interaction with the locals on a daily basis helped establish smooth interpersonal relationships and gave me a positive impression about the warmth and natural openness of the people. It was also a good way to practice my rusty Spanish. Furthermore, this also gave me an opportunity to get to know my co-volunteers whom I do find friendly, kind, and fun to be with. We had enough free time to explore the area, do some hiking, swim in a hot spring, enjoy a zipline activity (Canopy tour), go to the market, etc. Locally prepared Costa Rican meals (e.g. Casado) are so delicious. This has been my second time to engage in a volunteer vacation with Globe Aware. The first time was in July 2010 in Romania. In general, I am pleased and satisfied with how the programs (both in Romania and Costa Rica) are organized and do look forward to more volunteer opportunities in the future. - Adhara Lazaro December 2014
